Science X Newsletter Fri, Oct 27

Dear ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 27, 2023:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Scientists demonstrate electric control of atomic spin transitions

Volcanic eruptions found to dampen Indian Ocean El Niño events for up to 8 years

Scientists demonstrate the existence of a universal lower bound on topological entanglement entropy

Spy satellites reveal hundreds of undiscovered Roman forts

Using large language models to enable open-world, interactive and personalized robot navigation

Youngest children in class with ADHD as likely to keep diagnosis in adulthood as older pupils, find scientists

Long COVID is most prevalent in the most seriously ill, large-scale study finds

Scratch my back, I'll scratch yours: Baboons wily cooperators

Intermittent fasting is safe, effective for those with type 2 diabetes, suggests new study

How robots can help find the solar energy of the future

3D-printed reactor core makes solar fuel production more efficient

Okinawa's ants show reduced seasonal behavior in areas with more human development

Study identifies genetic cause for some brain tumors

Key muscle protein may unlock the mystery of chronic mosquito-borne viral illness

Multiple review articles highlight the role of the hypothalamus in human existence

Nanotechnology news

	DNA origami nanoturbine sets new horizon for nanomotors A collaborative team of researchers led by Prof. Cees Dekker at Delft University of Technology, in partnership with international colleagues, have introduced a pioneering breakthrough in the world of nanomotors—the DNA origami nanoturbine. This nanoscale device could represent a paradigm shift, harnessing power from ion gradients or electrical potential across a solid-state nanopore to drive the turbine into mechanical rotations.
	Tiny brick-busting 'muscles' for miniature robotics are sourced from wood Wood is the source for a brick-breaking mini robotic muscle material developed by researchers in Sweden and Germany. The material—a specially-developed hydrogel—can shape-shift, expand and contract on demand when controlled with electronic impulses of less than 1 volt.
	Electrodes with hollow nanotubes improve performance of potassium-ion batteries Researchers who are working to find alternatives to lithium-ion batteries have turned their attention to potassium-ion batteries. Potassium is an abundant resource, and the technology functions in much the same way as lithium-ion batteries, but these batteries have not been developed at a large scale because the ionic radius causes problems in energy storage and substandard electrochemical performance.
	Hybrid nanomaterials promise a sustainability boost across multiple industries Polyoxometalate (POM)-based nanohybrids potentially offer a step-change in sustainability across a wide variety of industries, but research into the substances is in its infancy. A group of researchers has produced a comprehensive review of the sector's progress and challenges yet to be overcome.

Physics news

	Scientists demonstrate electric control of atomic spin transitions A new study published in Nature Communications delves into the manipulation of atomic-scale spin transitions using an external voltage, shedding light on the practical implementation of spin control at the nanoscale for quantum computing applications.
	Scientists demonstrate the existence of a universal lower bound on topological entanglement entropy In a new study, scientists from the US and Taiwan have theoretically demonstrated the existence of a universal lower bound on topological entanglement entropy, which is always non-negative. The findings are published in the journal Physical Review Letters.
	Studying the mechanisms of water transport along a fiber How fast does a droplet flow along a fiber? It depends on the diameter of the fiber, and also on its substructure. These are the findings of a study conducted by researchers from the University of Liège who are interested in microfluidics, especially water harvesting in arid/semi-arid regions of our planet. These results are published in Physical Review Fluids.
	A deep look into the dipolar quantum world In a new collaboration, two research groups, one led by Francesca Ferlaino and one by Markus Greiner, have joined force to develop an advanced quantum gas microscope for magnetic quantum matter. This state-of-the-art instrument reveals intricate dipolar quantum phases shaped by the interactions as reported in Nature.
	New algorithms inspired by quantum computing for simulating polymeric materials The advent of quantum computing is opening previously unimaginable perspectives for solving problems deemed beyond the reach of conventional computers, from cryptography and pharmacology to the physical and chemical properties of molecules and materials. However, the computational capabilities of present-day quantum computers are still relatively limited.
	Anisotropic lattice induces high-Q chiroptical responses in surface lattice resonance metasurfaces Chirality is an intrinsic property of an object that cannot coincide with its mirror image by translation or rotation. In order to realize strong chiral light-matter interactions which are usually weak in natural materials for practical applications, artificial sub-wavelength structures such as metamaterials, metasurfaces, and plasmonic nanostructures have attracted increasing attentions.
	Is it possible for a random bit generator to reach a rate of petabits per second? The optical frequency comb is an important tool in modern physics research and applications. In 2005, Theodor W. Hänsch and John L. Hall were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their pioneering work on optical frequency comb technology. This sparked a great interest among researchers in the field, leading to a series of studies on optical frequency combs.
	A novel sparse synthetic aperture radar unambiguous imaging method based on mixed-norm optimization Compared with traditional matched filtering (MF) based methods, sparse synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging could obtain high-quality images of sparse surveillance regions from down-sampled echo data. However, sparse SAR imaging still faces several challenges, especially in the fast recovery of large-scale scene and azimuth ambiguity suppression.

Earth news

	Volcanic eruptions found to dampen Indian Ocean El Niño events for up to 8 years Volcanic eruptions occurring in tropical regions (23°N/S of the equator) have been linked to abrupt disruption of global-scale climate cycles in the Indian Ocean over the last 1 million years in new research published in Geophysical Research Letters. El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) are ocean-atmosphere climate interactions that were found to be disrupted for almost a decade before returning to pre-eruption baseline levels, and the effect increases with greater eruption intensity.
	Underwater robot finds new circulation pattern in Antarctic ice shelf More than merely cracks in the ice, crevasses play an important role in circulating seawater beneath Antarctic ice shelves, potentially influencing their stability, finds Cornell University-led research based on a first-of-its-kind exploration by an underwater robot.
	Meltwater flowing beneath Antarctic glaciers may be accelerating their retreat A new Antarctic ice sheet modeling study from scientists at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography suggests that meltwater flowing out to sea from beneath Antarctic glaciers is making them lose ice faster.
	Alpine rock reveals dynamics of plate movements in Earth's interior Geoscientists analyze rocks in mountain belts to reconstruct how they once moved downward into the depths and then returned to the surface. This history of burial and exhumation sheds light on the mechanisms of plate tectonics and mountain building.
	Products made of plastic falsely claimed to be biodegradable are on sale at Brazilian supermarkets A well-known study published in the journal Science showed that some 6.3 billion metric tons of plastic polymer had been produced and discarded in human history, and that only 9% had been recycled; 12% had been incinerated and the remaining 79% left to rot in landfills or garbage dumps, from which about 10% reached the coast and eventually the sea.
	Despite record low ice, nations again fail to agree Antarctic reserves A multinational group on Antarctic conservation failed to break a years-long deadlock and agree new marine reserves in the region, despite record low ice, environmental groups said Friday.
	What to wear for a climate crisis When people move to the country from the city, they need to change their wardrobes, my research on tree-changers in Australia found. The new context of their lives means the clothes they wore for the city no longer work for their new lives. This is also true in the climate crisis.
	New warning system can help predict extreme bushfires A UNSW Canberra researcher has developed a world-first warning system for extreme bushfires that can be an invaluable tool for firefighting services.
	Global analysis finds too much phosphorus in lakes, too little in the soil Over-fertilized waterways, impoverished soils: the use of phosphorous in agriculture is creating a dilemma, and it all began thousands of years ago. This has been verified by an analysis published in Global and Planetary Change.
	NASA-ISRO radar mission to provide dynamic view of forests, wetlands NISAR will help researchers explore how changes in Earth's forest and wetland ecosystems are affecting the global carbon cycle and influencing climate change.
	Letting those leaves pile up? New research shows leaf litter contains persistent free radicals Research led by environmental health sciences (ENHS) associate professor Eric Vejerano has found that leaves are a source of biogenic persistent free radicals (BPFRs). Vejerano and Ph.D. in ENHS alumna Jeonghyeon Ahn published their findings in Environmental Science & Technology Letters.
	Hurricane causes 27 deaths, severe damage in Mexico's Acapulco Hurricane Otis caused at least 27 deaths and major damage as it lashed Mexico's resort city of Acapulco as a scale-topping category 5 storm, officials said Thursday.
	NASA, Pacific Disaster Center increase landslide hazard awareness After years of development and testing, NASA's Landslide Hazard Assessment for Situational Awareness model (LHASA) has been integrated into the Pacific Disaster Center's (PDC) multi-hazard monitoring, alerting, and decision-support platform, DisasterAWARE.
	New-generation RO constellation 'spire' challenges COSMIC-2 in atmospheric remote sensing In a recent study, scientists from the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) investigated the performance of a commercial Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Radio Occultation (RO) mission and a cutting-edge RO constellation known as "Spire," comparing it with the established Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate 2 (COSMIC-2).
	Tourists evacuated from Mexico's hurricane-hit Acapulco Airlines began to evacuate tourists from Mexico's beachside city of Acapulco on Friday after a scale-topping Category 5 hurricane left a trail of destruction and at least 27 people dead, authorities said.

Astronomy and Space news

	Astronomers discover infant 'escaping star' Stars escape from their birth place and eventually become dispersed across the galaxy. This is an important process in galactic evolution. Theoretical studies suggest two possible reasons why stars escape. First, stars may be ejected due to interactions in young multiple star systems. Second, they can also obtain kinetic energy during the collapse or interactions of molecular clouds or clumps.
	Russian space boss warns ISS equipment beyond warranty Moscow's Roscosmos space chief warned Friday that most Russian equipment on the International Space Station (ISS) was beyond its warranty, weeks after the station's Russian segment sprang another coolant leak.
	Asteroids in the solar system could contain undiscovered, superheavy elements For centuries, the quest for new elements was a driving force in many scientific disciplines. Understanding an atom's structure and the development of nuclear science allowed scientists to accomplish the old goal of alchemists—turning one element into another.
	JWST takes a detailed look at Jupiter's moon Ganymede Nature doesn't conform to our ideas of neatly-contained categories. Many things in nature blur the lines we try to draw around them. That's true of Jupiter's moon Ganymede, the largest moon in the solar system
	An exo-Neptune beat the odds and kept its atmosphere As planet-hunting scientists find more and more planets, they've encountered some puzzles. One of them concerns the lack of Neptune-size worlds orbiting close to their stars. Astronomers think that these planets aren't massive enough to retain their atmospheres in the face of their stars' powerful radiation, which strips it away.
	Dealing with space debris As yet another space rocket is launched and more technology is placed into orbit, the problem of space junk grows and grows, not to mention the pollution from all the fuel burned en route.
	NASA rocket to see sizzling edge of star-forming supernova A new sounding rocket mission is headed to space to understand how explosive stellar deaths lay the groundwork for new star systems. The Integral Field Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Experiment, or INFUSE, sounding rocket mission, will launch from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on Oct. 29, 2023, at 9:35 p.m. MDT.
	Hubble captures galaxy pair Arp-Madore 2339-661 This striking image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope captures the interacting galaxy pair known as Arp-Madore 2339-661. The Arp-Madore catalog is a collection of peculiar galaxies, and this group's particular peculiarity might be odder than first meets the eye, as there are three galaxies interacting here, not just two.
	Putin says first segment of ISS replacement to orbit by 2027 Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that the first segment of the new space station that Moscow plans to construct to replace the ISS should be in orbit by 2027, despite recent setbacks.
	NASA tech breathes life into potentially game-changing antenna design Some 30 years ago, a young engineer named Christopher Walker was home in the evening making chocolate pudding when he got what turned out to be a very serendipitous call from his mother.

Technology news

	Using large language models to enable open-world, interactive and personalized robot navigation Robots should ideally interact with users and objects in their surroundings in flexible ways, rather than always sticking to the same sets of responses and actions. A robotics approach aimed towards this goal that recently gained significant research attention is zero-shot object navigation (ZSON).
	How robots can help find the solar energy of the future Solar energy is one of the most promising ways to power the world of the future. However, creating more efficient solar cells requires finding new and better materials.
	3D-printed reactor core makes solar fuel production more efficient In recent years, engineers at ETH Zurich have developed the technology to produce liquid fuels from sunlight and air. In 2019, they demonstrated the entire thermochemical process chain under real conditions for the first time, in the middle of Zurich, on the roof of ETH Machine Laboratory. These synthetic solar fuels are carbon neutral because they release only as much CO2 during their combustion as was drawn from the air for their production. Two ETH spin-offs, Climeworks and Synhelion, are further developing and commercializing the technologies.
	Hydrogel technology boosts efficiency and stability of gas evolution reactions A team of researchers from UNIST has achieved a remarkable breakthrough in the production of clean gas raw materials, particularly green hydrogen. By developing a hydrogel thin film technology, the team has paved the way for a revolution in gas-producing electrodes, significantly enhancing production efficiency and expediting the commercialization of green hydrogen production.
	Your smart speaker data is used in ways you might not expect Smart speakers offer amazing convenience—from playing your favorite tunes to re-ordering toilet paper—with only a simple voice command. But that convenience can come with a steep cost in privacy that many consumers aren't even aware they're paying.
	Applying a neuroscientific lens to the feasibility of artificial consciousness The rise in capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) systems has led to the view that these systems might soon be conscious. However, we might be underestimating the neurobiological mechanisms underlying human consciousness.
	Apple Watch models face US import ban in patent clash Medical technology company Masimo Corp. on Thursday said a US trade commission has recommended banning imports of Apple Watch models that infringe its light technology for detecting blood oxygen levels.
	Chip maker Intel beats earnings expectations as it pursues rivals US chip giant Intel on Thursday said it made more money than expected in the recently ended quarter as it continued to invest in a "geographically balanced" supply chain.
	UN panel to recommend how to govern use of AI The UN secretary-general on Thursday set up a panel of experts to make recommendations in the field of artificial intelligence, a technology with "transformative potential" yet also great risks to democracy and human rights.
	Iodine improves lithium thionyl chloride battery discharge performance and rechargeability Lithium thionyl chloride (Li-SOCl2) batteries use a liquid thionyl chloride (SOCl2) electrolyte to give the battery superior energy density and stability, long life and low levels of energy loss during storage.
	Cruise, GM's robotaxi service, suspends all driverless operations nationwide Cruise, the autonomous vehicle unit owned by General Motors, is suspending driverless operations nationwide days after regulators in California found that its driverless cars posed a danger to public safety.
	Robot maker dreams of turning sci-fi into reality Ryo Yoshida has monster-sized dreams for his drivable, "Gundam"-like robot, even though its huge size makes it hard to park and the $3-million price tag will crush most wallets.
	First-ever study of wartime deepfakes reveals their impact on news media A first ever study of wartime deepfake videos reveals their impact on news media and outlines implications for social media companies, media organizations and governments.
	AIs could soon run businesses—it's an opportunity to ensure these 'artificial persons' follow the law Only "persons" can engage with the legal system—for example, by signing contracts or filing lawsuits. There are two main categories of persons: humans, termed "natural persons," and creations of the law, termed "artificial persons." These include corporations, nonprofit organizations and limited liability companies (LLCs).
	Most data lives in the cloud. What if it lived under the sea? Where is the text you're reading, right now? In one sense, it lives "on the internet" or "in the cloud," just like your favorite social media platform or the TV show you might stream tonight.
	Solar power expected to dominate electricity generation by 2050—even without more ambitious climate policies In pursuit of the ambitious goal of reaching net-zero emissions, nations worldwide must expand their use of clean energy sources. In the case of solar energy, this change may already be upon us.
	Why Elon Musk is obsessed with casting X as the most 'authentic' social media platform With X, formerly known as Twitter, hitting the one-year anniversary of Elon Musk's US$44 billion takeover of the social media platform, it can feel disorienting to try to make sense of all that's gone down.
	Electrifying offshore platforms targets a tiny fraction of the oil industry's emissions, says researcher We are all familiar with the greenhouse gas emissions that come from burning fossil fuels in car engines, central heating systems and power stations. Little discussed is the climate footprint of producing oil and gas in the first place.
	Researchers co-design video game controller to provide social connection for kids with disabilities When Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton shared a beautiful story of his brother Nicolas experiencing a professional F1 simulator, he said "The smile you see here never left his face."
	Most websites do not publish privacy policies, researchers say Online privacy policies may not only be difficult to find but nonexistent, according to Penn State researchers who crawled millions of websites and found that only one-third of online organizations made their privacy policy available for review.
	New method of recycling carbon fiber shows potential for use in more advanced products As manufacturing and technology continually take steps forward, products are using more advanced materials and becoming more sophisticated, but also more complicated.
	Applying game theory on the front lines The age-old game of strategy, often confined to chessboards and computer screens, is now being employed to tackle real-world threats against societies, economies and infrastructure, according to new University at Buffalo School of Management research.
	Novel device promotes efficient, real-time and secure wireless access A new device from the lab of Dinesh Bharadia, an affiliate of the UC San Diego Qualcomm Institute (QI) and faculty member with the Jacobs School of Engineering's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, offers a fresh tool for the challenge of increasing public access to the wireless network.
	The forecast for electric aircraft battery life: Clear with a 45% chance of degradation Rechargeable batteries have a lifespan of utility—losing their ability to hold a charge over time. As battery-powered aircraft are being developed for commuter flights in urban environments, the rate of degradation will be an important consideration. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign aerospace engineer Matthew Clarke developed a model of battery degradation, then used the model to simulate four different electric vehicles in real metropolitan scenarios.
	New parallel hybrid network achieves better performance through quantum-classical collaboration Building efficient quantum neural networks is a promising direction for research at the intersection of quantum computing and machine learning. A team at Terra Quantum AG designed a parallel hybrid quantum neural network and demonstrated that their model is "a powerful tool for quantum machine learning." This research was published in Intelligent Computing.
	Online games use dark designs to collect player data, researchers reveal Gaming is a $193 billion industry—nearly double the size of the film and music industries combined—and there are around three billion gamers worldwide. While online gaming can improve well-being and foster social relations, privacy and awareness issues could potentially offset these benefits and cause real harm to gamers.
	Amazon posts strong revenue and profits, says it's in 'best position' it's ever been before holidays Amazon on Thursday reported strong revenue and profits from the summer months driven by growth in online sales and its advertising business.
	Bankman-Fried dodges questions during his US crypto trial Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, parried with a federal prosecutor on Thursday in high-stakes legal jousting at his criminal fraud trial that seemed to frustrate the judge.
	Ford estimates US strike impact at $1.3 bn Ford on Thursday said the need to retore manufacturing operations outweighed the additional costs to sweeten a labor contract to end a strike that has cost it some $1.3 billion.
	Huawei reports its revenue inched higher in January-September despite US sanctions Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei Technologies said its revenue edged higher in the first three quarters of the year, even as it grappled with U.S. sanctions that have hindered both its sales and its purchases of advanced technology.
	Tesla workers strike in Sweden over union demands Tesla mechanics in Sweden walked off the job on Friday to protest against the electric carmaker's refusal to sign a collective wage agreement, the metalworkers union said.
	Electrolux to cut 3,000 jobs as sales fall Swedish home appliances maker Electrolux said Thursday it plans to cut some 3,000 jobs as it reported lower sales in the third quarter.
	National road-user charges are needed in Australia—and most people are open to it, research shows The High Court ruled last week that Victoria's road-user charge for electric vehicle (EV) drivers is unconstitutional. Because the court decided it's an excise, only the Commonwealth can now impose such a tax.
	Energy bills: How households could feel the cold this winter As winter starts to bite, you may be starting to worry again about how much you will have to pay for your gas and electricity over the coming months. Of course, energy isn't the only rising cost in the current inflation-led economy, which has caused most households to see a decline in disposable income since last winter.
	Bankman-Fried takes stand, says he made 'small mistakes' Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX, took the stand at his trial on Friday and said that while he may have made mistakes he did not commit fraud or steal from customers.
	Artificial intelligence raises questions on intellectual property and ownership The battle over intellectual property (IP) ownership and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) continues as high-profile authors like George R.R. Martin are suing OpenAI for copyright infringement. Additionally, a major factor in the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes has been negotiating protections of writer's contributions and actor's likenesses. Even tattoo artists are questioning whether their works on celebrities can be reproduced in video games. The latest development concerns feeding literature into AI to train language models using the IP of writers without their consent.
	Bidirectional reflectivity measurements for ground-based objects Measuring bidirectional reflectivity of ground-based objects has long posed a challenging task, hampered by limitations in both ground-based and satellite-based observations from multiple angles. However, in recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have emerged as a valuable remote sensing solution, providing convenience and cost-effectiveness while enabling multi-view observations.

Chemistry news

	Tuning properties of membrane and catalyst layers optimizes reactors for fuel cells and more Ethylene is a chemical widely used as a feedstock for producing polymers and industrial chemicals. Oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) is a promising, energy-efficient way of creating ethylene from natural gas by reacting methane with oxygen. However, the method comes with its downsides. Too much oxygen can reduce product yields by converting ethylene into carbon dioxide.
	'Eye-opening' study sheds light on circadian pacemaker University of Maryland researchers studied synaptic changes in an animal model before and after it developed vision, which plays a key role in circadian rhythm.
	Detection of environmental PFAS by interrupted energy transfer PFAS, a family of highly fluorinated substances, represent a danger for humans and the environment. Particularly problematic members of this family, such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) appear to cause organ damage and cancer, as well as disrupting the endocrine system.
	Chemists synthesize doubly anti-aromatic C16 carbon allotrope A combined team of chemists from Oxford University, and IBM Research Europe-Zürich has successfully synthesized a doubly anti-aromatic C16 carbon allotrope. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes their synthetic process and its possible use in exploring new experimental theories.
	Team synthesizes a new polyoxometalate-based metal-organic complex A research team has synthesized a new polyoxometalate-based metal-organic complex that they then tested as a catalyst for the oxidation reactions of various sulfides. They found that the complex possesses excellent catalytic performance, good reusability, and structural stability.

Biology news

	Scratch my back, I'll scratch yours: Baboons wily cooperators Like humans, baboons are able to cooperate with another of their kind for the common good—or punish them if they don't reciprocate, a study said on Friday.
	Okinawa's ants show reduced seasonal behavior in areas with more human development Insects have an important role in maintaining the health of ecosystems, but our understanding of how human activities affect their populations is limited. This gap in knowledge is worrying because of the decline of insect populations and the severe consequences on ecosystems and agriculture.
	Evolutionary chance made the barbastelle bat a specialist hunter, says study Ask a biologist why predators don't exterminate all their prey, and part of the answer is often that there is an ongoing arms race between predators and prey, with both parties continuously evolving new ways to cheat each other.
	Researchers reveal hidden sensory mechanism of hair follicles Imperial researchers have discovered a hidden mechanism within hair follicles that allow us to feel touch. The findings have been published in Science Advances.
	Studying sea anemone genes to learn how they survive near deep-sea hydrothermal vents A team of deep-sea and environmental scientists affiliated with multiple institutions in China has learned more about how some sea anemones are able to live near deep-sea hydrothermal vents by studying the genes of one species: Alvinactis idsseensis sp. nov. In their research, reported in the journal Science Advances, the group conducted a genomic analysis of the creature and explored its ability to withstand the harsh conditions surrounding deep-sea hydrothermal vents.
	Engineered enzymes could generate biomass optimized for conversion into fuel and other useful products Plant biologists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have engineered enzymes to modify grass plants so their biomass can be more efficiently converted into biofuels and other bioproducts. As described in a paper published in Plant Biotechnology Journal, these enzymes modify molecules that make up plant cell walls to provide access to fuel-generating sugars normally locked within complex structures.
	Intercellular messengers reveal themselves The cells in our body continuously keep each other informed. They do this by exchanging, among other things, virus-like vesicles. Pascale Zimmermann's group, from the Department of Human Genetics, has been studying these vesicles for many years. Her fundamental research is necessary to use these intercellular messengers in medicine.
	Protein root discovery seals future of climate-proof plants Researchers have discovered a protein that seals plant roots to regulate the uptake of nutrients and water from the soil, the discovery could help develop climate proof crops that require less water and chemical fertilizers.
	Malaria parasite gene could be effective drug target to block transmission A newly-discovered gene in the malaria parasite could be a good target for future drugs aimed at preventing disease transmission.
	Climate change's impacts on wildlife can vary by sex Biological sex can be an important factor in predicting how animal and plant populations respond to temperature changes, from sea turtles whose sex is determined by the heat on the beach where they hatch, to female Arctic caribou that migrate through predator territory in years of earlier snowmelt to replenish their energy reserves for nursing young.
	Researchers solve longstanding mystery about what protects proteins from degradation Researchers from the University of Bergen (UiB) have uncovered that proteins use a common chemical label as a shield to protect them from degradation, which in turn affects motility and aging.
	Genetic methods enable the use of fossil lipids as biomarkers for oxygen-producing primordial bacteria Cyanobacteria are a key species in Earth's history, as they introduced atmospheric oxygen for the first time. The analysis of their evolution therefore provides important insights into the formation of modern aerobic ecosystems. For a long time, a certain type of fossil lipid, so-called 2-methylhopanes, was considered to be an important biomarker for Cyanobacteria in sediments, some of which are hundreds of millions of years old.
	Researchers create app to help drones improve farm efficiency Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have developed a web application to help farmers and industry workers use drones and other uncrewed aerial vehicles, or UAVs, to generate the best possible data. By helping farmers use resources more efficiently, this advancement could help them adapt to a world with a changing climate that needs to feed billions.
	Greenpeace urges Greece to scrap offshore gas drilling project because of impact on whales, dolphins Greenpeace on Thursday urged Greece to abandon a deep-sea gas exploration project in the Mediterranean, citing newly published research to argue that its impact on endangered whales and dolphins would be greater than previously believed.
	Restoring Cuyamaca's tree canopy is years away: Some birds may never return It is a 2.6-mile hike up Lookout Road to reach Cuyamaca Peak from Paso Picacho Campground.
	What stinks? The role of hydrogen sulfide in the gut Whoever smelt it dealt it … especially if what's been dealt smells like rotten eggs. The culprit behind that eggy stink is hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a colorless, pungent gas produced by both mammalian and bacterial cells in the gut.
	Discover 6 fascinating animals that live at the bottom of the St. Lawrence River In the vast St. Lawrence River, an impressive variety of animals live on the seabed. This group of organisms is called benthos.
	How the world might look if animals had legal rights Let's picture what our societies might look like if animals were granted rights against being killed, made to suffer or exploited for human gain.
	Buzzing insights: Tracking bees with robotic flowers and hive sensors EU researchers are turning to the world's top pollinator in an attempt to reverse biodiversity loss and help fruit growers.
	A mystery disease hit South Africa's pine trees 40 years ago: New DNA technology has found the killer In the 1970s and 1980s, pine trees growing in various forestry plantations in South Africa's Western Cape province began to die in patches. These trees succumbed to a mysterious root disease and the patches expanded gradually. Spontaneous regrowth of seedlings in the patches died dramatically.
	How social media can contribute to species conservation Photos of plants and animals posted on social media can help protect biodiversity, especially in tropical regions. This is the conclusion of a team of researchers led by the German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research (UFZ), the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (FSU), and the University of Queensland (UQ).
	Possible cause of male infertility linked to structural protein Mature spermatozoa are characterized by a head, midpiece and a long tail for locomotion. Now, researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the Transdisciplinary Research Unit "Life & Health" at the University of Bonn have found that a loss of the structural protein ACTL7B blocks spermatogenesis in male mice. The cells can no longer develop their characteristic shape and remain in a rather round form. The animals are infertile.
	Aquaculture needs more effective governance to be sustainable The aquaculture sector needs more effective governance to be sustainable, according to new research co-authored by an expert at the University of Stirling.
	'End-effector,' robotic system developed by engineering team puts autonomous cotton harvesting within reach A two-fingered robotic arm reaches toward a fluffy white cotton boll in a field. The device pulls in the lint from the boll and then moves on…grabbing another, and then another.
	Australia to restart aerial shooting of wild horses Australia approved on Friday the aerial shooting of wild horses in one of the country's largest national parks, resuming a contentious practice that authorities described as "essential" to protect native wildlife.

Medicine and Health news

	Youngest children in class with ADHD as likely to keep diagnosis in adulthood as older pupils, find scientists Children who are the youngest in their class to be identified with ADHD are just as likely to keep the diagnosis as older pupils in their year group, scientists have found.
	Long COVID is most prevalent in the most seriously ill, large-scale study finds A collaborative study involving researchers from Karolinska Institutet has charted the prevalence of severe physical symptom burden among Scandinavians for up to two years after a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Most affected were people who had a severe COVID-19 infection, while the researchers found no elevated prevalence of long COVID in those who had never been bedridden. The study is published in The Lancet Regional Health—Europe.
	Intermittent fasting is safe, effective for those with type 2 diabetes, suggests new study Time-restricted eating, also known as intermittent fasting, can help people with type 2 diabetes lose weight and control their blood sugar levels, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open from researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago.
	Study identifies genetic cause for some brain tumors Scientists have uncovered a genetic explanation for one subset of common brain tumors, according to a study published in Nature Communications.
	Key muscle protein may unlock the mystery of chronic mosquito-borne viral illness Underlying evolutionary dynamics could play a key role in the replication and progress of the chikungunya virus, a mosquito-borne viral disease. New research from Ph.D. student Wern Hann Ng, Dr. Xiang Liu and Professor Suresh Mahalingam from Griffith University's Menzies Health Institute Queensland, shows the mechanism by which the chikungunya virus leverages a host protein.
	Multiple review articles highlight the role of the hypothalamus in human existence The journal Science has published a series of review articles regarding the outsized role that the hypothalamus plays in human behavior—regulating hunger pangs, sleep cycles and social interactions, the almond-sized brain structure located between the pituitary gland and the thalamus on top of the brain stem has been found to play the role of master switchboard for a wide variety of brain activities.
	First rapid tests for chlamydia, gonorrhea exhibit 100% sensitivity More than half of the estimated 374 million new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in 2020 were either chlamydia or gonorrhea, which are often asymptomatic and co-occurring, according to the World Health Organization. Despite the prevalence, neither disease currently has a clinically available rapid test, but that could change thanks to a Penn State-led research team.
	Lung cancer screening guidelines perpetuate racial disparities, study finds Current national guidelines that rely on age and smoking exposure to recommend people for lung cancer screening are disproportionally failing minority populations including African Americans, according to a new study led by researchers at Stanford Medicine.
	Scientists build on artificial intelligence to create next-generation gastric acid treatment Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan have created and improved artificial intelligence (AI) designs to synthesize a candidate compound for a new gastric acid inhibitor with a better binding affinity than existing drugs. Their findings, published in Communications Biology, suggest a new way to work in tandem with AI to develop pharmaceuticals.
	A new near-infrared photoimmunotherapy biomarker paves the way for targeted cancer treatments Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan and their collaborators have used a biomarker based on microbubbles to evaluate the success of near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) treatment. Using ultrasound to track the microbubbles, they were able to identify areas where cancer therapy had not been fully applied.
	Common chemotherapy drugs don't work like doctors thought, with big implications for drug discovery A new study from the University of Wisconsin–Madison suggests that chemotherapy may not be reaching its full potential, in part because researchers and doctors have long misunderstood how some of the most common cancer drugs actually ward off tumors.
	New antibody shows strong potential as treatment against pancreatic cancer Scientists have recently concluded a preclinical study that highlights the potential of SIWA318H, an advanced glycation end product (AGE)-targeting antibody, in the fight against pancreatic cancer. The results are published in Scientific Reports.
	New discovery concerning receptors used by coronaviruses to enter human cells The SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for COVID-19 can cause severe acute respiratory syndrome, contrasting with other coronaviruses that were known to cause mild seasonal colds prior to its emergence in 2019. This raises the question of why one coronavirus affects humans more severely than another. Scientists at the Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité and the VRI have now provided part of the answer by identifying a gateway used by the seasonal coronavirus HKU1 to enter human cells.
	SARS-CoV-2 virus found to migrate within neurons and infect the brain The emergence of different variants of SARS-CoV-2 has produced a wide range of clinical profiles and symptoms in patients. For the first time, researchers at the Institut Pasteur and Université Paris Cité have demonstrated, in an animal model, a characteristic common to several SARS-CoV-2 variants: the ability to infect the central nervous system.
	Mechanics of breast cancer metastasis discovered, offering target for treatment The most lethal feature of any cancer is metastasis, the spread of cancer cells throughout the body. New research led by Penn State reveals for the first time the mechanics behind how breast cancer cells may invade healthy tissues. The discovery, showing that a motor protein called dynein powers the movement of cancer cells in soft tissue models, offers new clinical targets against metastasis and has the potential to fundamentally change how cancer is treated.
	Effective treatment for rare sight-threatening infection: Clinical trial A new drug candidate, based on pioneering UCL and Moorfields Eye Hospital research and currently under development by SIFI S.p.A., has been found to be highly effective in treating a rare sight-threatening eye infection in a new international clinical trial.
	Find-and-replace genome editing with CRISPR: A promising therapeutic strategy Severe combined immunodeficiencies (SCIDs) are a group of debilitating primary immunodeficiency disorders, primarily caused by genetic mutations that disrupt T-cell development. SCID can also affect B-cell and natural killer cell function and counts. Left untreated, SCID proves fatal within the first year of life.
	Functional MRI study finds correlated shifts in brain connectivity associated with overthinking in adolescents A new study from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine, University of Utah and University of Exeter (UK) substantiates previous groundbreaking research that rumination (overthinking) can be reduced through an intervention called rumination-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (RF-CBT). In addition, the use of functional MRI (fMRI) technology allowed researchers to observe correlated shifts in the brain connectivity associated with overthinking.
	Risk of viral airborne transmission peaks within five seconds of face-to-face encounters, study finds The main transmission routes identified initially for the novel coronavirus infection were droplet and contact transmission. Airborne transmission by aerosol particles was eventually identified as one of the most likely transmission routes. Especially with the relaxation of behavioral restrictions, infections continued to prevail, making prevention and risk reduction during public transportation a major challenge.
	Study shows prophylactic low-dose aspirin in pregnancy does not increase IBD activity Use of low-dose aspirin (LDA) among pregnant women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is not associated with an increased risk for disease activity, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology, held from Oct. 20 to 25 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
	Have diabetes? Quitting metformin could take toll on your brain Millions of people with diabetes take the drug metformin to control their blood sugar levels.
	Patisiran can preserve functional capacity in transthyretin amyloidosis, according to study For patients with transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR amyloidosis), administration of an RNA interference therapeutic agent, patisiran, over 12 months results in preserved functional capacity, according to a study published in the Oct. 26 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Nemolizumab improves symptoms in prurigo nodularis: Clinical trial For patients with moderate-to-severe prurigo nodularis, nemolizumab improves symptoms, according to a study published in the Oct. 26 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Study suggests in utero corticosteroid exposure is not detrimental to offspring neurodevelopment In utero exposure to corticosteroids and β2-adrenergic agonists appears to not be associated with most offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes, according to a study published online Oct. 24 in JAMA Network Open.
	Improved meningitis vaccine may be on the way A new vaccine recommended by independent advisers to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could provide more comprehensive protection from meningitis.
	Digital risk assessment tool can ID risk for cancer susceptibility syndromes, according to study Implementation of a digital risk assessment tool can identify patients with high-risk cancer susceptibility syndromes, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology, held from Oct. 20 to 25 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
	Vaccination coverage increased in 2022, but still below 2019 levels Worldwide, there was an increase in immunization during 2022, but coverage was lower than in 2019, according to research published in the Oct. 27 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
	Adjunctive Tongxinluo therapy aids ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction outcomes: Study In patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the traditional Chinese medicine Tongxinluo, as an adjunctive therapy to guideline-directed treatment, is associated with significantly improved clinical outcomes, according to a study published in the Oct. 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	Study tracks the number of pharmacies participating in discounted drug pricing program For more than 30 years, section 340B of the Public Health Service Act has required drug manufacturers to sell outpatient drugs at discounted prices to certain safety-net hospitals and health care organizations that serve uninsured or low-income patients. 340B-eligible health care providers (called "covered entities") contract with pharmacies to dispense the discounted drugs—a mutually beneficial relationship that increases revenue for providers and pharmacies. Today, about 40% of retail pharmacies across the country have at least one contract with a 340B-eligible health care provider.
	Easy diet changes can lower carbon footprint, according to study Researchers led by the Stanford School of Medicine have identified a set of simple food swaps that can make a big difference in an individual's carbon footprint—without the need for a drastic dietary overhaul. The suggestions include exchanges as easy as replacing beef with chicken in a burrito or selecting plant-based milk over dairy. If universally adopted, such choices would lower the U.S. dietary carbon footprint by more than 35%, the researchers found.
	Low-cost anti-inflammatory hydrogel could improve skin wound healing in diabetics Researchers in São Paulo state, Brazil, have developed a low-cost anti-inflammatory hydrogel that in future could help treat chronic skin lesions such as those often seen in people with diabetes. They report the results of animal tests in an article published in the journal Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy.
	Study improves outcomes for patients undergoing chest wall surgery A faculty member and group of students from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNE COM) published a study earlier this year with findings that may help relieve pain in pediatric patients following surgery to the chest.
	Imaging technique can observe specialized cancer treatment in breast cancer models For nearly a century, scientific evidence has shown that the use of specific bacteria to target cancer tumors and trigger immune responses in patients can be effective in combating cancer. Such bacterial therapies have proven successful in targeting and treating bladder cancer with minimal damage to healthy tissue, which commonly occurs with traditional radiation and chemotherapy treatments.
	How apps and influencers are changing the way we sleep, for better or for worse Insomnia is not just a personal issue that affects an individual's health and well-being. It's a public health issue, affecting public safety. It's a socioeconomic issue, as poorer sleep is linked to a lower education and income. And, increasingly, it's a commercial issue.
	How do stimulants actually work to reduce ADHD symptoms? Stimulants are first-line drugs for children and adults diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But how do they actually work?
	White patients more likely than Black patients to be given opioid medication for pain in US emergency departments: Study White people who visit hospital emergency departments with pain are 26% more likely than Black people to be given opioid pain medications such as morphine. This was a key finding from our recent study, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. We also found that Black patients were 25% more likely than white patients to be given only non-opioid painkillers such as ibuprofen, which are typically available over the counter.
	New study identifies common physical features in babies born to mothers who used fentanyl Babies born to mothers who used fentanyl during pregnancy displayed similar facial and musculoskeletal abnormalities that suggest the emergence of a novel syndrome, according to research published in the journal Genetics in Medicine Open.
	Don't trust TikTok for trustworthy info on autism TikTok may be great for watching funny cat videos and learning make-up hacks, but new research suggests this platform should not be trusted when it comes to information on autism.
	Acupuncture aids outcomes after heart valve surgery Acupuncture after heart valve surgery is feasible and safe and has clinical benefit, according to a study recently published in JTCVS Open.
	Baby activity centers sold at Walmart recalled due to injury risk The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Dorel Juvenile Group have announced a recall of an infant/toddler activity center due to injuries.
	TCT: Ticagrelor monotherapy within one month of DAPT noninferior to continued DAPT For patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), stopping dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) within one month for ticagrelor monotherapy is noninferior and superior to 12 months of ticagrelor-based DAPT, according to a study published online Oct. 25 in Circulation to coincide with the annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics conference, held from Oct. 23 to 26 in San Francisco.
	FDA issues warning on dangers of probiotic products for preemie babies Federal regulators have sent warning letters to two companies for illegally selling probiotic products for use in preterm infants.
	Depression found to increase risk of death among diabetics In a newly published study, a New Mexico State University researcher found that depression can cause premature death among adults in the United States diagnosed with diabetes.
	Good news for coffee fans: A cup of joe seems to benefit kidney health Fish for a healthy heart, alcohol-free for the liver, fiber-rich for healthy intestines and no smoking to keep our lungs clean. We include health considerations in our dietary choices. Our kidneys, however, are frequently forgotten, says Wageningen nutrition scientist Marianne Geleijnse. This is a serious omission, as these bean-shaped organs purify our blood and keep us healthy. Worse: the number of life years lost due to kidney damage equals that of intestinal cancer.
	Getting X-rays at the dentist? It's safer than you realize Since dental X-rays became commonplace some seven decades ago, dentists and hygienists have been draping their patients with protective gear to shield them from the possibility of radiation exposure to body parts other than the jaw. But experts in dental radiology say it's time to hang up those lead aprons for good.
	Study finds metformin can help manage weight gain side effect of bipolar medications A new large-scale study led by researchers at the University of Cincinnati and Northwell Health, New York's largest health care provider, found the drug metformin can help prevent or reduce weight gain in youth taking medication to treat bipolar disorder.
	Study reveals inequalities in access to shoulder replacement surgery As demand for shoulder replacement surgery grows, a new study finds that up to 1 in 6 patients are having to travel to a different region for surgery, and exposes a year on year increase in the risk of serious adverse events after surgery that require admission to hospital.
	An action plan for better data on migration and health Despite rising global mobility, the state of migrant and refugee health data in European health systems is a concern, a new study shows.
	Researchers find success in integrating lawyers into care teams to support pregnant and postpartum patients Medical-legal partnerships (MLPs), which include a lawyer as part of a patient's care team, can help health systems address health-harming legal needs and better support pregnant and postpartum patients, according to a new research commentary published in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	An updated look at prostate cancer disparities Cedars-Sinai Cancer investigators have found that Black men respond as well as white men to systemic therapies for advanced prostate cancer when access to quality health care is equal, regardless of socioeconomic status. Their study, published today in the peer-reviewed Journal of Clinical Oncology, counters previous research suggesting that Black men receiving these therapies—which include hormone therapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy—fare worse than white men do.
	How to solve our mental health crisis When BBC journalist Rory Carson sought online consultations for a potential mental health issue, three private clinics diagnosed him with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They charged between £685 and £1,095 for these consultations, which lasted between 45 and 100 minutes, and all prescribed him medication.
	Don't wait to get this year's flu vaccine Flu season is upon us again, and while case numbers in Texas remain relatively low, a physician with Texas A&M University Health Services says the best time to get vaccinated is right now.

Other Sciences news

	Spy satellites reveal hundreds of undiscovered Roman forts Archaeologists have used declassified spy satellite imagery from the 1960s and 70s to reevaluate one of the first aerial archaeology surveys ever, revealing 396 previously undiscovered Roman forts in what is now Syria and Iraq.
	Bringing a shark to a knife fight: 7,000-year-old shark-tooth knives discovered in Indonesia Excavations on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi have uncovered two unique and deadly artifacts dating back some 7,000 years—tiger shark teeth that were used as blades.
	Earliest evidence of flip flops in the Middle Stone Age In a twist in the ancient human story, emerging evidence suggests that we may have worn shoes as early as the Middle Stone Age (75,000—150,000 years ago). This could mean that our species had complex cognitive and practical abilities much earlier than was previously thought.
	Evolution of cooperation in multiplex networks through asymmetry between interaction and replacement Cooperation is one of the elements that form the foundation of social systems; nonetheless, the intricacies of its evolutionary mechanisms are not fully understood. Recently, "multiplex networks" have garnered attention as a model that represents the characteristics of human social interactions.
	Trigger warnings generate a 'pandora effect,' finds meta-analysis The first meta-analysis of all experiments investigating trigger and content warnings has found they may be increasing our anxiety and enhancing our curiosity about the distressing content in some cases.
	Growing your own food and foraging can help tackle your ballooning grocery bill Up to 3.7 million Australian households have been hit by food insecurity this year—many for the first time.
	How organizations can address toxic workplace cultures to tackle sexual harassment Sexual harassment continues to be a problem in Canadian workplaces, and organizations are not doing enough to address it. A 2022 report by the Canadian Labour Congress indicates nearly one in two workers have experienced sexual harassment in the previous two years.
	What makes a film score frightening? Expert explains the techniques that build tension and make us jump Think of the scariest film you've ever seen. Beyond any blood-curdling screams or pounding heartbeats, there's sure to be another sound that sticks in your memory—the score.
	Study shows talking about products can lead to better conversations The first day at a new school or in a new job can be exhilarating, but the awkward introductions and halting conversations when meeting new people often lead to stress and social anxiety.
	Decades of nonsmoking laws pay off with increased corporate innovation A team of researchers led by Adam Olson, Ph.D., associate professor of accounting in the Carl H. Lindner College of Business, has discovered a correlation between local nonsmoking laws and greater corporate innovation after analyzing more than 50 years of data.
	In person or online? Researchers find people's stated support for democracy depends on how they're asked Americans may be less satisfied with U.S. democracy than previously thought and new survey methods may have something to do with that disconnect, according to researchers at Georgia State University.
	Q&A: Other countries put lives before guns. Why can't we? As police fanned out Thursday in pursuit of the gunman who killed 18 people in Lewiston, Maine—the deadliest U.S. mass shooting of the year—the nation once again confronted its epidemic of firearms violence. Every year in the U.S., tens of thousands of lives are lost to gun-related murders and suicides.

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