Science X Newsletter Fri, Feb 16

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for February 16, 2024:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Diamond quantum memory with Germanium vacancy exceeds coherence time of 20 ms

New chip opens door to AI computing at light speed

Study provides first evidence of direct impact of serotonin on development of prefrontal cortex

Nanomaterial with potential to tackle multiple global challenges could be developed without risk to human health

Paleontological analysis shows renowned fossil thought to show soft tissue preservation is in fact just paint

OpenAI reveals Sora, a tool to make instant videos from written prompts

Erratic weather fueled by climate change will worsen locust outbreaks, study finds

Scientists identify genetic mechanism responsible for plant leaf diversity

Aurora borealis dynamics suggest the polar vortex is breaking up again

Flea toad may be world's smallest vertebrate

Electrification or hydrogen? Both have distinct roles in the European energy transition

New genetic therapy shows promise for motor neuron disease and frontotemporal dementia

Computer scientists develop model that explains how collective scenarios such as diseases may proceed

Apple's Keyframer can animate simple drawings using text descriptions

Researchers investigate how the mpox virus infiltrates brain cells

Nanotechnology news

	Nanomaterial with potential to tackle multiple global challenges could be developed without risk to human health A revolutionary nanomaterial with huge potential to tackle multiple global challenges could be developed further without acute risk to human health, research suggests. The study is published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.
	Stabilizing mRNA vaccines for delivery to cells Vaccines and therapies based on messenger RNA could be more readily delivered due to a non-toxic polymer that protects RNA and controls its release inside cells.
	5,000 atoms are all you need: The smallest solid-state ferroelectricity Recent research has broken the size limitation of traditional ferroelectric effects, providing experimental evidence and theoretical simulations to confirm that a structure with as few as 5,000 atoms can still exhibit solid-state ferroelectric effects.

Physics news

	Diamond quantum memory with Germanium vacancy exceeds coherence time of 20 ms The color centers of diamond are the focus of an increasing number of research studies, due to their potential for developing quantum technologies. Some works have particularly explored the use of negatively-charged group-IV diamond defects, which exhibit an efficient spin-photon interface, as the nodes of quantum networks.
	New chip opens door to AI computing at light speed University of Pennsylvania engineers have developed a new chip that uses light waves, rather than electricity, to perform the complex math essential to training AI. The chip has the potential to radically accelerate the processing speed of computers while also reducing their energy consumption.
	Acoustic invention enhances ultrasound to access enclosed metal spaces The inside of underwater pipes and enclosed nuclear containers were inaccessible—until recently. Acoustics researchers in Penn State's College of Engineering have developed a way to convey energy and transmit communications through metal walls using ultrasound.
	Study finds quantum state of a rotating superfluid can discharge in three ways According to a recent study from the University of Helsinki, published in the journal Physical Review Letters, a vortex of a superfluid that has been quantized four times has three ways of dividing, depending on the temperature.
	Measuring neutrons to reduce nuclear waste: New technique paves the way for improved nuclear waste treatment facilities Nuclear power is considered one of the ways to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, but how to deal with nuclear waste products is among the issues surrounding it. Radioactive waste products can be turned into more stable elements, but this process is not yet viable at scale.
	Harnessing light with hemispherical shells for improved photovoltaics In the pursuit of sustainable energy solutions, the quest for more efficient solar cells is paramount. Organic photovoltaic cells have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional silicon-based counterparts due to their flexibility and cost-effectiveness. However, optimizing their performance remains a significant challenge.
	CERN researchers measure speed of sound in the quark–gluon plasma more precisely than ever before Neutron stars in the universe, ultracold atomic gases in the laboratory, and the quark–gluon plasma created in collisions of atomic nuclei at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC): they may seem totally unrelated but, surprisingly enough, they have something in common. They are all a fluid-like state of matter made up of strongly interacting particles. Insights into the properties and behavior of any of these almost-perfect liquids may be key to understanding nature across scales that are orders of magnitude apart.
	Researchers develop new integration technique for efficient coupling of III-V and silicon Researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have developed a new integration technique for efficient integration of III-V compound semiconductor devices and silicon, paving the way for photonic integration at low cost, large volume, and high speed and throughput that could revolutionize data communications.
	First operation of a two-color mode in an infrared free-electron laser A technological milestone has been achieved at the Fritz Haber Institute (FHI) of the Max Planck Society in Berlin. For the first time, an infrared free-electron laser (FEL) has been operated in a two-color mode. This globally unique technology enables experiments with synchronized two-color laser pulses, opening up new possibilities in research.

Earth news

	Forest Service warns of budget cuts ahead of a risky wildfire season—what does that mean for safety? A wet winter and spring followed by a hot, dry summer can be a dangerous combination in the Western U.S. The rain fuels bountiful vegetation growth, and when summer heat dries out that vegetation, it can leave grasses and shrubs ready to burn.
	Developers in England will be forced to create habitats for wildlife—here's how it works England's new environmental policy, biodiversity net gain, went live on February 12. Most new developments—everything from a few houses to large solar farms or new roads and railways—will now have to provide a 10% net gain in biodiversity, maintained for at least 30 years.
	Extraction of raw materials could rise 60% by 2060—and making mining 'greener' won't stop the damage The United Nations' flagship Global Resources Outlook report is the portrait of a juggernaut. Due to be published later this month by the UN's International Resource Panel, it highlights how global consumption of raw materials, having increased four-fold since 1970, is set to rise by a further 60% by 2060.
	Video: What does a warming Arctic mean for the future? The Arctic is experiencing disproportionately higher temperature increases compared to the rest of the planet, triggering a series of cascading effects. This rapid warming has profound implications for global climate patterns, human populations and wildlife.
	Big firms with $7 tn exit climate investment pressure group A pair of large investment companies with nearly $7 trillion in assets, said Thursday they exited a climate change investor initiative that aims to pressure companies to quickly cut carbon emissions.
	Georgia cities face tall task to meet new air pollution standard Environmental regulators have decided to set a tighter standard for a tiny, but insidious class of air pollution particles linked to serious illnesses and thousands of premature deaths.
	Image: Sentinel-1 captures Tobago oil spill Before and after satellite images from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission show the scale of the oil spill that occurred off the shores of Trinidad and Tobago's coastline earlier this week. The ship, identified as The Gulfstream, ran aground and overturned off the southern shores of Tobago Island.

Astronomy and Space news

	Aurora borealis dynamics suggest the polar vortex is breaking up again The Space Climate Research Group at the University of Oulu, Finland has been studying the effects of energetic particle precipitation from space, more commonly known as the aurora borealis or Northern Lights, on winter weather variations for quite some time. The aurora borealis is not only a beautiful light phenomenon, but also involves chemical changes that lead to ozone depletion high in the polar stratosphere in winter.
	Lab study creates artificial magnetosphere to explore spontaneous excitation of chorus emissions A dipole magnetic field, created by a ring current, is the most fundamental type of magnetic field that is found both in laboratories and in space. Planetary magnetospheres, such as Jupiter's, effectively confine plasma.
	Martians wanted: Apply here now for NASA's simulated yearlong Mars mission NASA is seeking applicants to participate in its next simulated one-year Mars surface mission to help inform the agency's plans for human exploration of the Red Planet. The second of three planned ground-based missions called CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) is scheduled to kick off in spring 2025.
	NASA's final tally shows spacecraft returned double the amount of asteroid rubble NASA finally has counted up all the asteroid samples returned by a spacecraft last fall—and it's double the rubble return goal.
	NASA announces OSIRIS-REx bulk sample mass: 121.6 grams NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft delivered 4.29 ounces (121.6 grams) of material from asteroid Bennu when it returned to Earth on Sep. 24, 2023; the largest asteroid sample ever collected in space and over twice the mission's requirement.
	Ground-based lasers could accelerate spacecraft to other stars The future of space exploration includes some rather ambitious plans to send missions farther from Earth than ever before. Beyond the current proposals for building infrastructure in cis-lunar space and sending regular crewed missions to the moon and Mars, there are also plans to send robotic missions to the outer solar system, to the focal length of our sun's gravitational lens, and even to the nearest stars to explore exoplanets. Accomplishing these goals requires next-generation propulsion that can enable high thrust and consistent acceleration.
	Even if we can't see the first stars, we could detect their impact on the first galaxies For a long time, our understanding of the universe's first galaxies leaned heavily on theory. The light from that age only reached us after traveling for billions of years, and on the way, it was obscured and stretched into the infrared. Clues about the first galaxies are hidden in that messy light. Now that we have the James Webb Space Telescope and its powerful infrared capabilities, we've seen further into the past—and with more clarity—than ever before.
	Another clue into the true nature of fast radio bursts Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are strange events. They can last only milliseconds, but during that time can outshine a galaxy. Some FRBs are repeaters, meaning that they can occur more than once from the same location, while others seem to occur just once. We still aren't entirely sure what causes them, or even if the two types have the same cause. But thanks to a collaboration of observations from ground-based radio telescopes and space-based X-ray observatories, we are starting to figure FRBs out.
	NASA experiment sheds light on highly charged moon dust Researchers are studying data from a recent suborbital flight test to better understand lunar regolith, or moon dust, and its potentially damaging effects as NASA prepares to send astronauts back to the lunar surface under the Artemis campaign. The experiment, developed jointly by NASA and the University of Central Florida, sheds light on how these abrasive dust grains interact with astronauts, their spacesuits, and other equipment on the moon.
	NASA Artemis science, first intuitive machines flight head to moon A suite of NASA science instruments and technology demonstrations is on the way to our nearest celestial neighbor for the benefit of humanity. Through this flight to the moon, they will provide insights into the lunar surface environment and test technologies for future landers and Artemis astronauts.
	Can astronomers use radar to spot a cataclysmic asteroid? How can humans protect the Earth from "devastating asteroid and comet impacts?" According to the National Academies and their 2023-2032 Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey, ground-based astronomical radar systems will have a "unique role" to play in planetary defense.

Technology news

	OpenAI reveals Sora, a tool to make instant videos from written prompts The maker of ChatGPT on Thursday unveiled its next leap into generative artificial intelligence with a tool that instantly makes short videos in response to written commands.
	Electrification or hydrogen? Both have distinct roles in the European energy transition A study, published in One Earth, is the first to analyze the interplay of electrification and hydrogen in EU climate neutrality scenarios at greater sectoral detail. The analysis shows higher potential for electrification and identifies a more confined deployment range for hydrogen-based energy than earlier studies.
	Computer scientists develop model that explains how collective scenarios such as diseases may proceed It is winter, the typical time for colds. What if you could simulate how the disease may spread? At the Cluster of Excellence Collective Behavior at the University of Konstanz, Julia Klein, a doctoral student in computer science, and colleagues investigated how using strict, rule-based methods can help better estimate the parameters for Markov chains. The findings are published in the journal PLOS ONE.
	Apple's Keyframer can animate simple drawings using text descriptions Machine learning researchers at Apple have developed an application that can accept a simple drawing and a text description to animate the drawing in desired ways. Tiffany Tseng, Ruijia Cheng and Jeffrey Nichols have published a paper describing the new app, called Keyframer, on the arXiv preprint server.
	A geothermal-powered, climate-friendly way to capture carbon dioxide in the air In a new study, researchers have developed a method for capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, powered by clean and relatively inexpensive geothermal energy.
	Taiwan chipmaker TSMC stock surges after Morgan Stanley raises price target on Nvidia Taiwan's Taiex benchmark index jumped 3% to a record high on Thursday, buoyed by a surge in the share price of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the world's biggest maker of computer chips.
	EU rules policing digital content kick in Saturday Digital companies will have nowhere to hide after the EU's landmark content law enters into full force from Saturday, with the risk of heavy fines for any violations.
	What to know about the EU's landmark digital content law The EU's milestone legislation known as the Digital Services Act demands that digital companies crack down on illegal and problematic content.
	FTC wants to penalize companies for use of AI in impersonation The U.S. Federal Trade Commission moved to put new rules into place around impersonation, citing the rising threat of scams enabled by generative artificial intelligence.
	A battery's hopping ions 'remember' where they've been, researchers find Solid-state batteries store and release charge by nudging ions back and forth between two electrodes. From our usual point of view, the ions flow through the battery's solid electrolyte like a gentle stream.
	The European Union expands digital crackdown on toxic content, dodgy goods to all online platforms The European Union is expanding its strict digital rulebook on Saturday to almost all online platforms in the bloc, in the next phase of its crackdown on toxic social media content and dodgy ecommerce products that began last year by targeting the most popular services.
	EU watchdog urged to reject Meta 'pay for privacy' scheme Civil rights groups on Friday called on an EU watchdog to rule against Facebook owner Meta's scheme to let Europeans pay to opt out of data tracking, which they say violates EU law.
	Cult of the drone: At the two-year mark, UAVs have changed the face of war in Ukraine—but not outcomes Unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, have been central to the war in Ukraine. Some analysts claim that drones have reshaped war, yielding not just tactical-level effects, but shaping operational and strategic outcomes as well.
	Research espionage is a real threat—but a drastic crackdown could stifle vital international collaboration Australia's research institutions are targets for nefarious actors, from China and elsewhere. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) has publicly tabled an "awareness" of various attempts to compromise the sector.
	Experts call for new economic modeling to meet energy transition ambition The ambition of policymakers navigating the energy transition has surpassed the capacity of economic modeling for the first time, a new keynote paper argues.
	As the world heats up, solar panels will degrade faster—especially in hot, humid areas: What can we do? To reach the goal of 82% renewable energy in Australia's grid by 2030, we'll need to build a lot more solar.
	Q&A: Facebook turns 20—where does it go from here? Deep down, Facebook is not entirely unlike many brilliant, high-potential 20-year-olds. Its appeal is clear. Its performance is generally very strong, if not outstanding. Yet it's still subject to occasional lapses in judgment and bouts of immaturity.
	From game footage to great footage with computer vision and other artificial intelligence tools How much cooler would basketball footage be if software could automatically shine a spotlight on key players? How much easier would it be to understand plays if arrows could indicate movement before the players actually move? How much improvement would be possible if one could see how distance from a basket affects shot trajectory?
	Q&A: What is the best route to fair AI systems? In December, the European Union passed the AI Act, the first major law aiming to regulate technologies that fall under the umbrella of artificial intelligence. The legislation might have arrived sooner, but the sudden success of ChatGPT in late 2022 demanded the act be updated.
	Applying plasma technology for more effective lithium extraction Recent research suggests an improved method for extracting lithium by applying plasma technology. Researchers from the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE) have successfully increased the lithium extraction rate by three times compared to pre-existing methods by applying CO2 microwave plasma technology.
	RoboTool enables creative tool use in robots If an ingredient is out of reach on a high pantry shelf, it wouldn't take you more than a few seconds to find a step stool, or maybe just a chair, to stand on to bring the ingredient within your reach. This simple solution is the outcome of a complex problem-solving approach researchers call creative tool use.
	Sora is ChatGPT maker OpenAI's new text-to-video generator. Here's what we know about the new tool The maker of ChatGPT is now diving into AI-generated video.
	France, Germany block EU deal on scaled-back app worker law France and Germany on Friday refused to back a watered-down agreement on controversial EU rules covering app workers in the gig economy, European diplomats said.

Chemistry news

	How bananas can be used to fight the plastic waste crisis Bananas are one of the most popular and widely consumed fruits in the world. They are also the fourth most grown crop in the world, trailing only rice, wheat and corn. What could this tropical fruit have to do with fighting the ongoing plastic waste crisis?
	Researchers expand ways to improve the selectivity of catalytic reactions Researchers from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), Harvard Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, and Utrecht University have reported on a previously elusive way to improve the selectivity of catalytic reactions, adding a new method of increasing the efficacy of catalysts for a potentially wide range of applications in various industries including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and much more.
	New synthesis method uses light reaction on a water surface By forming chemical bonds between atoms, complex molecules such as those needed for medicines, crop protection products, or high-performance materials are prepared using synthetic chemistry. Such synthesis reactions typically require organic solvents, metal catalysts, and reagents such as acids or alkalis. Not all auxiliary materials and solvents can always be recycled, which results in waste.
	Advanced artificial photosynthesis catalyst uses CO₂ more efficiently to create biodegradable plastics Amid growing global concern over climate change and plastic pollution, researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University are making great strides in the sustainable production of fumaric acid—a component of biodegradable plastics such as polybutylene succinate, which is commonly used for food packaging.

Biology news

	Paleontological analysis shows renowned fossil thought to show soft tissue preservation is in fact just paint A 280-million-year-old fossil that has baffled researchers for decades has been shown to be—in part—a forgery, following new examination of the remnants.
	Erratic weather fueled by climate change will worsen locust outbreaks, study finds Extreme wind and rain may lead to bigger and worse desert locust outbreaks, with human-caused climate change likely to intensify the weather patterns and cause higher outbreak risks, a new study has found.
	Scientists identify genetic mechanism responsible for plant leaf diversity Plant leaves come in many different shapes, sizes and complexities. Some leaves are large and smooth, while others are smaller and serrated. Some leaves grow in single pieces while others form multiple leaflets. These variations in leaf structure play a crucial role in how plants adapt—and survive—in different environments.
	Flea toad may be world's smallest vertebrate A trio of biologists at Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, in Brazil, has verified that a tiny frog, Brachycephalus pulex, also known as the Brazilian flea toad, which is found only in southern Brazil, is not only the world's smallest amphibian, it is also the world's smallest vertebrate. Their paper is published in the journal Zoologica Scripta.
	Researchers shed light on river resiliency to flooding Researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno have completed one of the most extensive river resilience studies, examining how river ecosystems recover following floods. They developed a novel modeling approach that used data from oxygen sensors placed in rivers to estimate daily growth in aquatic plants and algae. The researchers then modeled the algal and plant biomass in 143 rivers across the contiguous U.S. to quantify what magnitude of flooding disturbs the biomass and how long the rivers take to recover from floods.
	Toxoplasmosis: Researchers identify protein that evolved alongside infection machinery Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease found worldwide, caused by the single-celled parasite Toxoplasma gondii. In humans, infection poses a particular risk to pregnant women, as it can lead to birth defects. Like the closely related malaria pathogen—Plasmodium falciparum—and other related species, T. gondii possesses special organelles, so-called rhoptries and micronemes, for infecting the host cell.
	Newly discovered bacterial defense system functions as self-destruct button Wageningen researchers have discovered a molecular self-destruct mechanism in a bacterium living on seaweed. With this mechanism the bacteria sacrifice themselves when they are infected, thus protecting their brothers and sisters from infections. By reprogramming this mechanism, researchers aim to utilize it in diagnostic (self-)tests. The study is published in Science.
	New toolbox allows engineering of genomes without CRISPR Belgian researchers from VIB-KULeuven Center for Microbiology and VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology have developed a new toolbox of 16 different short DNA sequences that allow triggering controlled and specific recombination events in any genome.
	Increased access to water may be a threat to nomadic livestock farmers in the long term Increasing access to water in extremely arid parts of sub-Saharan Africa can help nomadic livestock farmers in the short term. However, in the long run, it may lead to serious consequences for their livelihoods. This is shown by new research from Uppsala University published in Nature Climate Change.
	'Live fast, die young': Agriculture is transforming entire ecosystems A research team has investigated the effects of agricultural grassland use on communities of organisms. Their study, recently published in the journal Nature Communications, for the first time reveals that measures such as fertilization and mowing affect organisms at all levels of an ecosystem and across entire food chains, thereby accelerating the entire system.
	Bacteria in the Arctic seabed are active all year round, researchers find Despite the pronounced seasonality in their habitat, the bacterial community in Arctic sediments is taxonomically and functionally very stable.
	New species of pirate spiders discovered on South Atlantic island On a remote tropical island in the Atlantic Ocean, a pair of marooned pirates have been discovered. While they lack eyepatches and cutlasses, the two new species of pirate spider certainly live up to their nautical name, which refers to their habit of violently taking over the webs of other spiders and killing the occupants.
	Q&A: Pork, pathogens and progress—a close look at PRRSV research The pork industry provides people across different cultures a considerable source of protein, essential nutrients and a versatile ingredient for diverse culinary traditions. So, when the problem of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection in the pork industry results in an economic loss of $650 million annually in the United States, finding a solution is of critical significance.
	Viewpoint: Migratory animals face mass extinction—but as a conservationist, I'm optimistic The world is facing three planetary crises: biodiversity loss, climate change and environmental pollution. Recognized threats to biodiversity include habitat loss and overexploitation but new analyses suggest that migratory species are faring particularly badly.
	Meet Bilophila wadsworthia—a gut microbe that's both friend and foe You may not have heard of hydrogen sulfide, but I bet you'd recognize the smell. Hydrogen sulfide is the gas responsible for the rotten-egg odor that you come across near stagnant water and in drains. This gas is also highly toxic when inhaled.
	A strategy for integrating online digital data for monitoring biodiversity Scientists from the University of Helsinki together with colleagues from other universities and institutions around the world propose a strategy for integrating online digital data from media platforms to complement monitoring efforts to help address the global biodiversity crisis in light of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
	Climate change has brought forward the flowering period in Doñana National Park by 22 days, finds study Researchers from the University of Seville have investigated how the flowering of 51 species of shrubs, bushes and trees has changed over the last 35 years in Doñana National Park so as to understand how plant communities are responding to climate change in the south of the Iberian Peninsula.
	Belgian researchers provide a strong boost to sustainable agriculture Much has been written about the European Climate law and the European Nitrate Directive. Besides social concerns, drastically reducing greenhouse gases by 2030 and structurally lowering the use of nitrogen in agriculture poses significant challenges. Researchers from the VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology now present concrete research results to lower nitrogen usage by targeting microorganisms in the soil.
	Unique manufacturing method produces more appealing vegan meat Vegan food is often sidestepped due to its rubbery consistency. Food technology researchers at Lund University in Sweden have now developed a way to make vegan food more appetizing by using new combinations of raw materials. So far, the research field for plant-based meat imitations, known as meat analogs, has been very small—but is now set to "explode." The team at Lund is among those that have published the most research in the world on the topic.
	11 cold-stunned sea turtles returned to Atlantic after rehabilitation in Florida Workers from Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida have released 11 cold-stunned Kemp's ridley sea turtles back into the Atlantic Ocean.

Medicine and Health news

	Study provides first evidence of direct impact of serotonin on development of prefrontal cortex A new study published in Nature Communications provides direct evidence that antidepressant use during pregnancy can impact a child's brain development and contribute to the risk of mental health disorders later in life.
	New genetic therapy shows promise for motor neuron disease and frontotemporal dementia Macquarie University neuroscientists have developed a single-dose genetic medicine that has been proven to halt the progression of both motor neuron disease (MND) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in mice—and may even offer the potential to reverse some of the effects of the fatal diseases.
	Researchers investigate how the mpox virus infiltrates brain cells A multidisciplinary team at the University of Alberta is seeking to understand how monkeypox (mpox) virus may be causing neurological symptoms in people affected by the global outbreak of mpox disease, declared by the World Health Organization in 2022.
	Nature vs nurture: Twin study sheds light on heritable brain activity The way our brain processes different emotional and cognitive tasks may be underpinned by common factors, find scientists from UNSW and Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA).
	Neuroscientists discover interactions between brain waves and nerve cells during human memory processes Spatial navigation and spatial memory play a central role in our lives. Without these abilities, we would hardly be able to find our way around and it would be difficult to remember past events. However, the neuronal basis of spatial memory is far from being fully understood.
	Protective mechanism discovered in the formation of fear memories could be starting point for new therapies Researchers at the Central Institute of Mental Health and Heidelberg University have identified a biological mechanism that regulates the strength of the memory of an aversive event. The results of their study offer new starting points for the development of therapies for psychiatric disorders.
	Study finds neurological symptoms are not a direct result of SARS-CoV-2 infection of the brain Scientists still are not sure how neurological symptoms arise in COVID-19. Is it because SARS-CoV-2 infects the brain? Or are these symptoms the result of inflammation in the rest of the body? A study by Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin has now produced evidence to support the latter theory. It was published in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
	Heart attack found to significantly increase risk of other health conditions Having a heart attack significantly increases the risk of developing other serious long-term health conditions, a major new study shows.
	Wildfires linked to surge in mental health-related emergency department visits, study shows An Emory University study published Thursday in Nature Mental Health shows wildfires lead to an increase of anxiety-related emergency department visits in the western United States, amplifying the concerning parallel trajectory of two escalating public health crises—mental health and climate change.
	Researchers investigate long-term outcomes after severe childhood malnutrition New findings from one of the few studies reporting long-term health outcomes for children with severe malnutrition were published on February 15, 2024, in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health. The paper is titled "Long-term outcomes after severe childhood malnutrition in adolescents in Malawi (LOSCM): a prospective observational cohort study."
	What can bulls tell us about men? Genetic discovery could translate to human fertility research Infertility is a widespread problem: worldwide, one in eight couples fail to fulfill their desire to have children within a year—or even at all. In half the cases, this is due to fertility disorders that stem from the male. However, it is difficult to identify the genetic causes of such fertility disorders in humans. Researchers lack data on the quality of semen and on molecular markers from sufficiently large cohorts of healthy men of reproductive age.
	Promising target for CAR T-cell therapy leads to potent antitumor responses against cutaneous and rare melanomas Scientists at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have built and demonstrated the potential efficacy of a new chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell-based immunotherapy specifically designed to treat patients with cutaneous and rare subtypes of melanoma.
	Researchers identify genes and cell types that may have causal role in primary open-angle glaucoma formation Although primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is the leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 55, there remains no cure for the disease and its biological mechanisms are not well understood. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is a major risk factor for the disease, but many patients with glaucoma have normal eye pressure and still lose vision.
	Brazil's health agents scour junkyards and roofs for mosquitos to fight dengue epidemic The small team of state public health workers slalomed between auto parts strewn across a Rio de Janeiro junkyard, looking for standing water where mosquitoes might have laid their eggs.
	What high triglycerides mean and why it matters to your heart You may be familiar with high-density, or good cholesterol; low-density lipoproteins (LDL), or bad cholesterol; and their connections to heart health. But what about triglycerides? Often that word gets skimmed over when talking about cholesterol levels.
	FDA approval of 4-drug combination for front-line treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer A four-drug chemotherapy regimen of irinotecan liposome (Onivyde) in combination with oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and fluorouracil—together referred to as NALIRIFOX—has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the first-line treatment of metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
	Cognitive symptoms common with post-COVID-19 condition, study finds For individuals with post-COVID-19 condition, cognitive symptoms are common, according to a study published online Feb. 14 in JAMA Network Open.
	Lockdown skin cancer diagnosis delays linked to deaths and £6bn costs in Europe Delays in diagnosing melanoma due to COVID-19 lockdown may have contributed to over 100,000 years of life lost across Europe and over £6bn in costs, mainly indirectly due to loss of productivity, finds a new study led by UCL and University Hospital of Basel researchers.
	Mental health needs of young people with language disorder are being neglected, researchers say There is an urgent need to address inequality in health services, especially mental health provision, for young people with developmental language disorder (DLD), according to a team led by UCL researchers.
	Review shares 'state-of-the-art' knowledge about fungal disease A review paper, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, focuses on how fungal diseases present in people with healthy immune systems and examines current diagnostics and treatments.
	Discovery provides new insight into severe liver disease Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a severe and chronic liver disease. It affects men more than women, and most people who are diagnosed with PSC are between 30 and 40 years old.
	Is it broken? A strain or sprain? How to spot a serious injury now school and sport are back Kids are back at school, playgrounds, sport and general mucking around. This can lead to two things: happy children and injuries.
	How our brains' beta waves predict stuttering Beta waves are brainwaves associated with thought, actions, and reactions; for example, beta waves affect how you would react to a cyclist speeding toward you as you cross the street. New research finds that they can also predict when a person will stutter.
	Jelqing: The latest in a long history of attempts to enlarge the male member Advice about a penis-enlargement method called jelqing (also "jelquing") is being widely shared online. Posts advise that stretching a semi-erect penis could add up to an inch in length and girth by exploiting the body's repair mechanisms.
	AI oversight of growing interest to health care executives, finds survey Very few health systems have written formal policies addressing the use of artificial intelligence (AI), and even fewer have policies specific to generative AI, reflecting the rapid advances the solutions have made in health care, according to a new survey from the Center for Connected Medicine at UPMC (CCM).
	Exploring the potential of a novel PET-tracer in spotting early signs of Alzheimer's disease Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have made exciting discoveries about Alzheimer's disease, a common form of dementia affecting millions of people around the world. In a study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia, they have explored the potential of novel synaptic PET-tracer UCB-J as an important early diagnostic biomarker/tool for Alzheimer's disease.
	IVF 'add on' treatments: Fair choice or false hope? Many Australians using Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) to conceive are paying for costly "add-on" treatments that lack high-quality evidence that they will improve their chances of taking home a healthy baby.
	Experts outline recommendations for reducing traumatic birth experiences International experts have published recommendations for practice, policy and research that have the potential to reduce the occurrence of negative birth experiences and the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of childbirth.
	Coffee consumption associated with reduced mortality in people with colorectal cancer There appears to be a significant link between the coffee intake of people with intestinal cancer and mortality, as well as the likelihood of the disease returning after remission. A team in which WUR researchers participated have reached this conclusion.
	Self-monitoring improves physical activity of care-needing elderly: Study Self-monitoring of physical activity with an accelerometer and feedback is an effective tool to improve physical activity in elderly people requiring long-term support. The Kobe University study is the first to show that with simple and safe means, the physical activity of this demographic can be improved, which is expected to help prevent serious illness and reduce costs for long-term care.
	High out-of-pocket costs hindering treatment of diabetes Actively managing diabetes is crucial to preventing long-term health complications, but rising costs are creating barriers to treatment.
	The hepatitis E virus: New insights into targeted treatment and diagnosis Common symptoms of liver inflammation caused by hepatitis E viruses (HEV) include fever, abdominal pain, pale stools, nausea, and jaundice. Individuals at risk for this infection include persons with weakened immune systems (immunocompromised) as well as pregnant women. Immunocompromised patients often suffer from chronic infections, which is a larger problem for the Global North.
	Study finds neoadjuvant chemotherapy significantly improves outcomes for penile squamous cell carcinoma patients Penile squamous cell carcinoma is a rare malignancy with limited treatment options and poor prognosis, especially in advanced stages. Because of its rarity, few studies focus on better understanding and managing this disease.
	New study analyzes link between digit ratio and oxygen consumption in soccer players The efficiency of oxygen supply to tissues is a factor in the severity of important diseases such as COVID-19 and heart conditions.
	Study finds Moderna vaccine reduces symptomatic COVID-19 in young adults The COVID-19 pandemic spurred the rapid development of different vaccines, including the messenger RNA (mRNA)-1273 vaccine produced by Moderna.
	Trial data underpins FDA approval of omalizumab for food allergy Today's Food and Drug Administration approval of a supplemental biologics license for the monoclonal antibody omalizumab (Xolair) highlights the vital role of the National Institutes of Health-supported research that underpins the FDA decision.
	Hitchhiking cancer vaccine makes progress in the clinic Therapeutic cancer vaccines are an appealing strategy for treating malignancies. In theory, when a patient is injected with peptide antigens—protein fragments from mutant proteins only expressed by tumor cells—T cells learn to recognize and attack cancer cells expressing the corresponding protein. By teaching the patient's own immune system to attack cancer cells, these vaccines ideally would not only eliminate tumors but prevent them from recurring.
	Researcher: The 'jab market' of private COVID vaccines is a good thing for public health—but not for health inequality COVID vaccines will go on sale privately in England and Scotland from April 1 for all those aged 12 and over. In the US, they have been available to buy commercially since 2023, with the private sector already accounting for a substantial proportion of vaccine sales. It is likely that a growing number of countries will follow suit.
	Pulmonary expert explains importance of warm air during cold weather Colder, dry air impacts lung health, with symptoms that range from bothersome to distressing. With cold temperatures forecasted for the Houston area this weekend, a pulmonary expert with Baylor College of Medicine explains the importance of warm air during colder temps and which populations should pay close attention to forecasted temperatures.
	High vaccination coverage key against expected increase of measles cases in the EU/EEA Measles cases are expected to continue increasing in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) in the coming months due to sub-optimal vaccination coverage for measles-containing vaccines (MCV) in a number of EU/EEA countries, the high probability of importation from areas experiencing high circulation and the fact that the coming months represent the seasonal peak of the virus.

Other Sciences news

	AI will let us read 'lost' ancient works in the library at Herculaneum for the first time On 19 October 1752, a discovery was made 20 meters underneath the town of Resina, near Naples in Italy. Peasants digging wells in the area around Mount Vesuvius had struck marble statuary and mosaic pavements—and they also found lumps of carbon.
	Entrepreneurship on the periphery: Between precarious work and the search for a meaningful life Understanding how the poor deal with the effects of the economic crisis into which Brazil plunged in 2014 was the aim of the research project "The crisis seen from the periphery: struggle for social mobility in the frontiers of (i)legality" conducted by Leonardo de Oliveira Fontes. An article published in the International Journal of Urban and Regional Research is one of the results of the investigation.
	Drowning in 'digital debt'? AI assistants can help—but we must use them carefully In recent days, the "right to disconnect" has entered Australia's legislative agenda. It refers to employees' rights to refuse unreasonable after-hours contact from their employer.
	Data science shown to expedite return of ancestral Indigenous remains The return of the ancestral human remains of Australian and other Indigenous peoples held in anthropological collections could be sped up using machine-based deep learning according to a new study led by QUT computer scientists.
	Deep data—and big money—are driving a new era in political advertising In the rarefied realm of political campaigns, every election brings complex challenges to the experts who shape a candidate's advertising strategy. Their standard practice has been to show prospective ads to a small focus group, get feedback, and then follow their instincts to choose the best ads.
	A Bronx school district offers lessons in boosting student mental health If you are an educator or a parent, you have likely already seen many ways in which "the kids are not alright."
	Why prices are so high—8 ways retail pricing algorithms gouge consumers The just-released report of the inquiry into price gouging and unfair pricing conducted by Allan Fels for the Australian Council of Trades Unions does more than identify the likely offenders.
	Q&A: Machine-learning model tracks trends in public finance research What are the leading topics in public finance and budgeting, how have they changed, and what future topics should be more closely researched by professionals and practitioners?
	Bridging the opportunity gap in social sector AI Over the last decade, AI has reshaped the commercial sector and consumer habits—think recommender systems for online shopping or streaming services. While many businesses have jumped headfirst into artificial intelligence, it's unclear how the social and education sectors are thinking about this technology. Do they currently use it, are they interested in using it, and how?
	Wars in Ukraine and Gaza could soon affect our approach to the North Pole, researcher warns The Houthis are attacking ships in the Red Sea. Rerouting via South Africa is expensive, whereas the Arctic route only takes a week. Once a no-go zone, this route might be a more realistic option. Mind the nuclear submarines, though…
	Compulsory voting can reduce political polarization in the US, study finds Introducing compulsory voting in the United States and other majoritarian democracies, with meaningful and enforceable penalties for abstention, has the potential to reduce political polarization and protect democratic institutions from anti-democratic threats, according to a paper published by a University at Buffalo political philosopher.
	Research suggests political differences may prompt neighbors to move Politics not only make for strange bedfellows, but also for bad neighbors, apparently. People are more likely to sell their homes and move out of a neighborhood if new neighbors whose political views are opposite of theirs move in, according to research by University of Virginia economists.
	Music education, support networks, and continuity are key factors regulating adolescents' arts participation, says study How do young people find their way to music-making? Researchers Anna Kuoppamäki from the University of the Arts Helsinki and Fanny Vilmilä from the Finnish Youth Research Network identified factors that had a significant impact on the formation of the musical life courses of the young people interviewed in their study.
	Games in the classroom and the boardroom: How 'serious games' are helping us learn A team of researchers is encouraging us to swap textbooks for games, as they drive the application of games in learning, engagement and research.

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