Science X Newsletter Thu, Feb 29

Dear ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for February 29, 2024:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

How 'the strong force' influences the gravitational wave background

Towards the selective and energy-efficient synthesis of ethylene via carbon dioxide reduction

Scientists discover radiation from massive stars shapes planetary systems

Diffuse hot gas detected around a potential super-star cluster

For children on the autism spectrum, having a service dog can lead to sleep improvements

Living species of daddy longlegs has two additional sets of underdeveloped eyes as embryos

Astronomers measure heaviest black hole pair ever found

Seeing the wood for the trees: How archaeologists use hazelnuts to reconstruct ancient woodlands

Astronomers reveal a new link between water and planet formation

Researchers discover a new plant species whose name tells a story

Scientists create new idea on how to hack a warming planet: drying the upper atmosphere

Private US moon lander still working after breaking leg and falling, but not for long

AI reveals prostate cancer is not just one disease

Researchers reveal mechanism of how the brain forms a map of the environment

New type of stem cell contains potential for knee cartilage regeneration in arthritic mice

Nanotechnology news

	Magnetizing water drops to make them hop A small combined team of material scientists from Sun Yat-sen University and Dalian University of Technology, both in China, has found that it is possible to make a single drop of water hop in desired ways by putting a magnetic particle inside of it and turning an electromagnet on and off. The research published in the journal ACS Nano.
	Radio waves can tune up bacteria to become life-saving medicines Scientists from Australia and the United States have found a new way to alter the DNA of bacterial cells—a process used to make many vital medicines including insulin—much more efficiently than standard industry techniques.
	Researchers discover way to bind nanotubes to metals Carbon nanotubes have shown promise for everything from microelectronics to aviation to energy storage. Researchers think this material might one day fulfill the science fiction dream of creating an elevator to space.
	Hydrogel spheres compose a microporous structure for localized mRNA delivery In a significant leap forward in the realm of regenerative medicine, a team at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation has introduced a pioneering approach to mRNA therapy using microspheres made of gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA)—a gelatin-based polymer that can form strong hydrogels when exposed to UV light—to form microporous structure.
	Investigating cell killers: An advanced system for size-dependent cytotoxicity analysis of silica Metal nanomaterials have become an indispensable part of industrial and medical fields due to their unique and versatile properties. Their size, which imparts them with the desired physiochemical properties, is also the reason for environmental and health concerns. The nano-sized particles in nanomaterials have shown high reactivity towards biomolecules and often even toxicity towards biological cells.

Physics news

	Resonant tunneling: A possible way to probe the minimum length using atomic systems A research team led by Prof. Dr. Yang Yong from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has revealed a remarkable quantum tunneling phenomenon across double potential barriers. They found that quantum tunneling is dominant at low temperatures and continues to play a nontrivial role at temperatures up to about 600 K.
	When the music changes, so does the dance: Controlling cooperative electronic states in kagome metals Playing a different soundtrack is, physically speaking, only a minute change of the vibration spectrum, yet its impact on a dance floor is dramatic. People long for this tiny trigger, and as a salsa changes to a tango completely different collective patterns emerge.
	Better neutron mirrors can reveal the inner secrets of matter Improved neutron mirrors can increase the efficiency of material analysis in neutron sources such as the European Spallation Source. The improved mirror has been developed by researchers at Linköping University by coating a silicon plate with extremely thin layers of iron and silicon mixed with boron carbide. Their study has been published in the journal Science Advances.
	Scientists reveal how light behaves in formless solids For a long time, it was thought that amorphous solids do not selectively absorb light because of their disordered atomic structure. However, a new uOttawa study disproves this theory and shows that amorphous solids actually exhibit dichroism, meaning that they selectively absorb light of different polarizations.
	Conduction-cooled accelerating cavity proves feasible for commercial applications From televisions to X-ray machines, many modern technologies are enabled by electrons that have been juiced up by a particle accelerator. Now, the U.S. Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility has worked with General Atomics and other partners to unlock even more applications by exploring the process of designing, prototyping and testing particle accelerators that are more powerful and efficient, while also less expensive and bulky.
	Ultra-compact head-mounted fluorescence microscopes for neuroscience studies Research groups led by Prof. Bi Guoqiang, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), and Prof. Zhou Pengcheng from Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology of Chinese Academy of Chinese proposed a design for ultra-compact head-mounted fluorescence microscopes, which were applied to neuro observations. The study was published in National Science Review.

Earth news

	Scientists create new idea on how to hack a warming planet: drying the upper atmosphere Government scientists have cooked up a new concept for how to potentially cool an overheating Earth: Fiddle with the upper atmosphere to make it a bit drier.
	Study shows climate change disrupts seasonal flow of rivers Climate change is disrupting the seasonal flow of rivers in the far northern latitudes of America, Russia and Europe and is posing a threat to water security and ecosystems, according to research published in Science.
	2023–24 El Niño likely to cause record-breaking average temperatures in some areas Several areas of the globe—including the Bay of Bengal, the Philippines, and the Caribbean Sea—are likely to experience record-breaking average surface air temperatures in the year period up to June 2024 as a result of the ongoing El Niño phenomenon. The modeling results, published in Scientific Reports, also suggest that there is an estimated 90% chance of record-breaking global mean surface temperatures occurring over the same period under a moderate or strong El Niño scenario.
	Wildfire smoke disproportionately affects California's Indigenous communities, new research shows Researchers using a novel method of measuring long-term wildfire smoke exposure have found that Indigenous communities in California are exposed to disproportionate amounts of dangerous particulate matter—sometimes far beyond what has been previously known.
	Mercury rising: Study sheds new light on ancient volcanoes' environmental impact Massive volcanic events in Earth's history that released large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere frequently correlate with periods of severe environmental change and mass extinctions. A new method to estimate how much and how rapidly carbon was released by the volcanoes could improve our understanding of the climate response, according to an international team led by researchers from Penn State and the University of Oxford.
	Nearly 3,000 fires in Brazilian Amazon in February, new record Nearly 3,000 forest fires were registered in the Brazilian Amazon this month, the highest for any February since records began in 1999, and made more likely by climate change, according to experts.
	Climate change: Alarming Africa-wide report predicts 30% drop in crop revenue, 50 million without water African countries will suffer significant economic loss after 2050 if global warming is not limited to below 2°C, a new study by the Center for Global Development has found.
	Study reveals that decreased cloud cover dominated rapid spring temperature rise in Central Asia Central Asia has experienced a faster temperature rise than the global land over the past decades, which has brought unprecedented challenges to the survival and flourishing of life. The role of the drivers and their associated underlying mechanisms have been poorly explored.
	How climate change is messing up the ocean's biological clock, with unknown long-term consequences Every year in the mid-latitudes of the planet, a peculiar phenomenon known as the phytoplankton spring bloom occurs. Visible from space, spectacular large and ephemeral filament-like shades of green and blue are shaped by the ocean currents.
	Study uncovers the influence of the livestock industry on climate policy through university partnerships The livestock industry's impact on climate change has long been a subject of concern, as detailed in the 2006 United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization's 390-page report "Livestock's Long Shadow." The report provided the first global assessment of animal agriculture's contribution to anthropogenic warming, land degradation, air pollution, water shortage and loss of biodiversity. Further, the report stated grim environmental consequences if the industry continued as usual.
	After intense predictions, what happened to El Niño? After many predictions, on September 19, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology formally announced an El Niño for the summer of 2023/2024, several months after it had been declared by other international meteorological agencies.
	AI meets green: The future of environmental protection with ChatGPT The rapid growth of environmental data presents a significant challenge in analyzing complex pollution networks. While ML has been a pivotal tool, its widespread adoption has been hindered by a steep learning curve and a significant knowledge gap among environmental scientists.
	Climate change cost U.S. ski industry billions, study says, and future depends on emissions U.S. ski areas lost $5 billion from 2000 to 2019 as a result of human-caused climate change and could lose around $1 billion annually in the 2050s depending on how much emissions are reduced, a new study found.
	Surprising methane discovery in Yukon glaciers: 'Much more widespread than we thought' Global melting is prying the lid off methane stocks, the extent of which we do not know. A young researcher from the University of Copenhagen has discovered high concentrations of the powerful greenhouse gas in meltwater from three Canadian mountain glaciers, where it was not thought to exist—adding new unknowns to the understanding of methane emissions from Earth's glaciated regions
	Texas battling largest wildfire in its history Texas emergency crews were struggling Thursday to contain the largest wildfire in the US state's history, with the blaze leaving at least one person dead and scorching a million acres as it raged out of control.
	Emergency atmospheric geoengineering wouldn't save the oceans Climate change is heating the oceans, altering currents and circulation patterns responsible for regulating climate on a global scale. If temperatures dropped, some of that damage could theoretically be undone.
	AI reveals secret roads endangering the world's rainforests Satellite images analyzed by AI are emerging as a new tool in finding unmapped roads that bring environmental destruction to wilderness areas.
	Oranges wither, cows go hungry in drought-hit Sicily Marilina Barreca has two grim options: feed her cows tainted fodder or set them to graze on barren hillsides as Sicily battles a crop-devastating drought which is sucking reservoirs dry.
	Blizzard warning of up to 10 feet of snow in the Sierra could make travel 'dangerous to impossible' A Pacific storm packing powerful winds and heavy snow is shaping up to be the strongest of the season, forecasters say, as it pushes toward California with potential blizzard conditions in the Sierra and up to 10 feet (3 meters) of snow in the mountains around Lake Tahoe by the weekend.
	Climate extremes in Australia: New report analyzes major events of 2023 Scientists and researchers at the ARC Center of Excellence for Climate Extremes have today released "The State of Weather and Climate Extremes 2023" report. The report, co-written by more than 30 of Australia's leading climate scientists, including many of the Center's early career researchers, is designed to help decision makers and the general public understand the complexity of climate extremes.
	Online platform to improve disaster preparedness using community-sourced data, resource mapping, AI The report "Towards Resilient Communities," released today (Feb. 29), provides details on the platform developed by researchers at the ARC Center of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society (ADM+S) at Swinburne University in partnership with Humanitech at the Australian Red Cross.

Astronomy and Space news

	How 'the strong force' influences the gravitational wave background Gravitationally speaking, the universe is a noisy place. A hodgepodge of gravitational waves from unknown sources streams unpredictably around space, including possibly from the early universe.
	Scientists discover radiation from massive stars shapes planetary systems How do planetary systems such as the solar system form? To find out, CNRS scientists taking part in an international research team studied a stellar nursery, the Orion Nebula, using the James Webb Space Telescope. By observing a protoplanetary disk named d203-506, they have discovered the key role played by massive stars in the formation of such nascent planetary systems.
	Diffuse hot gas detected around a potential super-star cluster Using NASA's Chandra X-ray spacecraft, astronomers have inspected a potential super-star cluster, designated HSO BMHERICC J72.971176-69.391112, or H72.97−69.39 for short. The new observations resulted in the detection of a diffuse hot gas around this cluster. The finding was reported in a paper published February 21 on the pre-print server arXiv.
	Astronomers measure heaviest black hole pair ever found Using archival data from the Gemini North telescope, a team of astronomers has measured the heaviest pair of supermassive black holes ever found. The merging of two supermassive black holes is a phenomenon that has long been predicted, though never observed. This massive pair gives clues as to why such an event seems so unlikely in the universe.
	Astronomers reveal a new link between water and planet formation Researchers have found water vapor in the disk around a young star exactly where planets may be forming. Water is a key ingredient for life on Earth and is also thought to play a significant role in planet formation, yet until now, astronomers have never been able to map how water is distributed in a stable, cool disk—the type of disk that offers the most favorable conditions for planets to form around stars.
	Private US moon lander still working after breaking leg and falling, but not for long The first private U.S. spacecraft to land on the moon broke a leg at touchdown before falling over, according to company officials who said Wednesday it was on the verge of losing power.
	Could fiber optic cable help scientists probe the deep layers of the moon? An increasing number of seismologists are using fiber optic cables to detect seismic waves on Earth—but how would this technology fare on the moon, and what would it tell us about the deep layers of our nearest neighbor in space?
	Ice shell thickness reveals water temperature on ocean worlds Decades before any probe dips a toe—and thermometer—into the waters of distant ocean worlds, Cornell astrobiologists have devised a novel way to determine ocean temperatures based on the thickness of their ice shells, effectively conducting oceanography from space.
	With space travel comes motion sickness. These engineers want to help In a corner room of the Aerospace Engineering Sciences Building at CU Boulder, Torin Clark is about to go for a ride.
	SpaceX delays Crew-8 launch, but lines up Starlink launch instead Bad weather conditions on the launch corridor for a human spaceflight from Kennedy Space Center have prompted a two-day delay, so SpaceX took the opportunity to roll out and try and shoehorn a launch without humans from nearby Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Thursday.
	To the moon and back: NASA's Artemis II crew rehearses splashdown Their mission around the moon is not expected until September 2025 at the earliest, but the four astronauts on NASA's Artemis II mission are already preparing for their splashdown return.
	Russian space officials say air leak at International Space Station poses no danger to its crew Russian space officials on Wednesday acknowledged a continuing air leak from the Russian segment of the International Space Station, but said it poses no danger to its crew.
	Russian rocket successfully puts Iranian satellite into orbit A Russian rocket on Thursday successfully put an Iranian satellite into orbit, a launch that underlined increasingly close cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.

Technology news

	Scientists use food industry byproduct to recover gold from electronic waste Transforming base materials into gold was one of the elusive goals of the alchemists of yore. Now Professor Raffaele Mezzenga from the Department of Health Sciences and Technology at ETH Zurich has accomplished something in that vein. He has not of course transformed another chemical element into gold, as the alchemists sought to do. But he has managed to recover gold from electronic waste using a byproduct of the cheesemaking process.
	Research team develops insect-mimicking sensor to detect motion The recent development of an intelligent sensor that mimics the optic nerve of insects while operating at ultra-high speeds and low power offers extensive expandability into various innovative technologies. This technology is expected to be applied to various fields including transportation, safety, and security systems, contributing to both industry and society.
	Researchers create new compound to build space-age antennas In a first-of-its-kind development, UBC Okanagan researchers, in collaboration with Drexel University, have created a new compound that can be used to 3D print telecommunication antennas and other connectivity devices. These 3D printed products, created by combining a two-dimensional compound called MXenes with a polymer, can be used as an alternative for metallic counterparts and can make a vast improvement in communication technology including elements such as antennas, waveguides and filters.
	Fire-resistant sodium battery balances safety, cost and performance A sodium battery developed by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin significantly reduces fire risks from the technology, while also relying on inexpensive, abundant materials to serve as its building blocks.
	All-light communication network bridges space, air and sea for seamless connectivity Researchers have developed an all-light communication network that enables seamless connectivity across space, air, and underwater environments. The new network design combines different types of light sources to ensure connectivity no matter the environment.
	EU consumers challenge Meta paid service as privacy 'smokescreen' Consumer groups from eight EU countries lodged complaints against Meta on Thursday, accusing the Facebook and Instagram owner of illegally processing user data and using its "pay or consent" system as a "smokescreen" for privacy breaches.
	'Iron Man' pilots race in jet suits against a backdrop of Dubai skyscrapers Pilots lined up on a runway in Dubai on Wednesday and fired up their seven jet engines with an ear-splitting roar. But they weren't preparing to fly an airplane—they were the aircraft.
	Southwest Airlines spending $30 million on green fuel refinery, investment fund Southwest Airlines is buckling down on its environmental goals with a $30 million investment into a sustainable aviation fuel technology provider and launching a new subsidiary dedicated to it.
	Google's AI isn't too 'woke.' It's too rushed Did you hear? Google has been accused of having a secret vendetta against white people. Elon Musk exchanged tweets about the conspiracy on X more than 150 times over the past week, all regarding portraits generated with Google's new AI chatbot Gemini.
	We've been here before: AI promised humanlike machines—in 1958 A roomsize computer equipped with a new type of circuitry, the Perceptron, was introduced to the world in 1958 in a brief news story buried deep in The New York Times. The story cited the U.S. Navy as saying that the Perceptron would lead to machines that "will be able to walk, talk, see, write, reproduce itself and be conscious of its existence."
	'Urban mines': How to unlock our electronic junk's potential Instead of developing new mining infrastructures, what if we recovered the metal deposits contained in the electronic objects we no longer use, such as smartphones or computers? There are very good reasons for focusing on the potential of these "urban mines", also known as secondary mines to distinguish them from the "primary" mines where resources in the ground are exploited directly.
	How to make difficult-to-cut materials and components 'easy-to-cut' Difficult-to-cut materials such as titanium alloys, high-temperature alloys, metal/ceramic/polymer-matrix composites, hard and brittle materials, as well as geometrically complex components such as thin-walled structures, micro channels and complex surfaces, are widely used in aerospace community.
	Synthesizing avatars into a 360-degree video provides a virtual walking experience Researchers have developed a system that provides a virtual walking experience to a seated person by real-time synthesis of a walking avatar and its shadow on a 360-degree video with vibrations to the feet. The shadow of the avatar induces an illusory presence of their body. In the future, it is expected to provide an immersive experience for any recorded medium with a virtual embodiment.
	Examining the potential benefits and dangers of AI Generative artificial intelligence is rapidly advancing and soon will be ubiquitous in everyday life, making us more productive and helping to solve complex problems while simultaneously creating new legal and ethical issues, a University of Cincinnati professor said.
	Research explores industrial integration of artificial intelligence Artificial Intelligence (AI) has very quickly transitioned from science fiction to practical applications, particularly in industrial sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, and retail. A study in the International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation looks at the AI landscape and sheds light on its evolution, implications, and integration challenges across industries.
	One Tech Tip: Don't use rice for your device. Here's how to dry out your smartphone You were walking next to a swimming pool when you slipped and dropped your phone into the water. Or it slipped out of your hand when you were next to a filled bathtub or toilet.
	Humanoid robot-maker Figure partners with OpenAI and gets backing from Jeff Bezos and tech giants ChatGPT-maker OpenAI is looking to fuse its artificial intelligence systems into the bodies of humanoid robots as part of a new deal with robotics startup Figure.
	Ford electric vehicle owners can now charge on Tesla's network, but they'll need an adapter first Owners of Ford electric vehicles can now use much of Tesla's charging network in the U.S. and Canada, but there's a hitch.
	EU lawmakers back transparency rules for Airbnb-style rentals The European Parliament approved new data-sharing rules Thursday that clamp down on illegal short-term rentals to protect the residents of European cities—many of whom face shortages of affordable housing.
	Device that withstands 1,400°C temperatures could improve solar energy production An innovative probe which can operate in temperatures as high as molten lava has been created by researchers.
	Critical infrastructure systems are vulnerable to a new kind of cyberattack In recent years, browser and web-based technology has become a powerful tool for operators of infrastructure and industrial systems. But it also has opened a new pathway for bad actors to seize control of these systems, potentially endangering critical power, water, and other infrastructure.
	Unlocking the secrets of social bots: Research sheds light on AI's role in spreading disinformation In a world where social media influences opinions and shapes narratives, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is both a boon and a challenge.
	From organics to fuels: Computational models can accelerate and scale up biomass conversion Your yard clippings could eventually fuel an airplane. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researchers are tackling the difficult task of using agricultural waste generated from plant-to-food processing to make fuels that can power an airplane or a ship rather than relying on fossil fuels.
	Improving energy security with policies focused on demand-side solutions Governments typically rely on policies focused on energy supply to enhance energy security, ignoring demand-side options. Current indicators and indexes that measure energy security focus mostly on energy supply. This aligns with the International Energy Agency's view, which defines energy security only in terms of security of supply. However, this approach does not fully capture the extent of vulnerability for states, businesses, and individuals during an energy crisis.
	Fast, precise and wear-free process for laser drilling of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics Composite materials such as carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) are excellent for lightweight construction and are used, among other things, in automotive and aircraft construction.
	Driving an electric car is cheaper in some parts of Canada than others Electric vehicles are a critical part of Canada's climate strategy, but a new UBC study highlights how it's cheaper in some regions than others to drive electric—making it more challenging for certain households to make the switch.
	Some doorbell cameras sold on Amazon and other online sites have major security flaws, report says Some doorbell cameras sold by Amazon and other online retailers have security flaws that could allow bad actors to view footage from the devices or control them completely, according to an investigation published Thursday by Consumer Reports.
	Nintendo sues company for piracy on 'colossal scale' "Super Mario" giant Nintendo has filed a lawsuit against a US maker of software that allows video gamers to play games intended for its hugely popular Switch device on their PC or smartphone.
	Researchers improve the stability of perovskite solar cells Perovskite solar cells are thought of as the strongest contender to replace conventional silicon solar cells in next-generation photovoltaics. They are made of an A+ cation, a B2+ divalent cation, and an X- halide. Generally containing Pb2+ or Sn2+, they achieve high power conversion energy that is suitable for commercial use.
	Zero carbon dioxide emissions: Successful production of ammonia-based clean hydrogen Dr. Jung Unho's research team at the Hydrogen Research Department of the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) has developed Korea's first clean hydrogen production technology. This technology is based on ammonia decomposition and does not use fossil fuels.
	Guiding future research on 'extraordinary potential' of next-generation solar cells Today's commercial solar panels can convert about 15% to 20% of the sunlight they absorb into electrical energy—but they could be much more efficient, according to researchers at Soochow University. The next generation of solar cells has already demonstrated 26.1% efficiency, they said, but more specific research directions are needed to make such efficiency the standard and expand beyond it.
	Colorado's air-monitoring settlement with Suncor is flawed prioritizes energy company's interests, environmentalists say Six environmental groups on Feb. 27 filed a legal brief saying they do not support a recent settlement between Colorado and Suncor Energy over an air-quality monitoring program at the company's Commerce City oil refinery.
	European airlines, facing jet delivery delays, see profits soar Europe's aviation industry is extending its bounceback from the COVID pandemic, as British Airways owner IAG and Franco-Dutch rival Air France-KLM posted bumper 2023 profits Thursday.
	First drone probe of melted fuel inside Fukushima Daiichi reactor halted due to equipment glitch Japanese authorities said they were forced to abandon plans Thursday to send in drones for a second day to probe one of the damaged reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant because of equipment failure.
	Electronic Arts cutting about 5% of workforce with layoffs ongoing in gaming and tech sector Electronic Arts is cutting about 5% of its workforce, or approximately 670 employees, as layoffs in the technology and gaming sector continue after a surge of hiring in recent years.
	US probes security risks posed by Chinese tech in cars US President Joe Biden announced an investigation Thursday into the national security risks posed by Chinese tech in cars, warning they could be used to collect sensitive data.
	Eco-label strategy selection for green product development in supply chain The green lifestyle has been increasingly popular in recent years. According to the 2023 China Consumption Trend Report, 73.8% of customers prioritize buying environmentally friendly products. Tools such as eco-labels are widely used by companies to show consumers how green their products are.

Chemistry news

	Towards the selective and energy-efficient synthesis of ethylene via carbon dioxide reduction The synthesis of carbon-based chemicals via the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) has become the key objective of numerous recent energy research efforts. While these studies have yielded promising results, enabling the production of various widely used chemicals, most proposed approaches exhibit poor energy efficiencies and selectivity.
	Scientists reveal how first cells could have formed on Earth Roughly 4 billion years ago, Earth was developing conditions suitable for life. Origin-of-life scientists often wonder if the type of chemistry found on the early Earth was similar to what life requires today. They know that spherical collections of fats, called protocells, were the precursor to cells during this emergence of life. But how did simple protocells first arise and diversify to eventually lead to life on Earth?
	Printing the future: Tailoring chemistry for inorganic 3D micro-optics In a recent publication in the journal Trends in Chemistry, researchers from the University of Twente delve into the potential of 3D printing ceramics in micro-optics. These tiny ceramic structures can potentially be used to generate light and store information. "Let's make ceramics so small they can manipulate light."
	AI-powered platform could help law enforcement get ahead of designer drugs An online platform powered by deep learning can predict the makeup of new psychoactive substances to help law enforcement in the fight against dangerous drugs.
	Recycling research finds new process to transform glass fiber-reinforced plastic into silicon carbide Glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP), a strong and durable composite material, is widely used in everything from aircraft parts to windmill blades. Yet the very qualities that make it robust enough to be used in so many different applications make it difficult to dispose of—consequently, most GFRP waste is buried in a landfill once it reaches its end of life.
	A bright idea for recycling rare-earth phosphors from used fluorescent bulbs Recycling facilities collect glass and mercury from thrown-away fluorescent bulbs, but discarded lighting could also supply rare-earth metals for reuse. The 17 metals referred to as rare earths aren't all widely available and aren't easily extracted with existing recycling methods.
	Study elucidates regulation mechanism for electrocatalytic nitrate reduction A research team led by Prof. Zhang Haimin from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has conducted a systematic study on the regulation mechanism of heterostructure bimetallic phosphide electrocatalysts to improve the performance of electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction.
	Biochemists discover compound that inhibits evolution of antibiotic resistance Vanderbilt scientist Houra Merrikh led a team of researchers who discovered the first anti-evolution chemical compound that prevents drug resistance development in bacteria. The compound is also a drug development platform that targets antimicrobial resistance during treatment of infections with antibiotics and evolution in general, Merrikh said.
	Research progress of layered double hydroxide-based electrocatalyst for water splitting In the context of the gradual depletion of fossil fuels and the energy crisis, hydrogen energy has attracted widespread attention due to its ultra-high energy density and eco-friendly properties. However, most of the hydrogen production still relies on fossil fuels, with less than 1 million tons produced as low-emission hydrogen in 2021, which means it has limited benefits in mitigating the energy crisis and environmental degradation.

Biology news

	Living species of daddy longlegs has two additional sets of underdeveloped eyes as embryos While some people may first associate daddy longlegs with, well, their long legs, researchers Guilherme Gainett and Prashant Sharma have been especially focused on the arachnids' eyes. In their paper published last week in the journal Current Biology, the researchers found that a living species of daddy longlegs has two additional sets of underdeveloped eyes as embryos, implying that the species diversified earlier in the evolutionary tree than scientists believed.
	Researchers discover a new plant species whose name tells a story A new species and genus of fairy lantern, tiny glass-like white plants that feed on fungi, has been discovered in Japan. In a country known for its extensive flora research, the discovery of a new plant genus is extremely rare and has not occurred in almost 100 years.
	Bottlenecks and beehives: How an invasive bee colony defied genetic expectations For more than a decade, invasive Asian honeybees have defied evolutionary expectations and established a thriving population in North Queensland, much to the annoyance of the honey industry and biosecurity officials.
	Becoming human: An ancient genome perspective Writing a commentary in the 50th anniversary issue of Cell, Fu Qiaomei and E. Andrew Bennett, both of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, explored the contribution of paleogenomics to our understanding of the evolution of modern humans.
	The Golgi organelle's ribbon structure is not exclusive to vertebrates, contrary to previous consensus Researchers report February 29 in the journal Cell Reports that the Golgi ribbon, an organelle structure previously thought to be exclusive to vertebrates, is also present in animal taxa, including mollusks, earthworms, and sea urchins.
	Antimicrobial-resistant E. coli found in dogs with diarrhea A team of Chinese veterinary researchers has found high levels of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli in dogs with diarrhea. In their study, published in the open access journal PLOS ONE, the group tested fecal samples from 185 dogs with diarrhea.
	New findings suggest convergent evolution of algal CO₂-fixing organelles Researchers at the University of Tsukuba identified the proteins of a CO2-fixing organelle, namely, "pyrenoid," in the marine algal group Chlorarachniophyta and revealed various pyrenoid-associated proteins among algal groups, suggesting the independent evolution of pyrenoids in different algal groups.
	Plant biologists identify promising new fungicides A promising new fungicide to fight devastating crop diseases has been identified by researchers at the University of California, Davis. The chemical, ebselen, prevented fungal infections in apples, grapes, strawberries, tomatoes and roses and improved symptoms of pre-existing fungal infection in rice.
	Slimming down a colossal fossil whale A 30 million year-old fossil whale may not be the heaviest animal of all time after all, according to a new analysis by paleontologists at UC Davis and the Smithsonian Institution. The new analysis puts Perucetus colossus back in the same weight range as modern whales and smaller than the largest blue whales ever recorded. The work is published Feb. 29 in PeerJ.
	Scientists and government agencies are targeting mosquitoes with bacteria Dengue fever is one of the most common tropical diseases in the world, affecting several million people every year.
	Silencing a gene could lower cholesterol Durable repression of a gene that has a role in controlling cholesterol levels, achieved without permanent genome editing, has been demonstrated in a mouse study published in Nature this week.
	A new method for successfully measuring electrical conductivity in microorganisms Researchers from the University of Tsukuba have developed an innovative methodology for measuring the electrical conductivity of microbial communities. This methodology holds promise for the development of batteries and electrochemical sensors using microorganisms and may serve as a pivotal tool in elucidating the role of electricity within microbial ecosystems.
	Field trials reveal crushed rock boosts carbon removal and improves crop yields Crushed rock can remove about 3–4 metric tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) per hectare per year and improve crop yields, results of a pioneering study have shown.
	Scientists discover 18 new species of gut microbes in search for origins of antibiotic resistance In a paper published February 28 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a research team describes the discovery of 18 never-before-seen species of bacteria of the Enterococcus type that contain hundreds of new genes—findings that may offer new clues into antibiotic resistance as scientists hunt for ways to curb these infections.
	How nitrogen has been underestimated in lake ecosystems An ecological imbalance in a lake can usually be attributed to increased nutrient inputs. This results in increased phytoplankton growth, oxygen deficiency, toxic cyanobacterial blooms and fish deaths. Until now, controls in lake management have focused primarily on phosphorus inputs to counteract this effect.
	Fabricated ecosystems could lead to better bioenergy crops A greater understanding of how plants and microbes work together to store vast amounts of atmospheric carbon in the soil will help in the design of better bioenergy crops for the fight against climate change.
	Cyber-physical heating system may protect apple blossoms in orchards Spring frosts can have devastating effects on apple production, and a warming climate may be causing trees to blossom early, making them more susceptible to the damaging effects of extreme cold events. Growers' attempts to prevent the flowers from freezing by attempting to heat the canopies of their orchards largely have been inefficient.
	Novel RNA- or DNA-based substances can protect plants from viruses, scientists show Individually tailored RNA or DNA-based molecules are able to reliably fight off viral infections in plants, according to a new study by the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
	Microbial viruses act as secret drivers of climate change, new study finds In a new study, scientists have discovered that viruses that infect microbes contribute to climate change by playing a key role in cycling methane, a potent greenhouse gas, through the environment.
	Scientists identify burned bodies using technique devised for extracting DNA from woolly mammoths, Neanderthals A technique originally devised to extract DNA from woolly mammoths and other ancient archaeological specimens can be used to potentially identify badly burned human remains, according to a new study from Binghamton University, State University of New York.
	Unveiling rare diversity: The origin of heritable mutations in trees What is the origin of genetic diversity in plants? Can new mutations acquired during growth be passed on to seeds? INRAE scientists, in collaboration with CIRAD and the CNRS, have used the French Guiana forest as the setting for their research, leading to a series of discoveries on this fundamental question in biology. The results are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
	Targeting seed microbes to improve seed resilience Fonio (Digitaria exilis), a type of millet, is the oldest indigenous crop in West Africa and one of the fastest-maturing cereals. Despite its low yield, the combination of quick maturation and drought tolerance and its ability to thrive in poor soils make it a useful model for understanding how cereals can adapt to future climate change conditions.
	Similar genetic elements underlie vocal learning in mammals The vocalizations of humans, bats, whales, seals and songbirds vastly differ from each other. Humans and birds, for example, are separated by some 300 million years of evolution. But scientists studying how these animals learn to "speak" have time and again seen surprising similarities in the connections in brain regions that support this vocal learning.
	Research explores the cooling effects of 'scuba-diving' in lizards Anoles are the scuba-diving champions of the lizard world, able to stay underwater for more than 16 minutes. For animals whose body temperature depends on the environment, time spent in a cool running stream can have some tradeoffs.
	Research finds that neutering Rottweilers may affect their lifespan Owners of a popular dog breed are being encouraged to keep their pet pooch in tip-top condition after a James Cook University study found that Rottweilers could suffer from reduced lifespan after being neutered.
	Findings in Australia unveil fossil trove of Cambrian mollusks A team of researchers led by Alexander Pohle has unveiled a treasure trove of ancient fossils from Queensland, Australia's Black Mountain. The findings, published in PeerJ, shed new light on the complex three-dimensional siphuncle morphology of Plectronoceratids, a pivotal group of mollusks from the latest Cambrian period.
	From edge of extinction to Australia's croc 'paradise' If you want a snappy death, one expert's advice is to leap into a river near the Australian city of Darwin—within minutes, you'll be in the jaws of one of the hundreds of crocodiles that stalk its murky waters.
	Visitors line up to see and smell a corpse flower's stinking bloom in San Francisco Crowds lined up in San Francisco on Wednesday to see—and smell—the blooming of an endangered tropical flower that releases a pungent odor when it opens once every several years.
	Researchers decipher mysterious growth habit of weeping peach trees A basic premise of how plants grow is that shoots grow up and roots grow down. A new study, published in Plant Physiology, reveals the answer to a fascinating question: why do weeping tree varieties defy this natural growth pattern?
	Colorado's wolves roamed from northwesternmost county to across Continental Divide last month Wolves from Colorado's new pack expanded their roaming range over the past 35 days to the state's northwesternmost county and across the Continental Divide, according to a map state officials released Feb. 28.
	New methods of conservation needed to prevent the extinction of great apes, researchers say Great apes, human's closest living relatives, are knocking on the door of extinction.
	From crickets in Melbourne to grasshoppers in Cairns, here's what triggers an insect outbreak In recent weeks, Melburnians have reported thousands of crickets showing up in large numbers after dark, flying into homes and shops and taking up residence.
	Molecular mechanism of transmembrane bilirubin transport by human ABCC2 transporter revealed The metabolic process of bilirubin has been a focus of medical research since the abnormal accumulation of bilirubin has been found to be associated with a variety of diseases. Bilirubin is a substance produced by the breakdown of aging or damaged red blood cells, and its effective removal is essential for human health.
	Research team reveals cellular and molecular basis of spur development in Impatiens uliginosa As an important reproductive organ of angiosperms, flowers have a clear purpose and adaptive significance in their various characteristics. As a typical floral evolutionary feature, the floral spur is a tubular structure extending from the petal, which has undergone several independent evolutions in angiosperms (e.g., Impatiens, Aquilegia, Linaria, etc.).
	A lightweight fish pen to move farms to deeper seas The University of Queensland has co-led a project to design a cost effective yet robust pen to expand fish farming into deeper ocean areas to help feed the growing global population. The research is published in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering.
	Identification of priority areas is essential to ecosystem conservation and restoration: Study Establishing an integrated ecological security pattern (ESP) is an effective way to achieve higher and more comprehensive ecological goals in the future.
	Cutting-edge tracking technology proves Australian whale shark tourism leads the world Using technology akin to a "fitbit" for sharks, a team of researchers has tagged and tracked whale sharks to study the effects of tourism at Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia for the first time. In a resounding endorsement of local tourism practices, the research found the activity of boats and divers has minimal impacts.
	Fewer fish, worse health: The climate effect Over the next 25 years, reduced intake of marine food resources due to climate change will likely have a negative impact on the cardiovascular health of First Nations on Canada's Pacific coast, a new study suggests.
	New study: Deforestation exacerbates risk of malaria for most vulnerable children Malaria kills more than 600,000 people each year worldwide, and two-thirds are children under age five in sub-Saharan Africa. Scientists have found a treatment that could prevent thousands of these deaths: trees.
	Genetic research reveals several new fern species in tropical America Researchers have clarified the evolutionary history of a previously poorly known group of ferns from the tropical rainforests of America using DNA methods. The study discovered many new fern species, 18 of which have now been given official names and species descriptions.
	Shining a light on the effects of habituation and neural adaptation on the evolution of animal signals A new paper published in The Quarterly Review of Biology examines the possible effects of two properties of receiver playing fields documented in studies of animal psychology—habituation and neural adaptation—on the efficacy of mate choice signals.
	The secret lives of roots: Tropical forest root systems are central to improving climate change predictions International research co-authored by Joshua Fisher, associate professor in Chapman University's Schmid College of Science and Technology, suggests that studying root function in tropical forests could help vegetation models improve predictions of climate change. The study was published on Feb. 28 in New Phytologist.
	Unlocking the mechanism of pineapple internal browning Internal browning (IB) is a significant post-harvest issue in pineapples, impacting fruit quality and leading to substantial losses, yet its mechanism remains poorly understood. Studies have shown that the accumulation of phenolic compounds plays a key role in tissue browning development.
	Hatch watch is underway at a California bald eagle nest monitored by a popular online camera feed Hatch watch is underway in Southern California mountains. Three bald eagle chicks could emerge this week from eggs laid in a nest monitored by nature lovers via a popular online camera feed.
	Benefits messaging boosts consumer plant purchasing A deeper understanding of the relationship between plant benefits, consumer perceptions, and demographic differences is important when shaping marketing strategies for communicating the benefits of plants. In the ornamental plant industry, plant benefits are numerous and diverse; however, their influence on consumer behavior and how that varies by age is not well understood. A new study expands upon the findings from a 2019 study by Hall and Knuth that summarized the research validating the diversity of plant benefits and identified three major plant benefit themes: emotional and mental health benefits, physiological or physical exercise benefits, and social benefits.
	Plant growth regulators' impact on creeping bentgrass during heat, salt and combined stress A recent study by scientists at Ohio State University sheds light on the intricate relationship between plant growth regulators and the resilience of creeping bentgrass under varying environmental stressors such as heat stress and salt stress.

Medicine and Health news

	For children on the autism spectrum, having a service dog can lead to sleep improvements Service dogs, originally trained to assist physically disabled individuals with guidance, physical tasks, and medical alerts, have more recently begun to provide psychiatric assistance to individuals with conditions such as schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress, obsessive-compulsive, and—especially in children—autism spectrum disorders (also known as ASD or autism).
	AI reveals prostate cancer is not just one disease Artificial Intelligence has helped scientists reveal a new form of aggressive prostate cancer that could revolutionize how the disease is diagnosed and treated in the future.
	Researchers reveal mechanism of how the brain forms a map of the environment When you walk into your kitchen in the morning, you easily orient yourself. To make coffee, you approach a specific location. Maybe you step into the pantry to grab a quick breakfast and then head to your car to drive to your workplace.
	New type of stem cell contains potential for knee cartilage regeneration in arthritic mice Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating joint disease which affects over 500 million people worldwide, with trends increasing as populations age. OA is caused by progressive, irreversible degeneration of joint cartilage, leading to pain, swelling and immobility in the affected joint. Current therapies focus on symptom relief but cannot restore degenerated cartilage.
	A new ion channel that plays a vital role in touch perception discovered Every hug, every handshake, every dexterous act engages and requires touch perception. Therefore, it is essential to understand the molecular basis of touch. "Until now, we had known that the ion channel—Piezo2—is required for touch perception, but it was clear that this protein alone cannot explain the entirety of touch sensation," says Professor Gary Lewin, head of the Molecular Physiology of Somatic Sensation Lab at the Max Delbrück Center.
	Scientists identify new 'regulatory' function of learning and memory gene common to all mammalian brain cells Johns Hopkins Medicine neuroscientists say they have found a new function for the SYNGAP1 gene, a DNA sequence that controls memory and learning in mammals, including mice and humans.
	COVID-19 may have small but lasting effects on cognition and memory COVID-19 may have an impact on people's cognitive and memory abilities that lasts a year or more after infection, according to a new study by Imperial College London researchers.
	New research reveals that lockdowns had an impact on gut microbes and allergies in newborns Lockdowns imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on the gut microbiome development of babies born during these periods according to new research from RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Children's Health Ireland and APC Microbiome Ireland (APC), a world leading SFI Research Center, based in University College Cork.
	Fiber against pounds: Resistant starch found to support weight loss A diet based on resistant starch promotes a favorable composition of the gut microbiome in obese people. This leads to weight reduction and measurable positive health outcomes such as improved insulin sensitivity.
	Cognitive impairment varies significantly among individuals with newly diagnosed psychosis, finds study A recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry by researchers from Karolinska Institutet and Uppsala University has found that cognitive impairment varies significantly among individuals with newly diagnosed psychosis.
	Neuroscientists reveal how brain coordinates attention and eye movements Two new studies from the Center for Neuroscience (CNS), Indian Institute of Science (IISc) explore how closely attention and eye movements are linked and reveal how the brain coordinates the two processes.
	Most smokers wrongly believe vaping is at least as harmful as smoking, says study More than half of smokers in England wrongly believe that vaping is more harmful or as harmful as smoking, according to a new study led by UCL researchers.
	Identifying potential dietary treatments for combating infant genetic disorders In world-first research led by scientists at La Trobe University and Monash University, fruit flies were used to investigate the effect diet has on babies with inherited metabolic disorders (IMDs), a group of more than 1,400 individual genetic disorders that impact the body's ability to digest and metabolize nutrients that are crucial for brain and organ development.
	How cognition changes before dementia hits Individuals with mild cognitive impairment, especially of the "amnestic subtype" (aMCI), are at increased risk for dementia due to Alzheimer's disease relative to cognitively healthy older adults. Now, a study co-authored by researchers from MIT, Cornell University, and Massachusetts General Hospital has identified a key deficit in people with aMCI, which relates to producing complex language.
	Study: Mutations in hereditary Alzheimer's disease damage neurons without 'usual suspect' amyloid plaques A University of Kansas study of rare gene mutations that cause hereditary Alzheimer's disease shows these mutations disrupt the production of a small sticky protein called amyloid.
	New model of key brain tumor feature could help scientists develop novel treatments Researchers at the University of Michigan Health Rogel Cancer Center are exploiting a unique biological feature of glioblastoma to gain a better understanding of how this puzzling brain cancer develops and how to target new treatments against it.
	Danish study finds drug reduces 'forever chemicals' in blood A medication for high cholesterol can drastically cut "forever chemicals" (PFAS)—associated with an increased risk of cancer and banned in Europe—in the blood, researchers said Thursday.
	More than one billion people in the world are now living with obesity, global analysis suggests The total number of children, adolescents and adults worldwide living with obesity has surpassed one billion, according to a global analysis published in The Lancet. These trends, together with the declining prevalence of people who are underweight since 1990, make obesity the most common form of malnutrition in most countries.
	Researchers propose a holistic framework for studying social emotions The crucial role of social emotions in our lives and in society cannot be overstated. Empathy, guilt, embarrassment, pride and other feelings we experience in the context of other people govern and motivate how we act, interact and the countless decisions we make. This is why a more holistic approach, one that integrates the various ways these emotions are studied, is necessary to gain insight and address gaps in knowledge. That's according to researchers from UC Santa Barbara, New York University School of Medicine and East China Normal University.
	Specific support cells in brain can regulate behaviors involved in some human psychiatric disorders UCLA Health researchers have discovered a group of specialized support cells in the brain that can regulate behaviors associated with human neuropsychiatric disorders.
	Researchers find potential genetic marker linked to better survival outcomes in patients with head and neck cancer Researchers from the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have shown for the first time that a gene usually linked to giant axonal neuropathy, a rare and severe neurological condition, also plays a role in inhibiting aggressive tumor cell growth in head and neck cancers.
	Poor spatial navigation could predict Alzheimer's disease years before the onset of symptoms People at risk of Alzheimer's disease have impaired spatial navigation prior to problems with other cognitive functions, including memory, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.
	Older US adults should get another COVID-19 shot, health officials recommend Older U.S. adults should roll up their sleeves for another COVID-19 shot, even if they got a booster in the fall, U.S. health officials said Wednesday.
	Flu shots are doing OK vs. virus, US numbers indicate Early estimates suggest flu shots are performing OK in the current U.S. winter flu season.
	'PFAS' no longer sold in US to package greasy food: FDA Regulators on Wednesday said materials with harmful chemicals known as "PFAS" are no longer being sold to package microwave popcorn or other greasy foods in the United States.
	Researchers uncover key therapeutic target involved in diabetic atherosclerosis Diabetes accelerates the development of atherosclerosis, increasing the incidence of cardiovascular events. In atherosclerosis, immune cells called macrophages release molecules such as chemokines and cytokines, causing inflammation and leading to arterial plaque formation.
	Extreme weather events tied to increased mortality and emergency department activity Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of severe weather events, which may particularly endanger vulnerable populations such as the elderly. Researchers examined how weather disasters between 2011 and 2016 influenced health care delivery and mortality among Medicare beneficiaries in affected counties, finding that one week after major weather events, emergency department (ED) use and mortality remained elevated by 1.22% and 1.4%, respectively, from pre-disaster levels. Importantly, this study also found that deaths remained elevated for as much as six weeks. Results are published in Nature Medicine.
	Study reveals the impact of behavioral health disorders on cancer surgery outcomes Researchers have discovered new insights into the relationship between cancer surgery outcomes and behavioral health disorders (BHDs), publishing their findings in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
	Resident burnout scores improved with 4 + 4 block schedule A 4 + 4 block schedule (four inpatient weeks plus four outpatient weeks) is associated with improved resident burnout scores, according to a study published online Feb. 28 in JAMA Network Open.
	Number of abortions performed per month in U.S. unchanged since fall of Roe v. Wade The historic overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022 has not had any significant effect on the number of abortions performed each month in the United States, new data shows.
	How autism is diagnosed According to the advocacy group Autism Speaks, one in every 36 U.S. children has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
	Acupuncture found to help alleviate PTSD symptoms in combat veterans Acupuncture may be clinically efficacious in combat veterans seeking treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to a study published online Feb. 21 in JAMA Psychiatry.
	14.6 percent of U.S. women had received hysterectomy in 2021 In 2021, 14.6 percent of women aged 18 years and older had received a hysterectomy, with the percentage increasing with age, according to a February data brief published by the National Center for Health Statistics.
	Horse sedative use among humans spreads in deadly mixture of 'tranq' and fentanyl Andrew McClave Jr. loved to lift weights. The 6-foot-4-inch bartender resembled a bodybuilder and once posed for a photo flexing his muscles with former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan.
	Skin picking is often trivialized as a bad habit—but dermatillomania can be dangerous Our skin is often covered with tiny imperfections—blemishes, moles, cuts and spots that we're all guilty of picking at from time to time. Consider the temptation of that bulbous yellow head of a spot ready to erupt, or peeling back a scab that's been there for days to find the newly healed skin beneath.
	What is IVF? A nurse explains the evolving science and legality of in vitro fertilization Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022 ended the federal right to abortion, legislative attention has extended to many other aspects of reproductive rights, including access to assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization, or IVF, after an Alabama Supreme Court ruling in February 2024.
	Europe urgently needs guidelines for the care of child victims of sexual abuse, finds review Only half of 34 surveyed European countries have national guidelines on how to provide clinical care and treatment to children who have experienced sexual abuse. This finding was revealed in a study led by researchers at Barnafrid, a national knowledge center in the field of violence and other abuse against children, at Linköping University in Sweden.
	Persistent shoulder pain: Are exercises always necessary to relieve symptoms? It is estimated that close to 70 percent of the population will experience shoulder pain at some point in their lives.
	Music therapy could help manage the pain of bereavement Grief has always inspired songwriters. Popular songs including Let Me Go, by Gary Barlow, Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven and The Living Years by Mike and the Mechanics, were all written as a way of working through the grief of losing a loved one.
	10 insights to reduce vaccine hesitancy on social media Effective population level vaccination campaigns are fundamental to public health. Countercampaigns, which are as old as the first vaccines, can disrupt uptake and threaten public health globally.
	New insight into protein could pave the way for new cancer treatments In a study published in Nature Communications, KI researchers have revealed a fascinating discovery that could be important in cancer treatments. This new insight involves c-MYC, a protein component that is central to cancer development.
	Changes in flu circulation means US likely to see vaccines move from quadrivalent to trivalent U.S. flu vaccines are likely to move from quadrivalent to trivalent due to a change in circulating influenza viruses, says a University of Michigan researcher. Currently, all influenza vaccines in the United States are quadrivalent, meaning that they protect against four different flu viruses.
	Mounting research shows that COVID-19 leaves its mark on the brain, including significant drops in IQ scores From the very early days of the pandemic, brain fog emerged as a significant health condition that many experience after COVID-19.
	Stop breaking women's hearts at work: 7 ways to make workplaces better for cardiovascular health Prominent heart health messaging focuses on the role of lifestyle behaviors (such as physical activity and nutrition) in cardiovascular health. However, the role of social determinants of health (or SDoH)—which include sex, gender, poverty, environment—is also well established. SDoH not only directly impact risk and progression of heart disease, but also health outcomes.
	New recommendations make it easier for patients to give feedback on their health Patients providing feedback on their health during research or in clinical practice could now find it less onerous, thanks to a set of recommendations developed by an international group of experts.
	'Naked carbs' and 'net carbs'—what are they and should you count them? According to social media, carbs come in various guises: naked carbs, net carbs, complex carbs and more.
	Research project finds improved mood, cognitive function achieved through walking, socializing An innovative Oregon Health & Science University research program that enlists older Black adults to walk through and reminisce about historically Black neighborhoods in Portland—which now look very different after rapid change through gentrification—may help improve cognitive function, a new study finds.
	Study demonstrates how pulse oximeters significantly overestimate readings in people with darker skin tones Pulse oximeters—one of the most common medical devices used in global health care—can provide significantly overestimated oxygen saturation readings in people with darker skin tones, according to the most comprehensive study ever to explore the issue.
	Researchers identify mechanism that allow ketamine to act both fast and slow New treatments for depression are needed that act rapidly and also have sustained effects. Ketamine accomplishes this, but toxic side effects limit its long-term use. Scientists haven't understood how ketamine was able to do both, which hindered drug development.
	Making up for lost time: Research reveals how our brains 'predict the present' You're an ace tennis player facing a 180kmph serve. In the approximately 80 milliseconds it takes your brain to register the position of the speeding ball, the ball has already moved a further 4m, and yet you hit it.
	New insights on kidney disease in African Americans could lead to therapies In a finding that could help reduce the racial disparity in kidney disease, Duke Health researchers have detailed how two common gene variants among African Americans can cause kidney failure.
	Hourly heat exposure linked to increased risk for acute ischemic stroke Hourly heat exposure is associated with an increased risk for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) onset, according to a study published online Feb. 28 in JAMA Network Open.
	Simple hysterectomy not inferior for pelvic recurrence in cervical cancer For patients with low-risk cervical cancer, simple hysterectomy is not inferior to radical hysterectomy with respect to the incidence of pelvic recurrence at three years, according to a study published in the Feb. 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Stressed parents could mean more self-harm by kids Teens have a higher risk of self-injury—deliberately cutting or burning themselves—if they have a fraught relationship with a struggling parent, a new study shows.
	Faster and simpler point-of-care malaria test is 12 times faster than tests currently available Rice University researchers have developed a rapid, accurate test for diagnosing malaria that is significantly faster and easier to use than traditional tests. The advancement has the potential to improve patient outcomes, especially in rural regions with limited health care resources.
	Scientists from 18 countries join forces to put end to 'pervasive, global problem' of diabetes stigma and discrimination Through a series of reviews of more than 100 research papers and a three-round Delphi questionnaire, a multidisciplinary panel of 51 scientists from 18 countries have reached consensus on a pledge to end the suffering diabetes patients undergo when stigmatized or discriminated against.
	Sickle cell and COVID-19: A risky mix of two diseases UdeM's Stéphanie Forté and co-researchers in Canada and Brazil have shown how people with sickle cell disease or sickle cell trait have a higher chance of dying from COVID-19 than the general population.
	Targeted immunotherapy could lead to pioneering treatment for breast cancer A new type of immunotherapy that targets non-cancer cells could help prevent the growth and spread of breast cancer tumors, according to new research.
	Q&A: Microplastics researcher explains how to limit their dangers An invisible invasion by land, air and sea: Microscopic plastic pieces are in the food we eat, the air we breathe and the water we drink—bottled or not.
	Experimental antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease heads for human safety trials Human safety trials of a novel antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease developed by Northeastern professor Kim Lewis are scheduled to start this spring in Australia, with results anticipated by fall.
	Researchers find no immediate increase in rates of suicide globally during first 15 months of the pandemic A new study published by researchers in the School of Public Health at University College Cork and the National Suicide Research Foundation has shown that there was no increase in suicide rates in the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
	Timing of COVID-19 shot can change menstrual cycle length: Study Oregon Health & Science University researchers have confirmed that the timing of COVID-19 vaccination is associated with slight, temporary changes in menstrual cycle length.
	Researchers test previously approved FDA drugs to treat Lowe syndrome Purdue University researchers have developed a patented therapeutic strategy for Lowe syndrome, an incurable and rare genetic disorder, by repurposing two drugs previously approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for other conditions.
	Study detects cognitive changes in older drivers using in-vehicle sensors An estimated 4 to 8 million older adults with mild cognitive impairment are currently driving in the United States, and one-third of them will develop dementia within five years. Individuals with progressive dementia are eventually unable to drive safely, yet many remain unaware of their cognitive decline.
	Changes in gay men's behaviors, not vaccine, halted mpox outbreak New research finds that the 2022 mpox outbreak among gay and bisexual men began to slow down after just a few months—even though just 8% of high-risk people had received the mpox vaccine.
	U.S. deaths linked to alcohol keep rising, especially among women Deaths where alcohol played a key role have climbed sharply in recent years, hitting women even harder than men, new government data shows. The study was published in the CDC journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
	New research explores the complex relationship between age, appearance and health As we age, does our physical appearance impact our physical and mental health? That question is at the core of research recently published in the journal Psychology and Aging.
	Overcoming barriers to conducting clinical trials in childhood rare disease research Using a novel methodology, researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) are the first in pediatric research to use data from an international real-world cohort to overcome the barriers associated with conducting randomized clinical trials in children with rare diseases.
	Refrigerate lettuce to reduce risk of E. coli contamination, researchers say Leafy green vegetables are important sources of dietary fiber and nutrients, but they can harbor harmful pathogens. In particular, lettuce has often been involved in outbreaks of foodborne illness across the U.S. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign examines factors that affect E. coli contamination on five different leafy greens—romaine lettuce, green-leaf lettuce, spinach, kale, and collards.
	Tandem cycling linked to improved health for those with Parkinson's and care partners Pedaling on a stationary bicycle built for two may improve the health and well-being for both people with Parkinson's disease and their care partners, according to a small, preliminary study released today, February 29, 2024, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 76th Annual Meeting taking place April 13–18, 2024, in person in Denver and online.
	Q&A: How war worsened the opioid crisis in Ukraine Medications to treat opioid use disorder, including methadone and buprenorphine, have been shown to save lives, cutting overdose deaths by up to 60% and reducing the transmission of HIV by offering a safe alternative to injection drug use. Many patients take these medications, which are called opioid agonist therapies, for years or even decades, and may be at risk of overdose if they lose access to treatment.
	Real-time navigation is a useful tool for liver cancer procedures, according to new study A University of Cincinnati Cancer Center study has found that real-time navigation is a useful tool for surgeons performing ablation procedures to destroy tumors in the liver.
	Research team uses AI to predict risk of liver cancer A team of UC Davis Health clinicians and data scientists has developed a machine-learning model to better predict which patients are at greater risk of developing a common type of liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
	Youth mental health in decline: Generations differ on causes of apparent crisis, survey finds There is widespread agreement across generations in the UK—from Gen Z to Baby Boomers—that young people's mental health is worse than it was in the past, but they often differ on what this really means and what might be driving it, according to a new survey.
	Uptick in behavioral disorders reported in children following prenatal exposure to anesthesia Children prenatally exposed to anesthesia for maternal surgery during pregnancy were significantly more likely than unexposed children to receive a diagnosis of a disruptive or internalizing behavioral disorder, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, behavioral disorders, developmental speech or language disorders, and autism, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC).
	Building a healthier state from the inside out If Australia wants better results from its annual $180 billion dollars health care services expenditure, health economists must play a key role in decision-making to improve the efficiency of local hospitals and health networks.
	Norovirus illnesses are up in some places. Here's what you need to know Cases of norovirus, a nasty stomach bug that spreads easily, are climbing in the Northeastern U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday.
	Q&A: How a potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease could also work for type 2 diabetes Of the 38 million Americans who have diabetes, at least 90% have type 2, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Type 2 diabetes occurs over time and is characterized by a loss of the cells in the pancreas that make the hormone insulin, which helps the body manage sugar.
	Remote height and weight measurements for children proven as accurate as in-person The increased popularity of telehealth and telemedicine in recent years has provided a new level of accessibility for patients to visit doctors and learn more about their health. Certain remote measurements, however, have long been speculated to be less accurate and less trustworthy than when gathered at in-person appointments.
	Mapping the core senescence phenotype of human colon fibroblasts A new research paper titled "Mapping the core senescence phenotype of primary human colon fibroblasts" has been published in Aging.
	Loneliness found to increase the risk of health deterioration in older adults The loneliness often experienced by older people in our society has a negative effect on their physical health, according to researchers from Amsterdam UMC and the University of Glasgow. Emiel Hoogendijk, epidemiologist at Amsterdam Public Health, analyzed research results from more than 130 studies and found that loneliness led to an increase in physical frailty, which in turn increases the risk of adverse health outcomes such as depression, falls and cognitive decline. These results are published today in The Lancet Healthy Longevity.
	European treatment recommendations in the fight against acute lymphoblastic leukemia The treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults is extremely complex, lengthy, and very stressful for patients. Compared to other types of cancer in adults, ALL is relatively rare, as a result of which its treatment in Europe has been organized by multicenter study groups for decades.
	Childhood tonsillectomy not linked to obesity in adulthood Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Soroka University Medical Center researchers have found that tonsillectomy in children with obstructive sleep apnea does not increase the risk of obesity in adulthood.
	COVID-19: A potential treatment for loss of smell One of the most persistent and debilitating symptoms of COVID-19 is anosmia or loss of smell. Researchers at INRAE and ENVA have discovered that a corticoid treatment could help restore the olfactory capacities affected by the viral infection. These results, published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, are a major step forward in understanding and treating this symptom.
	Cause of clogged hypodermic needles discovered In very rare cases, the needles of prefilled syringes may become blocked. This can have potentially detrimental consequences for patients if their medication does not enter the body or the dosage is too low.
	TikTok make-up influencers spark health warnings Pressed by parents to pose in videos with make-up and skincare products, pre-teen girls dubbed "Sephora Kids" have taken TikTok by storm in a trend that some specialists brand a danger to children's mental and physical health.
	Meningitis kills 20 Nigerian school students A meningitis outbreak in Nigeria has killed at least 20 boarding school students and infected hundreds more, the education commissioner in northeastern Yobe state said on Wednesday.
	The new beauty regimen: Lose weight with Ozempic, tighten up with cosmetic surgery Jeniffer Brown wanted the Ozempic body. She just didn't want "Ozempic face."
	There is a knowledge gap around menstruation in NZ—and this puts people at risk New Zealand girls and young women, as well as nonbinary persons who bleed every month, have a limited understanding of menstruation. This lack of knowledge about their own bodies is affecting their overall health and well-being.
	Meth use is declining in Australia—but the public still sees it as the most worrying drug Methamphetamine, also known as ice or meth, is the drug Australians most associate with a drug problem and the drug they're most concerned about, according to the latest National Drug Strategy Household Survey.
	US to strengthen protections for air travelers with wheelchairs Air travel can be miserable for people with disabilities, particularly if an airline mishandles, damages or loses their wheelchair in transit.
	Uncovering the connections between autism, sensory hypersensitivity Supported by a grant, the Auerbach Lab at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology will examine how different genes associated with autism spectrum disorders may similarly impact our brain's neurons, resulting in heightened sensitivity to sounds.
	Being an 'authentic' leader has psychological benefits for LGBTQ+ managers LGBTQ+ people in management roles who forge a leadership style aligning with their own identity and values are likely to feel more enthusiastic about their roles and derive greater career satisfaction, according to new research.
	Protecting first responders Research shows emergency service personnel are twice as likely to develop anxiety, depression, and PTSD but a new Flinders University support program is aiming to prevent the onset of mental health conditions for first responders.
	Research urges police to consider dangers of drivers using their phones hands-free, as well as handheld A research team including Keele's Dr. Helen Wells have highlighted the dangers of hands-free mobile phone use to police, urging them not to recommend it as a "safe alternative" to motorists who are caught using their phones hand-held.
	Endo to pay $2 bn to settle US charges on opioid crisis US officials announced Thursday that Endo Health Solutions (EHSI) agreed to pay around $2 billion to settle civil and criminal charges it mislabeled pain reliever drug Opana, which has contributed to the opioid epidemic.
	Early onset of menopause linked to reduced work capacity and increased risk of disability pension, finds Finnish study A recent study conducted by the University of Oulu, Finland, has revealed that early onset of menopause is associated with reduced work capacity among women at the age of 46. The research further indicates that experiencing menopause at an earlier age increases the risk of disability and unemployment days, as well as transitioning to disability pension.

Other Sciences news

	Seeing the wood for the trees: How archaeologists use hazelnuts to reconstruct ancient woodlands If we could stand in a landscape that our Mesolithic ancestors called home, what would we see around us? Scientists have devised a method of analyzing preserved hazelnut shells to tell us whether the microhabitats around archaeological sites were heavily forested or open and pasture-like. This could help us understand not only what a local environment looked like thousands of years ago, but how humans have impacted their habitats over time.
	New York City ranks safest among big US cities for gun violence, new research reveals New York City ranks in the top 15% safest of more than 800 U.S. cities, according to a pioneering new analysis from researchers at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, suggesting the effectiveness of the city's efforts to mitigate homicides there.
	Berkshire and Lilly race to shake tech's grip on trillion-dollar club Big Tech stocks created, and have so far dominated, the trillion-dollar club in the U.S. For the first time, there's a race brewing for an outsider to join their ranks.
	Algorithms are pushing AI-generated falsehoods at an alarming rate. How do we stop this? Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools are supercharging the problem of misinformation, disinformation and fake news. OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and various image, voice and video generators have made it easier than ever to produce content, while making it harder to tell what is factual or real.
	Researcher calls on urban planners to focus on equitable access to urban green spaces Strolling along the promenade by the lake, walking through the city by the river, playing ping-pong in the park—everyday things like these are what increase our sense of well-being. Things we take for granted and around which we organize our free time—until, suddenly, the things we take for granted are no longer possible.
	Integrity of 'independent' state traffic stop analysis questioned by researcher's opposite conclusions A Northeastern University professor who found a persistent and widespread discrepancy in how often Massachusetts police ticket white drivers and drivers of color is questioning the analysis of a report released by the state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.
	Stress of being outed to parents and caregivers: What are the mental health consequences? In 2023, lawmakers across the U.S. introduced a record number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills. Although the 2024 legislative session has just begun, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is already tracking 429 bills, a figure on pace to surpass 2023 numbers.
	The hidden driver of the ride-sharing economy When Greg Buchak was a graduate student at the University of Chicago, Uber and Lyft were just beginning to spread across the country. Since he didn't own a car, he found the ride-sharing apps convenient for short and long trips. Yet as a financial economist in training who studied borrowing and lending, Buchak began an ongoing debate with his friends: Were these new services actually good for people?
	Parents, wealth, race drive girls' chances to play sports The likelihood that a girl will participate in high school sports in the United States is driven not so much by individual choice, new research suggests. Instead, decisions made by parents, the wealth of one's family and community, and racial dynamics matter.
	New literacy research can help improve learning outcomes and fight global poverty A new study by a team of University of Notre Dame researchers makes a significant contribution to understanding the factors that influence how young elementary school students respond to reading interventions in fragile and low-income contexts.
	How teens benefit from being able to read 'disturbing' books that some want to ban Should we worry, as massive book-banning efforts imply, that young people will be harmed by certain kinds of books? For over a decade and through hundreds of interviews, my colleague, literacy professor Peter Johnston, and I have studied how adolescents experience reading when they have unfettered access to young adult literature. Our findings suggest that many are helped rather than harmed by such reading.
	How audience data is shaping Canadian journalism With media conglomerates slashing jobs, programs and publications and growing news avoidance and perceived issues of trust in journalism, finding ways to catch, engage and retain an audience has become a matter of survival for those in the news business.
	Stop trying to raise the perfect child, says new parenting book Two University of the Sunshine education experts are calling for more parents to "ground" their children—but not as punishment for misdeeds.
	Research reveals majority of women experience abuse while running A project to learn about women's experiences of abuse while out running has found that more than two-thirds of them have been abused in some way.

---

This email is a free service of Science X Network
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you do not wish to receive such emails in the future, please unsubscribe here.
You are subscribed as manojdole1.copa@blogger.com. You may manage your subscription options from your Science X profile