Science X Newsletter Wed, Mar 27

Dear ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for March 27, 2024:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Mighty microbes: Soil microorganisms are combating desertification

Astronomers unveil strong magnetic fields spiraling at the edge of Milky Way's central black hole

Making long-term memories requires DNA damage, researchers discover

New topological metamaterial amplifies sound waves exponentially

New analysis reveals a tiny black hole repeatedly punching through a larger black hole's disk of gas

Astronomers conduct first search for forming planets with James Webb Space Telescope

Super permeable wearable electronics developed for stable, long-term biosignal monitoring

New technique for predicting protein dynamics may prove big breakthrough for drug discovery

Scientists discover how caterpillars can stop their bleeding in seconds

Secrets of the naked mole-rat: New study reveals how their unique metabolism protects them from heart attacks

Risk factors for faster aging in the brain revealed in new study

Rock-wallabies are 'little Napoleons' when biting, thus compensating for their small size

Genetic secrets from 4,000-year-old teeth illuminate the impact of changing human diets over the centuries

Advancing towards sustainability: Turning carbon dioxide and water into acetylene

Australia battles to save last 11 wild 'earless dragons'

Nanotechnology news

	Atomic-scale semiconductor process technology and clean hydrogen technology join hands Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) are widely used for energy storage, transportation, and various applications, employing solid electrolytes such as ceramics. The efficiency of these cells relies on the performance and stability of their electrodes.
	Biocompatible nanoparticles modified with ATP can enhance systemic delivery of cancer immunotherapy Purdue University researchers are developing and validating patent-pending poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid), or PLGA, nanoparticles modified with adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, to enhance immunotherapy effects against malignant tumors.
	A new fullertube molecule is found For years, C130 fullertubes—molecules made up of 130 carbon atoms—have existed only in theory. Now, leading an international team of scientists, a UdeM doctoral student in physics has successfully shown them in real life—and even managed to capture some in a photograph.
	Unveiling the future of nanostructures with soft matter magic As traditional top-down approaches like photolithography reach their limitations in creating nanostructures, scientists are shifting their focus toward bottom-up strategies. Central to this paradigm shift is the self-assembly of homogeneous soft matter, a burgeoning technique with the potential to produce complex nano-patterns on a vast scale.
	Liquid crystal nanoparticles could supercharge antibiotics for cystic fibrosis Cystic fibrosis is the most common, life-limiting genetic condition in Australia. It affects the lungs, digestive system, and reproductive system, producing excess mucus, infections, and blockages.

Physics news

	New topological metamaterial amplifies sound waves exponentially Researchers at AMOLF, in collaboration with partners from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, have realized a new type of metamaterial through which sound waves flow in an unprecedented fashion. It provides a novel form of amplification of mechanical vibrations, which has the potential to improve sensor technology and information processing devices.
	New design for a small, highly sensitive gravimeter that can operate stably at room temperature A team of physicists and engineers affiliated with several institutions in China has developed a new kind of small, highly sensitive gravimeter that can operate stably at room temperature. In their project, reported in the journal Physical Review Letters, the group developed a dual magnet strategy that used a laser to measure changes in gravity.
	A new type of cooling for quantum simulators Quantum experiments always have to deal with the same problem, regardless of whether they involve quantum computers, quantum teleportation or new types of quantum sensors: quantum effects break down very easily. They are extremely sensitive to external disturbances—for example, to fluctuations caused simply by the surrounding temperature. It is therefore important to be able to cool down quantum experiments as effectively as possible.
	Physicists propose new way to search for dark matter: Small-scale solution could be key to solving large-scale mystery Ever since its discovery, dark matter has remained invisible to scientists despite the launch of multiple ultra-sensitive particle detector experiments around the world over several decades.
	Researchers identify new method to boost laser processing resolution Focusing a tailored laser beam through transparent glass can create a tiny spot inside the material. Researchers at Tohoku University have reported on a way to use this small spot to improve laser material processing, boosting processing resolution.
	Unlocking visible femtosecond fiber oscillators: An advance in laser science The emergence of ultrafast laser pulse generation, marking a significant milestone in laser science, has triggered incredible progress across a wide array of disciplines, encompassing industrial applications, energy technologies, life sciences, and beyond. Among the various laser platforms that have been developed, fiber femtosecond oscillators, esteemed for their compact design, outstanding performance and cost-effectiveness have become one of the mainstream technologies for femtosecond pulse generation.
	What is the '3 Body Problem'? Astrophysicist explains concept behind hit Netflix show "3 Body Problem," Netflix's new big-budget adaptation of Liu Cixin's book series helmed by the creators behind "Game of Thrones," puts the science in science fiction.

Earth news

	Researchers find the more flood driving factors there are, the more extreme a flood is There are several factors that play an important role in the development of floods: air temperature, soil moisture, snow depth, and the daily precipitation in the days before a flood. In order to better understand how individual factors contribute to flooding, UFZ researchers examined more than 3,500 river basins worldwide and analyzed flood events between 1981 and 2020 for each of them.
	Newly uncovered history of a key ocean current carries a warning on climate It carries more than 100 times as much water as all the world's rivers combined. It reaches from the ocean's surface to its bottom, and measures as much as 2,000 kilometers across. It connects the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and plays a key role in regulating global climate. Continuously swirling around the southernmost continent, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is by far the world's most powerful and consequential mover of water.
	Researchers discover ultra-low velocity zone beneath the Himalayas Yale researchers are delving deep beneath the Himalayas to investigate dynamic geological processes near the boundary of Earth's core and mantle.
	Food matters: Healthy diets increase the economic and physical feasibility of 1.5°C target A new study published in Science Advances finds that a more sustainable, flexitarian diet increases the feasibility of the Paris Agreement climate goals in different ways.
	Researchers add virtual spatial displacement to extreme flooding scenarios Floods affect more people worldwide than any other natural hazard, causing enormous damage that is expected to increase in a warming world. However, people and decision-makers in vulnerable regions are often unwilling to prepare for exceptionally severe events because they are difficult to imagine and beyond their experience.
	Forest regeneration projects failing to offset carbon emissions Forest regeneration projects that have received tens of millions of carbon credits and dominate Australia's carbon offset scheme have had negligible impact on woody vegetation cover and carbon sequestration, new research from The Australian National University (ANU) has found.
	Plastic 'interceptor' tackles trash in Bangkok river Black flies exploded into the air as plastic waste fell from bamboo conveyor belts into skips on a solar-powered barge attempting to remove rubbish from the main river of Thailand's capital Bangkok.
	Anthropocene or not, it is our current epoch that we should be fighting for Has the Holocene epoch of the past 11,700 years been supplanted by the proposed Anthropocene epoch of today? Although it's broadly accepted that planetary systems have changed as a result of human influence, a panel of experts at the International Union of Geological Sciences answered a firm "no" when they recently voted down recognizing the start of the new epoch.
	Uncovering earthquake evidence in Azerbaijan's greater Caucasus mountains The Greater Caucasus mountain range stretches between the Black and Caspian Seas across parts of Russia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. These formidable peaks are the result of the subduction of the Arabian plate beneath the Eurasian plate.
	Five new hydrothermal vents discovered in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean The pace of discovery in the oceans leaped forward thanks to teamwork between a deep-sea robot and a human occupied submarine leading to the discovery of five new hydrothermal vents in the eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean.
	More investment needed for climate science in Africa to improve weather forecasting and save lives Africa needs long-term investment in scientific infrastructure and science careers to allow the continent to adapt to climate change and its effect on weather systems.
	Scientists discover that the natural purification of groundwater is enhanced by nitrate In recent years, the world has been experiencing floods and droughts as extreme rainfall events have become more frequent due to climate change. For this reason, securing stable water resources throughout the year has become a national responsibility called "water security," and "Aquifer Storage Recovery (ASR)", which stores water in the form of groundwater in the ground when water resources are available and withdraws it when needed, is attracting attention as an effective water resource management technique.
	Researchers demonstrate that forests trap airborne microplastics, acting as terrestrial sinks A research group led by Japan Women's University finds that airborne microplastics adsorb to the epicuticular wax on the surface of forest canopy leaves, and that forests may act as terrestrial sinks for airborne microplastics.
	Quantifying community resilience to riverine hazards in Bangladesh In Bangladesh, annual flooding affects millions of people, particularly those in rural riverine communities. These communities have developed resilience strategies over generations to cope with flooding and erosion, but with increasing hazards and land pressures, the effectiveness of these strategies is uncertain.
	Air quality at many train stations is alarmingly bad—here's how to improve it Recent revelations about poor air quality at Melbourne's Southern Cross Station probably came as no surprise for passengers who have experienced such conditions.
	Extreme heat and ozone pollution: A call for targeted control strategies in China Elevated surface ozone concentrations in China are posing a significant threat to both human health and crop yields. Extreme heat can greatly exacerbate ozone pollution through both complex chemical and physical processes. For example, extreme heat is often accompanied by stagnant weather conditions, which can lead to the accumulation and subsequent elevation of ozone.
	Study finds decline in the stability of water yield in watersheds Extreme climatic events such as droughts, heat waves, and cold spells not only modify hydro-meteorological conditions but also alter the underlying characteristics (e.g., wildfires due to droughts changing the vegetation cover). Intense human activities, such as river channel modifications, afforestation, deforestation, industrialization, and urbanization, further amplify the variability of watershed system components.
	Triassic biostratigraphy, lithostratigraphy and paleogeography of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau In a paper published in Science China Earth Sciences, a team of scientists proposes a comprehensive summary of the main fossil sequences and lithostratigraphy of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) during the Triassic time.
	Spatiotemporal variations of rainy season precipitation in the Tibetan Plateau during the past two millennia The quantitative reconstruction of the length of the rainy season and precipitation on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is crucial for revealing the spatiotemporal evolution of the Westerlies and South Asian monsoon, as well as its ecological and environmental effects.
	Future of 1 billion people in South Asia hinges on water pact, says new analysis Better collaboration is urgently needed to mitigate the impacts of climate change on three key river basins in South Asia—the Brahmaputra, Indus and Ganges—according to new analysis.

Astronomy and Space news

	Astronomers unveil strong magnetic fields spiraling at the edge of Milky Way's central black hole A new image from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration—which includes scientists from the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA)— has uncovered strong and organized magnetic fields spiraling from the edge of the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*).
	New analysis reveals a tiny black hole repeatedly punching through a larger black hole's disk of gas At the heart of a far-off galaxy, a supermassive black hole appears to have had a case of the hiccups. Astronomers from MIT, Italy, the Czech Republic, and elsewhere have found that a previously quiet black hole, which sits at the center of a galaxy about 800 million light years away, has suddenly erupted, giving off plumes of gas every 8.5 days before settling back to its normal, quiet state.
	Astronomers conduct first search for forming planets with James Webb Space Telescope Planets form in disks of dust and gas called protoplanetary disks that whirl around a central protostar during its final assembly. Although several dozens of such disks have been imaged, just two planets have been caught in the act of forming so far. Now, astronomers are aiming the powerful instruments aboard the James Webb Space Telescope at protoplanetary disks to try to find early clues about the ways in which planets form, and how these planets influence their natal disk.
	The most complete portrait of a supernova ever Accounts of supernovae—exploding stars—go back thousands of years, and while we know today these events create the building blocks of life itself, there are still unanswered questions about the conditions that cause a star to explode.
	Best geologic map created for a European rover on Mars A team of European scientists have published the most detailed geological map of Oxia Planum—the landing site for ESA's Rosalind Franklin rover on Mars. This thorough look at the geography and geological history of the area will help the rover scout the once water-rich terrain, in the search for signs of past and present life.
	The stunning echo of 800-year-old explosion In the year 1181 a rare supernova explosion appeared in the night sky, staying visible for 185 consecutive days. Historical records show that the supernova looked like a temporary "star" in the constellation Cassiopeia shining as bright as Saturn.
	The mystery of fullerenes in space explained A study from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) which combines laboratory chemistry with astrophysics, has shown for the first time that grains of dust formed by carbon and hydrogen in a highly disordered state, known as HAC, can take part in the formation of fullerenes, carbon molecules which are of key importance for the development of life in the universe, and with potential applications in nanotechnology. The results are published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.
	Imaging turbulence within solar transients for the first time The Wide-field Imager for Parker Solar Probe (WISPR) Science Team, led by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), captured the development of turbulence as a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) interacted with the ambient solar wind in the circumsolar space. This discovery is reported in the Astrophysical Journal.
	'Cosmic cannibals' expel jets into space at 40% speed of light For the first time, astronomers have measured the speed of fast-moving jets in space, crucial to star formation and the distribution of elements needed for life.
	Climate change is messing with how we measure time: Study Struggle to wrap your head around daylight savings? Spare a thought for the world's timekeepers, who are trying to work out how climate change is affecting Earth's rotation—and in turn, how we keep track of time.
	Long-period oscillations control the sun's differential rotation: Study The sun's differential rotation pattern has puzzled scientists for decades: While the poles rotate with a period of approximately 34 days, mid-latitudes rotate faster and the equatorial region requires only approximately 24 days for a full rotation.
	What is a 'worm moon' and does it still mark the start of spring? The worm moon has risen. The final full moon of winter in the northern hemisphere appeared on March 25 and owes its name to Native Americans who noted winter's end by the trails of earthworms it illuminated on the newly thawed soil.
	NASA to launch sounding rockets into moon's shadow during solar eclipse NASA will launch three sounding rockets during the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, to study how Earth's upper atmosphere is affected when sunlight momentarily dims over a portion of the planet.
	Looking at a solar eclipse can be dangerous without eclipse glasses. Here's what to know Millions of people along a narrow band in North America will look up when the sky darkens during a total solar eclipse on April 8. When they do, safety is key.
	Life might be difficult to find on a single planet but may be obvious across many worlds If we could detect a clear, unambiguous biosignature on just one of the thousands of exoplanets we know of, it would be a huge, game-changing moment for humanity. But it's extremely difficult. We simply aren't in a place where we can be certain that what we're detecting means what we think or even hope it does.
	NASA's Europa clipper survives and thrives in 'outer space on Earth' In less than six months, NASA is set to launch Europa Clipper on a 1.6-billion-mile (2.6-billion-kilometer) voyage to Jupiter's ocean moon Europa. From the wild vibrations of the rocket ride to the intense heat and cold of space to the punishing radiation of Jupiter, it will be a journey of extremes. The spacecraft was recently put through a series of hard-core tests at the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California to ensure it's up to the challenge.
	ESA, NASA Solar Observatory discovers its 5,000th comet On March 25, 2024, a citizen scientist in the Czech Republic spotted a comet in an image from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft, which has now been confirmed to be the 5,000th comet discovered using SOHO data. SOHO has achieved this milestone over 28 years in space, even though it was never designed to be a comet hunter.
	NASA selects first lunar instruments for Artemis astronaut deployment NASA has chosen the first science instruments designed for astronauts to deploy on the surface of the moon during Artemis III. Once installed near the lunar South Pole, the three instruments will collect valuable scientific data about the lunar environment, the lunar interior, and how to sustain a long-duration human presence on the moon, which will help prepare NASA to send astronauts to Mars.
	Watch a real-time map of Starlink satellites orbiting Earth In an effort to enhance the educational outreach of their Starlink constellation, SpaceX has an interactive global map of their Starlink internet satellites, which provides live coverage of every satellite in orbit around the Earth.
	In a distant stellar system, the JWST sees the end of planet formation Every time a star forms, it represents an explosion of possibilities. Not for the star itself; its fate is governed by its mass. The possibilities it signifies are in the planets that form around it. Will some be rocky? Will they be in the habitable zone? Will there be life on any of the planets one day?

Technology news

	A solar cell you can bend and soak in water Researchers from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and collaborators have developed an organic photovoltaic film that is both waterproof and flexible, allowing a solar cell to be put onto clothes and still function correctly after being rained on or even washed.
	New software enables blind and low-vision users to create interactive, accessible charts A growing number of tools enable users to make online data representations, like charts, that are accessible for people who are blind or have low vision. However, most tools require an existing visual chart that can then be converted into an accessible format.
	Solar-powered emission-free technology converts saltwater into drinking water Scientists have developed a new solar-powered system to convert saltwater into fresh drinking water which they say could help reduce dangerous waterborne diseases like cholera.
	Engineers find a new way to convert carbon dioxide into useful products MIT chemical engineers have devised an efficient way to convert carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide, a chemical precursor that can be used to generate useful compounds such as ethanol and other fuels.
	'Near perfect' control of single atoms is major advance toward quantum computing A new fabrication process that could be used to build a quantum computer achieves an almost zero failure rate and has the potential to be scaled up, according to new research from engineers and physicists at UCL.
	Heat, cold extremes hold untapped potential for solar and wind energy, climate scientist suggests A Washington State University-led study found that widespread, extreme temperature events are often accompanied by greater solar radiation and higher wind speeds that could be captured by solar panels and wind turbines. The research, which looked at extensive heat and cold waves across the six interconnected energy grid regions of the U.S. from 1980–2021, also found that every region experienced power outages during these events in the past decade.
	Findings pave way for longer-lasting solid-state batteries Lithium-ion batteries contain flammable materials that could pose a safety risk under certain conditions. Dr. Yaser Abu-Lebdeh is one of the researchers using the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan to develop a safer alternative: solid-state batteries.
	Lighting up the future with organic semiconductors New multidisciplinary research from the University of St Andrews could lead to more efficient televisions, computer screens, and lighting.
	Robotic face makes eye contact, uses AI to anticipate and replicate a person's smile before it occurs What would you do if you walked up to a robot with a human-like head and it smiled at you first? You'd likely smile back and perhaps feel the two of you were genuinely interacting. But how does a robot know how to do this? Or a better question, how does it know to get you to smile back?
	California looks to Europe to rein in AI California, home to Silicon Valley, is eager to rein in the deployment of artificial intelligence and is looking to Europe's tough-on-big-tech approach for inspiration.
	Sweden aims to boost plastic recycling with giant plant Discarded crisp bags, ketchup bottles and Tupperware containers speed along conveyer belts at a massive high-tech sorting plant dubbed "Site Zero", which Sweden hopes will revolutionize its plastic recycling.
	Hyundai to invest more than $50 bn in South Korea in major EV push Hyundai on Wednesday revealed plans to invest more than $50 billion in South Korea by 2026, with a huge chunk dedicated to boosting the development and production of electric vehicles.
	Vast Vienna wastewater heat pumps showcase EU climate drive In a large hall on the outskirts of Vienna, shiny pipes carry treated wastewater through three giant heat pumps, part of Austria's drive to reduce carbon emissions and its dependence on Russian gas, with more and more European cities eyeing this alternative.
	Japan unveils next-generation passenger plane project Japan announced plans on Wednesday to develop a next-generation passenger jet over the next decade after the last struggling attempt, led by a private company, was scrapped a year ago.
	Amazon's pharmacy will offer same-day delivery in LA and NYC and plans to expand Amazon will soon offer same-day delivery of several prescription medications in Los Angeles and New York, yet another example of the online shopping giant's bet on consumers' growing dependence on ease and speed.
	Two new video game studios form with 'Star Wars' and id Software pedigrees Video game studios like other tech industry has seen plenty of tumult this year. Publishers have announced several layoffs while others have said they will refocus their approach. That means plenty of talent is out there, and in this uncertain time, two studios have emerged boasting several big names and hints of promising AAA projects.
	At GDC 2024, tech companies offer a glimpse of AI-powered characters Glimpses of the future often emerge at the Game Developers Conference. It's where indie games generate a buzz or the kernel of a big idea is planted. This year, artificial intelligence took center stage as Nvidia showed off jaw-dropping capabilities of its chipsets and software companies such as Convai and Ubisoft revealed intriguing gameplay opportunities.
	Baltimore bridge collapse: A bridge engineer explains what happened, and what needs to change When the container ship MV Dali, 300 meters long and massing around 100,000 tons, lost power and slammed into one of the support piers of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, the bridge collapsed in moments. Six people are presumed dead, several others injured, and the city and region are expecting a months-long logistical nightmare in the absence of a crucial transport link.
	Climate change puts global semiconductor manufacturing at risk. Can the industry cope? Semiconductors are the basic building blocks of microchips. These technological marvels are in everything from lightbulbs and toothbrushes to cars, trains and planes, not to mention the vast array of electronics that have become integral to many people's daily lives.
	How long before quantum computers can benefit society? That's Google's US$5 million question Google and the XPrize Foundation have launched a competition worth US$5 million (£4 million) to develop real-world applications for quantum computers that benefit society—by speeding up progress on one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, for example. The principles of quantum physics suggest quantum computers could perform very fast calculations on particular problems, so this competition may expand the range of applications where they have an advantage over conventional computers.
	New study finds invisible 'human work' allows robots to make deliveries A new study has shown that people modify their behavior to accommodate autonomous delivery robots, and it is this invisible "human work" that allows robots to run smoothly on the streets and needs to be considered when designing their routes.
	Why our data might need protection from the future: Apple's 'Post-Quantum' security move Computing giant Apple recently announced it was taking steps to protect the more than 1 billion people worldwide who use its iMessage app—from a threat that doesn't yet exist.
	Is it possible to survive a fall from a bridge like the one in Baltimore, then escape a submerged vehicle? A container ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday morning, causing it to partially collapse into the river below.
	Q&A: The flip side of safety is an attack on privacy—regulating face recognition technology If you bought a phone in the past few years, chances are you barely ever type your password anymore: your face unlocks not only your phone, but also your social media, your Duke MyChart portal and even your banking app.
	Apple announces Worldwide Developers Conference dates, in-person event Apple has announced their annual developers conference will take place June 10 through June 14.
	French cyberdefence chief warns Paris Olympics a 'target' The head of France's national cybersecurity agency said the Paris Olympics would be a "target" this year including for foreign states interested in "disrupting the opening ceremony or causing problems on public transport".
	High-resolution solar data enables renewable energy expansion across two continents More than 20 years of research in solar radiation at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is now poised to advance power system planning and solar energy deployment across Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.
	Customized silicon chips for material characterization of printed electronics How efficient are new materials? Does changing the properties lead to better conductivity? The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS develops and manufactures silicon substrates for this purpose. This enables the fundamental electrical characterization of materials such as a novel graphene emulsion. Customized designs enable the optimal measurement of semiconductors and conductors.
	Paving new paths for sustainable construction The construction sector today faces several challenges. Natural sand is fast becoming a scarce resource—we might run out of it by 2050. Carbon dioxide emissions, especially from manufacturing cement or fired clay bricks, are increasing every year. The amount of construction and demolition (C&D) waste is on the rise—about 150 million tons are generated annually in India and the recycling rate is only about 1%.
	Amazon pours an additional $2.75 billion into AI startup Anthropic Amazon said Wednesday it is pouring an additional $2.75 billion into Anthropic, bringing its total investment in the artificial intelligence startup to $4 billion.
	Critical materials assessment tags potential supply chain bottlenecks Global sales of electric vehicles (EVs) increased from 716,000 vehicles in 2015 to 10.6 million vehicles in 2022. Meanwhile, demand rose for the materials used in EV batteries such as graphite, cobalt and lithium.
	Highest power efficiency achieved in flexible solar cells using new fabrication technique Flexible solar cells have many potential applications in aerospace and flexible electronics, but low energy conversion efficiency has limited their practical use. A new manufacturing method has increased the power efficiency of flexible solar cells made from perovskite, a class of compounds with a specific crystalline structure that facilitates the conversion of solar energy into electricity.
	Some Minnesota cities want to impose fees on internet providers, but customers could pay the price Minnesota cities are asking the Legislature for power to slap internet providers with new fees, an idea they say will lead to more broadband in the state with the added bonus of helping to pay for basic government access programming like video of council meetings.

Chemistry news

	Scientists discover how caterpillars can stop their bleeding in seconds Blood is a remarkable material: it must remain fluid inside blood vessels, yet clot as quickly as possible outside them, to stop bleeding. The chemical cascade that makes this possible is well understood for vertebrate blood. But hemolymph, the equivalent of blood in insects, has a very different composition, being notably lacking in red blood cells, hemoglobin, and platelets, and having amoeba-like cells called hemocytes instead of white blood cells for immune defense.
	Advancing towards sustainability: Turning carbon dioxide and water into acetylene Reaching sustainability is one of humanity's most pressing challenges today—and also one of the hardest. To minimize our impact on the environment and start reverting the damage humanity has already caused, striving to achieve carbon neutrality in as many economic activities as possible is paramount. Unfortunately, the synthesis of many important chemicals still causes high carbon emissions.
	Implantable batteries can run on the body's own oxygen From pacemakers to neurostimulators, implantable medical devices rely on batteries to keep the heart on beat and to dampen pain. But batteries eventually run low and require invasive surgeries to replace.
	Deciphering a dance of electrons and water molecules A research project at EPFL has succeeded in decoding the complex dance of electrons in water, a major step in understanding a critical process of many chemical phenomena, and that might be the first step to improving energy conversion technologies.
	New technique incorporates carbon-14 in a single step for safer, more efficient drug discovery McGill researchers have discovered a safer and more efficient technique for testing new drugs while they are in development.

Biology news

	Mighty microbes: Soil microorganisms are combating desertification Desertification is a significant problem for arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid regions of Earth, whereby grasslands and shrublands become a comparatively barren desert as vegetation disappears over time. This poses an extreme hazard to local ecosystems, as well as communities who rely on these areas for their livelihoods, by increasing soil erosion and reducing water storage, which leads to a loss of biodiversity and agricultural productivity.
	New technique for predicting protein dynamics may prove big breakthrough for drug discovery Understanding the structure of proteins is critical for demystifying their functions and developing drugs that target them. To that end, a team of researchers at Brown University has developed a way of using machine learning to rapidly predict multiple protein configurations to advance understanding of protein dynamics and functions.
	Secrets of the naked mole-rat: New study reveals how their unique metabolism protects them from heart attacks This unusual, subterranean mammal with extreme longevity shows genetic adaptations to low oxygen environments which could offer opportunities for advancing other areas of physiological and medical research in humans, including the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
	Rock-wallabies are 'little Napoleons' when biting, thus compensating for their small size Australian rock-wallabies are "little Napoleons" when it comes to compensating for small size, packing much more punch into their bite than larger relatives.
	Genetic secrets from 4,000-year-old teeth illuminate the impact of changing human diets over the centuries Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have recovered remarkably preserved microbiomes from two teeth dating back 4,000 years, found in an Irish limestone cave. Genetic analyses of these microbiomes reveal major changes in the oral microenvironment from the Bronze Age to today. The teeth both belonged to the same male individual and also provided a snapshot of his oral health.
	Australia battles to save last 11 wild 'earless dragons' Australia's grassland earless dragon is no bigger than a pinkie when it emerges from its shell, but the little lizard faces an enormous challenge in the years ahead: avoiding extinction.
	New enzymatic cocktail can kill tuberculosis-causing mycobacteria With resistance to chemical antibiotics on the rise, the world needs entirely new forms of antibiotics. A new study published in Microbiology Spectrum shows that an enzymatic cocktail can kill a variety of mycobacterial species of bacteria, including those that cause tuberculosis. The research was carried out by scientists at Colorado State University and Endolytix Technologies.
	Research finds fragrant screw pines are pollinated by sap beetles rather than by wind Researchers Toru Miyamoto, Ko Mochizuki, and Atsushi Kawakita of the University of Tokyo have discovered the first species pollinated by sap beetles in the genus Pandanus, a group of palm-like plants native to the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Eurasia.
	North American cities may see a major species turnover by the end of the century Climate change may dramatically affect the animal species observed in North American cities, according to a study published March 27 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Alessandro Filazzola of the University of Toronto Mississauga and Apex Resource Management Solutions, Canada, and colleagues.
	Europe's forgotten forests could be 21st century 'biodiversity hot spots' An overlooked and long-neglected type of forest has vast capacity to rebound, enhancing species diversity and resilience to climate change, according to an international team of forest scientists.
	Research uncovers the neural pathways for primate reciprocity, social support, and empathy Social interaction is key to survival and reproductive success in primates, including humans. Optimizing outcomes from these encounters requires a calculated approach to cooperation and competition—knowing whom to trust, whom to avoid, or whom to confront confers an evolutionary advantage.
	New research could help honeybees fight off their worst enemy New University of Alberta research could help in the fight against the honeybee's number one enemy—the Varroa mite. Also known as the Varroa destructor, the parasite is a major contributor to annual losses of 30% to 40% of bee colonies in Canada.
	Scientists discover endoparasitic marine tapeworm trapped in Cretaceous amber Cestoda, commonly known as tapeworms, is a large class within the platyhelminth phylum with about 5,000 species described so far. Recently, researchers from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS), in collaboration with scientists from Yunnan University, Germany, the U.K., and Myanmar, have reported an enigmatic fossil from mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber, dating to about 100 million years ago.
	Sounds emanating from coral reefs found to change as the moon rises and sets A pair of underwater researchers at the U.S. Navy's Naval Undersea Warfare Center, working with a colleague from the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy, also in the U.S., has found that sounds emanating from coral reefs change as the moon rises and sets.
	Researchers identify microbes that help plants thwart parasite Bacteria that could help one of Africa's staple crops resist a major pest have been identified by researchers at the University of California, Davis. Their findings, published in Cell Reports, could improve yields of sorghum, a mainstay of food and drink in West and East African countries.
	New rapid method to predict effects of conservation actions on complex ecosystems A new way to analyze the effects of conservation actions on complex ecosystems has cut the modeling time from 108 days to six hours, QUT statisticians have found.
	Anthropologists create computational model to predict likelihood of future animal extinctions During the Late Pleistocene, California—at least at its lower elevations—was teeming with vegetation. While much of North America was covered in Ice Age glaciers, here, mastodons lumbered across verdant meadows, stopping to feed on brush, warily eyeing the forest's edge for saber-tooth cats on the prowl for their calves.
	Sweet success: Researchers crack sugarcane's complex genetic code Modern hybrid sugarcane is one of the most harvested crops on the planet, used to make products including sugar, molasses, bioethanol, and bio-based materials. It also has one of the most complex genetic blueprints.
	Biologists uncover new species of tiger beetle: Eunota houstoniana Rice University evolutionary biologist Scott Egan and his research team have unearthed a new species of tiger beetle, deemed Eunota houstoniana, honoring the region of Houston, where it predominantly resides.
	Satellite data shows how drought changes wildfire recovery in the West A new study using NASA satellite data reveals how drought affects the recovery of western ecosystems from fire, a result that could provide meaningful information for conservation efforts.
	Organoids research identifies factor involved in brain expansion in humans What makes us human? According to neurobiologists it is our neocortex. This outer layer of the brain is rich in neurons and lets us do abstract thinking, create art, and speak complex languages. An international team led by Dr. Mareike Albert at the Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD) of TUD Dresden University of Technology has identified a new factor that might have contributed to neocortex expansion in humans. The study was published in the EMBO Journal.
	UK rabbit owners can recognize pain in their pets, study finds Rabbits are popular family pets, with around 1.5 million in the UK and it is important that owners recognize when their animal is in pain, and know when to seek help to protect their rabbit's welfare. New research by the University of Bristol Veterinary School has found that the majority of rabbit owners could list signs of pain and could mostly identify pain-free rabbits and those in severe pain, but many lacked knowledge of the subtler signs of pain.
	New research helps paleontologists to understand horse fossils and those that are missing from the record Many people assume that horses first came to the Americas when Spanish explorers brought them here about 500 years ago. In fact, recent research has confirmed a European origin for horses associated with humans in the American Southwest and Great Plains.
	We built an AI tool to help set priorities for conservation in Madagascar: What we found Artificial Intelligence (AI)—models that process large and diverse datasets and make predictions from them—can have many uses in nature conservation, such as remote monitoring (like the use of camera traps to study animals or plants) or data analysis. Some of these are controversial because AI can be trained to be biased, but others are valuable research tools.
	What makes voatsiperifery the world's best pepper The triple Michelin-starred chef Anne-Sophie Pic has long been raving about its "complex, woody, tangy and spicy nose." It goes particularly well with pigeon, she says, and also with rhubarb and grapefruit.
	The serious side of kid and canine play With two-thirds of children in the U.S. failing to meet national physical activity guidelines, kinesiologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have been looking at the impact of the family dog on the exercise habits of kids.
	Scientists identify first negative regulator of NOX4 translation Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4 (NADPH oxidase 4, NOX4) is an important member of the NADPH oxidase family that is primarily responsible for the production of H2O2. The regulation of NOX4 activity is predominantly through protein expression. However, the precise mechanisms by which highly secreting cells maintain NOX4 expression and activity while balancing H2O2 levels within the appropriate physiological range remain unclear.
	Understanding cattle grazing personalities may foster sustainable rangelands Not all cattle are the same when it comes to grazing. Some like to wander, while others prefer to stay close to water and rest areas.
	Rice husk can be used as a promising sustainable packaging material Rice husk, the hard-protective layer that envelopes the inner grain of rice, constitutes approximately 20%–25% of the entire rice structure and produces a considerable amount of by-products. In a study published in the journal, Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, researchers have unveiled a pioneering approach to creating eco-friendly chitosan-based composite films using lignin-rich lignocellulose nanofibers extracted from rice husk.
	Crowdsourced data provides accurate biodiversity picture to aid conservation efforts Data collected by people recording wildlife on their smartphones could improve biodiversity monitoring and help to prevent global nature loss, according to a new study.
	Study of 34 countries finds ocean protection delivers overlooked economic benefits to fishing, tourism In the most comprehensive assessment of its kind to date, a new study released today reveals that marine protected areas (MPAs, national parks at sea) deliver a range of economic benefits to the fishing and tourism industries. The study examined more than 50 protected areas in more than 30 countries in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania representing diverse ecosystems to find that, in all cases, MPAs boosted either fishing or tourism, with some profits in the billions.
	Enhancing chickpea irrigation efficiency, yield and sustainability A new study published by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI) introduces a non-invasive technique for evaluating chickpea water status, offering farmers a powerful tool to fine-tune irrigation schedules and potentially elevate the sustainability of chickpea cultivation.
	Hate mosquitoes? Who doesn't? But maybe we shouldn't A blood-sucking nuisance, mosquitoes are responsible for spreading diseases to hundreds of millions of people every year. True?
	Researcher creates algorithm to aid in discovery of new medicines Ph.D. candidate Jeroen Methorst has developed a computer system that helps researchers find the protein they need to create new medicines. "Our whole group is now using this program," says Methorst. He will defend his Ph.D. thesis on April 2.
	Scientists warn that the Baltic Sea gray seal hunt is too large Researchers at the University of Gothenburg warn that today's hunting quotas of about 3,000 animals pose a risk to the long-term survival of the gray seal in the Baltic Sea. The conclusions of this new study are based on statistics from 20th century seal hunting and predictions of future climate change.
	Bat with species-devastating fungus discovered in Colorado A bat infected with a fungus that has killed millions of bats across the country was found in Longmont last month.
	Effective data management plays vital role for smallholder sheep and goat breeding programs Sheep and goat breeding plays a vital socioeconomic role in the agricultural sector across Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) and beyond, providing valuable resources such as meat, milk, and wool. However, insufficient or ill-adapted breeding programs and practices are compromising the conservation and improvement of animal genetic resources, resulting in lower quality and less productive herds, which in turn impacts farmers' incomes and livelihoods.
	How eutrophication and climate change alter food webs in the Baltic Sea Phytoplankton is the primary energy source for all marine ecosystems: These tiny plants floating in the seawater use photosynthesis to bind energy in the form of biomass, which is then passed on step by step in the marine food webs all the way to different types of fish and piscivores.
	The Klamath River's dams are being removed: Inside the effort to restore a scarred watershed Near the California-Oregon border, reservoirs that once submerged valleys have been drained, revealing a stark landscape that had been underwater for generations.
	Recently discovered bacterium holds promise for improved wastewater treatment The recent discovery of the comammox bacterium might prove pivotal in a new and improved approach to wastewater purification that will be more efficient according to research carried out by Pieter Blom. Mr. Blom will receive his Ph.D. on the subject from Radboud University on 4 April.
	These extraordinary Australian islands are teeming with life—and we must protect them before it's too late In the Southern Ocean about 4,000 kilometers from Perth lies a truly extraordinary place. Known as the Heard Island and McDonald islands, they are among the most remote places on Earth: a haven for marine life amid the vast ocean, virtually undisturbed by human pressures.
	Veterinary surgeon: Spare flat-faced pets the respiratory distress The demand for bulldogs and other flat-faced pets is at an all-time high. According to the American Kennel Club, from 2006-2016, the number of registered bulldogs and French bulldogs in the U.S. increased by 60% and 476%, respectively. In 2023, the French bulldog topped the AKC's most popular breeds list.

Medicine and Health news

	Making long-term memories requires DNA damage, researchers discover Just as you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs, scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine have found that you can't make long-term memories without DNA damage and brain inflammation. Their surprising findings were published in the journal Nature in a paper titled "Formation of memory assemblies through the DNA sensing TLR9 pathway."
	Super permeable wearable electronics developed for stable, long-term biosignal monitoring Super wearable electronics that are lightweight, stretchable and increase sweat permeability by 400-fold have been developed by scientists at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), enabling reliable long-term monitoring of biosignals for biomedical devices.
	Risk factors for faster aging in the brain revealed in new study In a new study published in Nature Communications, researchers investigated the genetic and modifiable influences on fragile brain regions by looking at the brain scans of 40,000 UK Biobank participants aged over 45.
	Combining epigenetic cancer medications may have benefit for colorectal cancers and other tumor types A pair of medications that make malignant cells act as if they have a virus could hold new promise for treating colorectal cancers and other solid tumors, reports a study published in Science Advances.
	MRI method purported to detect neurons' rapid impulses produces its own misleading signals instead A new way of imaging the brain with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) does not directly detect neural activity as originally reported, according to scientists at MIT's McGovern Institute. The method, first described in 2022, generated excitement within the neuroscience community as a potentially transformative approach. But a study from the lab of McGovern associate investigator Alan Jasanoff, reported in the journal Science Advances, demonstrates that MRI signals produced by the new method are generated in large part by the imaging process itself, not neuronal activity.
	Study suggests earlier puberty onset may affect adult cardiometabolic health Experiencing puberty earlier, compared to same-age peers, may be one of the mechanisms through which childhood risk factors influence adult cardiometabolic health issues, according to a study published March 27, 2024 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Maria Bleil from the University of Washington and colleagues.
	Old immune systems revitalized in mouse study, may improve vaccine response in the elderly Planes, trains, boats, automobiles and even feet. During the past decades and centuries, global travel and human migration have made all of us more worldly—from our broadening awareness of the world beyond our birthplaces, to our more sophisticated palates, to our immune systems that are increasingly challenged by unfamiliar bacteria and viruses.
	Molecular discovery has potential to solve the billion-dollar global cost of poorly managed wound healing Scientists have uncovered a key step in the wound healing process that becomes disabled in diseases like diabetes and aging, contributing to a global health care cost of managing poorly healing wounds exceeding $250 billion a year.
	A decade of aphantasia research: What we've learned about people who can't visualize People who can't visualize an image in their mind's eye are less likely to remember the details of important past personal events or to recognize faces, according to a review of nearly 10 years of research.
	Higher genetic risk of obesity means working out harder for same results, study shows Persons with a higher genetic risk of obesity need to work out harder than those of moderate or low genetic risk to avoid becoming obese, according to a Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) paper published in JAMA Network Open.
	Study finds poverty is the main reason people sell a kidney A systematic review of 35 years of global medical literature finds a spectrum of reasons why people sell kidneys. The study, by Bijaya Shrestha of the Center for Research on Education, Health and Social Science, Kathmandu, Nepal, finds limited efforts toward mitigating the problem as well as a lack of evidence around the impact of policy and biotechnology. It is published in the open access journal PLOS Global Public Health.
	Investigating mechanisms of aggressive glioblastoma tumor growth Northwestern Medicine investigators have identified a metabolism-related gene that may play a role in recruiting immune cells to support the growth of aggressive brain tumors, according to a study recently published in Nature Communications.
	Want to feel young? Protect your sleep, say researchers Feeling sleepy can make you feel 10 years older. Researchers at Stockholm University have discovered that sleep affects how old you feel. The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
	Scientists discover first-ever mineral-based treatment for widespread disease using the structure of crystals In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca have published the first-ever mineral-based treatment for a widespread disease.
	Could sudden infant death syndrome be caused by unrecognized brain infections? Some infants who pass away from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) are known to have had acute minor infections. Could these have played a role in their death? Using next-generation molecular tools, a new study provides evidence that undiagnosed inflammation and occult infection can contribute to SIDS and the brainstem pathology seen in some infants. The findings are published in JAMA Neurology.
	Understanding the role of microglia in Alzheimer's disease Microglia are specialized immune cells in the brain. While they normally protect our brains, they can also contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. The exact mechanism behind this contribution is not yet fully understood due to the complexities involved in studying them in human brain samples.
	Monitoring your own blood pressure can save money—and possibly your life A new study from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health shows that when patients regularly monitor their blood pressure outside of the clinic, they tend to have better quality of life and lower health care expenses.
	Why some types of music make people want to dance more than others A trio of neuroscientists at Aix Marseille Université in France, working with a psychologist colleague from the University of Connecticut in the U.S., has discovered what they believe to be the mechanism in the brain that controls the desire to dance prompted by music. In their study, published in Science Advances, the group conducted three separate types of studies to explore the brain's reaction to music and a subsequent desire to dance.
	Novel AI tools tackle soft tissue sarcomas, identify new treatment strategies Using novel machine learning tools developed at Stanford Medicine, researchers have mapped three distinct cellular configurations that correspond to clinical outcomes for patients with a rare, difficult-to-treat cancer called soft tissue sarcoma.
	Memory self-test via smartphone can identify early signs of Alzheimer's disease Dedicated memory tests on smartphones enable the detection of "mild cognitive impairment," a condition that may indicate Alzheimer's disease, with high accuracy. Researchers from DZNE, the Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg and the University of Wisconsin-Madison who collaborated with the Magdeburg-based company Neotiv report these findings in npj Digital Medicine. Their study is based on data from 199 older adults.
	Study of different autism types finds shared mechanism that may respond to drugs An analysis of how brains with different forms of autism develop has revealed common underlying mechanisms that may respond to existing medications.
	Researchers turn back the clock on cancer cells to offer new treatment paradigm St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists reversed an aggressive cancer, reverting malignant cells towards a more normal state. Rhabdoid tumors are an aggressive cancer which is missing a key tumor suppressor protein. Findings showed that with the missing tumor suppressor, deleting or degrading the quality control protein DCAF5 reversed the cancer cell state.
	Colistin resistant bacteria found in mothers and newborn babies in Nigeria Researchers from the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research (IOI) and Cardiff University have found evidence that bacteria resistant to colistin, a last-resort antibiotic, were present in mothers and babies under a week old in Nigeria in 2016, despite limited clinical use of colistin at that time in the country. The findings have been published in Nature Communications.
	Statistical machine learning can find unknown factors that cause disease A new method can now find previously unknown factors that underlie disease by using statistical machine learning to sort through mountains of complex biological data.
	Social and environmental factors may raise risk of developing heart disease and stroke People who live in areas with social and environmental adversities may have up to twice the increased risk for developing heart disease and stroke, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
	Almost one child in six is cyberbullied: WHO Europe Some 16 percent of children aged 11 to 15 were cyberbullied in 2022, up from 13 percent four years ago, a WHO Europe report covering 44 countries said on Wednesday.
	Two deaths, 100 hospitalizations in Japan supplement scare Two deaths and more than 100 hospitalizations have been linked to a growing health scare in Japan around dietary supplements meant to lower cholesterol, the government said Wednesday.
	Gut microbiome: Meet Ruminococcus bromii, the microbe that loves carbs The fascinating human gut bacterium Ruminococcus bromii is one of the ten most common bacterial species found in the colon.
	Could AI play a role in locating damage to the brain after stroke? In a new study, AI processed text from health histories and neurologic examinations to locate lesions in the brain. The study, which looked specifically at the large language model called generative pre-trained transformer 4 (GPT-4), is published in the online issue of Neurology Clinical Practice.
	Researchers discover a mechanism that could improve platinum-based cancer therapy Researchers have identified a protein that, when targeted, enables cisplatin-resistant cancer cells to become responsive to treatment. Cisplatin, and other similar platinum drugs, are incredibly effective at killing rapidly growing cancer cells, which is why they have been used in treating cancers for over 45 years. However, these drugs are non-targeted and can cause debilitating toxic side effects, resulting in a diminished lifestyle, and patients in poor health are deemed ineligible for use.
	Research team designs silicon spikes that can take out 96% of virus particles An international research team led by RMIT University has designed and manufactured a virus-killing surface that could help control disease spread in hospitals, labs and other high-risk environments.
	Spot-on laser treatment for skin blemishes becoming clearer with new index Many people bothered by skin blemishes might turn to laser treatment. To improve efficacy and reduce complications from such laser treatment, an Osaka Metropolitan University-led research group has developed an index of the threshold energy density, known as fluence, and the dependent wavelength for picosecond lasers. The work was published in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.
	Data science can be valuable tool for analyzing social determinants of health, uncovering causes of health inequities Data science methods can help overcome challenges in measuring and analyzing social determinants of health (SDoH), according to a paper published in The Lancet Digital Health, helping mitigate the root causes of health inequities that are not fully addressed through health care spending or lifestyle choices.
	New trial highlights promising intervention to reduce sitting and improve blood pressure in older adults A new Kaiser Permanente study found that a health coaching intervention successfully reduced sitting time for a group of older adults by just over 30 minutes a day. Study participants also showed meaningful improvements in blood pressure, comparable to the effect of other interventions focused on physical activity.
	Understanding measles and the current outbreak Measles used to be a common childhood illness years ago. At the beginning of this century, measles had been declared eliminated from the country. But now, measles, one of the most contagious diseases to spread, is returning at a record pace as 17 states have reported measles cases in 2024.
	Knees stiff with arthritis? Company studies whether fat injections can improve motion A Louisville, Colorado, company is studying whether cells taken from patients' fat could reduce knee pain and improve motion in people with arthritis.
	California's expanded health coverage for immigrants collides with Medicaid reviews Medi-Cal health coverage kicked in for Antonio Abundis just when the custodian needed it most.
	Late surgical repair for preterm babies born with inguinal hernia shows better results compared to early repair Delaying surgical inguinal hernia repair in preterm infants until after discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) appears to reduce the likelihood of serious adverse events, according to researchers at UTHealth Houston.
	Popular obesity drugs may lead to medical procedure complications, large study suggests New research from Cedars-Sinai suggests people who are scheduled for certain medical procedures should stop taking popular weight loss drugs in the days or weeks prior to avoid complications.
	How genes work together to shape how much you smoke Take a puff of nicotine for the first time, and your DNA plays an important role, alongside social and environmental factors, in shaping what happens next.
	Many drugs are prescribed for conditions they weren't tested for—here's what you need to know All prescription drugs need a license from a regulator to treat a specific condition. But licensed drugs can be prescribed for conditions they haven't been tested for in a clinical trial. This is known as "off-label" prescribing—and it's very common.
	Want to quit vaping? There's an app for that More Australians than ever are vaping, according to recently released data.
	An oncologist explains why some cancer patients receive both chemotherapy and surgery When Kate Middleton, the princess of Wales, announced in March 2024 that she was receiving "preventive chemotherapy" following abdominal surgery, many wondered what that entails. Formally known as adjuvant therapy, administering chemotherapy or other treatments after surgery is a common approach to treating certain types of cancer and is not necessarily intended to prevent cancer.
	Understanding the psychology of what lies behind irrational opinions Most people, at one time or another, act foolishly. However, truly ignorant individuals exhibit a lack of introspection and stubbornly cling to their opinions, regardless of how irrational they may be. These people demonstrate unwavering self-assurance and are often oblivious to their own inadequacies. They craft retrospective justifications to validate their beliefs and hold onto them.
	Measuring emotional 'emptiness' could help manage this potentially life-threatening experience Imagine a hollowness deep in your chest, a vacant space where feelings should be. Imagine being numb and devoid of all emotion, happy or sad—with any sensations simply passing right through you. You are watching the world go by from behind a screen—so disconnected that you feel a million miles away from people you care about the most.
	Australia's potential as a global leader for surgical AI Australia and New Zealand could become international leaders in the safe use of artificial intelligence (AI) in surgery, but first, there need to be guidelines in place to safeguard patients, according to University of Adelaide experts.
	Chocolate that brings joy to your gut health and your tastebuds While many of us enjoy chocolate throughout the year, Easter is of course synonymous with its consumption in a range of forms; be it dark, milk, white, egg or bunny-shaped.
	'Noisy' autistic brains seem better at certain tasks. Here's why neuroaffirmative research matters Autism is a neurodevelopmental difference associated with specific experiences and characteristics.
	Study finds your genes may raise your heart attack risk during high-stress times People with specific genetic traits and those who have anxiety or depression have a significantly higher heart attack risk during periods of social or political stress than at other times, according to a new study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session. Researchers said the findings suggest opportunities to identify those at elevated risk and perhaps even prevent cardiac events.
	ADHD stimulants may increase risk of heart damage in young adults Young adults who were prescribed stimulant medications for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were significantly more likely to develop cardiomyopathy (weakened heart muscle) compared with those who were not prescribed stimulants, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	Study finds link between getting too little sleep and high blood pressure Sleeping fewer than seven hours is associated with a higher risk of developing high blood pressure over time, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.
	Beneath the hype, weight loss drugs may drive big changes in public health With Oprah's recent primetime special about weight loss, you could say that obesity drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro have reached the pinnacle of pop culture. But an important story about public health is developing as well: eliminate obesity, and you potentially eliminate diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.
	Mouse study shows exercise during pregnancy improves heart health of future generations Exercising during pregnancy doesn't just benefit moms—it may also give their babies a head start on their heart health after birth, according to a study by researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
	More older adults being diagnosed with STIs such as gonorrhea and syphilis A new research review presented at a pre-congress day for this year's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2024, Barcelona, 27-30 April) will look at how to manage the rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in older people, such as gonorrhea, syphilis, and genital warts.
	People with depression see no immediate change from common GP assessment, study shows A commonly used questionnaire adopted by GPs to monitor the treatment of depression does not provide any immediate benefits to patients, a new study has found.
	Sex-specific blood biomarkers linked to memory changes in middle-aged adults: The Framingham heart study Dementia refers to a set of symptoms marked by a decline in cognitive abilities, including memory, language, reasoning and everyday tasks. It can result from various causes, such as Alzheimer's disease, vascular problems, traumatic brain injuries and other health issues.
	Researchers create new tool for assessing risk of kidney injury after chemotherapy Using patient data from six major U.S. cancer centers, Brigham researchers and collaborators developed a risk prediction model for moderate-to-severe kidney injury after receiving the chemotherapy drug cisplatin in the largest, first generalizable study of its kind
	Exploring the impact of pancreatic enzyme therapy in pediatric pancreatitis: A leap toward personalized medicine A research study recently published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology explains the role of pancreatic enzyme therapy (PERT) in reducing the frequency of acute pancreatitis (AP) in children suffering from acute recurrent pancreatitis (ARP) or chronic pancreatitis (CP). Dr. Matthew Giefer, pediatric gastroenterologist at Ochsner Children's Hospital was a contributing author for the publication.
	Researchers explore health-promoting behaviors of African American and Black immigrant men African American and Black immigrant men prioritize their health and possess the necessary skills for proactive gastrointestinal (GI) health management, according to a Rutgers Health study.
	Couples with similar drinking habits may live longer The couple that drinks together might live longer together, too, says a University of Michigan researcher.
	A genetic difference in THC metabolism may explain why some young adults have negative experiences with cannabis Differences in how young adults metabolize THC, the main part of cannabis that makes people feel "high," can influence how they feel after taking the drug as well as their potential risk for developing cannabis use disorder, or CUD.
	Community mental health nurses in GP surgeries help patients well-being Community mental health nurses based at GP surgeries can significantly improve patient outcomes, a new study shows.
	A promising discovery in a rare neurodegenerative disease Imagine being middle aged and starting to feel that you are off balance a lot and that you are having a hard time coordinating your movements. Those are among the symptoms of Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6, known as SCA6, a rare neurodegenerative disease that typically appears in adulthood and worsens over time.
	Vaccination mistrust still widespread: Study Four years after COVID-19 began to spread worldwide, a University of Texas at Arlington social worker says work still needs to be done to address the importance of getting vaccinated.
	Millions in the UK are being urged to get vaccinations during a surge in measles cases U.K. health officials on Monday urged millions of parents to book their children for missed measles, mumps and rubella shots during a sharp increase in the number of measles cases and the lowest vaccination rates in a decade.
	Princess Kate revelation shines light on under-50s cancer mystery When Catherine, Princess of Wales, revealed she was being treated for cancer last week, part of the shock was that an otherwise healthy 42-year-old has a disease that mostly plagues older people.
	Psychologists determine concern for others emerges during second year of life Children have been shown to already exhibit empathic concern at 18 months. In an LMU study published in Cognitive Development, the facial expressions, gestures, or vocalizations of children at this age indicated they were emotionally affected by the distress of another person.
	Half of those with HIV in developed countries are at least age 50, at higher risk of frailty and multiple comorbidities A new research review to be presented at a pre-congress day for this year's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2024) will focus on the growing prevalence of HIV in older adults, with—using England as an example—half of adults accessing care aged now 50 years and older, and around 1 in 11 aged 65 years and older. Similar trends exist in Italy and other countries of Western Europe. Older adults with HIV in all countries are also more likely to have comorbidities and become frail earlier than older adults without HIV.
	Bogus COVID-19 beliefs linked to stress, but purpose, hope and support could be antidote, say researchers As Americans look back on the fourth anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, new research from Rutgers University–Newark sheds light on why some people succumb to conspiracy theories and bogus beliefs and others don't.
	Locums and permanent GPs equally safe, study says There is no evidence that locum doctors are less clinically competent or practice less safely than permanent doctors, a study in England led by University of Manchester researchers has shown.
	Filters reduce arsenic levels by nearly 50% in Native American study participants with well water A community-led water-testing project made up of households relying on private well water with high arsenic levels saw on average a 47% drop in participants' urinary arsenic levels after filters were installed and a digital health program was implemented, according to a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Over the two-year study period, participating households received phone calls to encourage use of the filter and a reminder to replace the filter cartridge.
	Investigating the loss of musical ability Amusia is a severe musical disorder affecting both the perception and production of music. It may be either congenital, hereditary tone deafness, or acquired, that is, a condition caused by brain damage. Although amusia has been known in neurology since the late 19th century, the neural basis and mechanisms of music processing and associated disorders are not yet fully understood.
	Beating by overheating: A new strategy to combat cancer Many new drugs inhibit the processes that cancer cells need to divide rapidly. So as to inhibit the cancer as a whole. But cancer cells have all sorts of workarounds to get around that effect. As a result, the tumor becomes unresponsive to treatment.
	Research suggests physical activity can protect from chronic pain In 2023, researchers from UiT The Arctic University of Norway, the University Hospital of North Norway (UNN), and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health found that among more than 10,000 adults, those who were physically active had a higher pain tolerance than those who were sedentary; and the higher the activity level, the higher the pain tolerance.
	Study: Many older adult Israelis exhibited impressive resilience during the initial period of the Israel-Hamas war Exposure to traumatic events can result in acute stress symptoms that can last for a few weeks and can also lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms that persist even longer.
	Dog-training program helps increase physical activity among kids with disabilities By engaging regularly with their family dog and teaching it a series of tricks and commands, children with developmental disabilities experienced a significant increase in their daily physical activity, a new study from Oregon State University researchers has found.
	Instructing iPS cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells to inhibit abnormal bone formation in FOP A team of researchers led by Associate Professor Makoto Ikeya (Department of Clinical Application) has observed early signs of success from providing iPSC-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (iMSCs) instructions to produce an inhibitory molecule to suppress abnormal receptor-mediated signal activation responsible for fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) pathogenesis. Their report is published in Stem Cell Research & Therapy.
	Inappropriate diagnosis of pneumonia common in hospitalized adults Inappropriate diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in hospitalized adults is common, especially among older adults and those with dementia, according to a study published online March 25 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
	Patients interested in learning about preeclampsia risk, shows study The majority of childbearing-age people would value predictive testing for preeclampsia and report they would act on this information, according to a study published online March 13 in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.
	Follow-up colonoscopy rate low within six months of abnormal stool test Fewer than half of adults have a follow-up colonoscopy within six months following an abnormal stool-based screening test (SBT) for colorectal cancer (CRC), according to a study published online March 25 in JAMA Network Open.
	Mindful reading can promote mental health, says expert Reading provides benefits throughout all stages of life. It increases knowledge, solidifies previously learned information, and benefits children with their development, learning, socialization and imagination. Some studies even suggest that older adults who read frequently tend to fare better when it comes to cognitive outcomes, such as potentially helping lower the risk of dementia and other cognitive disorders. A Baylor College of Medicine neuropsychologist explains how reading promotes positive mental health outcomes.
	Exploring ferroptosis and its implications in lung cancer An estimated 2.2 million people suffer from lung cancer worldwide, making it the second most common type of cancer. Though improvements in treatment have been made, the overall survival rate of lung cancer patients is low, and it remains a leading cause of death, accounting for 18% of total cancer-related deaths in 2022.
	Researchers introduce enhanced brain signal analysis technique University of Minnesota Medical School researchers have introduced a new, refined method for analyzing brain signals, enhancing our understanding of brain functionality. This research has the potential to improve treatments for neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease, pain, epilepsy and depression. The findings were recently published in NeuroImage.
	Liver fibrosis, non-parenchymal cells and the promise of exosome therapy Liver disease is a major health concern, causing millions of deaths worldwide each year. One serious complication is liver fibrosis, scarring that can lead to liver failure. There is currently no effective treatment, but new research suggests promise for exosomes, tiny sacs released by cells.
	High blood pressure hurts the kidneys Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a common problem that affects the body's arteries. If you have high blood pressure, the heart has to work harder to pump blood.
	SCOTUS appears skeptical of arguments to curb abortion pill access Following oral arguments presented on Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court looked poised to rebuff a legal challenge to women's access to the abortion pill.
	New Planned Parenthood leader says real issue is fairness, health equity Ruth Richardson waited near the Iowa capitol's grand staircase, just outside the limelight. At the podium nearby, abortion-rights supporters railed against the state's conservative swing on abortion following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling Republican bills "nonsense," "pseudoscientific" and "speaking for the extreme." Richardson glanced at her speech and its somewhat different message.
	After seven decades of fighting, disabled people are still vulnerable when it comes to support The recent Facebook announcement by Whaikaha—the Ministry of Disabled People on changes to funding for caregivers and equipment modification and services has put the media spotlight, once again, on respite care for families with disabled children.
	Report highlights 'extraordinary era' of AI in health care A surge in the amount of digital data in the health sector, together with increases in compute power and the availability of new artificial intelligence (AI) tools are leading to an explosion of AI being used in health care, according to a new report from CSIRO, Australia's national science agency.
	Video: Can aspirin make your breathing worse? Spring allergies feel bad enough for people with nasal congestion and asthma symptoms. But imagine if aspirin is the culprit that makes everything feel worse and you didn't know it. For some people with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD), also known as Samter's triad, it can be a challenging and long road to diagnosis.
	How will you age? World-leading Dunedin Study launches next phase The world-leading Dunedin Study is set to launch its age 52 assessments, delving into an understudied but important period of life and time of change.
	Durvalumab and Tremelimumab before surgery in patients with HR+/HER2-negative breast cancer A new research paper was published in Oncotarget entitled, "Durvalumab and tremelimumab before surgery in patients with hormone receptor positive, HER2-negative stage II–III breast cancer."
	On nutrition: Eggs-tra nutrition We've identified Easter with eggs for a very long time, according to historians.
	A new surgical technique enables smiling in patients with facial paralysis A new study describes a novel surgical technique used to treat Moebius syndrome, a rare congenital condition leading to the inability to smile, oral incompetence, and a significant impact on social engagement. The study is published in Facial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine.
	Study uncovers the hidden dangers of secondhand vape exposure to children In homes across America, an invisible threat may be lurking—one that could affect the health of our youngest and most vulnerable. Recent findings presented this month at the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners conference in Denver shed light on the often-overlooked danger of secondhand e-cigarette vapor, particularly its impact on children.
	Satisfaction with UK's NHS hits record low: Survey Public satisfaction with the UK's state-funded National Health Service (NHS) hit record lows in 2023, research suggested on Wednesday, with long waits for appointments a central grievance.
	Treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer with driver mutations Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Improved understanding of driver mutations of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has led to more biomarker-directed treatment for patients with advanced stages. The expanding number of drugs targeting these driver mutations offers more opportunity to improve patient's survival benefit.
	Revealing characteristics of circulating cell-free RNA in the blood of liver cancer patients Recently, the research findings of the team led by CAS Academician Xiang Zhou from Wuhan University were published in the National Science Review. The team successfully developed an efficient technique for enriching trace amounts of circulating nucleic acids in blood.
	Research finds T cell subset significantly expands in spleen and brain after virus infection It is currently unclear where T cells in the brains of teleosts originate from. While viewing the central nervous system (CNS) as immune privileged has been widely accepted, previous studies suggest that T cells residing in the thymus but not in the spleen of the teleost play an essential role in communicating with the peripheral organs.
	Micro-massaging—'artificial muscles' help fractured leg bones heal better Orthopedic implants are used to fixate the bone fragments of fractures. Novel smart implants are now being developed that can continuously monitor and actively promote bone healing—by, for example, micro-massaging the fracture site. This innovative medical technology is currently under development at Saarland University by an interdisciplinary team of medical specialists, engineers, and computer scientists.

Other Sciences news

	Your emotional reaction to climate change may impact the policies you support, study finds Emotional reactions to climate change may lead to specific policy preferences, according to a study published in the open-access journal PLOS Climate by Teresa A. Myers of George Mason University and colleagues.
	Low resting heart rate in women is associated with criminal offending, unintentional injuries In women, a low resting heart rate is associated with a slightly raised incidence of criminal offending as well as unintentional injuries, in a large all-female study published March 27 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Sofi Oskarsson of School of Behavioural, Social and Legal Sciences, Örebro University, Sweden, and colleagues. This is the first time such an association has been shown in women, although it is well-established in studies of men.
	Value-added tax data could help countries prepare better for crises How would an armed conflict, an epidemic, or a flood affect the economy? "Being able to assess—perhaps even predict—the economic impact of such crises is essential when it comes to mitigating and counteracting the damage," says Christian Diem from the Complexity Science Hub (CSH).
	Israel's war budget leaves top scientists in limbo Israeli scientist Ellen Graber has spent years researching ways to save chocolate crops from climate change. But with the government slashing spending to fund the war in Gaza, her project is one of hundreds now hanging in the balance.
	What your sad desk sandwich says about your working habits How's that sandwich? If you're munching on a supermarket meal deal while reading this, well, I probably am too.
	Why did modern humans replace the Neanderthals? The key might lie in our social structures Why did humans take over the world while our closest relatives, the Neanderthals, became extinct? It's possible we were just smarter, but there's surprisingly little evidence that's true.
	English dominates scientific research—here's how we can fix it, and why it matters It is often remarked that Spanish should be more widely spoken or understood in the scientific community given its number of speakers around the world, a figure the Instituto Cervantes places at almost 600 million.
	Study finds clear instruction, parental support predict students' sense of school belonging A new study from the University of Kansas has analyzed the roles classroom interaction and parental support play in school connectedness, finding clearly communicated instruction in class and support from parents are closely linked with belonging.
	Avoiding the gifts-in-kind trap: New research shows how influencers can make their work pay Social media influencers who want to be paid money for their content must focus on three key areas to lift themselves out of the gifts-in-kind trap and to protect their pursuit of meaningful work, new research from the University of Bath shows.
	Researchers discover how charities can boost likelihood of donations via smartphone users Whether you're passionate about rescuing puppies, feeding hungry people, or helping victims of a natural disaster, you're considerably less likely to respond to a charity's appeal for help if you receive it on your smartphone.
	Worker mobility can impact adoption of new technology Increased worker mobility can negatively impact a business's ability to adopt new technology such as artificial intelligence (AI), researchers have found.
	Rural residents feel less lonely than their urban neighbors, Scottish study finds People living in rural communities in Scotland are less likely to experience loneliness and poor well-being than those living in urban areas, according to new research from the University of Glasgow.
	Climate change policies found to lose popularity when combined with pausing regulations or social justice Legislators love bundling things together. It lets them accomplish more with less hassle and attempt to make legislation more appealing to a broader group. But a new study in the journal Climatic Change suggests that this can sometimes backfire. The authors found that pairing climate policies with other policies does not necessarily increase their popular appeal, and can actually reduce public support.
	Why EU information campaigns are failing to deter migrants It was everywhere on the news and social media. In September 2023, 10,000 migrants arrived on the island of Lampedusa, more than doubling the island's population of 6,000 and overwhelming its resources. The migrants—mostly men from sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East—had to sleep outside, with the island's reception center only designed for 400 people.
	Pandemic course improved COVID-19 knowledge, study finds Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 1,300 students enrolled in a three-week summer immersion course, "The Pandemic: Science and Society," at Washington University in St. Louis. The innovative course envisioned by Feng Sheng Hu, the Richard G. Engelsmann Dean of Arts & Sciences, brought together experts from across WashU and around the country.
	Performing arts under threat from future global shocks unless lessons are learned from pandemic Live performing arts are facing an existential threat from a range of potential global shocks unless there is significant and sustained investment in resilience planning, according to a new international study.
	Independent guardians impact young survivors of child trafficking Independent guardians who support young survivors of child trafficking are crucial to their protection, safety and recovery in an increasingly difficult environment, analysis shows.
	New study shows ways forward for future EU food labeling A study led by the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) and published in the journal Ecological Economics provides important insights into the future of food labeling in the EU. By analyzing expert opinions from the food industry, the study identifies a broad consensus on the need for new food labels to encourage farmers to provide more ecosystem services.

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