Science X Newsletter Mon, Apr 22

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for April 22, 2024:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Pulsating Snake: First millisecond pulsar discovered in the galactic center

Mangrove blue carbon at higher risk of microplastic pollution

Look to deadly Venus to find life in the universe, new paper argues

Crucial building blocks of life on Earth can more easily form in outer space, says new research

Giant galactic explosion exposes galaxy pollution in action

Saturday Citations: Irrationality modeled; genetic basis for PTSD; Tasmanian devils still endangered

Microsoft teases lifelike avatar AI tech but gives no release date

Scientists assess paths toward maintaining BC caribou until habitat recovers

Study uncovers neural mechanisms underlying foraging behavior in freely moving animals

Lemur's lament: When one vulnerable species stalks another

A coffee roastery in Finland has launched an AI-generated blend. The results were surprising

International collaboration produces a comprehensive atlas of human skeletal muscle aging

Mosaics of predisposition found to cause skin disease

Scientists discover the cellular functions of a family of proteins integral to inflammatory diseases

Astronomers offer new model for formation of recently discovered 'free-floating' planets

Nanotechnology news

	Magnetic with a pinch of hydrogen: Research team develops new idea to improve the properties of ultra-thin materials Magnetic two-dimensional materials consisting of one or a few atomic layers have only recently become known and promise interesting applications, for example for the electronics of the future. So far, however, it has not been possible to control the magnetic states of these materials well enough.
	Novel graphene oxide spray coating advances antiviral protection of face masks In the relentless battle against airborne viruses, researchers have developed a new spray coating to improve the antiviral efficacy of personal protective equipment, notably face masks. The study is published in the journal ACS Applied Nano Materials.
	Electron videography captures moving dance between proteins and lipids In a first demonstration of "electron videography," researchers have captured a microscopic moving picture of the delicate dance between proteins and lipids found in cell membranes. The technique can be used to study the dynamics of other biomolecules, breaking free of constraints that have limited microscopy to still images of fixed molecules, say University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers and collaborators at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
	Rice bran nanoparticles show promise as affordable and targeted anticancer agent Several types of conventional cancer therapies, such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy, destroy healthy cells along with cancer cells. In advanced stages of cancer, tissue loss from treatments can be substantial and even fatal. Cutting-edge cancer therapies that employ nanoparticles can specifically target cancer cells, sparing healthy tissue.

Physics news

	New models of Big Bang show that visible universe and invisible dark matter co-evolved Physicists have long theorized that our universe may not be limited to what we can see. By observing gravitational forces on other galaxies, they've hypothesized the existence of "dark matter," which would be invisible to conventional forms of observation.
	Springing simulations forward with quantum computing Though "coupled oscillations" may not sound familiar, they are everywhere in nature. The term "coupled harmonic oscillators" describes interacting systems of masses and springs, but their utility in science and engineering does not end there. They describe mechanical systems like bridges, the bonds between atoms, and even gravitational tidal effects between the Earth and the moon. Understanding such problems allows us to probe a correspondingly huge range of systems from chemistry to engineering to materials science and beyond.
	Bounding the amount of entanglement from witness operators A team of researchers has proposed an approach to quantify entanglement using the standard entanglement witness procedure under three common experimental scenarios. Their work is published in Physical Review Letters.
	Study shows ultra-thin two-dimensional materials can rotate the polarization of visible light It has been known for centuries that light exhibits wave-like behavior in certain situations. Some materials are able to rotate the polarization, i.e. the direction of oscillation, of the light wave when the light passes through the material. This property is utilized in a central component of optical communication networks known as an "optical isolator" or "optical diode." This component allows light to propagate in one direction but blocks all light in the other direction.
	Superradiant atoms could push the boundaries of how precisely time can be measured Superradiant atoms can help us measure time more precisely than ever. In a recent study, researchers from the University of Copenhagen present a new method for measuring the time interval, the second, mitigating some of the limitations that today's most advanced atomic clocks encounter. The result could have broad implications in areas such as space travel, volcanic eruptions and GPS systems.
	Steering toward quantum simulation at scale Researchers simulated a key quantum state at one of the largest scales reported, with support from the Quantum Computing User Program, or QCUP, at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
	New 2D material manipulates light with remarkable precision and minimal loss Responding to the increasing demand for efficient, tunable optical materials capable of precise light modulation to create greater bandwidth in communication networks and advanced optical systems, a team of researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi's Photonics Research Lab (PRL) have developed a novel, two-dimensional (2D) material capable of manipulating light with exceptional precision and minimal loss.
	Announcing the birth of QUIONE, a unique analog quantum processor Quantum physics requires high-precision sensing techniques to delve deeper into the microscopic properties of materials. From the analog quantum processors that have emerged recently, quantum-gas microscopes have proven to be powerful tools for understanding quantum systems at the atomic level. These devices produce images of quantum gases with very high resolution: They allow individual atoms to be detected.
	Beta-decay measurements in mirror nuclei pin down the weak nuclear force The Standard Model of Particle Physics is scientists' best understanding of the forces that describe how subatomic particles interact. The Standard Model encompasses four forces: the strong nuclear force, the weak nuclear force, the electromagnetic force, and the gravitational force. All four forces govern the way our universe works. However, the weak nuclear force is exceptionally difficult to study as it is overshadowed by the much greater effects of the strong nuclear and electromagnetic forces.
	Toward a unified theory for dynamics of glassy materials In the realm of disorder and amorphous systems, such as oxide glasses utilized in display technologies and the cryogenic preservation of biological materials, there exists a substantial body of contemporary scientific and technological exploration.
	Realization of an ideal omnidirectional invisibility cloak in free space A team led by Prof. Dexin Ye and Prof. Hongsheng Chen from Zhejiang University, and Prof. Yu Luo from Nanyang Technological University conducted research on the practical implementation of full-parameter transformation optical devices. Based on the linear transformation optics and the constitution theory of omnidirectionally matched transparent metamaterials, the research team designed and implemented a full-parameter omnidirectional invisibility cloak capable of concealing large-scale objects in free space.

Earth news

	Mangrove blue carbon at higher risk of microplastic pollution Earth's oceans and coastal ecosystems are a major sink for carbon storage, known as blue carbon. Sequestration of carbon is vitally important in the fight against climate change as it 'locks away' this molecule, alleviating pressure on greenhouse gas-induced warming. Seagrasses, salt marshes and mangroves are important carbon sinks in our coastal ecosystems, with a fast rate of sequestration over long timescales. However, anthropogenic activities are threatening their survival, posing a risk of damaging these areas, resulting in the release of carbon back into the atmosphere to contribute to climate warming once more.
	Feedback loop that is melting ice shelves in West Antarctica revealed New research has uncovered a feedback loop that may be accelerating the melting of the floating portions of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, pushing up global sea levels.
	Investigating the porosity of sedimentary rock with neutrons Whether sedimentary rocks store fossil hydrocarbons or act as impermeable layers to prevent the rise of oil, natural gas or stored carbon dioxide—all depends on their porosity. The size, shape, organization, and connectivity of the pore spaces are decisive.
	AI weather forecasts can capture destructive path of major storms, new study shows Artificial intelligence (AI) can quickly and accurately predict the path and intensity of major storms, a new study demonstrates.
	A million years without a megaslide: Study goes deep into the Gulf of Alaska to investigate why Earthquakes, volcanic activity, and sediment flux can trigger underwater landslides known as submarine slides, which can translate to tsunamis on the surface. Megaslides are extreme versions of these underwater events.
	Record-breaking heat and humidity predicted for tropics this summer A new statistical analysis of the interaction between El Niño and rising global temperatures due to climate change concludes that the approaching summer in the tropics has nearly a 7 in 10 chance of breaking records for temperature and humidity.
	World's oases threatened by desertification, even as humans expand them Oases are important habitats and water sources for dryland regions, sustaining 10% of the world's population despite taking up about 1.5% of land area. But in many places, climate change and anthropogenic activities threaten oases' fragile existence. New research shows how the world's oases have grown and shrunk over the past 25 years as water availability patterns have changed and desertification encroaches on these wet refuges.
	Climate impacts set to cut 2050 global GDP by nearly a fifth Climate change caused by CO2 emissions already in the atmosphere will shrink global GDP in 2050 by about $38 trillion, or almost a fifth, no matter how aggressively humanity cuts carbon pollution, researchers said Wednesday.
	Planet sees 10 straight months of record-breaking heat Californians have had weekend after weekend of cool, stormy weather and the Sierra Nevada has been blessed with a healthy snowpack. But the reality is that even the last few months have been more than 2 degrees hotter than average.
	More than 2,100 people are evacuated as an Indonesian volcano spews clouds of ash More than 2,100 people living near an erupting volcano on Indonesia's Sulawesi Island were evacuated Friday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami.
	Increasingly hot European summers are harming health, report says Heat stress in Europe is increasingly threatening people's health as global warming makes summers there hotter and deadlier, two leading climate monitors warned on Monday.
	Southern China storms kill four, force mass evacuations Four people are dead and 10 others missing following storms that battered southern China, state media said Monday, with tens of thousands evacuated from areas hit by torrential downpours.
	Negotiations on global plastic treaty to resume in Canada Negotiators from 175 countries are meeting from Tuesday in Canada to nail down a binding global treaty to end plastic pollution with many sticking points to be resolved five months after the last round of talks in Kenya.
	Earth Day 2024: Four effective strategies to reduce household food waste The global food system produces enough food for everyone, yet, in 2023, 333 million people worldwide were food insecure and 783 million were chronically hungry. An estimated 1.3 billion tons of food—14% of all produced—is lost or wasted globally every year.
	Don't blame Dubai's freak rain on cloud seeding—the storm was far too big to be human-made Some years ago, I found myself making my way up the narrow stairs of a Learjet on a sultry runway in a deserted airport near the South Africa-Mozambique border. The humidity was there to taste—the air thick with it.
	Czechs 3D-print Eiffel Tower from ocean waste for Olympics A Czech company is 3D-printing a giant Eiffel Tower model for a local Olympics event, using recycled ocean waste as the primary material.
	Opinion: Environmental sustainability and consumption One of the politically destructive strands of environmental advocacy criticizes material consumption and attempts to make people feel guilty for air travel and other forms of behavior that pollutes the environment.
	Research showcases Indigenous stewardship's role in forest ecosystem resilience Oregon State University researchers have teamed with the Karuk Tribe to create a novel computer simulation model that showcases Indigenous fire stewardship's role in forest ecosystem health.
	Q&A: EPA finalizes phase-out plan for 'forever chemicals' known as PFAS Long-term, low-dose exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or forever chemicals, can hinder the immune system, interfere with hormones, and reduce the effectiveness of vaccines. It can also cause low birth weight and high cholesterol. High doses of PFAS increase the risk of kidney cancer, liver damage, testicular cancer, and thyroid disease.
	Taiwan hit by numerous quakes, strongest reaching 6.3 magnitude Taiwan's capital was hit by a series of earthquakes overnight into the early hours of Tuesday, with the Central Weather Administration saying the strongest was a magnitude-6.3 tremor originating in eastern Hualien.
	Turning to nature to improve vital water treatment Escalating industrialization, urbanization and climate change in Asia present a significant challenge to maintaining water quality.
	Q&A: B.C.'s 2024 wildfire season has started—here's what to know Last year's wildfire season marked B.C.'s most destructive on record: 2.8 million hectares burned, more than double any previous year. UBC researchers Dr. Lori Daniels and Dr. Mathieu Bourbonnais actively work on projects enhancing wildfire resilience, collaborating with community, government, private-sector and academic partners, and First Nations.
	Malians struggle to cope after deadly heat wave In Mali's capital Bamako, Aboubacar Pamateck runs a scarf under a trickle of water and wraps it around his head to cope with the West African nation's soaring heat.
	Native village proposes new option for restoring Eklutna River As Southcentral Alaska electric utilities push forward with a much-contested plan to reduce the impacts of a hydroelectric project on fish and wildlife, the Native Village of Eklutna is proposing an alternative option to restore water to the full length of Eklutna River.
	Minnesota House lawmakers push forward fertilizer tax to clean up contaminated wells Minnesota would tax farmers $0.40 per ton of fertilizer to help test and clean up thousands of private wells contaminated with agricultural runoff under a bill that cleared the House's main agricultural committee.
	A comprehensive monitoring and evaluation of disaster risk due to linkage of residual coal pillars and rock strata A large number of coal pillars were left behind during the mining of multi-coal seams. These pillars, when unstable, pose significant risks during both production and well closure stages in coal mines. Their failure can exert intense dynamic pressure on lower coal seams, resulting in substantial deformation and damage to support structures and mining tunnels.

Astronomy and Space news

	Pulsating Snake: First millisecond pulsar discovered in the galactic center Astronomers from the Australia Telescope National Facility (ATNF) report the discovery of a new millisecond pulsar in the "Snake"—a radio filament in the galactic center. It is the first millisecond pulsar detected in the center of our galaxy. The finding was detailed in a paper published April 13 on the pre-print server arXiv.
	Look to deadly Venus to find life in the universe, new paper argues Despite surface temperatures hot enough to melt lead, lava-spewing volcanoes, and puffy clouds of sulfuric acid, uninhabitable Venus offers vital lessons about the potential for life on other planets, a new paper argues.
	Crucial building blocks of life on Earth can more easily form in outer space, says new research The origin of life on Earth is still enigmatic, but we are slowly unraveling the steps involved and the necessary ingredients. Scientists believe life arose in a primordial soup of organic chemicals and biomolecules on the early Earth, eventually leading to actual organisms.
	Giant galactic explosion exposes galaxy pollution in action A team of international researchers studied galaxy NGC 4383, in the nearby Virgo cluster, revealing a gas outflow so large that it would take 20,000 years for light to travel from one side to the other.
	Astronomers offer new model for formation of recently discovered 'free-floating' planets The recent discovery of a potential new class of distant and mysterious "free-floating" planets has intrigued astronomers since stunning new images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope were shared late last year.
	AI and physics combine to reveal the 3D structure of a flare erupting around a black hole Scientists believe the environment immediately surrounding a black hole is tumultuous, featuring hot magnetized gas that spirals in a disk at tremendous speeds and temperatures. Astronomical observations show that within such a disk, mysterious flares occur up to several times a day, temporarily brightening and then fading away.
	Computer model helps support theory of asteroid Kamo'oalewa as ejecta from the moon A small international team of planetary scientists has found evidence supporting the theory that the near-Earth asteroid Kamo'oalewa is ejecta from the moon. In their paper published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the group describes their data-driven models and what they revealed.
	Simulated microgravity affects sleep and physiological rhythms, study finds Simulated effects of microgravity significantly affect rhythmicity and sleep in humans, a new study from the University of Surrey finds. Such disturbances could negatively affect the physiology and performance of astronauts in space.
	Astrophysics research advances understanding of how gamma-ray bursts produce light Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are intense bursts of gamma radiation, typically generating more energy in a few seconds than the sun will produce over its ten-billion-year lifetime. These transient phenomena present one of the most challenging puzzles in astrophysics, dating back to their accidental discovery in 1967 by a nuclear surveillance satellite.
	Why is methane seeping on Mars? NASA scientists have new ideas The most surprising revelation from NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover—that methane is seeping from the surface of Gale Crater—has scientists scratching their heads.
	NASA's Voyager 1 resumes sending engineering updates to Earth For the first time since November, NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft is returning usable data about the health and status of its onboard engineering systems. The next step is to enable the spacecraft to begin returning science data again. The probe and its twin, Voyager 2, are the only spacecraft to ever fly in interstellar space (the space between stars).
	Astronomers discover largest stellar black hole in Milky Way: Study Astronomers identified the largest stellar black hole yet discovered in the Milky Way, with a mass 33 times that of the Sun, according to a study published on Tuesday.
	Meteor shower to peak today: Here's when and the best way to watch One of the oldest known meteor showers is streaking through the sky above California. The Lyrid meteor shower was first recorded in 687 B.C. and has been studied for more than 2,000 years, according to NASA. The meteor shower occurs every April, peaking this year on April 22.
	Radiating exoplanet discovered in 'perfect tidal storm' Can tidal forces cause an exoplanet's surface to radiate heat? This is what a study accepted to the Astronomical Journal hopes to address as a team of international researchers used data collected from ground-based instruments to confirm the existence of a second exoplanet residing within the exoplanetary system, HD 104067, along with using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission to identify an additional exoplanet candidate. The study is available on the arXiv preprint server.
	European Space Agency adds 5 new astronauts in only fourth class since 1978. Over 20,000 applied For the past year, five fit, academically superior men and women have been spun in centrifuges, submerged for hours, deprived temporarily of oxygen, taught to camp in the snow, and schooled in physiology, anatomy, astronomy, meteorology, robotics, and Russian.
	Hubble captures a bright galactic and stellar duo This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope features NGC 3783, a bright barred spiral galaxy about 130 million light-years from Earth that also lends its name to the eponymous NGC 3783 galaxy group.
	Juno reveals a giant lava lake on Io NASA's Juno spacecraft came within 1,500 km (930 miles) of the surface of Jupiter's moon Io in two recent flybys. That's close enough to reveal new details on the surface of this moon, the most volcanic object in the solar system. Not only did Juno capture volcanic activity, but scientists were also able to create a visual animation from the data that shows what Io's 200-km-long lava lake Loki Patera would look like if you could get even closer. There are islands at the center of a magma lake rimmed with hot lava. The lake's surface is smooth as glass, like obsidian.
	Doomed comet spotted near the sun during the April 8 total solar eclipse A surprise appearance of a new comet made the April 8 total solar eclipse all the more memorable.
	Eclipse projects shed new light on solar corona Teams led by Southwest Research Institute successfully executed two experiments—by land and air—collecting unique solar data from the total eclipse that cast a shadow from Texas to Maine on April 8, 2024. The Citizen Continental-America Telescopic Eclipse (CATE) 2024 experiment engaged more than 200 community participants in a broad, approachable, and inclusive attempt to make a continuous 60-minute high-resolution movie of this exciting event.
	Q&A: Cosmic rays, space weather and larger questions about the universe With the naked eye, you can't see the weather in space, or feel the cosmic rays beaming down to Earth—but they can impact critical systems like our climate, computer connectivity, communications and even our health.

Technology news

	Microsoft teases lifelike avatar AI tech but gives no release date Researchers at Microsoft have revealed a new artificial tool that can create deeply realistic human avatars—but offered no timetable to make it available to the public, citing concerns about facilitating deep fake content.
	A coffee roastery in Finland has launched an AI-generated blend. The results were surprising An artisan roastery based in the Finnish capital has introduced a coffee blend that has been developed by artificial intelligence in a trial in which it's hoped that technology can ease the workload in a sector that traditionally prides itself on manual work.
	An ultralow-concentration electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries Lithium salts make batteries powerful but expensive. An ultralow-concentration electrolyte based on the lithium salt LiDFOB may be a more economical and more sustainable alternative. Cells using these electrolytes and conventional electrodes have been demonstrated to have high performance, as reported by a research team in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition. In addition, the electrolyte could facilitate both production and recycling of the batteries.
	People, not design features, make a robot social It takes a village to nurture social robots. Researchers who develop social robots—ones that people interact with—focus too much on design features and not enough on sociological factors, like human-to-human interactions, the contexts where they happen, and cultural norms involving robots, according to an award-winning paper from Cornell and Indiana University scholars who specialize in human-robot interaction.
	Plasma treatment enhances electrode material for fuel cells in industry, homes and vehicles Researchers from Skoltech and their colleagues have improved the properties of a carbon-based electrode material by exposing it to air plasma. Such treatment turned out to enhance electrode performance, which is the limiting factor for high-tech energy sources—particularly fuel cells.
	A win-win approach: Maximizing Wi-Fi performance using game theory Connectivity has become paramount in modern societies over the past two decades. With the immense rise in the number of laptops, tablets, and smartphones, most people nowadays expect to have access to free Wi-Fi in a variety of public and private spaces. Some common examples include airports, restaurants, and libraries, but even parks, trains, and subways offer Wi-Fi in some cities.
	AI chatbots refuse to produce 'controversial' output—why that's a free speech problem Google recently made headlines globally because its chatbot Gemini generated images of people of color instead of white people in historical settings that featured white people. Adobe Firefly's image creation tool saw similar issues. This led some commentators to complain that AI had gone "woke." Others suggested these issues resulted from faulty efforts to fight AI bias and better serve a global audience.
	AI's relentless rise gives journalists tough choices The rise of artificial intelligence has forced an increasing number of journalists to grapple with the ethical and editorial challenges posed by the rapidly expanding technology.
	X owner Musk says opposed to US ban of competitor TikTok Elon Musk on Friday came out against banning TikTok in the United States, even if it would mean less competition for his social media platform X, formerly Twitter, as the initiative sees fresh bipartisan momentum in Congress.
	In historic election, Volkswagen workers in Tennessee vote to unionize Volkswagen workers in Tennessee voted decisively to become a union shop, according to election results released Friday, marking the first victory for organized labor at a foreign-owned auto plant in the American South.
	AI a 'fundamental change in the news ecosystem': Expert Artificial intelligence is shaking up journalism and in the short term will cause "a fundamental change in the news ecosystem", media expert David Caswell told AFP.
	'Halving' arrives for bitcoin miners The bitcoin market on Friday engineered the "halving" of the reward for operating the cryptocurrency, a much-anticipated step designed to limit production and boost the digital money.
	InstaDeep CEO takes AI from Tunis to London Karim Beguir launched the artificial intelligence start-up InstaDeep in Tunisia in 2014 with just two computers and $2,000.
	Splashy Saudi mega-project NEOM chases Chinese funds Bigwigs behind a Saudi megacity dogged by questions about its viability have wrapped up a tour courting Chinese investors, detailing plans for a futuristic ski resort and 170-kilometer-long skyscrapers.
	Tesla cuts the price of its 'Full Self Driving' system by a third to $8,000 Tesla knocked roughly a third off the price of its "Full Self Driving" system—which can't drive itself and so drivers must remain alert and be ready to intervene—to $8,000 from $12,000, according to the company website.
	Japan's anti-monopoly body orders Google to fix ad search limits affecting Yahoo Japan's antitrust watchdog said Monday that U.S. search giant Google must fix its advertising search restrictions affecting Yahoo in Japan.
	Denmark launches its biggest offshore wind farm tender The Danish Energy Agency on Monday launched its biggest tender for the construction of offshore wind farms, aimed at producing six gigawatts by 2030—more than double Denmark's current capacity.
	Supermarket facial recognition failure—why automated systems must put the human factor first The incident of a woman misidentified by facial recognition technology at a Rotorua supermarket should have come as no surprise.
	Crash data show road safety measures must improve By analyzing the trends and locations of crashes in the Greater Melbourne Area during a 15-year period, from 2006 to 2020, Dr. Ali Soltani, from the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute at Flinders University, and his research colleagues have determined the places where crashes were most prevalent and reasons contributing to high crash rates in those areas. The study is published in Transport Policy.
	How AI can enhance flexibility, efficiency for customer service centers Whenever you call a customer service contact center, the team on the other end of the line typically has three goals: to reduce their response time, solve your problem and do it within the shortest service time possible.
	DeFake tool protects voice recordings from cybercriminals In what has become a familiar refrain when discussing artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled technologies, voice cloning makes possible beneficial advances in accessibility and creativity while also enabling increasingly sophisticated scams and deepfakes. To combat the potential negative impacts of voice cloning technology, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) challenged researchers and technology experts to develop breakthrough ideas on preventing, monitoring and evaluating malicious voice cloning.
	Proposed sensing technology could assess quality of components in fields such as aerospace A sensing technology that can assess the quality of components could transform U.K. industry.
	Most executives already using generative AI tools, survey shows Despite popular concern about generative AI making jobs redundant, a new survey by INSEAD shows employees and business leaders alike are enthusiastic about the transformative technology. In fact, two out of three respondents are already using it in their personal and professional lives.
	Researchers develop performance technology for aerial and satellite image extraction The development of the world's most performant neural network module for accurately extracting objects from aerial and satellite imagery is expected to have wide applications across various fields, according to DGIST and the research team of Dabeeo Inc.
	Q&A: Could automation, electrification of long-haul trucking reduce environmental impacts? A new University of Michigan study finds that automation and electrification of long-haul trucking can reduce urban health impacts and environmental damages.
	Neural networks can mediate between download size and quality, according to researcher Application data requirements vs. available network bandwidth have been the ongoing Battle of the Information Age, but now it appears that a truce is within reach, based on new research from NJIT Associate Professor Jacob Chakareski.
	New metasurface innovation unlocks precision control in wireless signals Researchers have unveiled a technology that propels the field of wireless communication forward. This cutting-edge design, termed a reconfigurable transmissive metasurface, utilizes a synergistic blend of scissor and rotation actuators to independently manage beam scanning and polarization conversion. This introduces an innovative approach to boosting signal strength and efficiency within wireless networks.
	Ion thermoelectric conversion devices for near room temperature The electrode sheet of a thermoelectric device consists of ionic hydrogel, which is sandwiched between the electrodes to form, and the Prussian blue on the electrode undergoes a redox reaction to improve the energy density and power density of the ionic thermoelectric generator.
	Elon Musk's X fights Australian watchdog over church stabbing posts Elon Musk's X said Saturday it will fight an Australian watchdog's order to take down content related to the brutal stabbing of a priest during a live-streamed Sydney church service.
	Bill to ban TikTok in US moves ahead in Congress The US House of Representatives approved a bill Saturday that would force the wildly popular social media app TikTok to divest from its Chinese parent company ByteDance or be shut out of the American market.
	Malaysia to build massive chip design park: PM Malaysia's leader on Monday announced plans to build a massive semiconductor design park, aiming to boost the Southeast Asian nation's role in the global chip industry.
	'Tomb Raider' owner Embracer splits into three companies Sweden's Embracer, owner of the "Tomb Raider" franchise, announced Monday it would split into three separate companies in a major reset for one of Europe's biggest video game groups.
	Wind and solar in limbo: Long waitlists to get on the grid are a 'leading barrier' Ninety miles west of Chicago, the corn and soybean fields stretch to the sky, and dreams of the clean energy future dangle—just out of reach.
	Amazon sold a chemical that led to 15 deaths: Who is responsible? In December 2020, 15-year-old Tyler Schmidt took a deadly chemical to a wooded area near his home in Camas, Clark County, Washington.
	Report urges fixes to online child exploitation CyberTipline before AI makes it worse A tipline set up 26 years ago to combat online child exploitation has not lived up to its potential and needs technological and other improvements to help law enforcement go after abusers and rescue victims, a new report from the Stanford Internet Observatory has found.
	The EU ratchets up pressure on TikTok's new rewards app over risks to kids, warns of suspension The European Union on Monday demanded TikTok provide more information about a new app that pays users to watch videos and warned that it could order the video sharing platform to suspend addictive features that pose a risk to kids.
	New logarithmic step size for stochastic gradient descent The step size, often referred to as the learning rate, plays a pivotal role in optimizing the efficiency of the stochastic gradient descent (SGD) algorithm. In recent times, multiple step size strategies have emerged for enhancing SGD performance. However, a significant challenge associated with these step sizes is related to their probability distribution, denoted as ηt/ΣTt=1ηt .

Chemistry news

	Researchers uncover kinky metal alloy that won't crack at extreme temperatures at the atomic level A metal alloy composed of niobium, tantalum, titanium, and hafnium has shocked materials scientists with its impressive strength and toughness at both extremely hot and cold temperatures, a combination of properties that seemed so far to be nearly impossible to achieve.
	Researchers break down pizza box recycling challenges, one slice at a time Each day, roughly 43 million Americans eat at least one slice of pizza, according to experts. The hot, cheesy, Italian-inspired dish contributes a whopping $47 billion to the U.S. economy each year, and about a third of those pies come delivered to their destinations in corrugated cardboard boxes.
	Advance in forensic fingerprint research provides new hope for cold cases Researchers have unveiled a method capable of detecting drug substances from fingerprints lifted from crime scenes, which could provide fresh insights into unsolved cases. The research is published in the journal Drug Testing and Analysis.
	Alkali-decorated microenvironments aid Cu single atom catalysts in CO₂ hydrogenation Since the advent of industrial revolution, the accumulation of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere has raised significant environmental and climate concerns. As a response to this pressing challenge, the conversion of CO2 into chemicals and/or fuels through direct hydrogenation has emerged as a widely recognized and imperative strategy for mitigating both CO2 emissions and fossil fuel consumption.
	Research seeks solution to PFAS chemicals in waste Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists are looking for a better way to remove or degrade stubborn pollutants, also called forever chemicals, from waste before they impact human and animal health.
	Exploring the potential of single-atom catalysts There is a high level of interest, even excitement, among chemists and materials scientists about the potential of single-atom catalysts (SACs), but their development relies on very specialized tools available only at synchrotrons like the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask).
	Preparation of single-atom catalysts for highly sensitive gas detecting Gas sensors have been widely applied in areas such as medical health, environmental monitoring, and food safety. However, current gas sensors still face several challenges, including low sensitivity, long response and recovery times, and baseline drift.
	Scientists fabricate composites that combine high strength and bioactivity inspired by the cortical bone Researchers have created scaffolds with enhanced strength by fabricating 20 vol% polydopamine-modified nano hydroxyapatite (pDA-nHA), featuring a distinctive lamellar structure. These scaffolds were then immersed in a polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) synthesis system for reinforcement, offering an innovative approach to both augment the mechanical robustness of the material and enhance the bioactivity of PEKK.

Biology news

	Scientists assess paths toward maintaining BC caribou until habitat recovers Thanks to drastic and evidence-based solutions, more southern mountain caribou roam Western Canada today than in previous decades; however, herd numbers are too fragile to sustain themselves without continued intervention.
	Study uncovers neural mechanisms underlying foraging behavior in freely moving animals While foraging, animals including humans and monkeys are continuously making decisions about where to search for food and when to move among possible sources of sustenance.
	Lemur's lament: When one vulnerable species stalks another What can be done when one threatened animal kills another? Scientists studying critically endangered lemurs in Madagascar confronted this difficult reality when they witnessed attacks on lemurs by another vulnerable species, a carnivore called a fosa.
	Researchers uncover details of how bacteria build protective barriers, may inform new antibiotics Yale researchers have uncovered new details on how bacteria like E. coli build their protective barriers, which will inform new antibiotic development.
	Diamond-based quantum sensing microscope offers effective approach for quantifying cellular forces Cells rely on constant interplay and information exchange with their micro-environment to ensure their survival and perform biological functions. Hence, precise quantification of tiny cellular adhesion forces, spanning from piconewtons to a few nanonewtons, is crucial for understanding the intricacies of force modulation in cells.
	Same species, different sizes: Rare evolution in action spotted in island bats A University of Melbourne researcher has spotted a rare evolutionary phenomenon happening rapidly in real time in bats living in the Solomon Islands.
	Researchers map protein network dynamics during cell division An international team led by researchers at the University of Toronto has mapped the movement of proteins encoded by the yeast genome throughout its cell cycle. This is the first time that all the proteins of an organism have been tracked across the cell cycle, which required a combination of deep learning and high-throughput microscopy.
	Planning at multiple scales for healthy corals and communities Governments in the Mesoamerican Reef region are exploring the use of nature-based solutions to strengthen coral health and societal benefits for coastal communities. A new study led by Stanford researchers in collaboration with scientists from the World Wildlife Fund, the Healthy Reefs Initiative, and others from the Smart Coasts project quantified the outcomes of different watershed interventions to support coral health at regional versus national scales, and identified target areas that could improve both ecosystem and societal benefits nationally and across the region.
	Pressure in the womb may influence facial development Physical cues in the womb, and not just genetics, influence the normal development of neural crest cells, the embryonic stem cells that form facial features, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.
	The enemy within: How pathogens spread unrecognized in the body Some pathogens hide inside human cells to enhance their survival. Researchers at the University of Basel, have uncovered a unique tactic certain bacteria use to spread in the body without being detected by the immune system. In their study, they reveal the crucial role of a bacterial nanomachine in this infection process.
	A small factor makes a big impact on genome editing Through years of engineering gene-editing systems, researchers have developed a suite of tools that enable the modification of genomes in living cells, akin to "genome surgery." These tools, including ones based on a natural system known as CRISPR/Cas9, offer enormous potential for addressing unmet clinical needs, underscored by the recent FDA approval of the first CRISPR/Cas9-based therapy.
	New super-resolution microscopy approach visualizes internal cell structures and clusters via selective plane activation To study living organisms at ever smaller length scales, scientists must devise new techniques to overcome the so-called diffraction limit. This is the intrinsic limitation on a microscope's ability to focus on objects smaller than the wavelength of light being used.
	Kissing bugs, vector for Chagas disease, successfully gene edited for first time Kissing bugs, or triatomine bugs, are the primary vector for Chagas disease, a major public health concern in Central and South America and even the southern United States. However, there aren't many good treatment options available, which means that to stop the spread of the potentially life-threatening disease, it's essential to control the organisms that carry the parasite.
	AI tool creates 'synthetic' images of cells for enhanced microscopy analysis Observing individual cells through microscopes can reveal a range of important cell biological phenomena that frequently play a role in human diseases, but the process of distinguishing single cells from each other and their background is extremely time-consuming—and a task that is well-suited for AI assistance.
	New findings shed light on how bella moths use poison to attract mates Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are as bitter and toxic as they are hard to pronounce. They're produced by several different types of plants and are among the leading causes of accidental death in cattle.
	How spicy does mustard get depending on the soil? Serious wine drinkers often have their preferences: Some prefer sweet hints of chocolate in a Malbec from Argentina, while others are drawn to a spicy and fruity Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Wine connoisseurs firmly believe that the soil in which grapes are grown determines how it tastes.
	Liquid droplets shape how cells respond to change, shows study Healthy cells respond appropriately to changes in their environment. They do this by sensing what's happening outside and relaying a command to the precise biomolecule in the precise domain that can carry out the necessary response.
	Your morning coffee may be more than a half million years old That coffee you slurped this morning? It's 600,000 years old.
	Scientists find common genes defending coffee plants against devastating disease Arabica coffee is the most economically important coffee globally and accounts for 60% of coffee products worldwide. But the plants it hails from are vulnerable to a disease that, in the 1800s, devastated Sri Lanka's coffee empire.
	NOAA confirms fourth global coral bleaching event The world is currently experiencing a global coral bleaching event, according to NOAA scientists. This is the fourth global event on record and the second in the last 10 years.
	East Africa's 'soda lakes' are rising, threatening their iconic flamingos Huge pink flocks of millions of flamingos—flamboyances of flamingos—are one of nature's great spectacles. But colleagues and I have uncovered worrying trends in the salty and highly-alkaline "soda lakes" of east Africa where most of these birds live.
	Australia's Great Barrier Reef struggles to survive Australia's famed Great Barrier Reef is suffering one of the most severe coral bleaching events on record, leaving scientists fearful for its survival as the impact of climate change worsens.
	This ancient snake in India might have been longer than a school bus and weighed a ton A ancient giant snake in India might have been longer than a school bus and weighed a ton, researchers reported Thursday.
	'Harvesting data': Latin American AI startups transform farming For centuries, farmers used almanacs to try to understand and predict weather patterns.
	In Ecuadoran Amazon, butterflies provide a gauge of climate change Biologists on a trail in the Ecuadoran Amazon hold their breath as they distribute a foul-smelling delicacy to lure butterflies, critical pollinators increasingly threatened by climate change.
	A leader in US seaweed farming preaches, teaches and builds a wider network Bren Smith and his GreenWave organization are helping lay the foundations for a generation of seaweed-growing farmers in the United States, while working to build a network of producers and buyers.
	More than coral: The unseen casualties of record-breaking heat on the Great Barrier Reef In past bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef, the southern region has sometimes been spared worst of the bleaching. Not this time. This year's intense underwater heat has triggered the most severe heat stress ever seen on record. Only 3% of surveyed southern reefs have not bleached at all. It's shaping up to be the most severe and widespread bleaching of the southern reef, while mass bleaching has hit other areas of the reef in the fifth mass bleaching event in eight years.
	Avian flu outbreak raises a disturbing question If it's true that you are what you eat, then most beef-eating Americans consist of a smattering of poultry feathers, urine, feces, wood chips and chicken saliva, among other food items.
	First discovery in decades of blue whales near Seychelles Blue whales are fascinating animals. At 24–30 meters in length (longer than a basketball court) they are the largest creatures on Earth. They are also among the rarest. Estimates suggest that there are only about 5,000 to 15,000 blue whales left in the world.
	Restoring coastal habitat boosts wildlife numbers by 61%—but puzzling failures mean we can still do better Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so we've destroyed valuable coastal habitat—in the case of some types of habitat, most of it has gone.
	Prehistoric lake sturgeon is not endangered, US says despite calls from conservationists Lake sturgeon don't need Endangered Species Act protections, federal wildlife officials announced Monday, saying that stocking programs have helped the prehistoric fish return to areas where they had vanished.
	Anticipating future risks of climate-driven wildfires in boreal forests Wildfires are a growing threat to the boreal north, especially under the rapidly changing climate. IIASA researchers modeled and analyzed how climate change may impact future burned area in boreal forests and highlighted the importance of adaptation and mitigation strategies to reduce climate-fueled impacts on wildfires.
	Dutch landscape is losing insect-pollinated plants, 87 years of data show The Netherlands is losing plant species that rely on pollination by insects. Leiden environmental scientist Kaixuan Pan demonstrates this after analyzing 87 years of measurements from more than 365,000 plots. The news is alarming for our biodiversity and food security.
	Unveiling the secrets of Montesinho's honey: A blend of tradition and science Montesinho Natural Park (MNP) is celebrated for its diverse flora and unique climate, creating an ideal environment for producing honey with distinctive attributes. With the demand for natural products and Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) honey on the rise, understanding the nuances that contribute to honey quality becomes paramount.
	Mitochondrial DNA copy number contributes to growth diversity in allopolyploid fish Understanding the relationship between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and animal growth could provide valuable information for selective breeding in aquaculture. However, the complex interactions between genetics and environmental factors often hinders progress in this field. To that end, a recent study published in Reproduction and Breeding investigated the cross-sectional diameter of skeletal muscle fibers in allotriploid fish with different growth traits.
	Without proper management, Brazil's Cerrado becomes disfigured and less resilient to climate change A study conducted over a period of 14 years in the Brazilian savanna-like biome shows its typical vegetation rapidly becoming "cerradão"—a biodiversity-poor forest formation—while resistance to drought and wildfires weakens.
	Backyards, urban parks support bird diversity in unique ways Researchers tracked bird diversity in public parks and private backyards in twin cities in Illinois with significantly different development histories and green space management practices. They found that birds rely on both public and private spaces in different seasons and for different reasons. The study linked park management practices aimed at conservation and restoration to increased bird diversity and the persistence of rarer species.
	Mojave desert tortoise officially joins California's endangered list The California Fish and Game Commission has formally recognized the Mojave desert tortoise as endangered.
	How do crop–livestock systems switch to agricultural green development in the Baiyangdian Basin? Excessive nitrogen input into agriculture systems has caused environmental problems such as atmospheric pollution, loss of biodiversity and degradation of water. Meanwhile, the development of intensive animal farming has further caused the separation between crop and livestock sectors, leading to additional hotspot areas prone to pollutant discharge.
	Optimal spacing determined for grafted 'Primo Red' high tunnel tomato As the global demand for high-quality tomatoes continues to rise, researchers have unveiled findings on the optimal spacing of grafted "Primo Red" tomatoes within high tunnel systems. The study offers important insights into enhancing yield and quality for tomato producers worldwide.
	Findings suggest ILF3 may function as a reader of telomeric R-loops to help maintain telomere homeostasis Dysregulated R-loops can cause stalled replication forks and telomere instability. However, how R-loops are recognized and regulated, is still not well understood, particularly at telomeres.

Medicine and Health news

	International collaboration produces a comprehensive atlas of human skeletal muscle aging In a world with rapidly aging societies, there's a need for a detailed understanding of the cause and progression of diseases associated with aging. Skeletal muscle is the key motor system in the human body and plays a pivotal role in body metabolic regulation. With increased age, particularly in individuals over 80 years old, skeletal muscles suffer from sarcopenia, a progressive loss of muscle mass and function.
	Mosaics of predisposition found to cause skin disease Clarifying the cause of a skin disease had led to the discovery of a new disease-causing gene, a new category of diseases, and new perspectives for both counseling and therapy. The discovery is the first time that epigenetic silencing, the "switching off" of an otherwise intact gene, has been recognized as the cause for a skin disease.
	Scientists discover the cellular functions of a family of proteins integral to inflammatory diseases In a scientific breakthrough, Mount Sinai researchers have revealed the biological mechanisms by which a family of proteins known as histone deacetylases (HDACs) activate immune system cells linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other inflammatory diseases.
	Researchers unveil vital role of astrocytes in mental health Astrocytes, as vital cells in the central nervous system, are crucial for brain health and function. Recent research shows that they influence higher cognitive functions and behaviors by regulating local neuronal activity.
	Mechanical engineers develop miniaturized, hydrogel-based electric generators for biomedical devices Mechanoelectrical energy conversion offers a promising solution for powering miniaturized biomedical devices, such as cardiac pacemakers, brain stimulators, wearable drug delivery systems, and more.
	Active military service may heighten women's risk of having low birthweight babies Active military service may heighten a woman's risk of having a low birthweight baby, suggests a review of the available scientific evidence published online in the journal BMJ Military Health.
	Researchers find obese people and tall, centrally obese people are more likely to get colorectal cancer A large international team of medical researchers has found that people with two types of body shape are more likely to develop colorectal cancer than people with other body types. In their study, published in the journal Science Advances, the group assessed body shape and genetic tendencies in thousands of people for risks of developing colorectal cancer.
	Significant global variation in COVID-19 guidelines: Most countries recommend at least one treatment that doesn't work National clinical guidelines for the treatment of COVID-19 vary significantly around the world, with under-resourced countries the most likely to diverge from gold standard (World Health Organization; WHO) treatment recommendations, finds a comparative analysis published in the open access journal BMJ Global Health.
	Study identifies signs of repeated blast-related brain injury in active-duty United States Special Operations Forces Repeated exposure to explosive blasts has the potential to cause brain injuries, but there is currently no diagnostic test for these injuries. In a study of 30 active-duty United States SOF personnel, researchers found that increased blast exposure was associated with structural, functional, and neuroimmune changes to the brain and a decline in health-related quality of life. The researchers are now designing a larger study to develop a diagnostic test for repeated blast brain injury
	Study shows how depletion of mitochondria in axons can directly lead to protein accumulation Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have identified how proteins collect abnormally in neurons, a feature of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. The research is published in the journal eLife.
	Fish under the influence reveal how psychedelics work Psychedelics are a hot topic in labs all over the world because they hold great potential for relieving the symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD and other mood-related conditions. Still, there is a major hurdle to developing these substances into safe, effective medications: Very little is known about how psychedelic drugs work.
	Experimental model elucidates willful starvation in anorexia nervosa A new study led by investigators at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) suggests that female mice that are prone to anxiety may prefer and actively seek out a starvation-like state in response to repeated exposure to stress. The findings, published in the journal Neuron, may provide a useful experimental model for investigating the neural mechanisms underlying anorexia nervosa—particularly its onset.
	New study furthers understanding of lung regeneration Researchers at Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University (BU) have published a new study detailing the development of a method for generating human alveolar epithelial type I cells (AT1s) from pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
	An advanced brain science tool that doesn't require coding expertise Researchers at Helmholtz Munich and the LMU University Hospital Munich introduce DELiVR, offering a new AI-based approach to the complex task of brain cell mapping. The findings are published in the journal Nature Methods.
	New technology uncovers mechanism affecting generation of new COVID variants The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID has the unsettling ability of often generating variants of itself. Other viruses also mutate, but as SARS-CoV-2 quickly spread throughout the entire human population during the pandemic, killing millions, the virus' dynamic evolution posed a serious problem: it repeatedly challenged our bodies' immune response and hindered the process of getting updated vaccines ready.
	New findings on pancreatic anatomy may affect diabetes research and treatment Researchers at Umeå University have succeeded in imaging an entire human organ, a pancreas, in microscopic resolution. By staining different cell-types with antibodies and then using optical 3D imaging techniques to study the entire organ, their data provides a partially new picture of the pancreas.
	New gene therapy for metachromatic leukodystrophy proves effective in mice Metachromatic leukodystrophy is a rare genetic disorder that mainly affects young children and results in severe neurological symptoms accompanied by a loss of motor and intellectual capacities. At Paris Brain Institute, Françoise Piguet and her colleagues have developed a gene therapy treatment capable of correcting the primary anomaly observed in the disease: the accumulation of sulfatides in the brain and spinal cord. Effective in mice, as shown by results published in Molecular Therapy—Methods & Clinical Development, this technique paves the way for clinical trials.
	Hitchhiking of synthetic antigen stimulates antibody production against cancer cells Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have designed a synthetic compound (antigen) that can latch on to a protein in blood and hitchhike a ride to the lymph node, where it can boost the production of antibodies against cancer cells.
	Genetically engineering a treatment for incurable brain tumors Purdue University researchers are developing and validating a patent-pending treatment for incurable glioblastoma brain tumors. Glioblastomas are almost always lethal with a median survival time of 14 months. Traditional methods used against other cancers, like chemotherapy and immunotherapy, are often ineffective on glioblastoma.
	Using AI to improve Alzheimer's treatment through the 'gut-brain axis' Cleveland Clinic researchers are using artificial intelligence to uncover the link between the gut microbiome and Alzheimer's disease.
	Advancing high-resolution ultrasound imaging with deep learning Researchers at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology have developed a new technique to make ultrasound localization microscopy, an emerging diagnostic tool used for high-resolution microvascular imaging, more practical for clinical settings. Their method uses deep learning to advance in the post-processing pipeline of ULM.
	Spanish scientists identify the key cell type for strategies to prevent atherosclerosis in progeria syndrome Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is an extremely rare genetic disease that affects just 1 in every 20 million people; it is estimated that fewer than 400 children in the world have the disease. HGPS is characterized by accelerated aging, severe atherosclerosis, and premature death at an average age of about 15 years.
	In psychedelic therapy, clinician-patient bond may matter most Drug effects have dominated the national conversation about psychedelics for medical treatment, but a new study suggests that when it comes to reducing depression with psychedelic-assisted therapy, what matters most is a strong relationship between the therapist and study participant.
	Common antibiotic may be helpful in fighting respiratory viral infections A new, Yale-led study suggests that a range of respiratory viral infections—including COVID-19 and influenza—may be preventable or treatable with a generic antibiotic that is delivered to the nasal passageway.
	Study finds COVID-19 pandemic led to some, but not many, developmental milestone delays in infants and young children Infants and children 5 years old and younger experienced only "modest" delays in developmental milestones due to the COVID-19 pandemic disruptions and restrictions, a study led by Johns Hopkins Children's Center finds.
	Improving cancer immunotherapy by prolonging T-cell survival In the past decade, immunotherapy has emerged as the fourth pillar of cancer treatment, joining surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It is an approved treatment for 15 cancers, including melanoma and some types of lymphomas and leukemias, but it is not effective in all cancers or in all patients.
	Researchers develop deep-learning model capable of predicting cardiac arrhythmia 30 minutes before it happens Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia worldwide with around 59 million people concerned in 2019. This irregular heartbeat is associated with increased risks of heart failure, dementia and stroke. It constitutes a significant burden to health care systems, making its early detection and treatment a major goal.
	Bacteria in the intestine that change in response to inflammation could have an impact on our immune system Gut bacteria have emerged as a focal point of scientific exploration, with their intricate roles in our metabolism, nutrition, and overall health coming into sharp focus. New research from the Technion—Israel Institute of Technology has made a discovery that could lead to a better understanding of and treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as colitis and Crohn's disease. The research is published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe.
	Postpartum low-dose esketamine aids moms with prenatal depression A single low dose of esketamine after childbirth reduces depressive episodes at 42 days postpartum among mothers with prenatal depression, according to a study published online April 10 in The BMJ.
	Sugar cravings could be caused by loneliness, study finds If you've spent a lonely night at home eating chocolates and/or ice cream, you shouldn't feel guilty. That's because loneliness can cause an intense desire for sugary foods, a new study found.
	Dementia treatments linked with serious side effects: Study Several antipsychotic treatments given to patients with dementia have been linked to serious side effects including heart failure, a study published Thursday has found.
	H. pylori testing feasible for people in community settings Community Helicobacter pylori (HP) testing in high-risk individuals is technically feasible, according to a study published online April 3 in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
	Occupations that are cognitively stimulating may be protective against later-life dementia People with a history of cognitively stimulating occupations during their 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s had a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia after age 70, according to a new study from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, the Columbia Aging Center, and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The findings highlight the importance of cognitive stimulation during midlife for maintaining cognitive function in old age.
	People think 'old age' starts later than it used to, study finds Middle-aged and older adults believe that old age begins later in life than their peers did decades ago, according to a study.
	How does aspirin help prevent colorectal cancer development and progression? Long-term daily use of aspirin can help to prevent the development and progression of colorectal cancer, but the mechanisms involved have been unclear. New research has revealed that aspirin may exert these protective effects by boosting certain aspects of the body's immune response against cancer cells. The findings are published in Cancer.
	3 in 5 parents play short order cook for young children who don't like family meal While most parents of preschool and elementary aged children strive to give their children a balanced, nutritional diet, some of their strategies to promote healthy eating may backfire, a national poll suggests.
	Study shows experts rate influenza as the number one pathogen of concern of pandemic potential New research presented at the ESCMID Global Congress (formerly ECCMID) in Barcelona, Spain (27–30 April) shows that in a VACCELERATE Consortium survey study in which infectious diseases experts were asked to rank pathogens in order of their pandemic potential, influenza was considered the pathogen of highest pandemic risk, with 57% ranking influenza as number one, and a further 17% ranking it second.
	Doctors cite unmedicated mental illness in Sydney mall attack No one can know the mind of Sydney shopping mall killer Joel Cauchi, but psychiatrists say one underlying cause of his rampage is evident: he had schizophrenia, stopped his medication and fell out of treatment.
	A study in Brazil shows social programs have prevented 1.4 million all-age deaths over the past two decades Primary health care, conditional cash transfers and social pensions have prevented 1.4 million deaths of all ages in Brazil over the past two decades, according to a study coordinated by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal). If expanded, these programs could avert an additional 1.3 million deaths and 6.6 million hospitalizations by 2030.
	Atrial fibrillation more common and dangerous in younger people than previously thought Atrial fibrillation (Afib), a common type of arrhythmia that is on the rise in people under the age of 65, is more dangerous in this increasingly younger population than previously thought, according to a new study published in Circulation Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology and authored by physician-scientists at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute.
	Study provides first stratification of the risk of developing dilated cardiomyopathy in symptom-free genetic carriers Dilated cardiomyopathy is the most frequent cause of heart failure in young people and is the leading cause of heart transplantation. In this disease, the heart enlarges and reduces its capacity to pump blood. People with dilated cardiomyopathy are at high risk for arrhythmias and sudden death.
	Expert reviews the current state of retinoblastoma research Retinoblastoma is a rare pediatric cancer, with approximately 250–300 new cases per year in the United States and 8,000 worldwide. The cancer grows within the retina, a thin layer of cells at the back of the eye, and is usually treatable when diagnosed early. However, if undiagnosed, retinoblastoma can metastasize and lead to death.
	Study finds sharp rise in firearm deaths among rural Black youth Firearm-related injuries have been the leading cause of death in children and adolescents in the U.S. since 2020, surpassing motor vehicle crashes. New research from the University of Minnesota shows the sharpest increase in firearm-related mortality over the past decade is not in urban areas but among Black rural youth.
	Cost increasingly important motive for quitting smoking for 1 in 4 adults in England Health concerns are still the primary motive for more than half of those who say they want to stop smoking in England, but cost is now a key factor for more than 1 in 4, finds an analysis of national survey responses, published in the open access journal BMJ Public Health.
	Treatment from female doctors leads to lower mortality and hospital readmission rates, finds study Patients have lower rates of mortality and hospital readmissions when treated by female physicians, with female patients benefitting more than their male counterparts, new research suggests.
	Researchers identify abrupt epigenetic aging of the colon DNA methylation data provide extremely accurate age predictors, but so far, little is known about the dynamics of this epigenomic biomarker over the course of life.
	Language matters in preventing suicide Of all the issues in psychiatry, even in all of medicine, suicide may be the most challenging to discuss responsibly in public.
	Parents, coaches: Help young athletes avoid summer heat hazards Another broiling summer looms, along with another season of kids' summer sports.
	Pediatrician offers advice on how to manage screen time and temper tantrums Are you concerned about the time your child spends on digital devices? If so, you're hardly alone. Many parents and caregivers worry that screen time is taking over their child's day (and night), crowding out other activities they need for good health.
	Few young adults could administer naloxone to reverse fentanyl overdose Even though fentanyl-linked fatal overdoses are soaring among young adults, a new survey of American college students found that just 1 in 7 knew how to administer the overdose antidote drug naloxone.
	Ozempic 'oops' babies spark debate about weight-loss drug use as fertility drug A surprising thing is happening to some women on weight-loss drugs who've struggled with fertility issues: They're getting pregnant. That's leading to questions about the safety of medications from Novo Nordisk A/S and Eli Lilly & Co. during pregnancy.
	Review explores cutaneous manifestations of myelodysplastic syndrome Cutaneous manifestations of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) are described in a perspective piece published in the April issue of Skin Health and Disease.
	Computer prompts could reduce empiric antibiotic use for UTI For non-critically ill patients with urinary tract infection (UTI), computerized provider order entry (CPOE) prompts providing patient- and pathogen-specific multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) risk estimates can reduce empiric extended-spectrum antibiotic use, according to a study published online April 19 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	RSV burden in children under 5 increased in 2021 and 2022 versus 2015–2019 For children younger than 5 years, the incidence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalization increased in 2021 and 2022 compared with 2015 to 2019, according to a study published online April 18 in JAMA Network Open.
	Inpatient rehab program aids adaptation to epilepsy diagnosis An inpatient, epilepsy-related rehabilitation program shows lasting effects on several aspects of adaptation to epilepsy and quality of life, according to a study published April 16 in Epilepsia.
	Neighborhood disadvantage tied to shorter breast cancer-specific survival Neighborhood disadvantage is associated with shorter breast cancer-specific survival, according to a study published online April 18 in JAMA Network Open.
	Visual impairment linked to increased risk for suicide Visual impairment is associated with an increased risk for suicide, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published online April 18 in JAMA Network Open.
	Chronic pain linked to socioeconomic background Development of chronic musculoskeletal pain can be influenced by socioeconomics, fear of movement, smoking and poorer support networks, new research shows.
	Why you shouldn't be afraid to start running after middle age As someone who started marathon running in midlife, I know how many aches and pains (and doubts) you can have if you take on the challenge to start running at an older age. But as an orthopedic surgeon who has replaced thousands of worn-out hips and knees throughout my career, I also know just how much exercise actually helps the joints.
	The world's oldest conjoined twins have died—what we know about this rare condition The world's oldest conjoined twins, Lori and George Schappell, recently died, aged 62.
	Parrot fever cases amid a 'mysterious' pneumonia outbreak in Argentina—what you need to know about psittacosis The term "mysterious pneumonia" has become particularly triggering since early 2020. This is how the yet-to-be-named disease COVID-19 was first described when a cluster of cases was identified in Wuhan, China.
	Dungeons and Dragons at 50: How the role-playing game may soon be used as a form of therapy Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) is crossing a new frontier, as the game may soon be used as a form of psychological therapy. Over the last five years, I have researched possibilities for the game's clinical implementation, as well as potential hurdles.
	Ways you can filter out harmful PFAS from drinking water at home Chemists invented PFAS in the 1930s to make life easier: Nonstick pans, waterproof clothing, grease-resistant food packaging and stain-resistant carpet were all made possible by PFAS. But in recent years, the growing number of health risks found to be connected to these chemicals has become increasingly alarming.
	Low levels of alcohol may not be healthy after all, according to new analytical approaches Low to moderate drinking may not be protective against certain health conditions, and "safe" alcohol use guidelines may be substantially off base. These are among the implications of a review of studies that use a novel research method. For most health conditions, the evidence that any amount of drinking increases risk is strong. For some other diseases, however, traditional data analysis yields a J-curve effect.
	How young adults perceive the risk of a single drink versus risk in binge drinking When drinking choices are perceived as "just one drink," with each single drink representing relatively slight risk, it may ironically lead to heavier drinking and alcohol-related harms. That's the finding of a novel study exploring the decision-making process around binge drinking.
	New strategy for assessing natural history of leukodystrophies Natural history studies serve as an important standard in medical research because they analyze demographic, genetic, environmental and other variables to better understand how a disease develops and its clinical outcomes.
	Writing to wellness: New therapy helps cancer patients face biggest fears Imagine your greatest fear. Now, write it down and tell it in first-person, as if it's happening right now. Vividly describe what it looks, sounds, smells, tastes and feels like. Don't hold back.
	Q&A: New research unveils three distinct language comprehension phenotypes in autistic children According to The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, can affect children's language development and communication in a variety of ways. While some children with ASD may encounter difficulties communicating verbally, others exhibit impressive vocabularies and the ability to speak on specific topic areas in detail.
	Leukocyte glucose index, arteriovenous fistula failure linked in ESKD For patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), a high preoperative leukocyte glucose index (LGI) is associated with arteriovenous fistula (AVF) failure, according to a study published online April 1 in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.
	Dialectical behavior therapy reduces suicidal behavior in adults with autism Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is safe and shows short-term efficacy in reducing suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in adults with suicidal behavior and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a study published online April 12 in Psychological Medicine.
	Research analyzes government intervention and COVID-19 pandemic While there's a strong determination worldwide to return to a new normal in a post-COVID world, the pandemic is nearly impossible to forget. A large amount of data also provides insight we may not want to move past just yet—how we handled it.
	Belgian whose body brews alcohol beats drink-driving rap A Belgian man with a very rare metabolic condition that causes his body to produce alcohol had a drink-driving charge against him dismissed in court on Monday.
	People with irritable bowel syndrome may experience disordered eating due to condition New Swinburne-led research has revealed that a third of people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may suffer from symptoms of disordered eating and orthorexia—an obsession with healthy eating.
	Taxing unhealthy food helps cut obesity, says global study Mexico is leading the way in implementing taxes on unhealthy food options, successfully helping to tackle obesity and related health issues.
	Q&A: Climate change and health care—how individuals and institutions can help Unseasonably mild winters. Forest fires and smoke. More reports of catastrophic storms. We've experienced increasingly extreme weather changes in the past few years, and the intersection between environmental issues and health is a pressing concern.
	Study shows TP53INP2 protein could provide new way to combat muscle loss during aging Sarcopenia is a common disorder in older people, characterized by progressive loss of muscle mass and function, a condition that can significantly affect quality of life and increase the risk of falls, injury and dependency. Research into this physiological process is essential to develop effective strategies to enable the population to age in a healthy way.
	Mental imagining of self-harm can increase urge, heighten risk of people harming themselves Vivid mental images of self-harm can put young people at an increased short-term risk of actually harming themselves, according to new research.
	Abdominal obesity might predict risk of fecal incontinence Fecal incontinence (FI), or involuntary loss of bowel control, significantly impacts quality of life and mental health for millions of adults in the U.S. Obesity is thought to affect bowel function, but the relationship between its standardized measure, body mass index (BMI), and FI remains unclear. Examining better markers of obesity that include body composition and fat distribution, rather than BMI alone, could help clarify the effect of obesity on FI.
	Smartphone swabs provide convenient toxicology testing A simple and convenient method to collect drug use data from the surface of a smartphone has been revealed for the first time in a new study published in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM). By helping clinicians understand which drugs people are taking in certain contexts, the research could protect public health and improve the treatment of patients suspected of overdosing.
	System-level factors influence doctors to reduce low-value care practices, finds study A study analyzing Medicare data on low-value care (LVC) services, or services that provide little to no benefit relative to their potential cost, found that physicians were more strongly influenced by system-level factors that encourage a reduction of LVC and more resistant to factors that encourage an increase in LVC. In other words, physicians moving to locations with lower rates of LVC were more likely to adopt those practices, but the opposite was not true.
	Delirium ID toolkit boosts caregiver knowledge to prevent, manage the condition Caregivers involved in a world-first pilot study have endorsed an online tool for assessing delirium which gives them a key role in the management of loved ones affected by the confused mental state.
	Despite AI advancements, human oversight remains essential: Study State-of-the-art artificial intelligence systems known as large language models (LLMs) are poor medical coders, according to researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Their study, published in the April 19 online issue of NEJM AI, emphasizes the necessity for refinement and validation of these technologies before considering clinical implementation.
	EU should adopt research-based approach to ensure quality, safety of substances of human origin, argues study Substances of human origin (SoHOs) such as blood, plasma, skin, corneas, and embryos play an increasing role in life-saving medical procedures. Governments around the world are reevaluating their health care policies to ensure of a supply of SoHOs for their population, while also considering the best-interests of both donors and patients.
	Improving prospects for people with Parkinson's In an evolving journey toward understanding and supporting those living with Parkinson's disease, a new report offers fresh insights into the burden it places on those affected.
	Firearm violence risk score may help tailor, disseminate prevention efforts in emergency departments A four-item score designed to predict those at risk for future firearm violence may serve as an important tool for emergency department clinicians to tailor interventions to young persons at risk for firearm violence and disseminating those interventions effectively. A new cross-sectional analysis of the association between the risk score and self-reported firearm violence is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Researchers explore advancements in endoscopic techniques for removing large colorectal polyps Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cancer in the United States. This highlights the importance of early detection and treatment of precancerous lesions like large polyps. Endoscopy offers a minimally invasive approach to removing these polyps, reducing the need for traditional surgery.
	Eye-opener: Pupils enlarge when people focus on tasks Working memory is one of the brain's executive functions, a skill that allows humans to process information without losing track of what they're doing.
	Gut bacteria and inflammatory bowel disease: Exploring the potential of prebiotics A growing body of research suggests that manipulating gut bacteria may offer a promising approach to managing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic and debilitating condition affecting millions of people worldwide.
	DeepWMH: A deep learning tool for accurate white matter hyperintensity segmentation White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images are imaging features in various neurological diseases and essential markers for clinical impairment and disease progression. WMHs are associated with brain aging and pathological changes in the human brain, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cerebral small vessel disease, multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders, and neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease.
	Online tools can help to lower costs for urologic medications, says experts Available online tools can help to lower out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for patients with common urologic conditions, reports a study in the May issue of Urology Practice,.
	Scientists harness ultrasound for drug delivery and tissue implantation Research presents an advance in drug delivery and tissue implantation assisted by ultrasound, developed by researchers from the Technion Faculty of Biomedical Engineering. The work is published in the journal Small Methods.
	Analyzing the impact of ovulation-inducing agents on the quality of embryo Low birth rates have become a serious problem in many developed countries throughout the world, with Japan being a prime example. In Japan particularly, aging and stress have led to a massive rise in infertility, which now affects one in every 4.4 couples.
	Pandemic treaty pressure is harmful to poorer countries, says expert Attempts by the WHO to push for an agreement in the Pandemic Treaty negotiations is detrimental to poorer countries, according to a leading global health expert.
	Researchers identify connection between air pollutants and allergic diseases A study by researchers at National Jewish Health published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology reports that air pollutants—including particulate matter, pollen, greenhouse gases, and other harmful substances—can contribute to the development and exacerbation of allergic diseases by disrupting the skin barrier.
	In hospital emergency department, teams with disconnected roles found to be less effective Reliance on pre-defined roles (e.g., a nurse and physician in medicine) has long been a cornerstone of coordination in organizations, providing clarity to team members about what they and their teammates are expected to know and do. However, the rise of fluid participation—frequent changes to team membership and the composition of available skills—poses new challenges to such traditional coordination mechanisms.
	Study connects enjoyment of nature to lower inflammation levels Plenty of studies link exposure to the natural world and improved mental and physical health, but a new Cornell study connects enjoyment of nature to a specific biological process—inflammation.
	What do you know about measles and vaccination? With measles cases rising in Canada and internationally, it is important for clinicians to understand the disease and the role of vaccination against measles. Two articles in Canadian Medical Association Journal provide succinct overviews of this highly infectious disease. Many clinicians may not have direct experience with measles diagnosis and treatment as Canada achieved measles elimination status in 1998.
	First Nations patients leave ED without completing treatment more often than comparable non–First Nations patients First Nations patients in Alberta leave emergency departments (EDs) without completing treatment more often than comparable non–First Nations patients, due in part to anti-Indigenous racism expressed by providers, found new research published in Canadian Medical Association Journal.
	A 'healthy addiction': sea saunas make waves in Ireland For Sharon Fidgeon, a regular visitor to Ireland's increasingly popular beach saunas, her weekend sessions "have become a healthy addiction" that tap into a centuries-old Irish tradition of toning up by getting sweaty.
	UN labor agency report warns of rising threat of excess heat, climate change on world's workers The U.N. labor organization warned Monday that over 70% of the world's workforce is likely to be exposed to excessive heat during their careers, citing increased concern about exposure to sunlight. It also warned of air pollution, pesticides and other hazards that could lead to health problems including cancer.
	The UK plans to phase out smoking. What does this new law mean for tobacco control in Australia? There are no silver bullets, magic tricks or secret hacks to solving complex public health problems. Taking on the global tobacco industry and reducing the devastating consequences of smoking has taken decades of incremental reforms.
	2000–2010 to 2011–2022 saw increase in lifetime risk for atrial fibrillation From 2000 to 2022, there was an increase in the lifetime risk for atrial fibrillation, according to a study published online April 17 in The BMJ.
	'Miracle' weight-loss drugs could have reduced health disparities: Instead they got worse The American Heart Association calls them "game changers."
	Native Americans have shorter life spans: Better health care isn't the only answer Katherine Goodlow is only 20, but she has experienced enough to know that people around her are dying too young.
	One in five people awaiting a transplant are Hispanic—here's what to know about organ donation The number of Hispanic organ donors in the U.S. has increased in recent years, but that growth has been slow. Although organs are not matched by race and ethnicity, a significant gap remains between donors and transplant candidates among Hispanic people.
	Video: Prescribing nature for mental, physical health Eating right and exercising are important ways to stay mentally and physically healthy. And instead of getting off the couch and hopping on a treadmill, you might want to consider going outdoors and reaping the health benefits of being in nature.
	Research team reports on blood-based multi-omics guided detection of a precancerous pancreatic tumor A new case report published in OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology describes how longitudinal multi-omics monitoring (LMOM) helped to detect a precancerous pancreatic tumor and led to a successful surgical intervention.
	Review highlights the potential and promise of CAR-T cell therapy in autoimmune diseases Autoimmune disease (AID) refers to the condition in which the immune system identifies the body's own cells and tissues as foreign, resulting in systemic inflammation. The immune system's self-attack via autoreactive B and T immune cells and autoantibodies—antibodies against body's own proteins—may present as mild to severe symptoms, ranging from fever and body pain to skin allergies and digestive disorders.

Other Sciences news

	Saturday Citations: Irrationality modeled; genetic basis for PTSD; Tasmanian devils still endangered Hello, stakeholders. (This is the nongendered term of address I've been workshopping because I see "folks" in too many social media posts.) Researchers this week reported on an AI model that attempts to emulate human irrationality in decision-making, which has to be the best approach toward building a human-equivalent general AI, right? Like, if you told Siri "Thank you," and she replied "You, too" instead of "You're welcome," and then felt embarrassed about it. That would seem deeply human to me.
	Best of Last Week—When cosmic rays streamed through the atmosphere, silent flight, end of vaccine boosters possible It was a good week for space research as a team with members from several institutions across the U.S. studying data from the James Webb Space Telescope pinpointed a possible aurora on a cold brown dwarf caused by methane emissions. The finding was surprising because the dwarf was so cold and isolated. A team of researchers at The European Geosciences Union General Assembly found evidence that cosmic rays streamed through Earth's atmosphere 41,000 years ago. By studying radionuclides in ice and marine sediment, they found isotopes that are produced through the interaction between cosmic rays and Earth's atmosphere. And an international team studying Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope data related to a 2023 supernova near the Pinwheel galaxy were surprised to find an absence of gamma rays.
	Everest mountaineer's letters digitized for the first time Letters written by the famous mountaineer George Mallory have been made available to a global audience for the first time, in the centenary year of his fatal attempt to scale Everest.
	Five things our research uncovered when we recreated 16th century beer (and barrels) It's true that our 16th-century ancestors drank much more than Irish people do today. But why they did so and what their beer was like are questions shrouded in myth. The authors were part of a team who set out to find some answers.
	'Forgotten city:' the identification of Dura-Europos' neglected sister site in Syria The Dura-Europos site in modern-day Syria is famous for its exceptional state of preservation. Like Pompeii, this ancient city has yielded many great discoveries, and serves as a window into the world of the ancient Hellenistic, Parthian, and Roman periods. Yet despite the prominence of Dura-Europos in Near Eastern scholarship, there is another city, only some miles down the Euphrates river, that presents a long-neglected opportunity for study.
	Research suggests historically redlined areas see more modern-day gun violence In the 1930s, the United States government introduced redlining, a discriminatory practice that categorized neighborhoods based on people's race or ethnicity and denied financial services to residents in certain areas—redlining disproportionately affected marginalized communities. While redlining was officially outlawed in 1968, new research from Boston Children's Hospital suggests a relationship between historic redlining and present-day gun violence.
	Sex differences don't disappear as a country's equality develops—sometimes, they become stronger The more gender equal a society is, the more similar men and women will be, adopting more similar interests, personality traits and behavioral patterns. Or so many people seem to believe.
	Unstable employment while you're young can set you up for a wage gap later in life As they kick off their careers, young people often have to navigate a maze of short-term and casual jobs.
	Stonehenge may have aligned with the moon as well as the sun When it comes to its connection to the sky, Stonehenge is best known for its solar alignments. Every midsummer's night tens of thousands of people gather at Stonehenge to celebrate and witness the rising sun in alignment with the Heel stone standing outside of the circle. Six months later a smaller crowd congregates around the Heel stone to witness the midwinter sun setting within the stone circle.
	Plastic fantastic or nature-based playgrounds: Which is best for children's development? Colorful slides and metal monkey bars are the mainstay of local playgrounds. But look around and you'll notice a growing trend for natural elements in children's play spaces, So, which is better for children's development?
	Study: If you give companies R&D credits, they are more likely to acquire startups Firms that receive research and development (R&D) credits are much more likely to acquire venture capital (VC) backed startups, alongside investing in their own R&D efforts, according to new research by ESMT Berlin.
	The stock market is (informationally) greater than the sum of its parts Professional asset managers are assessed based on their ability to outperform the market. In practice, outperformance is most often measured relative to industry benchmarks such as the S&P 500 (for large-cap U.S. equities), or the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index.
	Life goals and their changes drive success, says study "Where is my life going?" "Who do I want to be?" As future-thinkers, adolescents spend significant time contemplating these types of questions about their life goals. A new study from the University of Houston shows that as people grow from teenagers to young adults, they tend to change the importance they place on certain life goals, but one thing is certain: The existence of high-prestige and education goals, as well as their positive development, can drive success.
	Q&A: Paper, plastics and penalties. How audits can improve curbside recycling For decades, curbside recycling has been a fixture in U.S. neighborhoods as a way to empower ordinary citizens to protect their environment and reduce waste. It's a system, though, that relies on consumers to know what items are recyclable—and which ones can contaminate a delicate ecosystem.
	Uncovering a CS Lewis poem A forgotten poem by Chronicles of Narnia author CS Lewis reveals details of friendships between fantasy writers and medievalists at the University of Leeds.
	Sibling contact with criminal legal system is harmful to children and families, study finds Criminal legal system contact has emerged as a key event for understanding family life, childhood well-being, and patterns of inequality. Scholars have found many problems for families that are linked to mass criminalization and effects tend to be concentrated among the most marginalized segments of society. But few studies have considered the consequences of sibling criminal legal system contact for families.
	Research investigates whether electing progressive US prosecutors leads to increased crime In the United States, the number of so-called progressive prosecutors focused on criminal justice reform has risen, but few studies have addressed the relation between these prosecutors' policies and crime rates. In a new study, researchers examined whether progressive prosecutors in the 100 most populated counties affected crime rates from 2000 to 2020. They found that the inauguration of these prosecutors led to higher relative rates of property crime and total crime, but not to higher relative rates of violent crime.
	International balance of power determined by Chinese control over emerging technologies, study shows The fierce competition between China and the United States of America for control of emerging technologies such as AI and 5G will determine the international balance of power, a new study says.
	TikTok fears point to larger problem: Poor media literacy in the social media age The U.S. government moved closer to banning the video social media app TikTok after the House of Representatives attached the measure to an emergency spending bill on Apr. 17, 2024. The House voted on each of the four components of the bill, and the one affecting TikTok passed 360–58 on Apr. 20, 2024. The packaging is likely to improve the bill's chances in the Senate, and President Joe Biden has indicated that he will sign the bill if it reaches his desk.
	Call to address gender inequity facing Australia's female veterans Women who serve in the Australian Defense Force face disadvantages both in military service and afterwards, a new Flinders University study finds.
	Japan's premodern concept of nature at root of distinctive mindset in early childhood education Observers of Japanese early childhood education and care have pointed to the mindset of educators watching over and waiting on preschoolers as being an intriguing tendency. This "mimamoru" approach has its roots in a premodern concept of nature, according to Professor Yosuke Hirota at the Graduate School of Literature and Human Sciences of Osaka Metropolitan University.
	Fighting impostor syndrome: Researcher aims to help students struggling with self-doubt Jiyun Elizabeth L. Shin has seen the impacts of impostorism—commonly referred to as impostor syndrome—firsthand. "When I talk about impostorism, students often come up to me after class to talk about their experiences," said Shin, a lecturer at Binghamton University's Psychology Department.
	Danish children encounter four typical family learning environments Do children have regular bedtimes and do parents enforce strict screen time policies? And do parents take their children to museums so that they can learn from an early age? Or is everyday life more about having fun together, without clear rules and any ambition to "develop" children in any particular way?
	European Court of Human Rights is 'backsliding' on legal protections for asylum seekers, study says The European Court of Human Rights is "backsliding" by surreptitiously reversing its principles established to protect asylum seekers, a new study says.

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