Today's Top Science News

Low fruit and vegetable intakes and higher body fat linked to anxiety disorders
New research from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging shows that adults who have low fruit and vegetable intakes have a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

Consumers value products more on sunny and snowy days but not when it rains
Weather is an ever-present force in consumers' daily lives, yet there is little marketing research on how it affects consumers and businesses. A new UBC Sauder School of Business study reveals that sunny and snowy conditions trigger consumers to mentally visualize using products associated with the respective weather, which leads to consumers placing a higher value on them. Researchers also found the link between weather and higher product valuation only works for products that are related to being outside.

Computer scientists' new tool fools hackers into sharing keys for better cybersecurity
Instead of blocking hackers, a new cybersecurity defense approach developed by University of Texas at Dallas computer scientists actually welcomes them. The method, called DEEP-Dig (DEcEPtion DIGging), ushers intruders into a decoy site so the computer can learn from hackers' tactics. The information is then used to train the computer to recognize and stop future attacks.

Existing drugs may offer a first-line treatment for coronavirus outbreak
Developing new drugs and vaccines for diseases like the COVID-19 coronavirus can take years. A survey of existing drugs shows a number of candidates in different phases of clinical testing that might offer hope.

Novel photocatalytic method converts biopolyols and sugars into methanol and syngas
A research group led by Professor WANG Feng from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences recently developed a photocatalytic method for the conversion of biopolyols and sugars to methanol and syngas.

Imaging can guide whether liquid biopsy will benefit individual glioblastoma patients
New research shows brain imaging may be able to predict when a blood test known as a liquid biopsy would or would not produce clinically actionable information, allowing doctors to more efficiently guide patients to the proper next steps in their care.

STATICA: A novel processor that solves a notoriously complex mathematical problem
Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology have designed a novel processor architecture that can solve combinatorial optimization problems much faster than existing ones. Combinatorial optimization are complex problems that show up across many different fields of science and engineering and are difficult for conventional computers to handle, making specialized processor architectures very important.

Metal-organic frameworks can separate gases despite the presence of water
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising materials for inexpensive and less energy-intensive gas separation even in the presence of impurities such as water.

Hearing aids may delay cognitive decline, research finds
Wearing hearing aids may delay cognitive decline in older adults and improve brain function, according to promising new research. University of Melbourne researchers have tested the use of hearing aids in almost 100 adults aged 62-82 years with hearing loss. After 18 months of hearing aid use, researchers found speech perception, self-reported listening disability and quality of life had significantly improved for participants.

Drivers of expensive cars less likely to yield for pedestrians: UNLV study
What does the car you drive say about your manners? New UNLV study finds that drivers of flashy cars are less likely to yield for pedestrians.

Multi-sensor band quickly and simply records subtle changes in patients with MS
An international team of scientists, led by UC San Diego researchers, has developed a new, multi-sensor tool that measures subtle changes in multiple sclerosis patients, allowing physicians to more frequently and more quickly respond to changes in symptoms or patient condition.

TRAX air quality study expands
In a new study published in Urban Science, researchers including Daniel Mendoza and Logan Mitchell report the latest from the TRAX Observation Project, including data validation studies that bolster the data's value for other researchers and three case studies from recent events showcasing the abilities of the mobile air quality sensors.

UCLA engineers develop miniaturized 'warehouse robots' for biotechnology applications
UCLA engineers have developed minuscule warehouse logistics robots that could help expedite and automate medical diagnostic technologies and other applications that move and manipulate tiny drops of fluid. The study was published in Science Robotics.

Cold sintering produces capacitor material at record low temperatures
Barium titanate is an important electroceramic material used in trillions of capacitors each year and found in most electronics. Penn State researchers have produced the material at record low temperatures, and the discovery could lead to more energy efficient manufacturing.

'Low' socioeconomic status is the biggest barrier to STEM participation
A new study has found that socioeconomic status (SES) has the strongest impact on whether secondary school students study the STEM sciences.

Widowhood accelerates cognitive decline among those at risk for Alzheimer's disease
A new study finds that widowhood can have another profound effect: It may accelerate cognitive decline.

Helpful interactions can keep societies stable
University of Pennsylvania biologists have challenged old notions that communities with mutualistic interactions--where the presence of one species benefits another--are unstable. Their model, instead, shows that such interactions can make communities even more stable in some scenarios.

Researchers develop gene catalog comprising community of microbes in vaginal microbio
University of Maryland School of Medicine's (UMSOM) Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS) researchers have created the first catalogue of genes that comprise the community of microbes, which inhabit the human vagina. The catalogue, called human vaginal non-redundant gene catalog (VIRGO), was recently released as a public resource that can be used by researchers to facilitate a more in-depth understanding of the role of vaginal microorganisms in women's health and to potentially develop future treatments.

Celestial hourglass
The latest image from the international Gemini Observatory showcases the striking planetary nebula CVMP 1. This object is the result of the death throes of a giant star and is a glorious but relatively short-lived astronomical spectacle. As the progenitor star of this planetary nebula slowly cools, this celestial hourglass will run out of time and will slowly fade from view over many thousands of years.

CT provides best diagnosis for COVID-19
In a study of more than 1,000 patients published in the journal Radiology, chest CT outperformed lab testing in the diagnosis of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The researchers concluded that CT should be used as the primary screening tool for COVID-19.

Job insecurity negatively affects your personality: Study
Drawing on Cybernetic Big Five Theory, this study proposes that chronic job insecurity is associated with an increase in neuroticism and decreases in agreeableness and conscientiousness.

Study reveals potential new treatment for patients with metastatic melanoma
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have uncovered a potentially more beneficial treatment regimen for patients with metastatic melanoma.

How low can you go? Lower than ever before
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have made the most sensitive measurements to date of how quickly electric charge moves in silicon, a gauge of its performance as a semiconductor.

Freshwater flowing into the North Pacific plays key role in North America's climate
Massive freshwater river flows stemming from glacier-fed flooding at the end of the last ice age surged across eastern Washington to the Columbia River and out to the North Pacific Ocean, where they triggered climate changes throughout the northern hemisphere.

Bilingual mash ups: Counterintuitive findings from sociolinguistics
A new study exposes the fallacy of relying on pronunciation as a measure of linguistic proficiency. The study, 'Revisiting phonetic integration in bilingual borrowing', by Shana Poplack, Suzanne Robillard, Nathalie Dion (all from the University of Ottawa), and John. C. Paolillo (University of Indiana Bloomington) will be published in March 2020 issue of the scholarly journal Language.

SWOG study shows genetic effects of pre-surgical chemo in breast cancer
Results from one of the first studies to determine the effects of pre-surgical, or neoadjuvant, chemotherapy on the breast cancer genome offer up two key insights. One is a before treatment finding that can help predict which patients would most benefit from pre-surgical chemo, and the other an after treatment finding which sheds light on how cancer cells survive chemotherapy. Findings appear in Clinical Cancer Research.

What we learned after 5,000 non-surgical rhinoplasties
As patients continue to seek non-invasive treatments across the cosmetic spectrum, 'liquid rhinoplasty' is emerging as the non-surgical alternative to the traditional nose job. Using dermal fillers to change the appearance of the nose, non-surgical rhinoplasty is gaining in popularity due to its relatively low cost, convenience, and short recovery time.

Sweat sensor detects stress levels; may find use in space exploration
Caltech researcher has developed a sweat sensor capable of monitoring levels of cortisol in the body.

Mosaic evolution painted lorikeets a rainbow of color
A new study examines how color evolved in one of the flashiest groups of parrots -- Australasian lorikeets -- finding that different plumage patches on the birds evolved independently. The study helps explain why it's possible for the birds' faces and front sides to display a dazzling variety of colors -- from vibrant ultraviolet blue only visible to other birds to deep crimson and black -- while their wings and backs tend to be the same color: green.

Omega-3 fatty acids may prevent breast implant complications, like capsular contracture
For women receiving breast implants during reconstructive or cosmetic breast surgery, scarring around the implant - called capsular contracture - is a common, costly, and painful complication. The anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish oil, might help to avoid abnormal capsule formation suggests an experimental study in the March issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Are cats the 'canary in the coal mine' for wildfire effects on human health?
Cats who suffered burns and smoke inhalation in recent California wildfires also had a high incidence of heart problems, according to a new study from researchers at the University of California, Davis, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.

Using light to put a twist on electrons
Method with polarized light can create and measure nonsymmetrical states in a layered material.

Tadpoles break the tension with bubble-sucking
When it comes to the smallest of creatures, the hydrogen bonds that hold water molecules together to form 'surface tension' lend enough strength to support their mass: think of insects that skip across the surface of water. But what happens to small creatures that dwell below the surface of the water? For tadpoles, they do something called bubble-sucking.

No benefit found in using broad-spectrum antibiotics as initial pneumonia treatment
Doctors who use drugs that target antibiotic-resistant bacteria as a first-line defense against pneumonia should probably reconsider this approach, according to a new study of more than 88,000 veterans hospitalized with the disease. The study, conducted by University of Utah Health and VA Salt Lake City Health Care System researchers, found that pneumonia patients given these medications in the first days after hospitalization fared no better than those receiving standard medical care for the condition.

Researchers develop technique to create nanomaterials which may help detect cancer earlier
For the first time, a team of scientists at the University of Central Florida has created functional nanomaterials with hollow interiors that can be used to create highly sensitive biosensors for early cancer detection.

Billions lost as illicit fisheries trade hurting nations who can afford it least
More than eight million to 14 million tonnes of unreported fish catches are traded illicitly every year, costing the legitimate market between $9 billion and $17 billion in trade each year, according to new UBC research.

Study analyzes impact of switch from nuclear power to coal, suggests directions for policy
A new study used data from the United States to analyze the costs and benefits of electricity production from coal-fired versus nuclear sources. The study's authors conclude that policymakers should look at nuclear power as a low-carbon electricity source, but that utilities will need to have incentives to do so.

Breaking down stubborn molecules
Seawater is more than just saltwater. The ocean is a veritable soup of chemicals.

Explained: Why water droplets 'bounce off the walls'
University of Warwick researchers can now explain why some water droplets bounce like a beach ball off surfaces, without ever actually touching them. Now the design and engineering of future droplet technologies can be made more precise and efficient.

Revving up immune system may help treat eczema
Studying eczema, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that boosting the number of natural killer cells in the blood is a possible treatment strategy for the skin condition and also may help with related health problems, such as asthma.

New CRISPR base-editing technology slows ALS progression in mice
With a new CRISPR gene-editing methodology, scientists from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign inactivated one of the genes responsible for an inherited form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis -- a debilitating and fatal neurological disease for which there is no cure. The novel treatment slowed disease progression, improved muscle function and extended lifespan in mice with an aggressive form of ALS.

The best preoperative definition of cancer-related malnutrition depends on cancer type
The best approach for surgeons to identify malnourished cancer patients before they have a cancer operation may be specifically related to the type of cancer.

Journal maps intersection of immigration and aging
A new special issue of the journal The Gerontologist from The Gerontological Society of America explores how contemporary trends in immigration, migration, and refugee movement affect how people age and how societies care for aging people.

Oncotarget: Both BRCA1-wild type and -mutant triple-negative breast cancers show
Oncotarget Volume 11 Issue 8 features Figure 8, 'MLN4924 treatment induces DNA damage by stabilizing CDT1 and accumulates the cells in S phase which are enhanced by MLN4924/cisplatin co-treatment,' by Misra, et al.

One year into 'soda tax,' researchers find law did not affect sugary-beverage consumption
One year into Philadelphia's 1.5-cents-per-ounce 'soda tax,' new findings show that the law had minimal to no influence on what Philadelphians are drinking. The results were published this month in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health from researchers at Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health.

New bile discovery will rewrite textbooks
Forget what you know about bile because that's about to change, thanks to a new discovery made by Michigan State University and published in the current issue of Nature.

Intervention to help GPs identify and treat patients with hepatitis C found to be effective
The first UK clinical trial to increase the identification and treatment of hepatitis C (HCV) patients in primary care has been found to be effective, acceptable to staff and highly cost-effective for the NHS. The University of Bristol-led Hepatitis C Assessment to Treatment Trial (HepCATT), published in the British Medical Journal today, provides robust evidence of effective action GPs should take to increase HCV testing and treatment.

Rates of ADHD diagnosis in veterans are rising, reports VA study in Medical Care
Rates of diagnosed attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in veterans receiving care in the VA health system more than doubled during the past decade, reports a study in the March issue of Medical Care. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

Tax rule for industry rewards carbon capture
When it comes to encouraging manufacturers to reduce their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, a carrot might be more effective than a stick. That's the approach taken by a recent US tax code rule that offers credits to companies that capture and then store or use CO2. The rule will likely spur innovations in carbon capture technology, according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society. 

New patented invention stabilizes, rotates satellites
Many satellites are in space to take photos. But a vibrating satellite, like a camera in shaky hands, can't get a sharp image. Pointing it at a precise location to take a photo or perform another task, is another important function requiring accuracy. Vedant, an aerospace engineering doctoral student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was developing a way to eliminate vibrations on a satellite when he discovered his invention could also rotate the satellite.

Wildness in urban parks important for human well-being
A new study led by the University of Washington has found that not all forms of nature are created equal when considering benefits to people's well-being. Experiencing wildness, specifically, is particularly important for physical and mental health.

Potential new heartburn drug studied at VUMC
An investigational drug that binds bile acids in the stomach can reduce the severity of heartburn symptoms in patients with treatment-resistant gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) when combined with a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), a new study suggests.

Research suggests adults - not just teens - like electronic cigarette flavors
On February 6, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began to enforce a previously-issued policy on unauthorized flavored cartridge-based e-cigarette products with the goal of addressing the current epidemic of youth use of e-cigarettes. A new study by researchers at Penn State finds that adults enjoy sweet e-cigarette flavors just as much as teens, suggesting that the policy may have consequences for adults too.

McMaster researchers uncover hidden antibiotic potential of cannabis
The research team found that CBG had antibacterial activity against drug-resistant MRSA. It prevented the ability of that bacteria to form biofilms, which are communities of microorganisms that attach to each other and to surfaces; and it destroyed preformed biofilms and cells resistant to antibiotics. CBG achieved this by targeting the cell membrane of the bacteria. These findings in the laboratory were supported when mice with an MRSA infection were given CBG.

Melting properties determine biological functions of cuticular hydrocarbon layer of ants
The bodies of ants are covered with wax-like substances known as cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) that serve communication as well as protection against desiccation. While recognition of other ants requires the CHC layer to be not too solid, desiccation protection requires it to be as solid as possible. To resolve this conflict between the needs of communication and waterproofing, this layer is composed of CHCs with special physical properties, as biologists have now discovered.

Chemists learn how to detect phenols in smoked food samples using vitamin B4
They propose to extract these phenols by use of choline chloride, otherwise known as vitamin B4. Environmentally safe, quick and inexpensive, this method can be used in analytical laboratories at factories, where it is necessary to determine the concentration of these alcohols in prepared foods.

Cannabis compound acts as an antibiotic 
Public health agencies worldwide have identified antibiotic resistance of disease-causing bacteria as one of humanity's most critical challenges. However, scientists haven't discovered a new class of antibiotics in more than 30 years. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Infectious Diseases have uncovered the hidden antibiotic potential of a non-psychoactive cannabis compound called cannabigerol (CBG), which helped control methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections in mice.

New compounds thwart multiple viruses, including coronavirus
According to a Feb. 13 report from the World Health Organization, the Wuhan coronavirus has stricken more than 46,000 people and has caused over 1,300 deaths since the first cases in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Now, researchers reporting in ACS' Journal of Medicinal Chemistry have designed compounds that block the replication of similar coronaviruses, as well as other disease-causing viruses, in the lab. The compounds have not yet been tested in people. 

Mount Sinai physicians first in US analyzing lung disease in coronavirus patients
Findings from CT scans of COVID-19 cases from China provide new insight that could lead to quicker diagnosis.

Antioxidant precursor molecule could improve brain function in patients with MS
The naturally occurring molecule N-acetylcysteine (NAC) shows benefit in a clinical trial for multiple sclerosis.

Eat or be eaten
Plants obtain their energy from the sun. Other beings rely on eating to survive. Yet how does the energy flow inside ecosystems function and are there differences between ecosystems with many species in comparison to those with few species? Researchers have now examined these questions using a holistic approach by evaluating data gathered through a large-scale biodiversity experiment.

ADDF statement on the USPSTF Evidence Report on screening for cognitive impairment
The latest US Preventive Services Task Force evidence report on screening for cognitive impairment in older adults raises many questions, but provides few answers for healthcare providers, patients, and families.

Motley crew: Rust and light a possible answer to the conundrum of hydrogen fuel production
Production of hydrogen fuel is a key goal towards the development of sustainable energy practices, but this process does not have feasible techniques yet. A team of Japanese scientists from Tokyo University of Science, led by Professor Ken-ichi Katsumata, have identified a novel technique of using rust and light to speed up hydrogen production from organic waste solution, a finding that can revolutionize the clean energy industry.

Scientists find link between genes and ability to exercise
A team of researchers have discovered a genetic mutation that reduces a patient's ability to exercise efficiently.

Cases of poisoning: Liquids containing cannabidiols for e-cigarettes can be manipulated
The health risks of e-cigarettes have come into focus after the deaths of several 'vapers' due to lung injury in the USA recently. These health risks were discussed in press reports on eight young people who were poisoned in Bremerhaven in October 2019. Patients suffered from convulsive seizures, impaired consciousness and memory, and heart palpitations.

Understanding the link between nicotine use and misuse of 'benzos'
Lately, misuse of prescription benzodiazepines (such as alprazolam or Xanax, and diazepam or Valium) has been linked to nicotine use. Evidence of how nicotine 'sets up' a craving for benzodiazepines -- often called 'benzos' -- in animal laboratory studies has been published in the open-access journal eNeuro.

Quitting smoking during the first trimester of pregnancy still puts the baby at risk
Although quitting smoking during the first trimester of pregnancy reduces the risk of low birth weight, it isn't enough to protect the unborn child from being born shorter and with smaller brain size, a new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows. The study looked at 1.4 million mother-child pairs in Finland.

New study allows brain and artificial neurons to link up over the web
Research on novel nanoelectronics devices led by the University of Southampton enabled brain neurons and artificial neurons to communicate with each other over the Internet.

Scientists discover new clue behind age-related diseases and food spoilage
Scientists at Berkeley Lab have made a surprising discovery that could help explain our risk for developing chronic diseases or cancers as we get older, and how our food decomposes over time.

Nanosize device 'uncloaks' cancer cells in mice and reveals them to the immune system
Scientists at Johns Hopkins report they have designed and successfully tested an experimental, super small package able to deliver molecular signals that tag implanted human cancer cells in mice and make them visible for destruction by the animals' immune systems. The new method was developed, say the researchers, to deliver an immune system 'uncloaking' device directly to cancer cells.

Crowdfunding -- entrepreneurs should resist the urge to promise to save the Earth
Entrepreneurs seeking funds on business-oriented crowdfunding platforms should avoid over-emphasizing the social or environmental benefits of their start-ups or products if they are to maximize potential investment.

Mystery surrounding dinosaur footprints on a cave ceiling in Central Queensland solved
The mystery surrounding dinosaur footprints on a cave ceiling in Central Queensland has been solved after more than a half a century.

Scientists discover dust from Middle East cools the Red Sea
Researchers at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have discovered dust from the Middle East has a positive cooling effect over the land and the Red Sea.

Discovery of entirely new class of RNA caps in bacteria
The group of Dr. Hana Cahová of the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS, in collaboration with scientists from the Institute of Microbiology of the CAS, has discovered an entirely new class of dinucleoside polyphosphate 5'RNA caps in bacteria and described the function of alarmones and their mechanism of function. The discovery was recently published in the journal Nature Communications.

'Mars quakes': First seismological data help understand the Red Planet's composition
Almost 14 months after the landing of NASA's InSight Mission on Mars, researchers present the first data ever gathered on the Red Planet's seismic activity.

Mathematician identifies new tricks for the old arch in our foot
Walking and running subjects our feet to forces in excess of body weight. The longitudinal arch of the feet was thought to be the reason the feet do not deform under such load. However, researchers from the University of Warwick, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University in Japan and Yale University have illustrated that the transverse arch may be more important for this stiffness.

Scientists discover new compound which could improve photodynamic therapy for cancer
Researchers at the University of Sheffield have synthesized a new compound which could improve the success rate of photodynamic therapy when treating cancer.

KAT6A syndrome: Advances on the genetic bases and clinical picture of a rare disease
A research team has described five new cases of a rare disease -- known as KAT6A syndrome -- of which there are only eighty dominant cases worldwide. This neurological and developmental disorder, caused by alterations in the lysine acetyltransferase 6A gene (KAT6A), involves intellectual disability, language impairment, low muscle tone, cardiovascular malformation and eye defects, among other affectations.

KIER developed separator that reduced gas crossover for water electrolyzer
Dr. Won-chul Cho of Hydrogen Research Department of the Korea Institute of Energy Research has developed a separator membrane that significantly reduces gas crossover while exhibiting high performance comparable to the commercial separator for alkaline water electrolyzer. The research has been published in the International Journal of Energy Research, the world's leading authority on nuclear power energy.

Fur-friendly 'wearable for pets' developed at Imperial
Imperial College London researchers have invented a new health tracking sensor for pets and people that monitors vital signs through fur or clothing.

New functional indicators to detect human activity impacts in temporary rivers
Functional metrics in ecology -- indicators based on the biological features of the organisms, in this case, water invertebrates -- could help researchers to detect the impacts of human origins in temporary rivers.

Scientists 'film' a quantum measurement
Measuring a quantum system causes it to change -- one of the strange but fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics. Researchers at Stockholm University have now been able to demonstrate how this change happens. The results are published in the scientific journal Physical Review Letters.

Elderly patients also benefit from kidney transplantation
So far, kidney transplantation has generally not been offered to elderly patients (>75 years) because of the perioperative risks. Nor has it been clearly established whether transplanted patients in this age benefit significantly. In a new study published in NDT, the graft survival proved to be excellent, and nearly all patients remained dialysis-free. Is it time to rethink established common practice?

Researchers identify novel anti-aging targets
A recent study published in Nature has reported two conserved epigenetic regulators as novel anti-aging targets. The research, by scientists from Dr. CAI Shiqing's Lab at the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Neuroscience of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and Dr. JIANG Lubing's team at Institut Pasteur of Shanghai of CAS, identified conserved negative regulators of healthy aging by using multiple modalities and systems, thus providing insights into how to achieve healthy aging.

International group of scientists found new regulators of blood supply to the brain
There are approximately as many neuroglia class cells known as astrocytes in the brain as there are neurons, but the function of these cells has long remained a mystery to scientists.

Each Mediterranean island has its own genetic pattern
A Team around Anthropologist Ron Pinhasi from the University of Vienna -- together with researchers from the University of Florence and Harvard University -- found out that prehistoric migration from Africa, Asia and Europe to the Mediterranean islands took place long before the era of the Mediterranean seafaring civilizations. For their analysis they used the DNA of prehistoric individuals from Sicily, Sardinia and the Balearic Islands. The results have been published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

How big is the neutron?
The size of neutrons cannot be measured directly: it can only be determined from experiments involving other particles. While such calculations have so far been made in a very indirect way using old measurements with heavy atoms, a team at the Institute of Theoretical Physics at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) has taken a different approach. By combining their very accurate calculations with recent measurements on light nuclei, the researchers have arrived at a more direct methodology.

Small precipitates make big difference in mitigating strength-ductility tradeoff
Researchers from the Institute of Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, teaming up with scientists from Singapore and the US, have found that nanoscale precipitates provide a unique sustainable dislocation source at sufficiently high stress.

Perovskite solar cells made of peppermint oil and walnut aroma food additives, preventing lead leakage
Professor Taiho Park and his research team from POSTECH developed eco-friendly-solvent processable hole transport polymers by using peppermint oil and walnut aroma food additives and the polymer can prevent lead leakage.

Digging into the far side of the moon: Chang'E-4 probes 40 meters into lunar surface
A little over a year after landing, China's spacecraft Chang'E-4 is continuing to unveil secrets from the far side of the Moon. The latest study, published on Feb. 26 in Science Advances, reveals what lurks below the surface.

ALS mystery illuminated by blue light
The first optogenetic ALS animal model is developed using zebrafish, in which the key symptoms of ALS, including TDP-43 aggregation, are reproducible in the intact neuromuscular system by external light illumination. This model helps to understand when and how healthy motor neurons begin to become abnormal and pathological in ALS.

Turbulent times revealed on Asteroid 4 Vesta
Planetary scientists at Curtin University have shed some light on the tumultuous early days of the largely preserved protoplanet Asteroid 4 Vesta, the second largest asteroid in our solar system.

HKUST scientists shed light on COVID-19 vaccine development
A team HKUST scientists has recently identified a set of potential vaccine targets for SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, to guide experimental efforts towards vaccine development against novel pneumonia (COVID-19).

New research sheds light on the unique 'call' of Ross Sea killer whales
New Curtin University-led research has found that the smallest type of killer whale has 28 different complex calls, comprising a combination of burst-pulse sounds and whistles, which they use to communicate with family members about the changing landscape and habitat.

Isotope movement holds key to the power of fusion reactions
Controlling the uniformity of hydrogen isotope density ratio in fusion plasma is a problem for realizing fusion energy. The researchers have reached a key understanding of the process to make the hydrogen isotope ratio uniform using the Large Helical Device at the National Institute for Fusion Science. The uniformity is determined by isotope movement under the influence of plasma turbulence. This understanding would help researchers to increase the power of fusion reactions.

Sex-specific traits of the immune system explain men's susceptibility to obesity
Melbourne researchers have uncovered important differences between the male and female immune system which may explain why men are more susceptible to obesity and metabolism-related associated diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. It has long been known that men are more likely than women to develop unhealthy obesity and related metabolic diseases, while women are more prone to certain autoimmune diseases such as arthritis. These findings suggested the male and female immune systems differ, but until now scientists weren't sure how.

Surveillance after surgery does not improve outcomes for patients with glioblastoma
A retrospective study from the University of Missouri School of Medicine and MU Health Care showed patients who underwent surveillance imaging after surgery for brain tumor resection did not have better outcomes than patients who did not have imaging and returned when they felt symptoms of recurrence.

A tactile robot finger with no blind spots
Researchers at Columbia Engineering announced today that they have introduced a new type of robotic finger with a sense of touch. Their finger can localize touch with very high precision--<1mm--over a large, multicurved surface, much like its human counterpart.

Structural framework for tumors also provides immune protection
Aggressive colorectal cancers set up an interactive network of checkpoints to keep the immune system at bay, scientists report.

Stretchable, wearable coils may make MRI, other medical tests easier on patients
The Purdue team created an adaptable, wearable and stretchable fabric embroidered with conductive threads that provides excellent signal-to-noise ratio for enhanced MRI scanning.