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Science News for September 2, 2009


Scientists from Bonn cool gas by laser bombardment

Researchers at the University of Bonn have demonstrated a method for cooling gas using laser bombardment, which works under pressure. The technique allows for rapid refrigeration capacities, enabling the creation of new states of matter and potentially leading to the development of mini fridges.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalNature·DateSep 2, 2009

YouTube videos yield clues to brain injury symptom

Researchers at the University of Kentucky have identified a visible response to head trauma called the 'fencing response,' which can indicate damage to brainstem regions. This finding has immediate value for coaches and trainers, as it provides an objective cue to assess whether an athlete should return to play after a blow to the head.

SourceUniversity of Kentucky·JournalMedicine & Science in Sports & Exercise·DateSep 2, 2009

A breath of fresh air could improve drug toxicity screening

A team of researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital has developed a new way to culture liver cells for drug toxicity screening, using a high-oxygen environment and serum-free medium. This method significantly improves the function of cultured liver cells, enabling them to predict the clearance rates of drugs with high accuracy.

SourceMassachusetts General Hospital·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 2, 2009

Keeping the suicidal soldier alive

Researchers have developed a predictive tool to detect at-risk soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The study shows that fMRI can be used to forecast which soldiers might be vulnerable to stress psychopathology in the future.

SourceAmerican Friends of Tel Aviv University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 2, 2009

Study casts new light on research of controversial scientist Paul Kammerer

A new study re-examines Kammerer's experiments and finds remarkable resemblances to newly discovered aspects of epigenetics. Kammerer's data shows consistency with current epigenetic mechanisms, providing new biological arguments in favor of the authenticity of his midwife toad experiments.

SourceWiley·JournalJournal of Experimental Zoology Part B Molecular and Developmental Evolution·DateSep 2, 2009

Believing is seeing

Researchers found that initial thoughts about others' emotions bias subsequent facial expression perception and memory. Participants who initially interpreted faces as angry remembered them expressing more anger, while those who interpreted them as happy remembered less anger.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalPsychological Science·DateSep 2, 2009

6 NTU projects awarded NRF grants

Six NTU projects have received funding from the National Research Foundation (NRF) for research and innovation in wireless sensing, power converters, photonic micro electromechanical systems, electro-generated chemi-luminescence, antenna solutions, and anti-reflective coatings. The funded projects aim to develop core technologies for s...

Chimpanzees develop 'specialized tool kits' to catch army ants

Chimpanzees in the Congo have developed specialized tool kits to forage for army ants, showcasing a rare example of multiple tool use. The research suggests that these 'sustainable' harvesting techniques allow chimpanzees to reduce ant aggression and revisit the same food source.

SourceWiley·JournalAmerican Journal of Primatology·DateSep 2, 2009

Breakthrough in bubble research at Bath

Ruggero Gabbrielli's new structure is composed of four different shapes that fit together, closer to natural foam structures than previous solutions. His method uses a partial differential equation and has sparked international interest among mathematicians and physicists.

SourceUniversity of Bath·JournalPhilosophical Magazine Letters·DateSep 2, 2009