Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News Archive October 2011 - Page 10


Page 10 of 28

DFG establishes 12 new research units

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) has established nine new Research Units and three Clinical Research Units, earmarking over 23 million euros for the first funding period. The units will explore topical research questions using innovative methods and approaches, covering a broad spectrum of research areas.

Why do some athletes choke under pressure?

A new study published in Current Directions in Psychological Science suggests that paying too much attention to performance can lead to decreased success. Research has shown that athletes under pressure exhibit changes in movement patterns, such as altered club head angles during golf swings and reduced joint mobility in climbers.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalCurrent Directions in Psychological Science·DateOct 21, 2011

Study finds minority consumers will voluntarily pay more for goods and services to assert status

A recent study from USC and University of San Diego professors found that African-American consumers are more likely to pay more for products and services when they feel their status is threatened due to race. In contrast, those who strongly identify with their race have lower willingness to pay. The researchers also discovered that po...

SourceUSC Marshall School of Business·JournalPsychological Science·DateOct 20, 2011

Tracing the first North American hunters

Researchers have pushed back the timeline of North America's first known hunters to at least 14,000 years ago, revealing a longer period of large mammal hunting and potentially contributing to their extinction. The discovery was made through DNA analysis of a spearhead found in a mastodon remains.

SourceUniversity of Copenhagen·JournalScience·DateOct 20, 2011

Face-to-face with an ancient human

A reconstruction based on the skull of Norway's best-preserved Stone Age skeleton, Viste Boy, has been scientifically rebuilt to study features of a boy who lived outside Stavanger 7,500 years ago. The model reveals a strong and muscular individual with scaphocephaly, challenging earlier theories about his health.

Rice's Zheng wins Packard Fellowship

Junrong Zheng will use a five-year grant to develop a laser-based spectroscopic device for real-time, three-dimensional analysis of molecular conformations. This technology has the potential to revolutionize fields such as chemical reactions, protein folding, and drug interactions.

Chemists find new dimension to rules for reactions

Theoretical chemists at Emory University have solved an important mystery about the rates of chemical reactions and the Polanyi rules. They found that a pre-reactive long-range force can align the reaction of a chlorine atom with methane, inhibiting the reaction. The research has implications for the development of cleaner fuels.

SourceEmory Health Sciences·JournalScience·DateOct 20, 2011

Giant flakes make graphene oxide gel

Researchers at Rice University have made a groundbreaking discovery by creating giant flakes of graphene oxide that form a gel-like liquid crystal in water. This alignment enables the creation of metamaterials with unique mechanical and electronic properties, as well as high-strength fibers with enhanced properties.

SourceRice University·JournalSoft Matter·DateOct 20, 2011

Feed a cold -- starve a tumor

Researchers found that 2-deoxyglucose reduces tumor size in mice on either diet, while a carbohydrate-free diet led to greater tumor growth. This combination imposes energy stress on tumors and correlates with lower serum glucose levels.

SourceBMC (BioMed Central)·JournalCell & Bioscience·DateOct 20, 2011