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Science News Archive October 2012


Page 9 of 33

New paper examines shifting gears in the circadian clock of the heart

A new study reveals that time-of-day specific treatment with a synthetic glucocorticoid can shift the circadian rhythms of atria samples, but with different effects on the direction of shifts compared to the liver. The study highlights the sensitivity of the heart's circadian clock to glucocorticoid signaling.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Nanofibrillar cellulose film to ease performing medical tests

Researchers at Aalto University developed a durable and affordable nanofibrillar cellulose film platform to support medical testing. The new film can be made hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and electrically charged, enabling thousands of different medical tests to be conducted at home or in physicians' receptions.

Taking the risk out of lending to low income groups

A new framework for loan approval has been developed using data mining methods, enabling East Lancashire Moneyline to increase lending by 50% and top £10 million this year. This project aims to improve financial inclusion and reduce the risk of bad debts among low-income individuals.

Zeroing in on the 'science of sound propagation' in burning buildings

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have created an acoustic navigation system that can locate open doors inside burning buildings. The system uses a parametric array to create focused sound waves that can penetrate moderate-sized flames, providing firefighters with vital information to navigate safely.

Creality K1 Max 3D Printer

Creality K1 Max 3D Printer rapidly prototypes brackets, adapters, and fixtures for instruments and classroom demonstrations at large build volume.

The Generation X report

A University of Michigan report found that less than half of Generation X adults can identify the Milky Way galaxy. The study also discovered a link between knowledge about the universe and personal attitudes.

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C)

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.

Hanging in there: Koalas have low genetic diversity

A study found that koalas have had low genetic diversity for over 120 years, likely caused by inbreeding due to declining populations. The species' vulnerability to diseases like Chlamydia and retroviruses is a major concern.

Grandmas made humans live longer

A new study provides mathematical support for the 'grandmother hypothesis,' which proposes that humans evolved longer adult lifespans due to grandmothers' care. The simulations indicate that with only a little bit of grandmothering, animals with chimpanzee lifespans evolve into humans in less than 60,000 years.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Limitations to the 'revolutionary' findings of online studies

Researchers highlight methodological limitations in direct-to-consumer research, including selection bias and information bias. The authors advocate for clearer communication of results and benefits, ensuring informed consent and safeguarding public trust.

Opposite behaviors? Arctic sea ice shrinks, Antarctic grows

The Antarctic Ocean has seen a steady increase in sea ice cover over the past three decades, growing by approximately 6,600 square miles annually. This growth is attributed to changes in atmospheric circulation and a depleted ozone layer over Antarctica, which leads to cooling of the stratosphere and strengthening of circumpolar winds.

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.

Tiny pores in graphene could give rise to membranes

Researchers have found that graphene membranes contain tiny pores, allowing small molecules to pass through while blocking larger ones. This discovery opens up new possibilities for creating membranes that can filter microscopic contaminants from water or separate specific types of molecules from biological samples.

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only)

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only) delivers reliable low-light performance and rugged build for astrophotography, lab documentation, and field expeditions.

Quantum computing with recycled particles

A team from the University of Bristol's Centre for Quantum Photonics has developed a technique to recycle particles in a quantum computer, reducing physical resources required for factoring. This breakthrough enables more efficient calculations, paving the way for larger implementations of quantum algorithms.

New finding could pave way to faster, smaller electronics

University of California researchers use hard X-ray angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to study gallium manganese arsenide, a material with potential in spintronics. The study reveals fundamental understanding of electronic interactions, suggesting future materials development.

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Genetic marker for placebo response identified in IBS patients

A new study has identified a genetic marker for the placebo response in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) patients, which could influence patient care and clinical trial design. The findings suggest that individuals with a specific genotype have a higher response to placebos when treated by a warm, supportive healthcare provider.

Summer babies less likely to be CEOs: UBC research

Researchers at the University of British Columbia found a correlation between birth month and success in corporate leadership. Summer-born individuals are underrepresented among CEOs due to differences in school enrollment ages.

Lifting weights protects against metabolic syndrome

A population study found that weightlifters have a lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors linked to heart disease and diabetes. Lifting weights was associated with a 37% reduction in the odds of metabolic syndrome.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.

Study explains connection between Hawaii's dueling volcanoes

A new study explains the connection between Kilauea and Mauna Loa by proposing an upper-mantle link that can account for their competition over a deep magma supply. The research suggests that increased pressure in the upper mantle is transmitted through a partially molten region, causing simultaneous inflation at both volcanoes.

High-pressure science gets super-sized

Scientists have developed a way to generate super-high pressures without using shock waves, allowing them to study materials at conditions corresponding to the core of gas giant planets. This breakthrough could lead to new revelations about how the Earth evolved and how iron functions at extremes.

Limitations to the 'revolutionary' findings of online studies

Research conducted through online communities faces methodological limitations, including selection bias and information bias, which may impact the accuracy of findings. The study highlights the need for clearer disclosure of benefits and risks to participants, particularly when data is shared with third parties.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.

Don't be so fast to judge a cat by its color, new study warns

A University of California, Berkeley researcher found that people are more likely to assign positive personality traits to orange cats and less favorable ones to white and tortoiseshell cats. The results suggest that cat color stereotypes can have a negative impact on adoption rates at animal shelters.

Puppies don't pick up on yawns

A study from Lund University found that dogs under 7 months are immune to contagious yawning, but as they age, they start to mimic human yawns, indicating a developmental increase in empathy. This pattern is similar to human development, suggesting that empathy-based social modulatory effects emerge later in life.

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm) tracks health metrics and safety alerts during long observing sessions, fieldwork, and remote expeditions.

Scientists build 'mechanically active' DNA material

Researchers create a dynamic gel made of DNA that mechanically responds to stimuli in the same way cells do. The DNA gel's movement runs on ATP, allowing for faster and stronger mechanics than other smart gels based on synthetic polymers.

Biologists record increasing amounts of plastic litter in the Arctic deep sea

Biologists have recorded a significant increase in plastic litter on the seabed of the Arctic deep sea, with quantities doubling over the past decade. The main victims of this contamination are deep-sea inhabitants, which can suffer injuries, impaired breathing, and reduced reproduction due to contact with plastic.

Parents look on the bright side of kids' worries

Researchers found that parents consistently rate their children as less worried and more optimistic than the children themselves. The study suggests that parental positivity bias should be taken into account when evaluating children's emotional well-being.

Open access: Delivering on its potential

The PLOS Biology editorial emphasizes the need for open access journals to ensure research reusability, beyond just accessibility. The scientific community can progress by sharing and building upon each other's work.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

Meta Quest 3 512GB enables immersive mission planning, terrain rehearsal, and interactive STEM demos with high-resolution mixed-reality experiences.

New Jersey's teen driver decals linked with fewer crashes

A new study from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia found that New Jersey's Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) decal requirement lowers crash rates among intermediate teen drivers. The study showed a 9% decrease in police-reported crashes and an 8% decrease in multiple-vehicle crashes after the decal's implementation.

Migratory birds can spread haemorrhagic fever

Researchers discovered that migratory birds carrying ticks can transmit Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic fever to new areas in southern Europe. The study found one bird species, the woodchat shrike, was a carrier of virus-infected ticks.

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock simplifies serious desks with 18 ports for high-speed storage, monitors, and instruments across Mac and PC setups.

Mining social media to discover vehicle defects

Virginia Tech researchers developed a computer-based system to analyze social media posts for vehicle defects, a first large-scale case study confirming the value of social media in vehicle quality management. The system can sift through millions of unrelated posts to identify useful information on safety and performance issues.

Perfect pitch: Knowing the note may be in your genes

Research suggests that perfect pitch is associated with a large memory span for speech sounds, facilitating early associations between pitches and spoken languages. Musically trained individuals from non-tonal languages can acquire absolute pitch, but it remains a rare talent.

Training your robot the PaR-PaR way

PaR-PaR allows researchers to create complicated protocols for robots within an hour after minimal training. The language is based on computer science principles and enables sharing of robotic protocols across laboratories.

Oxygen's ups and downs in the early atmosphere and ocean

A team of researchers has found evidence for a dramatic rise in early oxygen levels around 2.3 billion years ago, followed by an equally impressive fall. This drop in oxygen may have ushered in low-oxygen concentrations that set the stage for the evolution of eukaryotic organisms and eventually animals.

GoPro HERO13 Black

GoPro HERO13 Black records stabilized 5.3K video for instrument deployments, field notes, and outreach, even in harsh weather and underwater conditions.

Blood chromosome differences are linked to pancreatic cancer

Researchers found a direct relationship between telomere length and pancreatic cancer risk: shorter telomeres increase the likelihood of developing the disease. The study used data from over 1,500 individuals, including those with pancreatic cancer and healthy controls, to demonstrate this link.

New Space: A groundbreaking journal

The new journal will publish innovative research, interviews, roundtable discussions, and briefs on emerging space-based technologies and initiatives. It aims to facilitate collaborations among industry, academia, and government agencies, advancing knowledge and society through space exploration.

Medical recommendations should go beyond race, scholar says

A new paper by a Michigan State University professor argues that medical organizations should consider the varying degrees of health risk within racial groups when making recommendations. He suggests adding phrases to dietary guidelines and screening recommendations to be more specific and socially responsible.