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Science News Archive April 2013


Page 27 of 32

ORNL's awake imaging device moves diagnostics field forward

The new awake imaging device enables motion compensation reconstruction, removing blur caused by motion and allowing for transparent pictures of the functioning brain. Researchers aim to better understand brain development in babies, teens, and individuals with neurological conditions.

Power behind primordial soup discovered

Researchers at the University of Leeds found a compound called pyrophosphite, which is similar to ATP and could have acted as an earlier form of energy transfer. This discovery suggests that chemical life could be the missing link between geology and biology.

Online learning: It's different

Harvard researchers found that students who took short tests between online lecture segments had reduced mind-wandering, tripled note-taking, and improved material retention. The testing act as an incentive for students to pay closer attention.

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.

Barrow researchers identify new vision of how we explore our world

Brain researchers at Barrow Neurological Institute have discovered that healthy observers and neurological patients scan visual scenes with the same general strategy, regardless of scene size or fixation status. This finding challenges previous concepts of exploration and fixation as fundamentally different behaviors.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Seismological Society of America awards top honor to James R. Rice

James R. Rice, Harvard professor, will receive the Harry Field Reid Medal for his influential research on fracture mechanics and its application to earthquake processes. His work has defined standards for numerous frontiers of research, integrating theory, experiment, and observations.

Reducing salt and increasing potassium will have major global health benefits

Studies show that reducing salt intake lowers blood pressure, reduces the risk of stroke and heart disease. Increasing potassium intake also has significant health benefits, with reduced blood pressure and a lower risk of stroke in adults. Lowering sodium intake should be part of public health efforts to reduce cardiovascular diseases.

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.

Revealing the weapons by which bacteria fight each other

Researchers found that bacteria use phospholipases to degrade competitor cell membranes without harming their own, revealing a new mechanism for interbacterial competition. This discovery opens the way for developing antibacterial drugs that harness this natural defense.

A 'light switch' in the brain illuminates neural networks

Scientists use a novel technique to identify which neurons communicate with place cells, revealing the brain's sense of location is created by multiple specialized cell types. The study provides new insights into how cells in the hippocampus process and integrate sensory information.

Could playing 'boys' games help girls in science and math?

Research suggests that playing traditionally masculine activities can improve girls' performance in subjects requiring spatial ability. Gender-roles play a significant role in shaping individual differences in spatial ability, with both masculine and feminine identification leading to better performance in mental rotation tasks.

3-D printer can build synthetic tissues

Researchers at Oxford University have developed a custom-built 3D printer that can create materials with properties similar to living tissues. The printed 'droplet networks' are entirely synthetic and could potentially deliver drugs or replace damaged human tissues in the future.

Protein maintains order in the nucleus

A single protein, NLP, has been identified as crucial for the correct arrangement of chromosome centromeres in the nucleus. The protein binds to the centromere region and causes clustering near the nucleolus, a process that can impact genome stability and potentially contribute to cancer development.

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2)

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2) captures 4K mapping passes and environmental surveys with dual cameras, long flight time, and omnidirectional obstacle sensing.

Public support can influence soldiers' mental health: Study

A new study from the University of Alberta suggests that public support for wars can lead to increased mental distress in combatants upon returning home. The research highlights the importance of considering public opinion when making decisions about military actions.

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply powers sensors, microcontrollers, and test circuits with programmable rails and stable outputs.

Civil engineer Katsuichiro Goda honored by Seismological Society of America

Katsuichiro Goda, a renowned civil engineer, has been awarded the Charles Richter Early Career Award for his groundbreaking work in seismic risk assessment and mitigation. His research has developed new ground-motion equations and spatial correlations models to estimate seismic losses, enabling practical solutions in risk mitigation.

Fecal microbial transplantation found to be possible treatment

Fecal microbial transplantation has been shown to improve symptoms in most pediatric patients with active ulcerative colitis, with 78% achieving clinical response within one week. The procedure involves infusion of human stool from a healthy donor into the intestine of the patient to restore healthy microbial flora.

Obesity without the health problems? There could be a way

A recent study published in Cell Reports reveals that obesity is linked to autoimmune disease, but researchers have found a potential solution. Blocking the AIM molecule may prevent autoantibody production and related autoimmune responses.

Building better blood vessels could advance tissue engineering

Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a method to build robust blood vessels using adult stem cells, which may lead to new treatments for circulatory diseases such as diabetes. The technique involves injecting endothelial cells and support cells into a scaffolding carrier, resulting in mature, functional capillaries.

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.

Osmosis is not driven by water dilution

A thermodynamic theory of osmosis was published in 1897, but its explanation has not been fully adopted by chemistry and biology. Key findings include the misconception that osmosis only applies to liquids, and the need for an attractive force to drive the process.

Scientists to Io: Your volcanoes are in the wrong place

Scientists found a systematic eastward offset between observed and predicted volcano locations on Io, suggesting a faster rotation or internal structure. A global subsurface magma ocean scenario is also possible to explain the anomaly, with potential implications for life in icy moons like Europa and Enceladus.

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter is a trusted meter for precise measurements during instrument integration, repairs, and field diagnostics.

Scissor-like enzyme points toward treatment of infectious disease

A scissor-like enzyme discovered by UT Southwestern researchers can cut off fatty acids from proteins, disabling the immune system's communication infrastructure and allowing bacteria to grow and survive. This discovery provides insight into severe bacterial infectious diseases and cancer, and may lead to the development of new treatme...

Genetic vulnerability of lung cancer to lay foundation for new drug options

A team of researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center has identified a specific genetic weakness in lung-cancer cells that can be targeted with new therapies. The discovery, published in Cancer Discovery, highlights the potential of blocking the protein RHOA and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) to stop tumor growth.

Study links suicide risk with rates of gun ownership, political conservatism

A study published in Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology found that states with high rates of gun ownership and political conservatism have higher suicide rates. However, a higher percentage of church-goers at the state level was associated with reduced individual suicide risk. The study analyzed mortality data from 2000 to 20...

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.

Manchester leads the way in graphene membrane research

Researchers at University of Manchester develop graphene-based membranes with high selectivity for gases and organic liquids, targeting applications in power stations, fuel cells, food packaging, and human disease detection.

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.

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.

DOE renews JBEI funding

The US Department of Energy has renewed JBEI's five-year funding at $25 million annually, supporting the development of advanced biofuels. The partnership, led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, aims to enhance national energy security and create clean energy jobs.

Discovery of 1,800-year-old 'Rosetta Stone' for tropical ice cores

Researchers at Ohio State University have discovered a 1,800-year-old 'Rosetta Stone' in tropical ice cores, providing the most complete picture of Earth's low-latitude climate history to date. The cores reveal year-by-year patterns in chemical composition, offering a new tool for studying past climate change.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

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

Bronze warship ram reveals secrets

A team of specialists analyzed a 2,000-year-old bronze battering ram to shed light on how such an object was made in ancient times. The study found that the bronze alloy was composed of 87% copper, 6% tin, and 7% lead, with varying concentrations throughout the casting.

Overweight starting in early adulthood linked with kidney disease in older age

Individuals who are overweight starting in early adulthood are twice as likely to have chronic kidney disease at age 60 to 64 years. Larger waist-to-hip ratios during middle age are also linked with chronic kidney disease at the same age. Avoiding excess weight gain could prevent many cases of chronic kidney disease, with over one-thir...

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition is a durable star atlas for planning sessions, identifying targets, and teaching celestial navigation.

Chronic pain common complication of clot-caused strokes

Researchers found chronic pain to be a common complication of ischemic strokes, associated with greater decline in physical and cognitive function. Significant risk factors for post-stroke pain include increased severity of stroke, female gender, and vascular disease.

Bumblebees use logic to find the best flowers

Bees copy each other when looking for nectar by watching colour patterns and learning from others' behaviour. This simple logic helps them avoid bitter-tasting flowers and optimise their search for energy-rich nectar.