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Science News Archive January 2013 - Page 5


Page 5 of 27

Tomorrow's life-saving medications may currently be living at the bottom of the sea

Researchers have identified a new source of powerful antibiotics in shipworms, which could combat antibiotic resistance. Additionally, bacteria carried by cone snails produce neuroactive chemicals with promise for pain treatment. The discovery was made through the Philippine Mollusk Symbiont International Cooperative Biodiversity Group.

SourceOregon Health & Science University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 29, 2013

New options for transparent contact electrodes

Researchers are developing new transparent contact electrodes using materials like graphene and carbon nanostructures, which offer improved conductivity and transparency compared to traditional metal oxides. These new materials have the potential to be combined with conventional solutions or used in entirely new applications.

SourceHelmholtz Association·JournalNature Photonics·DateJan 29, 2013

Young soccer players show signs of burnout

Research finds that junior male soccer players experience chronic stress, exhaustion, and disillusion with their sport at a young age. Players under external pressure from others are most vulnerable to burnout. The study suggests that perfectionism can be both a potent energizing force and a costly force for athletes.

SourceUniversity of Leeds·JournalJournal of Sport and Exercise Psychology·DateJan 29, 2013

'Moral realism' may lead to better moral behavior

A new study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that priming participants with a belief in moral realism led to increased charitable donations, suggesting that considering objective moral facts can motivate people to behave better.

SourceBoston College·JournalJournal of Experimental Social Psychology·DateJan 29, 2013

Safeguards needed for tissue donors

Donors to biobanks have a moral stake in what happens to their tissue samples, requiring ongoing updates and protection of their rights. Tomlinson recommends biobanks provide donors with plain language summaries of research projects and inform them about potentially controversial uses.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalHastings Center Report·DateJan 28, 2013

Primates too can move in unison

Researchers from RIKEN Brain Science Institute found that pairs of macaque monkeys modify their body movements to be in tune with others. This phenomenon may reflect bonding and facilitate human interaction, shedding light on conditions like autism spectrum disorders.

SourceRIKEN·JournalScientific Reports·DateJan 28, 2013

New research will help shed light on role of Amazon forests in global carbon cycle

A new tool devised by Berkeley Lab scientists detects forest mortality patterns and trends using satellite images, simulation modeling, and fieldwork. The study found that 9.1 to 16.9 percent of tree mortality was missing from conventional analyses, equating to over half a million dead trees per year.

SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 28, 2013

Slow-release 'jelly' delivers drugs better

Duke University engineers developed a novel delivery system that overcomes the limitations of peptide drugs, which are used to treat diseases like diabetes and cancer. The new system, called POD, uses a fusion protein that releases the drug slowly and steadily, reducing side effects.

SourceDuke University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 28, 2013

The tales teeth tell

Researchers at Harvard University challenged long-held assumptions about juvenile primate tooth development and weaning by studying chimpanzees in the wild. The study found that many young chimps continued to nurse as much, if not more, than before after their first molar erupted.

SourceHarvard University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 28, 2013