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Science News Archive March 2016 - Page 14


Page 14 of 41

Why did we invent pottery?

Researchers found that pottery was used mainly for cooking marine and freshwater animal species, with little evidence of plant processing or deer cooking. This suggests cultural influences played a bigger role than expected in the widespread adoption of pottery.

SourceUniversity of York·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 21, 2016

Of warming and wine

Researchers analyzed over 500 years of harvest records, finding that climate change has caused winegrape harvests in France to occur two weeks earlier than in the past. The trend is expected to continue due to increasing temperatures, which can negatively impact wine quality.

SourceHarvard University·JournalNature Climate Change·DateMar 21, 2016

Lehigh scientists extend the reach of single crystals

Researchers at Lehigh University have made a breakthrough in creating single crystals from glasses, which could enable the use of disordered materials in high-tech applications like lasers and LEDs. The new method uses a novel heating strategy to convert glass into a single crystal without unwanted crystals forming.

SourceLehigh University·JournalScientific Reports·DateMar 21, 2016

Out-of-hospital births are on the rise

US out-of-hospital birth rates increased to nearly 1.5% of total births in 2014, with non-Hispanic white women experiencing the largest growth. Many women face difficulty accessing insurance coverage for out-of-hospital births, leading to high self-pay rates.

SourceWiley·JournalBirth·DateMar 21, 2016

The invisible world of human perception

A study published in Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics reveals that people can intentionally exclude objects from their mental model of their environment. Test observers were faster at finding a target when the objects matched the color of the rectangle, but not when they did not, indicating top-down control over attention.

Nanolight at the edge

Graphene-based technologies enable ultra-small optical nanodevices by capturing light in record-small volumes. The researchers identified two types of plasmons - edge and sheet modes - with unique properties that can channel electromagnetic energy in one dimension.

SourceElhuyar Fundazioa·JournalNature Photonics·DateMar 21, 2016

Breakthrough technology to improve cyber security

A research team at the University of Sydney has developed a major breakthrough in generating single photons, enabling the creation of secure cyber security systems. This innovation resolves a key issue holding back password exchange and can be scaled up to generate single photons with 100% probability.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalNature Communications·DateMar 21, 2016

Uncovering bacterial role in platinum formation

Researchers have found that bacteria play a crucial role in the dispersion and re-concentration of platinum group elements in surface environments. The study, published in Nature Geoscience, suggests that bacterial processes can reform nuggets of platinum at the surface, shedding new light on the formation of these valuable metals.

SourceUniversity of Adelaide·JournalNature Geoscience·DateMar 21, 2016

IUPUI researchers use stem cells to identify cellular processes related to glaucoma

Researchers at IUPUI have successfully identified cellular processes related to glaucoma using stem cells derived from human skin cells. The study found that skin cells from individuals with glaucoma became unhealthy and died off faster than those of healthy individuals when reprogrammed into retinal ganglion cells.

Entanglement becomes easier to measure

Researchers have developed a new method to detect entanglement in many-particle systems, overcoming the challenge of scaling exponentially with system size. This breakthrough allows for the quantification of entanglement in macroscopic objects and has applications in quantum metrology, simulations, and solid-state physics.

SourceUniversity of Innsbruck·JournalNature Physics·DateMar 21, 2016

Technicolor zebrafish reveal how skin heals

Scientists have developed a system to track individual cells in regenerating skin tissue using color-coding, enabling the study of cellular responses to injury and tissue regeneration. The Skinbow system uses technicolor zebrafish with permanent barcodes on their cells, allowing researchers to monitor cell movements and changes over time.

SourceDuke University·JournalDevelopmental Cell·DateMar 21, 2016

Wrinkles and crumples make graphene better

Researchers from Brown University found that repeatedly crumpling sheets of graphene can improve its water-repelling properties and electrochemical behavior. The process creates complex architectures with interesting patterns, including superhydrophobic surfaces and enhanced electrodes for batteries and fuel cells.

SourceBrown University·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateMar 21, 2016

Discussing older adults' values, goals helps guide healthcare providers during illnesses

A study of 146 veterans with life-threatening illnesses found that exploring their values can help set effective goals for healthcare and treatment plans. The researchers identified five key themes: self-sufficiency, life enjoyment, connectedness and legacy, balancing quality and length of life, and engagement in care.

SourceAmerican Geriatrics Society·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateMar 21, 2016

How yeast makes heads or tails of itself

Researchers at the University at Buffalo discovered how yeast cells decide their direction of growth, revealing the concept of polarity and its role in propelling single-celled organisms forward. The study found that Bud proteins play a crucial role in determining cell orientation, adapting to changes in nutrient availability.

SourceUniversity at Buffalo·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 21, 2016