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Science News Archive 2018 - Page 360


Page 360 of 473

New study shows vegetation controls the future of the water cycle

A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that vegetation plays a dominant role in Earth's water cycle, regulating future dryness and water resources. Plants' physiological responses to increasing CO2 levels have a major impact on evapotranspiration, long-term runoff, and soil moisture.

SourceColumbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 2, 2018

Antarctica retreating across the sea floor

Researchers from the University of Leeds have created the first complete map of how Antarctica's grounding line is shifting. The study found that eight of the ice sheet's largest glaciers are retreating at an extreme rate, with some losing over 25 meters per year.

SourceUniversity of Leeds·JournalNature Geoscience·DateApr 2, 2018

Researchers develop injectable bandage

A team of researchers from Texas A&M University has developed an injectable bandage using a gelling agent commonly used in pastries, which can stop bleeding and promote wound healing. The injectable hydrogels are made with kappa-carrageenan and nanosilicates to form a controlled release of therapeutics.

SourceTexas A&M University·JournalActa Biomaterialia·DateApr 2, 2018

Spear points prove early inhabitants liked to travel

Researchers at Texas A&M University found that early settlers in interior western Canada used the Pacific coastal route to reach temperate North America, contradicting traditional theories of migration. The fluted spear points provide evidence supporting new genetic models explaining how humans colonized the New World.

SourceTexas A&M University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 2, 2018

Earth's stable temperature past suggests other planets could also sustain life

A new study from the University of Washington found that early Earth's temperature was moderate, not extremely hot or cold, allowing for a stable climate that enabled life to emerge. This discovery is significant for the search for life on other planets, as it suggests that habitable zones may retain stable climates.

SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 2, 2018

Is the Milky Way getting bigger?

A team of astronomers has found that galaxies like the Milky Way are slowly increasing in size due to star formation on their outskirts. The study, led by Cristina Martínez-Lombilla, reveals a growth rate of around 500 meters per second, which is fast enough to cover the distance from Liverpool to London in about twelve minutes.

First age-map of the heart of the Milky Way

A new age-map of the Milky Way's center shows that a period of star formation lasting around 4 billion years created the complex structure. The map, produced by an international team, combines data from millions of stars and spectroscopic surveys, revealing that the bar-shaped structure was formed about 7 billion years ago.

UMD researcher uncovers protein used to outsmart the human immune system

A University of Maryland researcher has discovered a protein produced by the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, allowing it to evade the body's first immune response. This breakthrough understanding has significant implications for treating tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease, which is increasingly chronic and prevalent.

SourceUniversity of Maryland·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 2, 2018

Climate change could raise food insecurity risk

A new study suggests climate change could raise food insecurity risk in many countries due to weather extremes, with the worst impact expected in South and East Asia. At 2°C global warming, most developing countries will face increased vulnerability to food insecurity.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London (A )·DateApr 1, 2018

Stanford researchers probe the complex nature of concussion

Researchers found that concussions occur when a deep area of the brain shakes rapidly and intensely, straining surrounding tissues. The study's findings suggest a complex relationship between head impacts and brain motion, highlighting the need for further research to improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of concussions.

SourceStanford University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateMar 30, 2018

Adult-onset neurodegeneration has roots in early development

A study published in Journal of Clinical Investigation found that adult-onset progressive degenerative diseases have their roots in early developmental defects. Researchers used a mouse model of spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 and discovered altered neural circuitry in the cerebellum, which sets the stage for later disease vulnerability.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateMar 30, 2018

Calculating the impacts of natural events on wildlife

Researchers developed a new approach to measure the impact of natural disasters on wildlife populations, finding that frequent intense events exert strong selection pressures on species. The study suggests that the 2011 tsunami had a relatively small impact on organisms living in Japan's intertidal zone, comparable to a Pacific storm.

SourceHokkaido University·JournalScientific Reports·DateMar 30, 2018