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Science News Archive 2018 - Page 430


Page 430 of 473

Polluted air may pollute our morality

A study published in Psychological Science found that exposure to air pollution, whether physical or mental, is linked with transgressive behavior through increased levels of anxiety. Participants who imagined experiencing air pollution engaged in more unethical behavior than those who thought about clean environments.

SourceAssociation for Psychological Science·JournalPsychological Science·DateFeb 7, 2018

Freedom, not coercion

A recent study found that giving individuals a sense of freedom leads to increased feelings of responsibility. The research, involving Russian and American participants, showed that autonomy is a basic human need and that people are more likely to take responsibility when they have the freedom to choose their actions.

SourceNational Research University Higher School of Economics·JournalJournal of Research in Personality·DateFeb 7, 2018

Case for assisted dying 'stronger than ever' says The BMJ

Most UK doctors (79%) and 80% of the public support legislation for assisted dying. A series of articles explores the debate around assisted dying, with personal accounts and expert opinions. The proposed legislation aims to provide safeguards for terminally ill patients who want to end their lives.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalThe BMJ·DateFeb 7, 2018

Can interrupting a cell's power source after injury protect against post-traumatic osteoarthritis?

Researchers use a compound called amobarbital to protect joints from cartilage loss after injury, showing promise in preventing post-traumatic osteoarthritis. The study's findings suggest that targeting mitochondria after joint fractures could substantially improve quality of life for PTOA patients.

SourceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateFeb 7, 2018

Fast-spinning spheres show nanoscale systems' secrets

The Rice lab demonstrates energetic properties of colloids in spinning magnetic fields, gathering into disorganized aggregated clusters and then forming crystal-like regimes as the field strength increases. The researchers explore ways to model novel two-dimensional materials like tunable catalysts or colloids with changing surface areas.

SourceRice University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateFeb 7, 2018

A pair of RNA scissors with many functions

Scientists at the University of Freiburg discovered RNase E as a crucial enzyme in CRISPR/Cas systems, enabling correct gene expression and immune defense. The findings suggest stronger interaction between CRISPR/Cas systems and host organisms, increasing potential for its applications.

SourceUniversity of Freiburg·JournalNature Microbiology·DateFeb 7, 2018

New method enables high-resolution measurements of magnetism

Researchers from Uppsala University and collaborating institutions developed a new method to measure magnetism at the atomic level, enabling detailed analysis of magnetic nanostructures. This advancement is crucial for the development of next-generation spintronic components that require functional units only a few nanometers large.

SourceUppsala University·JournalNature Materials·DateFeb 6, 2018

Researchers take terahertz data links around the bend

Brown University researchers demonstrate that terahertz frequency data links can maintain acceptable bit-error-rates after bouncing off objects, enabling the possibility of non-line-of-sight links. The study's findings support the idea of terahertz local-area networks and could pave the way for future wireless networks with increased b...

SourceBrown University·JournalAPL Photonics·DateFeb 6, 2018

The ozone layer continues to thin

The ozone layer has continued to decline in the lower stratosphere, contrary to expectations that it would have recovered by the middle of the century. Satellite measurements show a decrease in ozone concentrations at latitudes between 60° S and 60° N since the Montreal Protocol banned ozone-depleting substances in 1989.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics·DateFeb 6, 2018

Is hydrogen the fuel of the future?

Global experts argue that solar-driven water splitting can become the technology of choice for producing hydrogen, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. However, significant research efforts are needed to industrialize this process and make it suitable for the 21st century and beyond.

SourceCambridge University Press·JournalMRS Energy & Sustainability·DateFeb 6, 2018