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Science News Archive August 2018


Page 36 of 41

Soft multi-functional robots get really small...and spider-shaped

Researchers developed an integrated fabrication process to design soft robots on the millimeter scale with micrometer-scale features, enabling changes in structure, motion, and color. The new technology paves the way for a new generation of flexible microrobots for medical and environmental tasks.

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.

Climate change and decline of Mojave Desert birds

A study reveals evidence of community collapse in Mojave birds, with 43% loss of previously documented bird species over the past century. Climate change, particularly decreased precipitation, is associated with the decline in Mojave birds, while surface water presence is linked to increased species richness.

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.

Male birds sing less to females on antidepressants

A new study by the University of York found that dilute concentrations of Prozac make female starlings less attractive to males during courtship. The researchers discovered increased male aggression towards females receiving the medication, leading to a higher risk of mate failure and population decline.

Climate-induced streamflow changes in watersheds

A study found similar trends in streamflow in natural and human-modified watersheds, indicating climate-induced changes. Streamflow decreased in the southern US and increased in northeastern states and Canadian prairies.

Earth's potential climate trajectories

Researchers investigate intrinsic biogeophysical feedbacks that may lead to 'Hothouse Earth' conditions despite reduced human emissions. The study highlights the risk of exceeding global average temperatures in interglacial periods of the past 1.2 million years.

The value of pride

Research finds that pride serves an evolved function in human nature, helping individuals weigh self-interest against social approval. The study reveals a close link between pride and the values of those around us, suggesting it's a win-win rather than a sin.

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.

A targeted approach to treating glioma

Researchers develop targeted approach to treat glioma, using microparticles to deliver drug directly to brain. The treatment targets a specific mutation found in 20-25% of gliomas and has shown promise in extending patient survival.

Injectable trace minerals improve mineral status in beef heifers

Researchers found that injectable trace mineral Multimin90 improved conception rates in some herds, but not others. In one study, selenium and copper status improved compared to saline injections. The value of injectables lies in ensuring every animal receives the supplement at a chosen timing.

Enzyme helps build motor that drives neuron death

Researchers at Vanderbilt University have identified a key enzyme that drives neuron death in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and ALS. The enzyme histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) modifies a molecular motor that triggers signaling agents to travel down the axon, killing the neuron.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Created line of spinal cord neural stem cells shows diverse promise

Scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have successfully created a line of spinal cord neural stem cells that can be used to model diseases and potentially provide a scalable source of replacement cells for spinal cord injuries. The diverse cells, derived from human pluripotent stem cells, show promise in a...

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Inner Solar System's elemental evolution

Meteorite chondrules reveal that oxygen and volatile elements increased in the inner Solar System until around 4.567 billion years ago. Volatile element delivery continued to increase after this point, supporting a model of Mars' early formation under oxidizing conditions and Earth's accretion under reducing conditions.

More sensitive blood test diagnoses heart attacks faster

A new high-sensitivity blood test for cardiac troponin has been found safe and effective in diagnosing heart attacks faster than traditional methods. The test ruled out heart attack in 30-83.8% of patients within three hours, compared to 80.4% with conventional testing.

Is too much screen time harming children's vision?

A new study suggests that excessive screen time is contributing to an increase in nearsightedness among children, with symptoms including dry eye and blurred vision. Parents can take steps to mitigate this by encouraging outdoor activities, using good posture, and taking regular breaks from screens.

Scientists create atomic glue gun to build better nucleic acid therapeutics

Researchers at Scripps Research and Bristol-Myers Squibb developed a new tool, called phosphorus-sulfur incorporation (PSI), to precisely control the 3D architecture of thiophosphate linkages in nucleic acid therapeutics. This technology enables the creation of single isomers with hundreds of thousands of stereoisomers.

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.

Women survive heart attacks better with women doctors: Study

A 19-year review of nearly 582,000 heart attack cases reveals that female patients have a significantly higher survival rate when treated by women doctors. The study's findings also suggest that male doctors with more female colleagues in the ER can improve survival rates for female patients.

Patient-physician gender concordance

A study of over 500,000 observations found that female heart attack patients treated by male physicians had lower survival rates. Survival rates improved when there were more female physicians in the emergency department or when male physicians were exposed to more female patients.

Methane uptake in forest soils

Researchers report significant declines in forest soils' methane uptake, attributed to increased precipitation and hydrological flux. A literature analysis reveals a 77% global average decrease in methane uptake from 1988 to 2015.

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.

Medicaid expansion leads to greater access to diabetes medications

Researchers found that states expanding Medicaid eligibility in 2014-2015 saw a significant increase in diabetes medication prescriptions, with a 30% rise per 1,000 people. This growth was particularly notable for newer, more advanced forms of insulin and other medications, suggesting improved treatment outcomes.

Small birds fly at high altitudes towards Africa

Researchers at Lund University tracked the flight height of two small bird species migrating from Scandinavia to Africa, finding they flew as high as 3,950m. The study used a data logger to measure acceleration, air pressure, and temperature during flight, revealing the birds' altitude adjustments in response to changing wind conditions.

Stress makes people better at processing bad news

A UCL-led study found that stress enhances people's ability to process and internalize bad news, reversing the typical optimism bias. Under stressful conditions, individuals become more vigilant to bad news, even when unrelated to their anxiety source.

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock simplifies serious desks with 18 ports for high-speed storage, monitors, and instruments across Mac and PC setups.

Visa restrictions can lead to increase in illegal migration

Research finds that restricting student and high-skilled visas has little impact on overall migration, while limiting family and low-skilled visas reduces migration but diverts aspiring migrants to unauthorized channels. Enforcement of unauthorized migration is also inefficient.

Size matters: if you are a bubble of volcanic gas

Scientists discovered that gas bubbles rising to the surface can alter volcanic gas composition, which affects eruption forecasts. The findings also suggest a new pathway for chemical changes in gases during large-scale eruptions.

Vaping draws strong support -- from bots

A study found that more than 70% of tweets about e-cigarettes were posted by robots, while human users showed strong support for vaping. The team analyzed nearly 194,000 geocoded tweets and identified adolescent Twitter users as particularly enthusiastic about e-cigarettes.

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C)

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.

Probiotic use is a link between brain fogginess, severe bloating

Researchers found a significant connection between probiotic use, bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, high levels of D-lactic acid, and brain fogginess. The study suggests that excessive probiotic use can lead to severe bloating and disorienting brain fog.

Researchers solved mystery of clownfish coloration

The researchers discovered a connection between the colouration of clownfish and the toxicity of sea anemone species they live with. The more venomous anemones have less white stripes on their hosts, suggesting the bright colouration has a protective function.

Earth at risk of heading towards 'hothouse Earth' state

A new study warns that reducing greenhouse gas emissions may not be enough to avoid a 'Hothouse Earth' state, where temperatures could rise by 4-5°C and sea levels increase by 10-60m. The authors call for accelerated transition towards an emission-free world economy.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C) provide clear calls and strong noise reduction for interviews, conferences, and noisy field environments.

Hitler: Election campaigner with limited influence?

Research by Peter Selb and Simon Munzert found Hitler's 455 public appearances had surprisingly small effect on electoral outcomes. His personal involvement only positively impacted the 1932 presidential election, but overall campaign effects were minor.

Modeling policy impacts on legal and illegal immigration

A computational model simulated potential migrants' decisions and found that restrictive policies, such as limiting visas, reduce immigration by up to 32%. However, these restrictions also increase unauthorized immigration, which may be difficult to offset with increased enforcement.

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

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

Ancient virus defends koalas against new viral attacks

Scientists found that an ancient and unrelated endogenous retroviral element is inserting itself into the new retrovirus via recombination, deactivating it. This process may be a molecular defense mechanism of hosts against new retroviral attacks.

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.

A system to synthesize realistic sounds for computer animation

Researchers at Stanford University have developed a system that automatically renders accurate sounds for complex animated content, such as splashing water or colliding objects. The system takes into account the vibrations of each object and how they excite sound waves, resulting in highly detailed and realistic sounds.

People process bad news better under stress

A laboratory and natural experiment demonstrate how threat dissolves human optimism bias, allowing individuals to flexibly shift between optimistic and pessimistic patterns. The study suggests that stress can improve the processing of bad news, enabling people to adapt their optimistic outlook to changing environmental conditions.

Next-generation metabolomics may facilitate the discovery of new antidepressants

Next-generation metabolomics may facilitate the discovery of new antidepressants by providing broader coverage and higher resolution than traditional methods. The technique has demonstrated great potential in accelerating pharmaceutical R&D, particularly for natural products like albiflorin, a promising multi-target drug candidate.

Stem cell transplants to be used in treating Crohn's disease

A clinical trial using stem cell transplants aims to grow a new immune system for people with untreated Crohn's disease. This innovative approach may help reduce gut inflammation and improve quality of life for patients suffering from the condition.

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm) tracks health metrics and safety alerts during long observing sessions, fieldwork, and remote expeditions.

A deeper look at severe asthma yields NET results

A new study by Brigham and Women's Hospital researchers models allergic lung inflammation in mice, revealing the role of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in triggering and amplifying an allergen-initiated immune response. The findings have implications for designing more precise clinical trials for severe asthma treatment.