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Science News for December 18, 2018


Convincing Chinese smokers to kick the habit -- by text

A 12-week-long mobile phone-based intervention encouraging Chinese smokers to quit resulted in a 6.5% success rate, significantly higher than control group rates. Researchers suggest this approach could improve population health and be considered for large-scale use in China.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateDec 18, 2018

Explaining differences in rates of evolution

A team of ETH Zurich researchers has found a way to harmonize conflicting results from fossil-based and phylogenetic analysis of species emergence and extinction. By considering different mechanisms of speciation, such as budding, cladogenesis, and anagenesis, they have developed a computer model that accounts for these assumptions, pr...

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Communications·DateDec 18, 2018

Greener days ahead for carbon fuels

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have discovered a copper catalyst that can efficiently convert carbon dioxide into valuable chemicals and fuels without wasteful byproducts. This breakthrough could enable the production of renewable fuels, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalNature Catalysis·DateDec 18, 2018

Deciphering infanticide

Research by Harvard University's Catherine Dulac reveals that male mice engage in infanticide due to a combination of sensory cues, including the shape of pups and specific pheromone signals. These signals allow males to identify newborn infants and recognize their need for nurturing versus protection from attack.

SourceHarvard University·JournalCell·DateDec 18, 2018

Mystery of coronae around supermassive black holes deepens

Researchers from RIKEN and JAXA use ALMA radio observatory to measure magnetic field strengths near two supermassive black holes. The findings reveal that the magnetic fields are insufficient to heat coronae to one billion degrees Celsius, contradicting previous assumptions.

SourceRIKEN·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·DateDec 18, 2018

Internet-based interventions can help reduce problem drinking

A meta-analysis of 19 randomized controlled trials found that Internet-based interventions significantly reduced mean weekly alcohol consumption and improved adherence to low-risk drinking limits. Older adults and those with lower education levels showed greater treatment response, while human-guided interventions had a stronger impact...

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateDec 18, 2018

Mindfulness training may help support weight loss

Researchers found that participants who completed mindfulness training lost an average of 3 kilograms more than those who did not attend the course. The study suggests that mindfulness techniques can help improve eating behavior and facilitate successful weight loss in individuals with obesity.

SourceThe Endocrine Society·JournalThe Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism·DateDec 18, 2018

Workplace 'resilience' programs might not make any difference

A new study published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine suggests that workplace resilience programs may not have a positive impact on employees' mental health and wellbeing. The researchers found no evidence that a specific program improved recruits' mental health and attitudes towards mental illness after training.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalOccupational and Environmental Medicine·DateDec 18, 2018

New megalibrary approach proves useful for the rapid discovery of new materials

A new study at Northwestern University has developed a revolutionary tool to rapidly test millions of nanoparticles for specific applications. The novel approach utilizes a combinatorial library, or megalibrary, of nanoparticles and an in situ Raman spectroscopy-based screening technique to identify optimal compositions.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 18, 2018

FSU researcher: Unfair treatment by police linked to physiological impacts among black men

A new study published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior found a strong link between unfair treatment by police and telomere length, a biological indicator of psychological stress, among black men. Telomeres were shorter for those reporting unfair treatment, and the link was more pronounced in black men.

SourceFlorida State University·JournalJournal of Health and Social Behavior·DateDec 18, 2018

British Journal of Cancer press notice

Two new studies published in the British Journal of Cancer reveal alarming breast cancer risks for women with false-positive screening results. Women who experience a first false-positive result have a two-fold risk of developing screen-detected or interval breast cancer later in life, while those with a second false-positive result fa...

SourceCancer Research UK·JournalBritish Journal of Cancer·DateDec 18, 2018

Takeaway containers -- the environmental cost of packing our favorite fast-foods

A new study estimates that 2025 million takeaway containers are used annually in the European Union, generating equivalent greenhouse gas emissions of 55,000 cars. Reusable Tupperware containers can reduce carbon footprint when reused over 18 times, while styrofoam has a lower life cycle environmental impact despite being non-recyclable.

SourceUniversity of Manchester·JournalJournal of Cleaner Production·DateDec 18, 2018

Study suggests shifts in Afghan attitudes towards increased education and delayed marriage

A study published by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found significant shifts in Afghan attitudes towards education and child marriage in underdeveloped regions. The research, conducted among nearly 1,400 Afghans aged 12-15 and their parents, indicates that getting married at a young age and leaving school early have be...

SourceJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health·JournalJournal of Adolescent Health·DateDec 18, 2018

Mysteries of the primrose unraveled

Researchers at University of East Anglia have successfully sequenced the common primrose's complete genome sequence, revealing the landscape of genes involved in its two different flowering forms. This breakthrough provides fresh insight into a puzzle that has captivated scientists for over 150 years.

SourceUniversity of East Anglia·JournalScientific Reports·DateDec 18, 2018

System monitors radiation damage to materials in real-time

Researchers at MIT and Sandia National Laboratories have developed a new laser-based system that can monitor radiation-induced changes continuously, providing more useful data much faster than traditional methods. This allows for detailed studies of the performance of materials in just hours, instead of months.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalNuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms·DateDec 18, 2018

Graphene's magic is in the defects

Researchers at NYU Tandon School of Engineering have developed a physics-based model that reveals the relationship between structural defects in graphene and electrode sensitivity. By optimizing point defects in number and density, they can create an electrode up to 20 times more sensitive than conventional ones.

SourceNYU Tandon School of Engineering·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateDec 18, 2018

Physicists found a correlation between the structure and magnetic properties of ceramics

Researchers found a correlation between bismuth ferrite's structure and its magnetic properties, which can help create new materials with specific properties. The study revealed that structural distortions caused by substitutions, lattice defects, and exchange interactions affect the material's magnetic behavior.

SourceImmanuel Kant Baltic Federal University·JournalJournal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids·DateDec 18, 2018

A new way to use CRISPR

A team of UD engineers has developed a method to use CRISPR/Cas9 technology for conditional gene regulation, introducing a new functionality to the technology. This allows scientists to precisely target and edit DNA within living cells, which could help correct inherited diseases.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalNature Chemical Biology·DateDec 18, 2018

Brain health not affected by major heart surgery

A new study published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery found no major impact on brain health after major heart surgery. Researchers compared cognitive decline between patients undergoing heart surgery and those who received a catheter-based procedure, and found that the two groups showed little difference in memory performance.

SourceElsevier·JournalThe Annals of Thoracic Surgery·DateDec 18, 2018

The vanished mirror image

A team from the Technical University of Munich has achieved photochemical deracemization of chiral compounds, converting a mixture into a single enantiomer with high concentrations up to 97 percent. This method saves time and energy by utilizing all molecules in the process.

Optimizing restoration can deliver an eightfold increase in cost-effectiveness

A new study by International Institute for Sustainability presents a flexible tool to increase restoration cost-effectiveness by up to eight times, considering multiple criteria such as biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. The study identifies optimal priority areas for restoration, showcasing the potential of spati...

SourceInternational Institute for Sustainability·JournalNature Ecology & Evolution·DateDec 18, 2018

Serious loneliness spans the adult lifespan but there is a silver lining

A recent study found that moderate to severe loneliness persists across the adult lifespan, particularly during late-20s, mid-50s, and late-80s. However, researchers also discovered a strong inverse association between wisdom and loneliness, suggesting that wiser individuals are less lonely. The study highlights the need for solutions ...

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalInternational Psychogeriatrics·DateDec 18, 2018

Recruiting ants to fight weeds on the farm

Researchers found that tilled fields had smaller ant nests, which consume fewer weed seeds, while no-till fields had more evenly distributed ant nests. This suggests that preserving ant colonies by reducing tillage could benefit farmers in managing weeds.

SourcePenn State·JournalBiological Control·DateDec 18, 2018

The importance of 'edge populations' to biodiversity

A study published in Ecology Letters found that edge populations of plants, such as yellow rattle, are better suited to surviving climate change. These populations have adapted to high-elevation summers by flowering earlier, allowing them to thrive in areas where lower elevation populations fail.

SourceMcGill University·JournalEcology Letters·DateDec 18, 2018

'Pause' in global warming was never real, new research proves

A team of climate researchers reviewed existing data and concluded there has never been a statistically significant 'pause' in global warming. The studies, published in Environmental Research Letters, reassessed the data and put it into historical context to find no evidence for a divergence between model projections and observations.

SourceIOP Publishing·JournalEnvironmental Research Letters·DateDec 18, 2018

Does political party trump ideology?

A recent study published in American Political Science Review found that people's policy positions shift when informed of their party leader's stance on a controversial issue. Researchers used President Trump's statements to test the effect of party loyalty versus policy loyalty.

SourceBrigham Young University·JournalAmerican Political Science Review·DateDec 18, 2018