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Science News Archive February 2018 - Page 5


Page 5 of 36

Man-made earthquake risk reduced if fracking is 895m from faults

A new study found that the risk of man-made earthquakes due to fracking is greatly reduced if high-pressure fluid injection used to crack underground rocks is 895m away from faults in the Earth's crust. The ReFINE consortium recommends this distance to avoid reactivating geological faults and reducing the risk of induced earthquakes.

SourceDurham University·JournalGeomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources·DateFeb 27, 2018

Exotic state of matter: An atom full of atoms

Scientists have created a new state of matter called Rydberg polarons, where an electron orbits a nucleus at a great distance while many other atoms are bound inside the orbit. The electrons' path is only slightly influenced by neutral atoms, resulting in a weak bond between the Rydberg atom and the surrounding atoms.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateFeb 26, 2018

Flu forecasting system tracks geographic spread of disease

Researchers at Columbia's Mailman School developed a method to forecast the spatial transmission of influenza in the US, improving accuracy by 35% compared to previous versions. The system accurately predicts local onset of flu six weeks ahead of time, informing decisions on vaccine distribution and public health measures.

SourceColumbia University's Mailman School of Public Health·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 26, 2018

Brain can navigate based solely on smells

Researchers developed a novel olfactory virtual reality system that enables the study of how smells engage the brain's navigation system. The study demonstrated that mice can form a map of their surroundings based solely on smells, suggesting a potential new frontier in multisensory VR experience development.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature Communications·DateFeb 26, 2018

Sea swimming associated with increased ailments

A large-scale research analysis found that sea bathing doubled the odds of reporting general ear ailments and increased the risk of gastrointestinal illnesses by 29%. The study suggests pollution is still an issue affecting swimmers in high-income countries like the UK.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalInternational Journal of Epidemiology·DateFeb 26, 2018

Flu may impact brain health

Research found that flu strains H3N2 and H7N7 caused memory impairments and structural changes in the hippocampus of mice. The infections also activated brain immune cells and altered gene expression, suggesting a potential threat to healthy brain function.

The giant wave that marks the beginning of the end -- the neurobiology of dying

In humans, a massive wave of electrochemical energy release in the brain occurs after oxygen deprivation, known as 'spreading depolarization', which can trigger pathophysiological cascades. Researchers have found that this event is similar to animal studies and that it remains reversible if circulation is restored before nerve cells die.

SourceCharité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin·JournalAnnals of Neurology·DateFeb 26, 2018

Scorpion venom component can reduce severity of rheumatoid arthritis

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine discovered that a scorpion venom component, iberiotoxin, can specifically block the potassium channel in fibroblast-like synoviocytes, reducing rheumatoid arthritis severity. Treatment with iberiotoxin reversed joint damage and inflammation in rat models without inducing side effects.

SourceBaylor College of Medicine·JournalJournal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics·DateFeb 26, 2018