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Science News Archive February 2018 - Page 6


Page 6 of 36

For energy experts, new method is a gas

Researchers have created a novel non-invasive method to quantify untapped natural gas reservoirs by analyzing the compositional distribution on porous surfaces inside shale rocks. This method provides both average and deviation values of material properties, aiding decision-making in the industry.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalNature Communications·DateFeb 26, 2018

Study links responsible behavior in high school to life success 50 years later

A new study by University of Illinois researchers found that students who behaved responsibly in high school, showed interest, and had good writing skills tend to earn higher incomes and have higher occupational prestige 50 years later. Education was the factor mediating this relationship.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology·DateFeb 26, 2018

Ketamine works for female rats, too

A groundbreaking study published in eNeuro finds that low-dose ketamine promotes resilience to future adverse events in female rats, similar to its effects in males. The researchers identified a neural circuit involving the prefrontal cortex and dorsal raphe nucleus responsible for ketamine's stress-reducing properties.

SourceSociety for Neuroscience·JournaleNeuro·DateFeb 26, 2018

Could cleaning up beaches make Americans better off?

A new study by Ohio State University found that cleaning up beaches in Orange County, California could bring in significant economic benefits, ranging from $13 to $42 per resident. The research estimated that reducing ocean debris by 25-75% could lead to a $46 million boost to the county's economy in just one summer.

SourceOhio State University·JournalMarine Resource Economics·DateFeb 26, 2018

How do your friends plan to vote?

Researchers found that social-circle questions led to more accurate predictions for election outcomes than traditional polling methods. Social-circle questions provide information about people who aren't explicitly included in the sample and can help anticipate the processes of social influence.

SourceSanta Fe Institute·JournalNature Human Behaviour·DateFeb 26, 2018

Infants' expectation of ingroup support and fairness

In a series of experiments, researchers found that infants prioritize ingroup support over fairness when resources are limited. The study involved 72 participants aged 18-20 months and 48 participants aged 25-33 months, who observed resource-allocation events involving a puppet distributor and two potential recipients.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 26, 2018

Stormy weather

Researchers found a unique deposit in upper meter of marsh sediments, suggesting the 1861-62 storm season was erosive enough to remove coastal barriers. The team used sediment cores and analyzed European crop pollen and spheroidal carbonaceous particles to confirm the deposit's age.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalMarine Geology·DateFeb 26, 2018

Human activity and late Holocene rainforests

Researchers found evidence of early human impacts on African rainforests, with a switch from mature rainforest to forest-savannah mosaic occurring around 3,000 years ago. Human population growth and land-use changes are thought to have driven this transition, contradicting the current consensus that climate change was the primary cause.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 26, 2018

Improving the quality of high altitude medicine

The new guidelines aim to standardize data capture in high altitude research, enabling researchers to replicate studies and compare findings. The guidelines provide a structured approach for collecting data on factors such as local conditions, study participants' characteristics, and medical history.

SourceEurac Research·JournalHigh Altitude Medicine & Biology·DateFeb 26, 2018

Life under extreme drought conditions

Researchers have discovered an active microbial community in the Atacama Desert's most arid zones, which becomes metabolically active following periodic moisture increases. The findings have implications for the search for life on Mars, suggesting that past conditions may have supported life that could endure hyper-arid environments.

SourceGFZ GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Helmholtz Centre·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 26, 2018

Scientists move closer to treatment for Huntington's disease

Researchers have developed a safer and more specific CRISPR/Cas9 system to treat Huntington's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a defective gene. The new technique successfully inactivates the mutant gene and reduces toxic protein synthesis, offering hope for a potential cure.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Neuroscience·DateFeb 26, 2018