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Science News Archive July 2018 - Page 13


Page 13 of 38

Honeybee pheromones safely repel elephants, study finds

A study conducted at Kruger park in South Africa found that honeybee pheromones safely repel elephants, showing promise for a safe elephant management tool. The pheromone-laden socks were effective in deterring elephants from approaching water holes, with 25 of 29 elephants moving away after getting close enough to smell the formulation.

SourceISCA, Inc.·JournalCurrent Biology·DateJul 23, 2018

Humans, climate, and fire regimes

A study analyzed prairie fire charcoal deposits to examine fire activity over the last millennium in Montana, revealing high activity during 1100-1650 CE and a strong link between humans and climate on fire regimes. Climate records showed that more than half of the fire deposits coincided with modest or short wet periods.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 23, 2018

NIST unblinded me with science: New application of blue light sees through fire

Researchers at NIST demonstrate a new method for visualizing objects engulfed by large gas fires using ordinary blue light. This technique improves the accuracy of material testing by reducing image distortion and enhancing signal clarity. The study has potential applications in fire-resistance standards testing and could lead to more ...

Overnight brain stimulation improves memory

Researchers have found that non-invasive brain stimulation during sleep can improve memory consolidation and generalization. The study used a closed-loop transcranial alternating current stimulation system to synchronize brain activity during slow-wave oscillations, leading to enhanced performance in detecting targets in novel situations.

The genes are not to blame

A systematic literature analysis by TUM researchers found no evidence for genetic factors affecting total calorie, carbohydrate, or fat consumption. However, genes like FTO and MC4R were linked to energy intake in some studies, but the findings were inconsistent.

SourceTechnical University of Munich (TUM)·JournalAdvances in Nutrition·DateJul 20, 2018

Wave energy converters are not geared towards the increase in energy over the last century

Researchers found that wave energy converters did not take full advantage of available energy, especially during extreme events, and their design needs to be adapted to handle increasing ocean activity. The study suggests a 40% increase in marine energy over the last century, with the largest increase occurring in the last 20 years.

SourceUniversity of the Basque Country·JournalApplied Energy·DateJul 20, 2018

Can greening vacant urban land improve mental health?

A cluster randomized trial in Philadelphia found that greening vacant urban land improved self-reported mental health, with participants experiencing less depression and anxiety after the intervention. The study's results suggest that investing in green spaces can have a positive impact on mental wellbeing in urban areas.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Network Open·DateJul 20, 2018

Current noises of Majorana fermions

Majorana fermions, which are self-antiparticles, can be detected using current noise in a topological Josephson junction. The study found that the non-equilibrium current noises exhibit peaks at specific frequencies, indicating the presence of these particles. This method provides a direct detection method for Majorana fermions.

Urgent change needed to regulate the environmental impacts of chemicals

The research identifies 22 key questions to address the most pressing knowledge gaps in chemical regulation, including identifying hotspots of contaminants and developing methods to protect biodiversity. Scientists emphasize the need for a holistic approach to assessing the effects of combinations of chemicals on ecological communities.

SourceUniversity of Sheffield·JournalEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry·DateJul 20, 2018