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Science News Archive November 2018 - Page 17


Page 17 of 42

'True polar wander' may have caused ice age

Researchers propose that changes in Earth's spin axis, known as true polar wander, triggered the latest ice age about 12 million years ago. By analyzing fossil signatures and magnetic data from ocean sediments, they found evidence of a 3-degree shift in the planet's rotation axis, which may have led to the formation of thick ice sheets.

SourceRice University·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·DateNov 19, 2018

Swifts ride air currents to catch a free lunch

Researchers analyzed the flight patterns of swifts, discovering that they spend most of their time gliding and using rising currents to power their movements. This unique strategy allows them to extract energy from the air almost for free, making their foraging capabilities extremely efficient.

SourceThe Company of Biologists·JournalJournal of Experimental Biology·DateNov 19, 2018

Cessation fatigue predicts which smokers making a quit attempt are likely to relapse

A new study found that cessation fatigue, emotional exhaustion and reduced coping resources, increases in the first six weeks of a quit attempt, leading to worse performance on smoking cessation milestones. High cessation fatigue scores predicted lower chances of going a full week without smoking at two months.

SourceMedical University of South Carolina·JournalJournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology·DateNov 19, 2018

A molecule for fighting muscular paralysis

Researchers at UNIGE have identified tamoxifen, a breast cancer medication, as a potential treatment for myotubular myopathy, a genetic disease that causes muscle paralysis and death before two years of age. The molecule greatly reduces the progression of the disease and boosts life expectancy in animal models by a factor of seven.

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalNature Communications·DateNov 19, 2018

Helping Marvel superheroes to breathe

Researchers found that Ant-Man and the Wasp's bug-sized state would lead to serious oxygen deprivation issues due to reduced atmospheric density. Microfluidic technologies could help alleviate these issues by providing controlled flow rates and directions of air, similar to insect respiratory systems.

Swarmlike collective behavior in bicycling

A team of researchers analyzed aerial video footage of bicycle races to determine the causes of changes in peloton collective behavior. They found two types of propagating waves within pelotons, driven by rider vision and sensory input, which challenge previous assumptions about aerodynamics' role in group dynamics.

Study links social isolation to higher risk of death

A large American Cancer Society study found that social isolation is linked to a higher risk of death from all causes combined and heart disease, with increased cancer mortality in white men and women. Addressing social isolation holds promise as it could be relatively simple and influence other risk factors.

SourceAmerican Cancer Society·JournalAmerican Journal of Epidemiology·DateNov 16, 2018

Eyeing echidnas

Harvard researchers create highly-detailed musculoskeletal model of an echidna forelimb to gain insight into its biomechanics and optimize limb leverage for certain movements. The study also reveals the importance of muscle configuration in supporting limb rotation, a key feature of the echidna's sprawling gait.

SourceHarvard University·JournalRoyal Society Open Science·DateNov 16, 2018

The common ancestor of species was rod-shaped

The study found that the common ancestor of Deinococcus species was rod-shaped, with six conserved genes (MreB, MreC, MreD, MrdA, RodA, and RodZ) present in all rod-shaped species. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that major gene loss occurred four times during evolution, generating spherical shape species.

SourceBentham Science Publishers·JournalThe Open Bioinformatics Journal·DateNov 16, 2018

Color coded -- matching taste with color

Penn State researchers found that people can learn to associate colors with tastes and that some people are quicker learners than others. They also discovered that different bitter compounds have distinct taste profiles, which may explain why people enjoy some bitter flavors but not others.

SourcePenn State·JournalFood Quality and Preference·DateNov 16, 2018

Drug resistant infections associated with higher in-hospital mortality rates in India

Researchers found that patients infected with multi-drug resistant and extensively drug resistant bacterial infections, especially Gram-negative infections, had significantly higher mortality rates. The study highlights the urgent need for increased surveillance, research, and antimicrobial stewardship efforts worldwide.

SourceCenter for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy·JournalClinical Infectious Diseases·DateNov 16, 2018