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Science News Archive 2019 - Page 43


Page 43 of 486

A monkey's balancing act

A study reveals that endangered monkey species in national parks make calculated decisions to balance risks and rewards of sharing space with humans. The research highlights the negative impact of human food consumption on their physical health and the need for sustainable conservation programmes to save declining species.

SourceUniversity of Lincoln·JournalAnimal Conservation·DateNov 25, 2019

Reconstructing source of radioactive ruthenium

A study reconstructs the source of radioactive ruthenium detected over Europe in 2017, identifying the southern Ural Mountains in Russia and the Mayak Production Association facility as the likely source. The authors estimated that approximately 250 TBq of radioactivity was released, with most of it occurring on September 26, 2017.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 25, 2019

Forests face climate change tug of war

The study reveals that the winner of the climate tug of war between CO2 fertilization and heat stress depends on the ratio between the two. If forests can acclimate, they can tolerate a lower ratio, but if not, it's above 89 parts per million CO2 per degree C of warming. Other factors like forest fires, insect infestation, and exceptio...

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 25, 2019

Liquid-liquid transitions crystallize new ideas for molecular liquids

Researchers have discovered a significant coupling between crystallization and liquid-liquid transition (LLT) in molecular liquids, leading to drastic enhancements of crystal formation. This finding has implications for understanding and controlling crystallization in various fields, including materials science and disease research.

SourceInstitute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 25, 2019

New hospital tech disrupts doctors' and nurses' jobs, forces improvisation to ensure patient safety

The introduction of electronic patient records in a Saudi Arabian hospital led to changes in the division of labor between physicians and nursing staff. As a result, staff had to improvise their actions to ensure continued patient safety, often requiring complex renegotiations to re-establish professional boundaries.

SourceLancaster University·JournalJournal of Information Technology·DateNov 25, 2019

Paleoclimate of the Middle East

A study analyzing carbonate minerals in Soreq Cave, Israel, suggests the summer monsoon periodically impacted the region during the last interglacial period. The findings coincide with archaeological evidence of human migration out of Africa, implying paleoclimate may have influenced early human movement.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 25, 2019

Screen time patterns of kids

A study analyzed nearly 3,900 children's screen time use and its association with parental education levels and child sex. The findings highlight the importance of considering sociodemographic characteristics when examining screen time patterns.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Pediatrics·DateNov 25, 2019

Cellular origins of pediatric brain tumors identified

A research team identified that several types of highly aggressive pediatric brain tumors originate from stalled development of progenitor cells in the pons and forebrain. The findings represent a significant advance in understanding these diseases, which are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children.

SourceMcGill University·JournalNature Genetics·DateNov 25, 2019

Air pollution linked to higher glaucoma risk

A new UCL-led study found that living in a more polluted area is associated with a greater likelihood of having glaucoma, a debilitating eye condition that can cause blindness. People in areas with high levels of fine particulate matter pollution were 6% more likely to report having glaucoma than those in less-polluted areas.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalInvestigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science·DateNov 25, 2019

New discovery in C. difficile biology could lead to treatments for dangerous infections

A new study published in Nature Microbiology has discovered that epigenetic chemical modifications play a crucial role in the survival and spread of C. difficile bacteria. The research found that inhibiting these modifications can reduce bacterial populations by up to 100 times, paving the way for potential treatments for this deadly i...