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Science News for March 28, 2019


For some people, attractive wives and high status husbands enhance marital quality

A recent study found that individuals who prioritize making the best choices in their relationships, known as maximizers, tend to be more satisfied in their marriages. Maximizing men with attractive wives reported higher satisfaction, while maximizing women with high-status husbands experienced less decline in satisfaction over time.

SourceSociety for Personality and Social Psychology·JournalPersonality and Social Psychology Bulletin·DateMar 28, 2019

Reducing water consumption in mining

Researchers at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf have developed a new procedure to optimize water usage in mineral beneficiation technology. By using process simulation, the team was able to significantly reduce water consumption, from 4,000 litres per tonne of ore to below 1,000 litres per tonne. This innovation has the potential t...

SourceHelmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf·JournalJournal of Environmental Management·DateMar 28, 2019

Shape shifting mirror opens a vista for the future

Researchers at Osaka University have developed a glue-free bimorph deformable mirror that can be used in vacuum chambers. The new technology uses inorganic silver nanoparticles to bond PZT actuators to a mirror substrate, allowing for precise shape modification and high-precision optics.

SourceOsaka University·JournalReview of Scientific Instruments·DateMar 28, 2019

Illuminating water filtration

A team of researchers has revealed the molecular structure of membranes used in reverse osmosis, a leading method of purifying brackish water into drinking water. The study found that the perpendicular packing motif is better correlated with optimal filtration properties and may be related to how water pathways are oriented.

SourceDOE/Brookhaven National Laboratory·JournalACS Macro Letters·DateMar 28, 2019

UAlberta leads urgent call for sample rocks from Mars

A new publication outlines objectives for Mars Sample Return campaign, providing a blueprint for answering key questions about Mars. The University of Alberta is home to a vast collection of meteorites and experts like Chris Herd emphasize the importance of returning samples from Mars with context.

SourceUniversity of Alberta·JournalMeteoritics and Planetary Science·DateMar 28, 2019

1 billion people will be newly exposed to diseases like dengue fever as world temperatures rise

A new study warns that global warming could lead to the spread of disease-carrying mosquitoes to areas previously too cold for them, putting 1 billion people at risk. The research suggests that temperatures are expected to rise, leading to year-round transmissions in tropical regions and seasonal risks elsewhere.

SourceGeorgetown University Medical Center·JournalPLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases·DateMar 28, 2019

Modelled climate change impact on mosquito-borne virus transmission

A study predicts climate change will lead to increased and new exposures to humans of diseases carried by mosquito vectors, with poleward shifts in Aedes-borne virus distributions. The model suggests a middle-of-the-road temperature increase could produce the greatest expansion in viral transmission by Ae. albopictus.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateMar 28, 2019

The Serengeti squeeze: Human activities at edges of protected areas undermine these ecosystems

A new study in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem highlights how human activity near protected areas affects wildlife and ecosystem function. The results show that human pressure has caused wildlife to migrate to the core of the park, resulting in changes to fire regimes, grazing patterns, and increased vulnerability to droughts.

Decision makers need contextual interactive guidance

A team of researchers developed an interactive program using trade-off diagrams to support decision-making in complex scenarios. The tool allows for compromises and balancing of competing interests, increasing decision quality with contextual information. However, interactivity also improves decision-making, but to a lesser extent.

Scientists reveal largest Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton

The discovery of the largest Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever found sheds new light on the lives of these massive predators. The specimen, weighing over 40% more than the next largest known taxon, suggests that different types of dinosaurs may have grown to significantly greater sizes than previously thought.

SourceWiley·JournalThe Anatomical Record·DateMar 28, 2019

BU finds universal background checks lower homicide rates

A new Boston University study reveals that states with universal background check laws for all gun sales had 15% lower homicide rates compared to those without such laws. The study also found that laws limiting the sale of guns to people convicted of violent misdemeanors were associated with a more dramatic reduction in homicide rates.

SourceBoston University School of Medicine·JournalJournal of General Internal Medicine·DateMar 28, 2019

3D printed tissues may keep athletes in action

Researchers at Rice University have created 3D-printed scaffolds that can mimic the physical characteristics of osteochondral tissue, a hard bone beneath a compressible layer of cartilage. The scaffolds are designed to promote healing and potentially treat common sports injuries.

SourceRice University·JournalActa Biomaterialia·DateMar 28, 2019

Virtual reality could be used to treat autism

Researchers from the University of Waterloo found that virtual reality can help individuals with autism and other neurological disorders recalibrate their internal clock. The study used a VR game to encourage participants to adjust their time perception, resulting in significant reductions in estimates of time by around 15 percent.

SourceUniversity of Waterloo·JournalScientific Reports·DateMar 28, 2019

CNIO researchers identify a new gene involved in the development of a rare endocrine tumour

Researchers from the CNIO Hereditary Endocrine Cancer Group have identified a new gene, DLST, involved in the development of paragangliomas and phaeochromocytomas. Mutations in this gene were found to be directly linked to the disease, providing a potential breakthrough in diagnosis and treatment.

SourceCentro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO)·JournalAmerican Journal of Human Genetics·DateMar 28, 2019

What Americans know about science

A survey of 4,464 adults found that Americans with higher education levels score higher on science knowledge. Whites outperform Hispanics and blacks on the science knowledge scale, while men generally outscore women. Republicans and Democrats hold similar levels of science knowledge.

A compass pointing west

At the level of nanoscopic structures made of magnetic layers, researchers at PSI have discovered a special magnetic interaction that enables the development of planar magnetic networks. These interactions allow for the creation of synthetic antiferromagnets and logical gates suitable for constructing computer memories and switches.

SourcePaul Scherrer Institute·JournalScience·DateMar 28, 2019

New way of designing systems against correlated disruptions uses negative probability

Researchers have developed a new method to design systems with greater disaster resistance and resilience by incorporating negative probability. This method models correlated disruptions as independent impacts on virtual supporting stations, reducing complexity and enabling easier calculation of probabilities.

SourceUniversity of Illinois Grainger College of Engineering·JournalTransportation Research Part B Methodological·DateMar 28, 2019

Studying reintroduction of bull trout with simulations

A team of researchers used a simulation to project the genetic and demographic outcomes of bull trout reintroduction in Washington State, focusing on connectivity and habitat availability. The study found that sufficient gene flow and unoccupied patches are key to maintaining genetic variation and persistence.

SourceVirginia Tech·JournalEcosphere·DateMar 28, 2019

Most precise measurements of sickle cell disease building blocks could lead to new treatments

A breakthrough study has revealed that the building blocks of sickle cell disease are much less efficient at organizing than previously thought. This finding could lead to new treatments, including medicines prescribed at lower doses, and improve outcomes for approximately 20 million people worldwide who suffer from the lifelong disease.

SourceUniversity of Minnesota·JournalScience Advances·DateMar 28, 2019