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Science News Archive 2020 - Page 228


Page 228 of 512

How Salt Lake's buildings affect its climate future

University of Utah researchers found that Salt Lake City's buildings will require less natural gas for heating and more electricity for cooling as temperatures rise. The study suggests that local building policy can impact energy use in the future, with multi-family apartment buildings expected to grow in number.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalWorld·DateJul 28, 2020

UMass Amherst biologists zero in on cells' environmental sensing mechanism

Researchers at UMass Amherst have identified a key protein component of the Hedgehog signaling pathway as an important player in phenotypic plasticity, allowing cells to sense and respond to environmental inputs. This finding provides insights into how genes and environment interact to shape anatomical traits.

SourceUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 28, 2020

New scenario for the India-Asia collision dynamics

The study reports a two-stage collision between India and Asia, with the Tethyan Himalaya terrane drifting northward and colliding with Asia at ~61 Ma. The findings match history of India-Asia convergence rates and provide constraints for climate models linking Himalayan orogenesis with global climate change.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·DateJul 28, 2020

Your brain on birth control

A study published in Hormones and Behavior found that oral contraceptive use affects brain structure and function, particularly in women who start taking them during puberty or adolescence. This can lead to altered stress response and changes in working memory processing.

SourceUniversity of Ottawa·JournalHormones and Behavior·DateJul 28, 2020

Prescribed CBD could help people quit cannabis

A randomized clinical trial found that prescribed doses of non-intoxicating CBD reduced cannabis use and increased abstinence days. Participants treated with 400mg or 800mg CBD showed lower levels of cannabis in their urine and more days abstinent compared to placebo.

SourceUniversity of Bath·JournalThe Lancet Psychiatry·DateJul 28, 2020

Text messaging: The next gen of therapy in mental health

A new study found that texting intervention as an add-on to mental health treatment programs improved symptoms and increased participant engagement. The research team developed a text-messaging-based psychotherapy tool that was clinically promising, safe, and feasible for people with serious mental illness.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalPsychiatric Services·DateJul 28, 2020

The amazing travels of small RNAs

A recent study published in Nature Plants reveals that short double-stranded small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are the primary messengers responsible for RNA interference in plants. These siRNAs can travel vast distances, enabling plants to modulate gene expression at a distance and adapt to their environment through phenotypic plasticity.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Plants·DateJul 28, 2020

Make your own greenhouse gas logger

Researchers at Linköping University developed a simple and cost-efficient logger for measuring greenhouse gases, including methane. The open-source Arduino-based system provides data on methane levels, temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide, making it easier to monitor emissions locally and globally.

SourceLinköping University·JournalBiogeosciences·DateJul 27, 2020

Invisible barriers cut down on cheating

A new study published in PNAS found that simple environmental cues, such as a see-through partition or an imaginary barrier, can significantly reduce cheating in children. The researchers used four experiments with over 350 children aged 5-6 years old and demonstrated that just the idea of a barrier discouraged cheating.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 27, 2020

New depth map of the Arctic Ocean

The IBCAO 4.0 bathymetric chart provides a detailed map of the Arctic Ocean with higher and better resolution data than previous versions. The new chart reveals a great variety of glacial origins and helps to reconstruct geological processes in arctic latitudes.

SourceUniversity of Barcelona·JournalScientific Data·DateJul 27, 2020

Grape pips reveal collapse of ancient economy in the grip of plague and climate change

A study published in PNAS reveals a significant economic downturn in the Byzantine Empire's arid Negev desert during a pandemic in the mid-6th century CE. The research analyzed seeds found in ancient trash mounds, including grape pips, which show a high frequency, suggesting an increase in viticulture and wine export.

SourceBar-Ilan University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 27, 2020