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Science News Archive August 2020 - Page 28


Page 28 of 45

Positive contact between muslims and christians in soccer league built cohesion, with limitations

A recent study found that Muslim teammates improved Christian players' behavior towards their peers in an Iraqi soccer league, but this effect did not generalize to other social contexts. The research highlights the value of intergroup interventions for achieving post-war peace, but also reveals limitations in building lasting social c...

Programmed bacteria have something extra

Researchers successfully engineered bacteria to produce a synthetic building block, a 21st amino acid, which prompts the bacteria to produce a protein that fluoresces under metabolic stress. This breakthrough enables the design of novel proteins and organisms with useful functions.

SourceRice University·JournalChem·DateAug 12, 2020

Stay-at-home orders significantly associated with reduced spread of COVID-19, study finds

A recent study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases found that stay-at-home orders significantly slowed the spread of COVID-19 in the United States. The study analyzed data from 45 states with stay-at-home orders and found an average doubling time increase of 12.27 days, indicating significant slowing of disease spread.

SourceBrown University·JournalThe Journal of Infectious Diseases·DateAug 12, 2020

Glass blowing inspires new class of quantum sensors

A team of scientists, led by RMIT University, has developed a new class of quantum sensors using high-performance diamond particles embedded in conventional glass fibers. This breakthrough enables the creation of cheap quantum sensor networks for applications such as underwater monitoring and mining.

SourceRMIT University·JournalAPL Materials·DateAug 12, 2020

New generation of drugs show early efficacy against drug-resistant TB

A new international study has shown that a newly developed treatment regimen for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is highly effective, with an 85% success rate among patients with serious comorbidities. The regimens, bedaquiline and delamanid, offer a promising alternative to the historical standard of care, which has approxim...

SourceHarvard Medical School·JournalAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·DateAug 12, 2020

OECD countries' politicians follow each other

The study found that democratic countries tend to copy each other's decisions, while the timing of implementation is crucial in containing the spread. The researchers conclude that political decisions during the pandemic were influenced by internal pressure and a desire for decisiveness.

SourceLinköping University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 12, 2020

Nutrition labelling is improving nation's diet - new study

A new study finds that Front-of-Pack labelling on food products leads to a reduction in the quantity of labelled store-branded food purchased and an overall improvement in nutritional composition of consumers' shopping baskets. The study, published in the Journal of Health Economics, shows significant improvements in poorer households.

SourceUniversity of Bath·JournalJournal of Health Economics·DateAug 12, 2020

A quick, cost-effective method to track the spread of COVID-19

A team of scientists from Hokkaido University has successfully developed an adsorption-extraction technique to efficiently detect SARS-CoV-2 in untreated wastewater. This breakthrough method, using a surrogate virus like murine hepatitis virus, offers a fast and economical way to track the spread of COVID-19 at a larger scale.

SourceHokkaido University·JournalThe Science of The Total Environment·DateAug 12, 2020

Seafood study finds plastic in all samples

A new study found that five different types of seafood - oysters, prawns, squid, crabs, and sardines - contain plastic, with varying levels of pollution. The research used a newly developed method to identify and measure five different plastic types, revealing surprising differences in the amount of plastic present among species.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalEnvironmental Science & Technology·DateAug 12, 2020

The oldest known cremation in the near east dates to 7000 BC

A study published in PLOS ONE has uncovered the oldest known cremation site in the Near East, dating back to 7013-6700 BC. The remains of a young adult found in Beisamoun, Israel, show evidence of intentional cremation, suggesting a cultural shift in funeral practices during this period.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateAug 12, 2020