Bluesky Facebook Reddit Email

Science News Archive August 2021


Page 14 of 38

Efficient buildings could save thousands of lives in US every year

A new study suggests that improved building energy efficiency can prevent up to 5,100 yearly premature deaths and up to 2,900 lives in the US. The 'optimistic' scenario envisions a 50% increase in appliance efficiency and 60-90% increase in building shell efficiency by 2050.

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope supports teaching labs and QA checks with LED illumination, mechanical stage, and included 5MP camera.

Photo posts reveal huge interest for real coastal nature

A study analyzing over 120 million social media posts reveals that tourists focus more on nature in marine protected areas than neighboring coastal zones. The research found that these areas provide more cultural ecosystem services than adjacent coastal areas.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Fighting resistances: Concepts for new antibiotics

The urgent demand for new antimicrobial agents is threatened by a lack of investment in research. Scientists propose concepts for sustainably bridging the gap between pure research and industrial implementation to create new, effective antibiotics.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

Meta Quest 3 512GB enables immersive mission planning, terrain rehearsal, and interactive STEM demos with high-resolution mixed-reality experiences.

Symptoms, like pain and fatigue, often cluster in newly diagnosed MS, study finds

A recent Michigan Medicine study found that people newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis experience a myriad of significant symptoms that often cluster together. Nearly two-thirds of MS patients reported fatigue, half experienced pain in the first year after diagnosis. The research team collected questionnaires from MS patients at si...

Physical exercise modulates iron in Alzheimer’s disease

A recent study found that regular physical exercise modulates iron homeostasis in both the brain and skeletal muscle of mice with Alzheimer's disease. The results suggest that IL-6 is a key modulator of hepcidin in exercise-induced brain iron modulation, which may help explain why exercise is beneficial for AD prevention or treatment.

CPRIT grant establishes Genetic Design and Engineering Center

The center will provide a one-stop shop for custom DNA constructs, accelerating cancer research through access to state-of-the-art tools. The facility will enable transformative, large-scale experimental projects that were previously impossible for individual labs.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Girdin one’s loins

A team of researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine discovered that GIV/Girdin plays a critical role in sperm motility, survival, and fertilization success. The protein regulates capacitation and acrosome reaction processes, essential for successful fertilization.

Immigration policies and how private prisons are shaping them

Researchers found that private prison companies tend to donate to lawmakers who cosponsor punitive immigration legislation. This fuels a cycle of increased deportations and immigrant detention, with the private prison industry profiting from it. The study highlights the financial payoffs for politicians who support such policies.

Study: Evolution now accepted by majority of Americans

A new study reveals that public acceptance of evolution in the US has surpassed the halfway mark, with education and civic science literacy identified as key factors leading to its adoption. The study found a decline in religious fundamentalism's impact on rejecting evolution, with approximately 30% of Americans still holding fundament...

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.

National 2D materials research center wins NSF funding

The Center for Atomically Thin Multifunctional Coatings (ATOMIC) has received Phase II funding to expand its research and development of advanced 2D coatings. With the addition of Boise State University, ATOMIC aims to advance technology to more applied solutions and collaborate with industry partners on high-reward projects.

Under the northern lights: Mesospheric ozone layer depletion explained

Researchers found that electron precipitation from northern lights causes local ozone layer depletions in the mesosphere, potentially impacting climate. The study provides insight into this phenomenon, known as pulsating aurorae, and highlights its significance for global climate change.

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.

Cooperative control brings ‘smart shipping’ closer to port

Drones are not the only vehicles at the forefront of automating deliveries; researchers have developed a control strategy for ships and partnered tugs to navigate environmental disturbances. The multi-layer, multi-agent control scheme increases efficiency in the shipping process while reducing human error.

Study proposes new ways to estimate climate change impacts on agriculture

Researchers propose new statistical approaches to estimate climate change impacts on US agriculture, focusing on county-level analysis. They suggest that current grouping methods can lead to inaccurate results and recommend using C-Lasso, causal forest algorithm, and geographically weighted regressions.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C) provide clear calls and strong noise reduction for interviews, conferences, and noisy field environments.

NEJM: Anticoagulants help moderately ill COVID-19 patients

A study involving 2,200 patients found that therapeutic-dose anticoagulation improved survival rates among moderately ill COVID-19 patients. The treatment reduced the likelihood of needing cardiovascular respiratory organ support by 27% and increased chances of survival without such support by 4%.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.

New fossils show what the ancestral brains of arthropods looked like

Rare fossils from the Cambrian period confirm the presence of an ancestral frontal domain in arthropods, which gives rise to crucial neural centers involved in decision-making and memory. The discovery also sheds new light on the evolutionary origin of visual systems in arthropods.

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Can a heartburn drug help doctors treat COVID-19?

Researchers found that famotidine improves COVID-19 survival odds and reduces disease severity when used with aspirin. The study, involving over 22,000 patients, suggests famotidine may have a beneficial 'off-target effect' in treating the disease.

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.

New approach identifies T cells in Covid-19 patients

A new approach has identified T cells in Covid-19 patients, revealing their appearance, number, and activity level against SARS-CoV-2. The study distinguishes between active and dormant T cells, enabling a better understanding of the immune response to the virus.

A new era for biology: Opportunities and challenges of macrogenetics

The article reviews macrogenetics, a field that uses big data to identify global drivers of genetic diversity and answer fundamental biodiversity questions. Macrogeneticists aim to inform sustainable policies by analyzing large-scale patterns, settling long-standing debates among scientists.

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply powers sensors, microcontrollers, and test circuits with programmable rails and stable outputs.

Home-grown semiconductors for faster, smaller electronics

Researchers create transistors with an ultra-thin metal gate grown as part of the semiconductor crystal, eliminating oxidation scattering. This design improves device performance in high-frequency applications, quantum computing, and qubit applications.

Unpacking the body’s interferon response to COVID-19

A new study by Ivan Zanoni at Boston Children's Hospital reveals a complex picture of interferon production in mild versus severe COVID-19. The researchers found that different types of interferons have opposite roles in the upper and lower respiratory tract, and that specific interferons determine disease severity.

UMD-led study could offer hope to Pompe disease patients

Researchers at the University of Maryland have developed a new method to improve enzyme replacement therapy for Pompe disease, which could reduce treatment costs and frequency. The method involves attaching a ligand to the enzyme, increasing its efficiency in delivering it to cells where it is needed.

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only)

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only) delivers reliable low-light performance and rugged build for astrophotography, lab documentation, and field expeditions.

‘Core@Shell’ catalyst that controls chemical reactions with light

Researchers at POSTECH developed a 'core@shell' nanocrystal technology that harnesses interfacial synergy for efficient catalysis. The innovative approach produces high-energy conversion rates and enables remote operation of catalysts, opening doors to various applications in sustainable energy and biotechnology.

Study of tyrannosaur braincases shows more variation than previously thought

Researchers used CT scans to digitally reconstruct the brain, inner ear, and surrounding bones of two well-preserved Daspletosaurus specimens, finding more variation in braincase structure than expected. The study suggests that these variations may provide insights into the sensory biology and life of the dinosaur.

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock simplifies serious desks with 18 ports for high-speed storage, monitors, and instruments across Mac and PC setups.

Transformative transportation survey methods

Researchers at Portland State University developed new survey methods to address the limitations of current household activity surveys. The study found that existing methods lack social, cultural, and linguistic applicability for marginalized groups, leading to inaccurate data. By improving data collection efforts, transportation profe...