Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News Archive February 2021 - Page 33


Page 33 of 45

Happiness really does come for free

A study found that communities with low monetization have remarkably high levels of happiness, comparable to Scandinavian countries. The researchers interviewed 678 people and found that social and economic factors play a bigger role in higher monetized sites.

SourceMcGill University·JournalPLOS ONE·DateFeb 8, 2021

Scientists switch on tissue repair in inflammatory bowel disease

Researchers at KU Leuven and Seoul National University create method to stimulate immune system cells to repair damaged tissues, offering new potential treatment for inflammatory bowel disease. The technique involves targeting specific macrophage cells with liposomes containing a substance that triggers tissue regeneration.

SourceKU Leuven·JournalGut·DateFeb 8, 2021

COVID-19 infections in the U.S. nearly three times greater than reported, model estimates

A machine-learning algorithm developed at UT Southwestern estimates that the number of COVID-19 cases in the US is nearly three times that of confirmed cases, with over 71 million people estimated to have contracted the virus. The algorithm provides daily updated estimates of total infections and the number of people currently infected...

SourceUT Southwestern Medical Center·JournalPLOS ONE·DateFeb 8, 2021

How rocks rusted on Earth and turned red

A Rutgers-led study has discovered the natural mineral hematite is responsible for the red color in New Jersey rocks and American Southwest formations. The research reveals that hematite concentrations track 14.5 million years of Late Triassic monsoonal rainfall, providing valuable insights into ancient climate change.

SourceRutgers University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 8, 2021

COVID-19 news fromAnnals of Internal Medicine

A study analyzing Kaiser Permanente members found racial minorities more likely to test positive for COVID-19 than white patients, with Latino patients nearly 4 times as likely. Healthcare workers in Los Angeles expressed hesitancy about getting the COVID-19 vaccine, citing concerns over development and science.

SourceAmerican College of Physicians·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·DateFeb 8, 2021

STINGing tumors with nanoparticles

A new nanoparticle-based drug can boost the body's innate immune system and make it more effective at fighting off tumors. Researchers found that the polymer-based nanoparticles activate STING even without a small molecule activator, causing a more sustained effect on the protein.

SourceUT Southwestern Medical Center·JournalNature Biomedical Engineering·DateFeb 8, 2021

Does Goal 7 Energy for All need a rethink?

New research by Copenhagen Business School finds that poor planning and execution of decarbonisation strategies in emerging markets challenges the aims of Goal 7. The study highlights the need for governance in energy democracy, allowing marginalized communities to participate in renewable energy investments. This can be achieved throu...

SourceCopenhagen Business School·JournalJournal of International Business Policy·DateFeb 8, 2021

Cells are collective thinkers

Researchers discovered that cells use active perception to coordinate action when creating new tissue. They found that filopodia movement helps inform a decision by detecting signals in the environment.

SourceThe Francis Crick Institute·JournalPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London (B )·DateFeb 8, 2021

Marmoset monkeys have personalities too

A study published in American Journal of Primatology found that common marmosets exhibit distinct personality traits, such as explorativeness, boldness, and extraversion. These findings are consistent across captive and wild settings, suggesting that personality is a stable trait in these animals.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalAmerican Journal of Primatology·DateFeb 8, 2021

Hearing acrobatics

A dynamic and delicate connection between two pairs of protein filaments, called tip links, plays a central role in hearing. The tension held by these filaments is essential for the activation of sensory cells in the inner ear.

SourceHarvard Medical School·JournalNature Communications·DateFeb 8, 2021

Uncovering how some corals resist bleaching

Researchers at Michigan State University and the University of Hawaii have discovered chemical signatures in corals that indicate resistance to bleaching. The study found that resistant corals host algae with saturated lipids, which differ from those found in susceptible corals with more unsaturated lipids.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalNature Ecology & Evolution·DateFeb 8, 2021

1918 pandemic second wave had fatal consequences

The study found that the spread of Spanish flu differed depending on the region, with a decrease in infection numbers associated with public health measures. Delayed action at the start of the second wave was fatal, contributing to its severity and duration. The researchers compared historical data from 1918 and 2020 and found parallel...

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·DateFeb 8, 2021

Scientists discover how a group of caterpillars became poisonous

A group of caterpillars that eat cycad plants have evolved a toxic defense mechanism, resulting in bold colors and behaviors to deter predators. The study reveals the genetic consequences of this adaptation, including rapid evolutionary change and the development of proteins that destroy cells and remove dead cell debris.

SourceSmithsonian·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 8, 2021

An interdecadal decrease in extreme heat days in August over Northeast China around the early 1990s

Researchers found a significant interdecadal decrease in extreme heat days over Northeast China from the 1980s to 2000s, driven by reduced variability of daily maximum temperature. The Silk Road and East Asian-Pacific teleconnections played a crucial role in modulating this change.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAtmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters·DateFeb 8, 2021