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Science News for December 23, 2022


Predicting calving problems before insemination

A predictive model developed by University of Groningen researchers can identify cows at risk of dystocia before insemination. The model, which uses machine learning on a large dataset, suggests that it could roughly halve the risk of calving problems.

SourceUniversity of Groningen·JournalPreventive Veterinary Medicine·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 23, 2022

Artificial intelligence tool developed to help make real-time diagnoses during surgery

A new AI tool developed by Brigham and Women's Hospital improves the accuracy of time-critical pathology diagnostics during surgery. The tool, which leverages deep-learning technology, translates frozen tissue samples into high-quality images, increasing diagnostic accuracy and reducing the need for lengthy laboratory tests.

SourceBrigham and Women's Hospital·JournalNature Biomedical Engineering·TypeObservational study·DateDec 23, 2022

A seventeen-year landmark study finds that group meditation decreases US national stress

A seventeen-year study by Maharishi International University found that group meditation decreased multiple stress indicators in the US, resulting in reduced murder rates and improved overall well-being. The study suggests that collective consciousness can create coherence through the unified field level of natural law.

SourceMaharishi International University·JournalWorld Journal of Social Science·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 23, 2022

Research team with participation of Chemnitz University of Technology reveals intriguing insights into optical resonances determined by the fascinating topology of the Möbius strip

A study in Nature Photonics reveals the fascinating properties of optical Möbius rings, which exhibit non-integer multiples of wavelength for resonance. The degree of ellipticity in polarization decreases as the strip width narrows, allowing for controlled Berry phase manipulation.

SourceChemnitz University of Technology·JournalNature Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 23, 2022

Novel near-infrared light detection method using upconversion materials is demonstrated

Researchers have developed a novel near-infrared light detection method using core-shell lanthanide nanoparticles to convert weak near-infrared light to visible light with high efficiency. This achievement promotes the proposal of a new resource- and energy-saving near-infrared light detection method, improving optical sensor sensitivi...

SourceJapan Science and Technology Agency·JournalAdvanced Photonics Research·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 23, 2022

Penalties, corruption and legislation are failing to deter harmful gas flaring in Nigeria, study shows

A new study by Dr. Urenmisan Afinotan from the University of Exeter Law School reveals that weak penalties and loopholes in Nigeria's legislation are failing to deter gas flaring in the Niger Delta, despite efforts since the 1960s. The study highlights the need for stronger regulations to mitigate climate change.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalEnvironmental Law Review·TypeMeta-analysis·DateDec 23, 2022

The world's largest turbulence simulation unmasks the flow of energy in astrophysical plasmas

A team of researchers has made a groundbreaking discovery that helps explain how the solar corona can be vastly hotter than its surface. The breakthrough involves magnetic reconnection, which separates and reconnects magnetic fields in plasma, converting turbulent energy into thermal energy at small scales.

SourceDOE/Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory·JournalScience Advances·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 23, 2022

New technique reveals changing shapes of magnetic noise in space and time

Researchers at Princeton University have developed a new technique to measure the spatial structure and time-varying nature of magnetic noise. This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for understanding quantum spin liquids, materials with bizarre quantum behaviors that were previously difficult to analyze experimentally.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 23, 2022

Designing with DNA

A new software program developed by Duke Ph.D. student Dan Fu lets users create 3D structures made of DNA, including tiny vases, bowls, and hollow spheres. The software relies on a way to build with DNA described in 2011 by Hao Yan, which works by coiling a long DNA double helix into concentric rings to form the contours of the object.

SourceDuke University·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 23, 2022

Plants between light and darkness

Researchers discovered two ion transport proteins, VCCN1 and KEA3, that dynamically adjust photosynthetic performance in response to light fluctuations. The study found that these proteins play a crucial role in protecting plants from excessive sunlight and optimizing growth under varying light conditions.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalNew Phytologist·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 23, 2022

Oregon State archaeologists uncover oldest known projectile points in the Americas

Researchers discovered 13 full and fragmentary projectile points in Idaho dating back to around 15,700 years ago, providing significant details about early human life in the Pacific Northwest. The findings suggest a complex technology and potential genetic-cultural connections between ice age peoples of Northeast Asia and North America.

SourceOregon State University·JournalScience Advances·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 23, 2022

People sleep the least from early 30s to early 50s

A recent study published in Nature Communications found that people's sleep duration follows three distinct phases across the lifespan. The study, which analyzed data from 730,187 participants, reveals a decline in sleep duration during mid-adulthood until age 33, followed by a plateau until early 50s.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 23, 2022

A type of simple, DIY air filter can be an effective way to filter out indoor air pollutants

A study by Brown University and Silent Spring Institute found that inexpensive DIY air filters called Corsi-Rosenthal boxes can significantly decrease indoor air concentrations of PFAS and phthalates. The boxes, made from MERV-13 filters, duct tape, a fan, and cardboard, reduced PFAS levels by 40% to 60% and phthalates by 30% to 60%.

SourceBrown University·JournalEnvironmental Science & Technology·TypeObservational study·DateDec 23, 2022