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Science News Archive July 2022 - Page 27


Page 27 of 34

Social interactions tied to sense of purpose

Research from Washington University in St. Louis finds that positive social interactions are associated with a greater sense of purpose in older adults, particularly those who are retired. The study suggests that the quality of relationships and social connections play a significant role in shaping one's sense of purpose.

SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalAmerican Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 7, 2022

How might Big Tech affect financial inclusion and stability?

A recent analysis found that Big Tech companies can provide innovative financial services to people excluded from traditional banking, improving financial inclusion. However, the authors caution that without proper education, these services may introduce risks to financial stability.

SourceWiley·JournalContemporary Economic Policy·DateJul 7, 2022

Photoinduced large polaron transport and dynamics in organic-inorganic hybrid lead halide perovskite with terahertz probes

Photoinduced large polaron transport and dynamics in organic-inorganic hybrid lead halide perovskite have been studied using terahertz probes. The researchers found that the formation of large polarons protects charge carriers from scattering with grain boundaries or defects, explaining the long lifetime of photoconductivity.

Advances in the design and manufacturing of novel freeform optics

Freeform optics have revolutionized the way we approach precision optical systems, enabling superior imaging in compact packages. Researchers have summarized the present state of art in advances, design methods, manufacturing, metrology, and applications. Key challenges include standard definitions, optimization complexities, and measu...

SourceInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·JournalInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·DateJul 7, 2022

Unlocking the secrets of the ancient coastal Maya

Researchers have uncovered thousands of artifacts along Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, shedding new light on the ancient Maya people who lived in a dynamic interplay between social and natural processes. The project has provided valuable insights into how the Maya adapted to environmental changes, such as rising sea levels, and offers a m...

SourceGeorgia State University·JournalThe Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology·TypeObservational study·DateJul 7, 2022

Insilico Medicine identified multiple new targets for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) using its AI-driven target discovery engine

Researchers at Insilico Medicine used their proprietary AI-driven target discovery engine, PandaOmics, to identify 17 high-confidence and 11 novel therapeutic targets for ALS. These targets were further validated in various model systems, including a c9ALS Drosophila model, and showed strong functional correlations to ALS. The study's ...

SourceInSilico Medicine·JournalFrontiers in Aging·DateJul 7, 2022

The importance of elders

Researchers challenge the notion that natural selection declines after reproduction is complete. Instead, they propose that older adults play a crucial role in maintaining their fitness through intergenerational transfers of resources and knowledge.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 7, 2022

Radiation for responsible recycling: A distributed, microwave-based method to recycle batteries

A new distributed recycling system using microwave irradiation recovers 97% of manganese oxide and zinc from spent alkaline batteries, outperforming conventional methods. The system's potential to reduce annual energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in Japan is estimated at 26,500 GJ and 1.54 Gg-CO2 eq, respectively.

SourceRitsumeikan University·JournalResources Environment and Sustainability·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 7, 2022

Balancing protein in your diet could improve water quality

A study from the University of California, Davis, found that balancing protein consumption with human needs can reduce nitrogen excretion rates in US waters by 27% by 2055. Coastal cities have the largest potential to make this change, which could also improve environmental health without increasing wastewater treatment costs.

SourceUniversity of California - Davis·JournalFrontiers in Ecology and the Environment·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 7, 2022

Carbon conservation efforts would be enhanced by highlighting threatened forest primates

Researchers highlight the importance of linking carbon conservation with threatened forest primates, which could enhance climate action and biodiversity protection. The study found that 15.5 gigatonnes of irrecoverable carbon are stored in areas with high primate species richness, equivalent to 40% of current annual fossil fuel emissions.

SourceOregon State University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 7, 2022

Protecting our coastline

A new computer model developed by Louisiana State University oceanographer Giulio Mariotti shows that barrier island retreat will accelerate by 50 percent within a century due to rising sea levels. The model challenges the common assumption that barrier islands respond instantly to sea level rise, revealing a lag between the two.

SourceLouisiana State University·JournalNature Geoscience·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 7, 2022

Ozone depletion over North Pole produces weather anomalies

Researchers found a correlation between Arctic ozone depletion and extreme weather events in the Northern Hemisphere. Simulations suggest that reduced ozone levels contribute to warmer temperatures and droughts in central Europe, while wet conditions prevail in polar regions.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Geoscience·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 7, 2022

Bees’ ‘waggle dance’ may revolutionize how robots talk to each other in disaster zones

A new study takes inspiration from the 'waggle dance' of honeybees to devise a way for robots to communicate effectively in situations with unreliable network communications. Researchers designed a visual communication system using on-board cameras, allowing robots to interpret gestures and convey complex information.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Robotics and AI·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 7, 2022

Most studied Vietnam Era veterans spontaneously describe traumatic experiences in the telling of their life stories

A study of 231 Vietnam Era veterans reveals that 71% describe at least one traumatic event, including combat exposure, adverse childhood experiences, and navigating a life-threatening illness. The findings underscore the importance of clinician-patient relationships and trauma-informed care in older adult healthcare.

SourceWiley·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateJul 7, 2022

Towards autonomous prediction and synthesis of novel magnetic materials

A team of researchers from Tokyo University of Science has developed an efficient integrated materials synthesis system for automatic discovery of new functional magnetic materials. Using artificial intelligence and computational science, they identified promising materials five times more efficiently than traditional trial-and-error a...

SourceTokyo University of Science·JournalScience and Technology of Advanced Materials Methods·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 7, 2022

Deep-ultraviolet nonlinear optical crystals: Concept development and materials discovery

Researchers review current progress on DUV NLO crystals, discussing key performance criteria, material development, and design strategies to surpass existing KBBF crystals. They propose rational tuning of interlayer cations as an effective strategy to improve DUV NLO performance.

Natural selection may be making society more unequal

A new study published in Behavior Genetics found that natural selection favors characteristics associated with lower earnings and poorer education, such as having more children. The research, led by UEA, analyzed data from over 300,000 people in the UK and suggests that this may be contributing to increasing income inequality.

SourceUniversity of East Anglia·JournalBehavior Genetics·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 7, 2022

Coin-sized device detects measles virus in saliva

A novel point-of-care biosensing device has been developed to detect measles virions in human saliva, potentially aiding in viral spread control. The device, smaller than a €1-cent coin or U.S. quarter, utilizes lab-on-a-chip technology and showed high accuracy in experiments.

SourceWiley·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·DateJul 7, 2022

Are too many young children drinking specialized formula?

Research published in Clinical and Experimental Allergy reveals a significant increase in prescriptions of specialized infant formula for infants with milk allergies. The findings suggest high levels of milk allergy over-diagnosis, marking an important shift in early child nutrition.

SourceWiley·JournalClinical & Experimental Allergy·DateJul 7, 2022