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Science News Archive September 2022 - Page 29


Page 29 of 38

Unique ferroelectric microstructure revealed for first time

The study reveals a new pathway to develop lead-free ferroelectric materials with strong piezoelectric properties. The novel hybrid improper ferroelectric material combines rotation and tilting of oxygen octahedra to produce polarization, enabling the creation of powerful piezoelectric systems.

SourcePenn State·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 9, 2022

Artificial ocean cooling to weaken hurricanes is futile, study finds

A new study led by the University of Miami Rosenstiel School found that artificially cooling oceans to weaken hurricanes is a futile solution due to its high energy requirements and minimal benefits. The research suggests focusing on adaptation strategies such as reinforcing infrastructure and improving evacuation procedures instead.

SourceUniversity of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science·JournalNature Communications·TypeObservational study·DateSep 9, 2022

The origins of donkey domestication

The study reveals that donkeys were first domesticated in Africa 5,000 years ago, with a previously unknown genetic lineage discovered in the Levant. This discovery has significant implications for understanding the history of trade between Europe and North Africa.

SourceCNRS·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 9, 2022

A breakthrough discovery in carbon capture conversion for ethylene production

Researchers at University of Illinois Chicago developed a method to convert 100% of captured carbon dioxide into ethylene, producing hydrocarbons with high purity. The process uses electrolysis and can recycle almost all carbon dioxide captured, making it carbon negative when powered by renewable energy.

SourceUniversity of Illinois Chicago·JournalCell Reports Physical Science·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 9, 2022

Gender-balanced teams produce more innovative, impactful scientific work, according to new research from MSU, Northwestern, Notre Dame and NYU

A study by researchers at MSU, Northwestern, Notre Dame and NYU found that gender-balanced teams produced significantly more novel and impactful scientific work compared to unbalanced teams. Teams with an equal number of men and women had the highest likelihood of novel and impactful results.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 9, 2022

Clever birds have cheap neurons

Researchers found avian neurons consume three times less glucose than mammalian neurons due to smaller size and efficient energy usage. This surprising finding sheds light on the evolution of intelligent bird brains.

SourceRuhr-University Bochum·JournalCurrent Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 9, 2022

Pandemic federal programs helped kids in need get access to 1.5 billion meals every month

The study found that pandemic federal programs, including grab-and-go school meals and the Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program, reached over 30 million children and provided nearly 1.5 billion meals in 2020. The programs helped low-income families access nutritious food during a critical time when schools were closed due to COVID-19.

SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalJAMA Network Open·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 9, 2022

Study: Minority, immigrant populations faced misinformation, hostility when seeking COVID-19 information online

A new study from the University of Kansas found that racial and ethnic minority populations in the US faced unique challenges while seeking COVID-19 information online, including misinformation, harassment, and hostility. Younger and healthier individuals were more resistant to vaccination due to lower perceived risk and benefit.

SourceUniversity of Kansas·JournalConvergence The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies·TypeSurvey·DateSep 8, 2022

Researchers study historical developments of the periodic system of chemical elements

Researchers analyzed the knowledge of chemical space between 1800 and 1869 to discover how well the periodic table corresponds to the chemical data at its formulation. They found that the periodic table's basic structure was already encoded in space by the 1840s, two decades before its creation.

SourceUniversität Leipzig·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 8, 2022

Gamers can have their cake and eat it too

A study by Kyoto University and BonBon Inc found that complex games like Potion can measure distinct cognitive skills such as stealth behavior and abstract thinking in young players. However, older players did not exhibit the same level of engagement, challenging existing beliefs about gaming's impact on cognition.

SourceKyoto University·JournalScientific Reports·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 8, 2022

Digging a little deeper: New Earth Science Frontiers study explores the nanoscale properties of the Gulong shale oil reservoir

A new study published in Earth Science Frontiers elucidates the role of nanopores in accumulating shale oil in the Gulong-Qingshankou reservoir in China. The research found that well-developed nanopores and nanofissures play a crucial role in storing shale oil, leading to a high source-reservoir ratio.

SourceCactus Communications·JournalEarth Science Frontiers·TypeImaging analysis·DateSep 8, 2022

New study confirms that postoperative pain can be reduced with NOL guided analgesia

A new randomized, controlled trial demonstrates that Medasense's NOL monitoring during major abdominal surgery can reduce postoperative pain by 30% compared to standard care. The study found that personalized fentanyl dosing with NOL guidance leads to lower sympathetic activation and surgical stress, resulting in reduced PACU pain scores.

SourceMedasense Biometrics·JournalJournal of Clinical Monitoring and Computing·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateSep 8, 2022

Gender inequities in mentoring may disproportionately affect women researchers

A new analysis of mentoring relationships in academic research reveals that gender inequities in resources available to women mentors may indirectly affect their trainees. Trainees with female mentors were less likely to become academic mentors themselves, a disparity reduced when accounting for institutional bias factors.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·TypeObservational study·DateSep 8, 2022

Weedy rice has become herbicide resistant through rapid evolution

Scientists found that weedy rice has developed herbicide resistance through gene flow from crop rice, with most fields showing resistant plants within 20 years of herbicide-resistant rice cultivation. This rapid evolution is due to the close proximity of weedy and crop rice in the same fields, allowing for pollen transfer and outcrossing.

SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalCommunications Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 8, 2022

Technological revolution of membrane process for water treatment: PTC pre-coagulation for fouling control of ceramic membrane

Researchers found PTC pre-coagulation significantly improves organic matter removal and filtration quality of ceramic membranes. The study provides a high-effective pretreatment technology to enhance filtration performance and control membrane fouling.

SourceHigher Education Press·JournalFrontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 8, 2022

Cli­mate change threat­ens ice caves in Aus­tria

Researchers analyzed eight ice caves in Tyrol, Styria, Upper Austria, and Carinthia, finding a decline in ice mass over the past 2000 years due to human-induced climate change. The study mirrors the evolution of glaciers during the Late Holocene period, with significant consequences for these underground ice formations.

SourceUniversity of Innsbruck·JournalScientific Reports·DateSep 8, 2022