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Science News Archive 2023


Page 155 of 444

Heat sensor protects the Venus flytrap from fire

The Venus flytrap uses special heat receptors in its sensory hairs to detect and respond to rising temperatures, protecting its vital snap traps from damage. This allows the plant to continue hunting for food after a fire has ravaged its surroundings.

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.

This fish doesn't just see with its eyes -- it also sees with its skin.

Hogfish use their skin to view themselves and fine-tune color changes, a sensory feedback mechanism that lets them monitor their surroundings. Researchers have found light-sensitive opsin proteins in the skin, allowing them to capture changes in light that are filtered through pigment-filled cells.

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.

New platform could boost development of carbon-capturing batteries

Researchers have developed a lab-on-a-chip electrochemical testing platform to speed up the production of catalysts for Li-CO2 batteries. The new method enables quick screening of materials, studying reaction mechanisms, and practical applications, potentially contributing to negative emissions technologies.

Aspirin can help prevent a second heart attack, but most don’t take it

A new study found that daily aspirin use could reduce cardiovascular deaths globally, yet fewer than half of people worldwide who have had a heart attack or stroke take the medication. The study showed significant variations in aspirin use among countries, with higher rates in high-income countries.

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C)

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.

Intense ultraviolet-visible-infrared full-spectrum laser

A team of scientists has developed an intense four-octave-spanning ultraviolet-visible-infrared full-spectrum laser source using a cascaded architecture of gas-filled hollow-core fiber, lithium niobate crystal, and chirped periodically poled lithium niobate crystal. The system leverages the synergic action of second-order nonlinear eff...

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2)

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2) captures 4K mapping passes and environmental surveys with dual cameras, long flight time, and omnidirectional obstacle sensing.

Dog brains are tuned to female’s dog-directed speech

A study found that dogs are more sensitive to speech directed at them than adult-directed speech, with a greater response to female voices. The researchers measured dog brain activity via fMRI and found that the sensitivity was affected by voice pitch and variation.

Coffee offers performance boost for concrete

Engineers at RMIT University have developed a technique to make concrete 30% stronger using biochar made from roasted used-coffee grounds. This innovation reduces waste going to landfills and emits fewer greenhouse gases, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional construction materials.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Remoteness did little to reduce COVID-19 spread to Amazonian Tsimané

A new study found that voluntary collective isolation was unlikely to prevent rapid spread of COVID-19 among the Tsimané, a small-scale Indigenous society in remote Amazonia. The simulation predicted nearly identical rates of infection in real-world data, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and medical resources

Want to increase resiliency in kids? Teach creativity

A study found that teaching children literary techniques such as perspective-shifting, counter-factual thinking and causal thinking improved their ability to solve problems and come up with creative solutions. The training increased their sense of self-efficacy and helped them develop a second plan when things didn't go as expected.

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.

Understanding river alteration via shifting flow regime

Researchers investigate drastic short-term alterations in rivers due to shifts in vegetation and geomorphology, attributed to climate change and human factors. The study found that Naeseongcheon Stream experienced significant vegetation encroachment after a drought, leading to rapid alteration from a white river to a green river.

Innovative breakthrough in sustainable chemical production

Researchers developed a bioelectrochemical system that efficiently converts CO2 to butyric acid and then upgrades it to butanol, a valuable biofuel. The process produces high yields with low energy requirements, offering promise for sustainable chemical production.

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.

A peptide that can cross the blood-brain barrier

Researchers develop a novel tetrapeptide GFFY that can self-assemble into nanospheres and deliver imaging agents to the brain with increased efficiency. The peptide's mechanism of penetration involves specific binding to IR receptors on the blood-brain barrier.

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.

Delineating the pathways of warm water towards East Antarctica’s Totten Glacier

A multinational team of researchers studied the flow of warm water to the Totten Ice Shelf, revealing crucial details on how Circumpolar Deep Water interacts with the glacier and accelerates melting processes. The findings highlight the importance of bathymetry and regional circulation in regulating ocean heat transport towards the ice...

New epoxy resin resists flames and reduces waste

Researchers from Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) have developed a fully recyclable, flame-retardant epoxy resin-based plastic. The new material retains excellent thermomechanical properties while being reshaped like a thermoplast due to the addition of a special phosphonate ester molecule.

Guiding the design of silicon devices with improved efficiency

Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a computational methodology to accurately calculate Auger-Meitner recombination rates in silicon. This breakthrough enables a detailed understanding of the process, which is crucial for reducing its impact on device efficiency.

BU commentary: Vitamin D supplementation was found to improve more than 1.5 fold survival of cancers of the digestive tract including colorectal cancer in patients with a cancer fighting immune system

A new commentary suggests that vitamin D supplementation can improve survival outcomes for patients with digestive tract cancers, particularly those with a high-risk genetic makeup. The study found that patients with antibodies to control the production of mutated p53 protein saw improved survival rates when taking daily vitamin D3 sup...

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.

Steam condenser coating could save 460M tons of CO2 annually

Researchers developed a fluorinated diamond-like carbon coating that improves heat transfer in steam condensers, allowing for a 2% overall process boost. This innovation could save 460 million tons of CO2 and 2 trillion gallons of water annually if coal and natural gas power generation were just 2% more efficient.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

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

Sharing chemical knowledge between human and machine

Researchers developed an AI tool called DECIMER that can translate chemical structural formulae into machine-readable codes. This allows for the automatic search and processing of scientific articles containing chemical information.

Whale shark health relies on habitat, diet – and the right mix of microbes

A new study has revealed that the health of whale sharks depends on a balance of microbes in their skin, which is crucial for their well-being and survival. The research, published in Scientific Reports, used genomic sequencing technology to describe the types of microbes on the skin surface of 74 whale sharks from around the world.

New test chamber created to find better ways to keep people cool

Researchers at Washington State University developed a 60 square-foot solar-powered test chamber to evaluate passive cooling systems. The chamber can simulate extreme conditions and is expected to reduce energy demand for mechanical air conditioning, which contributes to global warming.

Researchers decode new antibiotic

Researchers from the University of Bonn and international partners have discovered a new antibiotic called clovibactin that effectively attacks the cell wall of bacteria, including multi-resistant 'superbugs'. The compound has been shown to target bacterial cell wall components with high specificity, minimizing resistance development.

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro)

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro) powers local ML workloads, large datasets, and multi-display analysis for field and lab teams.

Topology's role in decoding energy of amorphous systems

Researchers from Osaka University and others have used topological data analysis and machine learning to predict the properties of amorphous materials. The study employed a method combining persistent homology and machine learning to accurately predict the energies of disordered structures composed of carbon atoms at varying densities.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

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

Listening to nanoscale earthquakes

A recent study presents an exciting new way to measure the crackling noise of atoms in crystals, enabling the investigation of novel materials for future electronics. The method allows researchers to study individual nanoscale features and identify their effects on material properties.

Immune cells linked to anxiety, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease

A study suggests that immune cells, particularly regulatory T cells, play a role in anxiety and depression, with reduced expression of the transcription factor Foxp3 associated with major depressive disorders. Depletion of these cells leads to increased anxiety-like behaviors in mice, highlighting their potential link to these conditions.

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm) tracks health metrics and safety alerts during long observing sessions, fieldwork, and remote expeditions.