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Science News Archive March 2023


Page 40 of 44

Beyond greenspace and bluespace

A new review reveals that environments beyond greenspaces and bluespaces, such as caves, deserts, and glaciers, have potential health benefits. Short-term exposure to solid-state water landscapes showed little evidence of benefits, while longer-term exposure led to improved emotional states, medical treatments for allergies, and physic...

New UNCG study reveals link between selenium and COVID-19 mortality

A new UNCG study confirms that SARS-CoV-2 destroys the antioxidant activity of key human selenoproteins, weakening immunity and enabling virus replication. The findings suggest investigating selenium supplementation and dietary sulfur compounds as potential symptomatic treatments for COVID patients.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

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

Stick to your lane: Hidden order in chaotic crowds

Researchers at the University of Bath developed a new theory that unifies conflicting viewpoints on lane formation, predicting curved and straight lanes in crowded spaces. The study reveals a new class of structures in daily life that may go unnoticed.

Crowdsourced reports can quickly identify an earthquake’s impact

A new statistical model based on a global database of public reports can identify an earthquake as high- or low-impact within minutes. The researchers used over 1.5 million felt reports from 10,000 earthquakes to develop the model, which was able to provide impact results for 393 global events in 10 minutes.

Importance of early-life factors identified in new lung health study

A comprehensive study has identified key early-life factors that negatively affect lung function in young adults. The research analyzed data from over 7,500 participants and found that factors such as mother's weight during pregnancy, birthweight, and body composition at primary school have a significant impact on lung health.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

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

Parasitic infections common in kids in low-resource US communities, study finds

A study found 38% of children in a rural Mississippi Delta community had parasitic worms or protist infections. This is a neglected health issue in low-resource areas, linked to poor sanitation and climate change. The researcher emphasizes the need for direct community engagement and investment in infrastructure to address these issues.

Small differences in mom’s behavior may show up in child’s epigenome

A new study found that neutral maternal behavior at 12 months correlates with an epigenetic change in children related to stress response. The researchers analyzed data from a cohort of mother-infant pairs and found a small increase in methylation on the NR3C1 gene, which regulates the body's response to stress.

Destroying the superconductivity in a kagome metal

Scientists at RMIT University and partner organisation confirm electric control of superconductivity and giant anomalous Hall effect in the kagome metal CsV₃Sb₅. Proton intercalation modulates carrier density, allowing for tuning of Fermi surfaces and potentially realizing exotic quantum phase transitions.

Scientists use satellites to track earth ‘greening’ amid climate change

Researchers estimate worldwide changes in plant leaf growth due to global warming, finding that greening trends have a stronger association with carbon uptake than growing season length. Satellite imagery and field sensors reveal new insights into the impact of climate change on vegetation productivity and carbon capture.

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only)

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only) delivers reliable low-light performance and rugged build for astrophotography, lab documentation, and field expeditions.

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.

A blood factor involved in depression

Researchers discovered that administration of GDF11 improves cognitive abilities and reduces depression-like behaviors in aged mice. In humans, low levels of GDF11 are associated with depressive episodes, suggesting a potential link between the protein and mood disorders.

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.

Ocean surface tipping point could accelerate climate change

A recent study by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that the ocean's ability to absorb CO2 will peak by 2100 and become less efficient after 2300 due to a surface layer of low-alkalinity water. This emergence hinders CO2 absorption, leading to faster warming.

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.

Illuminating the evolution of social parasite ants

Researchers at Rockefeller University have found queen-like mutants among social parasite ants, which can infiltrate and take over host colonies. These unique ants exhibit intermediate traits between worker and queen behavior, allowing them to thrive in the colony while avoiding dangers associated with leaving their nest.

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.

Fighting friction to protect machinery

A team of researchers at Tohoku University has developed an artificial intelligence-driven contact control system to minimize friction between moving parts in machinery, aiming to reduce wear and tear and extend lifespan.

CityU scholars unify color systems using prime numbers

Researchers from City University of Hong Kong developed a unified colour system based on prime numbers, called C<sub>235</sub>, which can represent various colours more efficiently than existing systems like RGB and CMYK. The new colour system has potential applications in designing energy-saving LCD systems and colourizing DNA codons.

GoPro HERO13 Black

GoPro HERO13 Black records stabilized 5.3K video for instrument deployments, field notes, and outreach, even in harsh weather and underwater conditions.

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply powers sensors, microcontrollers, and test circuits with programmable rails and stable outputs.

Skin samples reveal where southern right whales feed

Researchers analyzed chemical isotopes in 1002 skin samples to study the distribution of southern right whales and long-term environmental changes in the Southern Ocean. The study shows that the whales' foraging grounds have shifted, reflecting changing prey distributions, and that climate change has driven recent shifts.

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition

Sky & Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas, 2nd Edition is a durable star atlas for planning sessions, identifying targets, and teaching celestial navigation.

Using radar to predict Alzheimer’s disease and fall accidents

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology developed a method to predict fall accidents and cognitive illnesses like Alzheimer's disease using radar sensors that track walking patterns. The technology can help healthcare staff make more reliable risk assessments and tailor interventions for improved patient outcomes.

Toothed whales catch food in the deep using vocal fry

A new study reveals that toothed whales have evolved an air-driven nasal sound production system that operates at different vocal registers. This innovation allows them to produce echolocation calls with remarkable efficiency and access the richest food niches in the deep ocean.

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.

How consciousness in animals could be researched

Consciousness in animals may be more nuanced than previously thought. Researchers at Ruhr-University Bochum suggest ten dimensions of consciousness that cannot be ranked. Strong indicators include complex perception and episodic memory, while weak indicators are simple sensory processing and categorization abilities.

“COVID rebound” is common, even in untreated patients

A Scripps Research and eMed study found that COVID-19 rebound cases are more common than previously reported, affecting up to 14.2% of Paxlovid-treated patients and 9.3% of untreated patients. Rebound is measured by positive test results or symptom recurrence after initial clearance.

How debit cards helped Indonesia’s poor get more food

A digital food voucher system in Indonesia has significantly increased the frequency with which poor households receive their full allocation of food, from 24% to 81%. The program's success was achieved by replacing traditional rice-bag delivery with digital card vouchers, allowing recipients to purchase food themselves.

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.

Security vulnerabilities detected in drones made by DJI

Researchers detected 16 security vulnerabilities in DJI drones, including the ability to change serial numbers, override tracking mechanisms, and crash flying drones mid-air. The DJI Mini 2, Air 2, and Mavic 3 models were found to have four severe flaws.

How gut microbes help mend damaged muscles

Researchers found that gut microbes drive the production of regulatory T cells, which act as immune healers that repair muscle injury. These cells were previously thought to be only produced in the gut, but now it's clear they also play a role in healing damaged livers.

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.