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Science News Archive May 2025 - Page 31


Page 31 of 50

PolyU research reveals sharp depletion in soil moisture, driving land water to flow into the oceans and contributing to a rise in sea levels

A PolyU research team found a rapid decline in global soil moisture over the past 40 years, resulting in significant water loss and sea level rise. The study suggests that precipitation deficits, global warming, and changing rainfall patterns are key factors behind this depletion.

Non-local metasurface generates highly efficient transmission vortex by intrinsic singularity and generalized Kerker effect

Researchers propose a non-local metasurface that combines the generalized Kerker effect with non-local collective interactions to generate highly efficient and directional vortex beams. The design leverages intrinsic dipole singularities, non-local coupling, and Bragg scattering to achieve high-performance results.

SourceChinese Society for Optical Engineering·JournalPhotoniX·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 14, 2025

Planting a mosaic of shrub fringes

A comprehensive study examines the effects of shrub fringe management on biodiversity, revealing that open and semi-open edges with high habitat quality support the highest species richness. Landowners are advised to provide sufficient space for these habitats to protect rare and endangered species.

SourceUniversity of Würzburg·JournalJournal of Applied Ecology·TypeObservational study·DateMay 14, 2025

Successful experiments at GSI/FAIR uncover new island of asymmetric fission

An international team identified a new region of heavy, neutron-deficient isotopes where nuclear fission is predominantly governed by an asymmetric mode. The research found increasingly asymmetric fission in these nuclei, characterized by light krypton fragments, marking the discovery of a new island in the nuclear chart.

SourceGSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 14, 2025

Low-viscosity oil boosts PDMS SlipChip: Enabling safer cell studies and gradient generation

Scientists at Toyohashi University of Technology created a more reliable PDMS SlipChip using low-viscosity silicone oil, allowing for smoother channel operation and better cell compatibility. The improved device enables safer cell studies and concentration gradient generation, opening new avenues for biomedical research.

SourceToyohashi University of Technology (TUT)·JournalMicromachines·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 14, 2025

Highly dispersed MoOx-Ru/C bimetallic catalyst for efficient hydrogenolysis of esters

A new MoOx-Ru/C bimetallic catalyst has been developed for the efficient hydrogenolysis of esters to alkanes, exhibiting high conversion rates and selectivity. The catalyst's unique synergistic effect between Ru and MoOx species promotes the conversion of esters into alkanes without carbon loss.

What behavioral strategies motivate environmental action?

Researchers tested 17 behavioral strategies to overcome barriers to climate action, finding that emphasizing relevance and future thinking are most effective. Interventions like letter-writing and brainstorming short-term benefits increased intentions to act on both individual and collective levels.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 14, 2025

Ending poverty without compromising climate goals

The study examines energy scenarios that align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, finding that sustainable development scenarios significantly reduce extreme poverty. Under these scenarios, the number of people without enough energy to meet basic household needs is projected to decrease by over 90%.

SourceInternational Institute for Applied Systems Analysis·JournalEnvironmental Research Letters·DateMay 13, 2025

Echocardiographic characteristics of paravalvular leak following surgical aortic valve replacement: a retrospective cohort study

This study identified paravalvular leak (PVL) in 8.1% of surgical aortic valve replacement cases, with the majority being mild in severity. PVL was most frequently observed at the mid-portion of the right coronary cusp and showed significant correlations with calcification sites on the preprocedural aortic valve.

SourceNational Center for Respiratory Medicine·JournalJournal of Thoracic Disease·TypeObservational study·DateMay 13, 2025

Including pork in plant-forward diets makes meals more appealing and just as healthy, study finds

A new study suggests that including pork in plant-forward diets makes meals more appealing and just as healthy, offering a higher protein quality score compared to plant-based proteins. The study found that meals with lean pork delivered significantly better results for satisfaction, satiety, and willingness to adopt post-trial.

SourceNational Pork Board·JournalCurrent Developments in Nutrition·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMay 13, 2025

Boston Children’s Hospital’s Therapeutic & Medical Device Accelerator announces inaugural awardees for its internal funding program

The Boston Children's Therapeutic & Medical Device Accelerator has announced its inaugural awardees, selected for their groundbreaking innovations in pediatric healthcare. The program provides targeted funding, expert mentorship, and strategic collaborations to advance hospital discoveries towards clinical impact.

Moral insights from Reddit’s “AITA?” board

The study analyzes 369,161 posts from Reddit's 'AITA?' board, finding that dilemmas concerning relational obligations were the most common type. Violations of trust, such as lying and cheating, were evaluated more negatively than acts of harm, highlighting the importance of trust in moral cognition.

SourcePNAS Nexus·JournalPNAS Nexus·DateMay 13, 2025

Physical activity + organized sports participation may ward off childhood mental ill health

Research suggests that physical activity and organized sports participation can help ward off childhood mental ill health, with benefits seen in boys. However, findings indicate sex differences in protective effects, with boys showing stronger associations between physical activity and lower risk of depression, anxiety, and addiction.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalBritish Journal of Sports Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateMay 13, 2025

Long working hours may alter brain structure, preliminary findings suggest

Preliminary research suggests that long working hours can induce neuroadaptive changes in the brain, particularly in areas associated with emotional regulation and executive function. The study found increased brain volumes in regions such as the middle frontal gyrus, which is involved in attention and problem-solving.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalOccupational and Environmental Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 13, 2025

Influencing factors of 90-day readmission of patients with heart failure based on the MIMIC-IV database

This observational study of the MIMIC-IV database identifies Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), red blood cell count (RBC), and red cell distribution width (RDW) as significant predictors of 90-day readmission in heart failure patients. RBC and RDW show linear correlation, while CCI and age display nonlinear correlation.

SourceNational Center for Respiratory Medicine·JournalJournal of Thoracic Disease·TypeObservational study·DateMay 13, 2025