Research at Princeton University compares agricultural projections from empirical and mechanistic models, finding that empirical models may show greater losses as a result of climate change, while mechanistic models may be overly optimistic. The study highlights the importance of understanding model biases and using both model classes ...
Researchers found a significant correlation between climate conditions and human conflict, with even moderate changes in temperature and rainfall increasing the risk of personal violence and social unrest. A 1 standard-deviation shift in heat or rainfall boosts the risk of riot, civil war, or ethnic conflict by an average of 14%.
A Princeton researcher explores how a rare peanut allergy became a contentious public health issue, influencing school policies and societal perceptions. Despite the high risk of anaphylactic shock, the prevalence of peanut allergies remains unclear due to limited data and self-reporting.
Researchers at Princeton University created enhanced proteins that respond quickly to changes in neuron activity, allowing for a more precise view of neuron signals. The new sensors can be customized to react to different rates of neuron activity, giving scientists a comprehensive understanding of brain-cell communication.
Researchers at Princeton University discovered that evolution is driven by a group of beneficial mutations, including genetic hitchhikers. About five to seven specific mutations are needed for an organism to succeed, rather than just one mutation.
Regular exercise reduces brain's stress response and anxiety by strengthening mechanisms that prevent excited neurons from firing. The study finds that physical activity enhances local inhibitory mechanisms in the ventral hippocampus, leading to a boost of activity in inhibitory neurons.
A study by Princeton University researchers found that altitude sickness influences ethnic demographics in nations with steep terrain. The Han Chinese population tends to settle lower than 8,900 feet above sea level, while Tibetan settlements only begin at higher elevations, suggesting a direct effect of altitude on settlement patterns.
Research at Princeton University found that migrating ocean animals consume vast amounts of oxygen in the ocean's 'oxygen minimum zone'. This phenomenon, known as diel vertical migration (DVM), results in oxygen depletion and can be disrupted by climate change.
Scientists from Princeton University and Germany's Max Planck Institute report first experimental evidence of chimera states occurring naturally in a broad range of circumstances. The phenomenon can strike any process that relies on self-emergent synchronization, including clock pendulums, lightning bugs, and heart cells.
Researchers found pebbles and sand with roundness similar to river stones, suggesting a river once flowed on Mars. The discovery provides strong evidence for the planet's past habitability.
Researchers at Princeton University suggest that Mount Sharp, a 3.5-mile high Martian mound, was likely formed by strong winds carrying dust and sand into the Gale Crater. The analysis challenges the prevailing theory that the mound formed from layers of lakebed silt.
A study at Princeton University suggests that erroneous decisions arise from errors in external information rather than brain processing. The researchers created computer models to analyze the brain's decision-making process and found that internal mental processes are remarkably reliable.
Researchers at Princeton University suggest that the brain breaks down experiences into events using subconscious mental categories. These categories are formed based on temporal relationships between people, objects, and actions.
Researchers from Princeton University have developed a novel framework to project the mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet, incorporating uncertainty and expert judgments. This approach provides a comprehensive baseline that can be improved over time, offering a more informative projection of future sea levels.
Researchers developed a new mathematical tool to determine spacetime's shape from 'sound' pulses caused by quantum fluctuations. This technique connects quantum theory and general relativity via vibrational wavelengths, enabling novel probing of the universe.
Research by Adam Meirowitz and Joshua Tucker suggests that protesters may lose motivation to take to the streets if they experience repeated failure or corruption in a new government. The study proposes a dynamic model of protest, taking into account the uncertainty people face when dealing with unfamiliar democratic systems.
Researchers predict that drug-resistant MRSA strains will coexist in both hospital and community settings, with hospital strains surviving due to aggressive antibiotic usage patterns. This finding is reassuring as it suggests that the more invasive community strains will not replace hospital strains.
Recent advances enable control of individual atoms used in quantum information processing, paving the way for creation of powerful computers and highly sensitive detectors. Researchers explore ways to transmit quantum information over long distances and scale up the number of qubits.
A new study from Princeton University provides evidence for how the brain performs this feat. Grid cells are neurons that become electrically active as animals travel in an environment, and their activity ramping up and down corresponds with a proposed mechanism of neural computation called an attractor network.
Researchers at Princeton University found that bacteria can clog medical devices like stents in a short period of time by forming sticky biofilms. The study used controlled environments with rough surfaces and pressure-driven fluid, demonstrating the need for real-world conditions to understand device failures.
A Princeton University study reveals that endangered species, such as Sumatran orangutans and Javan leopards, are increasingly taking up residence in swamp forests in Africa and Asia. These areas often lack food sources and fresh water, yet provide a crucial habitat for these animals.
Researchers developed a model that calculates how temperature changes affect parasite metabolism and life cycle, helping to predict disease ranges. The Princeton metabolic model can identify prospects for nearly any disease-causing parasite, even with limited knowledge of the organism.
A new climate model developed at NOAA's GFDL predicts an increase in snowfall for Earth's polar regions and highest altitudes, but a decline globally due to rising CO2 levels. This could spell trouble for regions relying on snowmelt as a source of fresh water.
State supreme court justices who don't face voters are generally more effective than their elected counterparts, according to research led by Princeton University political scientists. The study found that appointed justices bring a higher quality of information to the decision-making process and are less likely to make errors.
A study by Princeton University researchers suggests that heritability in humans may not be missing after all, but rather hidden due to limitations in modern research tools. By using yeast cells as a model, the team detected DNA variations associated with traits and characteristics, indicating that most heritability is accounted for.
Researchers from Princeton University presented various topics at the 2013 AAAS annual meeting, including virtual water trade to cope with climate change, biodiversity indicators, and the physics of cancer. They also explored the evolutionary significance of third molar impaction in human populations.
A field experiment conducted during the December 2011 parliamentary elections in Russia suggests that fraud had a significant impact on the results. The researchers estimate that fraud accounted for at least 11 percentage points of the vote recorded for the ruling United Russia party in Moscow, resulting in the party retaining its majo...
Researchers found that collective intelligence enables small groups of fish to respond effectively to complex, changing environments. As group size increases, the fish's ability to navigate and locate essential resources improves dramatically.
Researchers have made significant progress in producing hydrogen fuel from water using enzymes inspired by bacteria. Their artificial catalyst is stable and efficient, making it a cost-effective way to produce hydrogen.
Researchers at Princeton University developed a mathematical framework that strips away differences between scientific laws and theories to reveal common ground. The framework, called operational dynamic modeling, allows for a smooth transition between classical and quantum mechanics.
A new study predicts that spring budburst will occur 8-40 days earlier by 2100, with the greatest changes in northern states, potentially giving deciduous trees a competitive advantage over evergreens. This shift may alter carbon sequestration and forest composition.
The study proposes that altruism emerged as a community-wide desire to guard its own well-being after dominant individuals attempted to control competitors. This system was found to be more efficient and easier to manage than direct efforts against greed.
Recent research challenges the predominance of facial expressions as an indicator of emotions, suggesting that body language is a more accurate cue. In experiments, participants were more accurate in guessing emotions from body language alone or combined with facial expressions than from facial context alone.
Researchers found that infant gerbils nursed by females given separate vaccines developed antibodies for both illnesses, demonstrating the potential purpose of allosuckling. The study provides a framework for further studying allosuckling in the wild using traceable antibodies.
A new method developed by Princeton researchers provides a more accurate account of Greenland's complex ice melt by 'seeing through' data noise. The technique reveals that the annual acceleration in ice loss is much lower than previously estimated, with some areas showing no ice mass loss.
Researchers discovered an organic compound, D737, that restored motor function and longevity to fruit flies with Alzheimer's disease. The compound prevented protein clumps, a hallmark of the disease, by inhibiting amyloid beta 42 aggregation.
Researchers from Princeton University found that large national and international banks wield an influence that far exceeds their actual size. To mitigate this effect, the researchers suggest requiring large banks to maintain capital relevant to their systemic importance.
A private-market approach to delivering malaria treatments has increased access to care and reduced the use of less effective treatments in Africa. The 'Coca-Cola' model, which uses shops and market stalls to distribute affordable medications, has been shown to broaden the availability of effective therapies.
Researchers will explore how the brain exerts 'cognitive control' over thoughts and behavior, revealing its role in tasks like planning and problem-solving. The study aims to improve cognitive control in healthy individuals and restore it in neuropsychiatric disorders.
A recent study published in Science suggests that evolution can be predictable by understanding a species' genes and how external conditions affect proteins. By analyzing DNA sequences from 29 insect species, researchers found that certain traits evolve similarly due to environmental pressures.
Researchers at Princeton University have developed a synthetic enzyme that stabilizes drug molecules, making them resistant to breakdown by the human liver. This approach could lead to improved existing drugs and easier production of radioactive tracer versions for medical imaging.
Researchers at Princeton University suggest that life on Earth could have come from space via lithopanspermia, a process where microorganisms are transferred through meteorite-like planetary fragments. The study found that low-velocity processes can increase the chances of solid material being captured by other planets.
A survey of 6,000 Pakistani adults found that the middle class is more supportive of militant groups than the poor, contradicting the notion that poverty makes people more susceptible to terrorist appeals. The survey also revealed that exposure to militant violence reduces support for these groups.
Researchers at Princeton University used a unique simulation to study collective motion in animal groups, finding that coordinated movements can dissuade predators. The study shows that group formation itself is an evolved defense mechanism, mirroring the behaviors of real animals.
A mysterious region in the human brain, called the pulvinar, acts as a switchboard operator that sorts through external stimuli and focuses on relevant information. This discovery could lead to new ways of understanding and treating attention-related disorders like ADHD and schizophrenia.
A study by Princeton University researchers reveals that expectant mothers who experienced a hurricane or major tropical storm during pregnancy had children at elevated risk for abnormal health conditions at birth. The study controlled for other factors and found increased risk following exposure to weather-related stressors in the fir...
Researchers found that primate lip smacking and human speech share similar frequency ranges, developmental trajectories, and neural controls. This study provides insight into the neural basis of human communication disorders by exploring the evolution of primate facial expressions and their potential link to speech.
Researchers observe electrons gain mass while cooling down to far below room temperature, acting like much heavier particles, yet remain speedy superconductors at even lower temperatures. The degree of entanglement determines the properties of a material.
Researchers found that herpes viruses and other neurotropic pathogens sabotage cell function by hijacking neuronal internal transportation networks. Viral infection elevates neuron activity and calcium levels, stopping mitochondrial motion and allowing the virus to freely travel and reproduce within infected cells.
Researchers at Princeton University report that a sharp drop in mantle melting 2.5 billion years ago coincided with the Great Oxygenation Event, allowing free oxygen molecules to proliferate. The study suggests that diminished mantle melting decreased the output of reactive gases into the atmosphere.