A new study found that women are greatly underrepresented in the labs of high-achieving male biology professors, despite being overrepresented overall. This discrepancy may be due to self-selection or unconscious bias, and institutions can take steps to address these issues by making their labs more welcoming to female scientists.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new system that combines control programs to enable multiagent systems, such as teams of robots or networks of devices, to collaborate in unprecedented ways. The system takes into account uncertainty and automatically plans around it to guarantee optimal results.
Researchers found that reminding consumers of prices strengthens their purchase decisions and leads to long-term satisfaction. Participants preferred higher-functionality products even in the short-term, despite a longer-term preference for greater usefulness.
The 2014 recipients of the Minority Travel Award are recognized for their participation in biophysics research and their potential to contribute to the field. The winners will present their work at the 58th Annual Meeting, highlighting recent advances in biophysics.
Researchers have found a way to reduce the contact time of water droplets on surfaces by at least 40%, potentially aiding in ice prevention and wing efficiency. The breakthrough could also have implications for ecology and industry, including reducing corrosion and improving turbine blade efficiency.
Researchers have identified specific brain areas that interact to compute confidence in decisions, allowing individuals to assess their choices. The study used fMRI to measure activity in the brains of volunteers while they made food choice decisions.
A new fungal species, Hebelomagriseopruinatum, has been officially classified as a novel species after discovery on Zealand in Denmark. The fungus has been found to coexist intimately with plants, similar to edible fungi like chantarelles and truffles.
A study from Purdue University found that golfers who see the hole as bigger tend to putt more successfully. The researchers used an optical illusion to manipulate the size of the hole and correlated it with scores.
Jian Li, a NYU postdoctoral fellow, has won the prestigious Peter and Patricia Gruber International Research Award in Neuroscience. His cutting-edge work focuses on understanding brain circuits' underlying learning and behavior, with implications for neural systems of reward processing and decision-making.
The FASEB MARC Program announces the selection of six recipients, who will receive a $3,000 unrestricted career development award and a travel stipend to support their participation in national scientific meetings. The awards aim to increase competitiveness among underrepresented minorities in biomedical research.
The FASEB MARC Program has announced the winners of its 2011 Leadership Development and Grant Writing Seminar, with a total of $61,050 in awards to support underrepresented graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. The program aims to increase highly-trained underrepresented scientists in leadership positions.
Researchers at Northwestern University have discovered edible nanostructures that can be used for gas storage and food technologies. The compounds, made from natural ingredients like sugar and starch, offer a green approach to storing hydrogen and have potential applications in cleaner air and healthcare.
The Kavli Institute at Cornell is shifting its focus from a think tank to a proving ground for pushing the limits of nanotechnology. Under new leadership, it will fund projects and researchers to create novel instruments and tools for next-generation microscopies and optoelectronic nanocharacterization.
A new study by Ohio State University researchers found that people who sit up straight are more likely to believe positive thoughts about their qualifications and abilities. In contrast, those who slouch over have less confidence in their own thoughts. The study suggests that body posture can influence how we think about ourselves.
The University of Minnesota Institute for Mathematics and its Applications has received funding for five new math postdoctoral fellows as part of a National Science Foundation initiative. This program creates jobs for talented young mathematicians, addressing the shortage of trained scientists and promoting scientific training in the US.
The NSF and Math Institutes have created 45 postdoctoral fellowships to support the careers of young mathematical scientists. These positions will place highly trained researchers as teachers at community colleges and universities, as well as in business and industry, providing them with opportunities to apply their training.
University of Michigan researchers uncover the key to bleach's bacterial-killing power by studying a molecular chaperone. Hypochlorite in bleach causes proteins to lose structure and form aggregates, killing bacteria. This discovery may also shed light on immune system function and fighting off infections.
Daan Huybrechs, a postdoctoral fellow at Belgium's Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, will receive the Richard C. DiPrima Prize for his dissertation on multiscale and hybrid methods for solving oscillatory integral equations. The prize recognizes his outstanding research in applied mathematics and computational science.
Neurobiologist Rachel Wilson has been awarded the 2007 International Grand Prize in Neurobiology for decoding a pattern of impulses from receptor neurons to identify an odor. Her research reveals complexities in how odors are processed by the brain, using genetic tools and measurements of neural activity in living flies.
A study by the University of Alberta found that mule deer mothers respond to distress calls from both their own and other species' fawns, often putting themselves at risk. This behavior defies traditional explanations for parental care and suggests a more primal instinct for survival.
Researchers found that genetically similar ants have peaceful relations and genetically different ants attack each other. This suggests that the lack of genetic diversity permits supercolonies to arise, allowing ants to devote more resources to breeding rather than competing for territory.
Researchers at Medical College of Georgia have developed a rapid and inexpensive way to produce large quantities of regulatory T cells, which can help restore balance in the immune system. The method uses phospholipase D, a signaling molecule that is sensitive to alcohol, allowing for the selective production of regulatory cells.
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has recognized and supported 17 women in cancer research this year, providing them with scholarships to attend conferences. The awardees are from various backgrounds, including graduate students, medical students, and postdoctoral fellows.
The survey found that salaries have grown by 4% since 2001, with median academic salaries at $76,000 and outside academia at $88,000. Life scientists in universities and self-employment report high job satisfaction rates, while those in pharmaceutical industry receive lower marks.
Studies using frogs with both rod and cone pigments found identical responses to light, suggesting cellular environments, not pigments, determine functional differences. The findings imply that rods' and cones' sensitivity variations may be due to inherent characteristics of their surroundings rather than pigment properties.
The American Geophysical Union and the American Geological Institute conducted a survey of recent Ph.D. graduates in earth sciences, revealing significant shifts in job prospects and postdoctoral positions. 80% of geoscience Ph.D.s found jobs in the geosciences, with negligible unemployment rates compared to previous years.
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center have discovered a potent new substance, canstatin, that inhibits the growth of tumors by blocking the formation and growth of new blood vessels. The naturally occurring protein is effective in both prostate and renal cancer models.
Researchers discovered a deep-sea octopus that produces light in its suckers, challenging the understanding of bioluminescence among cephalopods. The study sheds new light on evolutionary transition and the potential role of light organs in attracting prey.
In a surprising twist, female Photuris fireflies lure male Photinus fireflies close enough to eat them, obtaining defensive chemicals called lucibufagins. These compounds help females repel predators like spiders and birds.