Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Tiny 'bridges' help particles stick together

A team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that when particles are wet and dry, thin solid bridges formed between larger clumps increase aggregates' stability. The size of particles plays a crucial role in determining how strongly they stick together.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 4, 2020

Weather radar records drastic drop in mayfly populations

Researchers used radar technology to quantify mayfly swarms in the Upper Mississippi River and Western Lake Erie Basin, estimating up to 88 billion mayflies can swarm annually. A 50% decline in population was observed between 2012 and 2019, raising questions about causes of such reductions in mass emergence.

SourceUniversity of Oklahoma·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 3, 2020

Mosquitoes are drawn to flowers as much as people -- and now scientists know why

Researchers at the University of Washington found that mosquitoes are drawn to certain flowers like the blunt-leaf orchid due to a finely balanced bouquet of chemical compounds. The team discovered that combining specific chemicals stimulates the mosquito brain, drawing in mosquitoes as effectively as a real flower.

SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 21, 2020

Geographers find tipping point in deforestation

Geographers at University of Cincinnati found a tipping point in deforestation where forests disappear quickly after being cut in half. The study used satellite images to analyze landscape changes across the globe and discovered that nature abhors mixed landscapes, favoring homogeneous blocks over time.

SourceUniversity of Cincinnati·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·DateJan 7, 2020

Seeing the new Star Wars? Be careful what you wish for

A new study found that people who went into the movie with low expectations actually had lower overall enjoyment, contrary to those who expected less but were pleasantly surprised. Researchers surveyed 441 participants before and after seeing The Last Jedi and found that negative bias can drag down even positive reactions.

SourceOhio State University·JournalJournal of Media Psychology Theories Methods and Applications·DateDec 26, 2019

Playing the angles with dramatic effect

Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory propose most complete picture to date of metal-insulator transition in transition metal oxides, enabling improved tuning and control for low-power and ultrafast microelectronics. The study reveals that size of vegetable ion within crystal structure affects transition temperature, making materi...

Stretchable, degradable semiconductors

Researchers have developed a new material that combines semiconducting properties with intrinsic stretchability and full degradability. The material can be stretched to twice its normal length without compromising electrical performance and degrades completely within 10 days in a weak acid.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalACS Central Science·DateNov 13, 2019

More Americans struggle to fall asleep, stay asleep

A new study from Iowa State University found that nearly 1 in 6 adults experience difficulty falling or staying asleep, with those reporting healthy sleep length struggling the most. The research suggests that targeting factors influencing initiation and maintenance of sleep could be key to improving sleep health.

SourceIowa State University·JournalSleep Health·DateNov 12, 2019

Lessons from Ridgecrest

A comprehensive analysis of the Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence reveals a web-like network of interconnected faults, challenging standard models of large seismic events. The complexity of the rupture is only clear due to the combined data from orbiting radar satellites and ground-based seismometers.