Articles tagged with Scientific Foundations
A new study from Ohio State University finds that most political partisans don't avoid news sources with opposing views. In fact, those who visit partisan sites are more likely to also view opposition websites, suggesting a greater willingness to engage with diverse perspectives.
A new analysis of 124 wetland studies reveals that restored wetlands rarely reach the quality of their natural counterparts. After 50-100 years, they are still 23% less in terms of carbon resources and have a 26% lower variety of native plants.
Jan Potempa's discoveries on Porphyromonas gingivalis have led to a new understanding of the origin of gum tissue inflammation. His research may lead to the development of more effective medications to combat periodontal disease and reduce the risk of heart disease and arthritis.
A Wayne State University researcher is working on a new method to calculate the odds of structural failure in complex engineering structures. The goal is to achieve greater consistency within a structure while maintaining feasible computational costs. This approach has wide-ranging implications for various fields, including electrical,...
Researchers tracked wolf characteristics in Yellowstone National Park from 1998 to 2009, finding that some traits are related to population ecology, while others are genetically determined. The study developed a new model to predict wolf responses to environmental conditions, which suggests that mean environmental changes impact wolf p...
The University of Missouri has received a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation to train scientists in neutron scattering techniques. The program will focus on three areas of research and provide hands-on training at the university's Research Reactor facility.
A study of Yellowstone wolves has improved predictions of how these animals will respond to environmental changes. The research used a new model to compare data on wolf characteristics to environmental conditions, revealing that changes in mean environment conditions impact wolf population size more than variability.
The upgraded Beocat will have 2,000 total cores and 512 gigabytes of memory per machine, enabling researchers to handle large computing tasks such as analyzing 5,000 genomes. The project aims to improve research across campus and support faculty members in producing accurate and cost-effective research.
A $9.8 million program led by the University at Buffalo will provide professional development opportunities for 48 teachers in Buffalo Public Schools, focusing on interdisciplinary research and inquiry-based curricula. The goal is to improve teacher retention and student success in science, technology, engineering, and math.
A $2.5 million NSF grant will support a program aimed at enhancing the public's understanding of science, engineering, and energy through community-based activities in Pennsylvania counties with natural gas exploration and production. The project will provide opportunities for residents to gain skills in scientific inquiry and build an...
Researchers at UC Riverside discovered that stacking three layers of graphene creates a 'knob' for tuning its electrical properties. The team found that some trilayer graphene devices were conducting while others were insulating, depending on the layer order.
Neal F. Lane will receive the SURA Distinguished Friend of Science Award for his efforts to strengthen research in the Southeast and nation. The award honors Lane's contributions to increasing research funding, particularly in the physical sciences.
A new study suggests that the planet's deep oceans can absorb enough heat to flatten the rate of global warming for periods of up to a decade. The research, based on computer simulations of global climate, points to ocean layers deeper than 1,000 feet as the main location of the 'missing heat'.
The grant will provide fellowships for up to ten students annually and expand research opportunities for STEM students seeking a teaching career. The program aims to address California's severe shortage of qualified science and math teachers in high-poverty urban schools.
The University of Tennessee is part of a nationwide effort to study the effects of global change on climate, invasive species, and biodiversity. The project, NEON, aims to detect and forecast ecological changes across the continent using cutting-edge technology.
Researchers at Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have induced light rays to behave in a way that defies the centuries-old laws of reflection and refraction. The discovery allows for beams of light that reflect and refract in arbitrary ways, depending on the surface pattern.
A 10-year study of people living around Kibale National Park in Uganda found that most households became better off, with improved access to clean drinking water, livestock, and shelter. However, 10% sold or lost their land, highlighting the importance of land as a productive asset for poor communities.
A new study from the University of Haifa found that walking around the ward during hospitalization significantly reduces the length of older patient's stay. The study, which surveyed 485 participants aged 70 and up, found that patients who walked around shortened their hospital stay by an average day and a half compared to those who di...
Professor David E. Keyes has been awarded the SIAM Prize for his leadership in high performance computing and computational science engineering, spanning advisory committees and interdisciplinary research university development. The award honors his long-term advocacy and contributions to the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathemat...
Scientists have discovered a link between two competing states of a cuprate superconductor and developed a mathematical theory to describe their relationship. The new theory should help predict the behavior of the material under varying conditions, shedding light on its potential for improving energy efficiency and storage.
The European Science Foundation has endorsed the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity, which sets out principles for self-regulation of the research community. The code aims to promote trust between science, society, and policymakers by establishing a culture of best practice in research integrity.
The European Science Foundation has released the 2011 revised lists of European Research Index for Humanities, showcasing top-tier journals in the field. The index aims to promote research excellence and national importance of humanities research across Europe.
A new study simulates small-scale convection at the base of the Pacific plate to explain the Hawaiian hotspot's complex observations, including secondary volcanism and chemical asymmetry. The findings provide insight into the composition and dynamics of the mantle.
Routine weather events like rain and cooler days can impact US economy up to $485 billion per year. The study found finance, manufacturing, agriculture, and other sectors sensitive to changes in the weather.
A team of astronomers led by Caltech has discovered a new type of supernovae that was previously unknown. The four newly found supernovae have similar spectral signatures, indicating they are all part of the same class. This discovery provides insight into star formation, distant galaxies, and the early universe.
A collaborative research proposal by Hebrew University and University of Kentucky teams explores the role of small non-coding RNAs in regulating genetic information. The study aims to understand how organisms interpret genomic information, potentially leading to new therapies for human diseases.
Yuribia Munoz, a senior in the department of Earth and atmospheric sciences at UH, recently earned fellowships through the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program and the Merage Foundation for the American Dream. The $110,000 awards will support her graduate research in geology over the next three years.
The European Commission has allocated an additional 30 million euros to COST, increasing the total budget to 240 million euros for the second half of the EU Seventh Framework Programme. This funding boost is a recognition of COST's governance and potential to drive excellence and innovation in Europe.
A Clemson University researcher is developing a new approach to designing more energy-efficient buildings by applying psychology concepts such as choice architecture and cognitive bias. His research aims to improve the decision-making process of engineers in building design, which could lead to widespread adoption of net-zero buildings.
Sophie Warny, LSU assistant professor of palynology, receives $582,000 NSF CAREER Award to study Antarctic warm periods. The grant will support high-resolution paleo-environmental studies and educational outreach.
The University of Oklahoma has acquired a new mobile radar to better understand tornadoes and their formation. The radar's dual-polarization capabilities will enable researchers to distinguish between raindrops and hail, and determine the size and shape of storm elements.
New research reveals striking similarities between ancient and modern oceanic crust, shedding light on early Earth's heat loss and tectonic settings. The study extends the record of oceanic crust generation back to at least 3.8 billion years ago.
Scientists have found that molecules in thin films remain frozen at a temperature where the bulk material is molten. This phenomenon, known as surface freezing, occurs at the buried interface between bulk liquids and solid surfaces, with temperatures ranging from 10 to 30 degrees Celsius above the melting point of the bulk material.
The iMobot robot has four controllable degrees of freedom and can be assembled into larger robots for specific tasks. Researchers hope the technology will speed up university and industry research in robotics.
A team of researchers led by Michigan State University's Richard Lenski found that more adaptable bacteria with potential for future improvement prevailed over competitors with short-term advantages. The study shows that sacrificing some benefits now can lead to a winning move later.
A recent study by Penn State researchers found that sign language users can process both English words and American Sign Language (ASL) signs concurrently. When word pairs were matched with similar signs, reaction times were faster and accuracy rates improved compared to control group bilingual speakers.
A UWM study found that nearly half of women who left engineering careers cited negative working conditions as the primary reason. Factors influencing retention include workplace culture, supervisors, and training opportunities.
A three-year NSF grant is supporting research on the mechanisms of infrared imaging in pit vipers and pythons. Graduate students are studying the proteins responsible for this ability, while undergraduate researchers are training Burmese pythons to perform complex behaviors in response to thermal signals.
A 40-million-year-old extinct mite species reveals a reversal of traditional sex roles, where females have partial or complete control over mating. This finding provides insight into the evolutionary advantages gained by females in controlling aspects of copulation.
Researchers study Ohio STEM Learning Network's implementation, spread, and sustainability to understand how networks produce gains and apply innovative approaches to education. The study aims to identify effective components of networking needed to establish STEM schools and explore how these innovations are translated locally.
Vikas Berry, a Kansas State University assistant professor of chemical engineering, has received a $400,000 CAREER award to study the production of graphene quantum dots. This research could lead to improved electronics and optoelectronics by controlling the properties of graphene.
A new policy paper by NSF and NIH experts proposes a system to assess the impact of science and technology investments. The system would gather inputs, outputs, and outcomes from various sources in an open fashion.
Researchers at Jefferson Lab have combined data from six experiments to reveal a correlation between the EMC Effect and short-range correlations in bound neutrons. The findings suggest that there is a common cause for both effects, potentially linked to nucleon behavior.
The unemployment rate for SEH doctorate recipients was 1.7 percent in October 2008, compared to 6.6 percent for the total US labor force. The report found no significant difference in employment rates between recent and pre-2006 recipients.
Research focuses on magnetism in three new classes of materials, including strange iridium oxide-based metals and topological insulators. The study aims to understand spin-orbit coupling effects in these materials for future energy transport and computing applications.
The IUPUI School of Science has received a $943,000 NSF grant to establish an Undergraduate Research Mentoring in the Biological Sciences program. The two-year fellowships will provide students from underrepresented groups with research experience and mentorship in biosignaling.
The IceCube observatory, located in the crystal clear ice of the South Pole, has been completed as a world-first large-scale neutrino telescope. The telescope will investigate the sources and properties of neutrinos, which originate in spectacular phenomena in the universe.
The NSF/NASA scientific balloon campaign launched a Cosmic Ray Energetics And Mass (CREAM VI) experiment to investigate high-energy cosmic-ray particles reaching Earth. The experiment will provide insights into the interaction of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts with its upper atmosphere.
A new study finds that nanotechnology research collaboration has increased significantly worldwide, with the US and China being the leading international co-authors. The study analyzed over 91,000 papers published between 2008 and 2009 and found that researchers from just 15 countries accounted for 90% of the publications.
The study of 84Sr reveals new energy-level scheme with 12 new states and nearly 30 new γ-transitions. The positive-parity states are calculated using the projected shell model, showing a good collective vibration-like nature above spin 11-.
A team of astronomers used the Moon to search for ultra-high-energy neutrinos from distant regions of space. They reported their findings in the December edition of the journal Astroparticle Physics, setting a new upper limit on the amount of such particles arriving from space.
A new parametrical mapping method is proposed to shape optimize curved slots on 3D surfaces, reducing stress concentration and improving structural performance. The approach successfully applies to the squirrel-cage elastic support design, achieving valid designs with reduced fatigue risk.
The University of Missouri has received three new Plant Genome Research Program awards from the National Science Foundation, totaling $2.4 million over five years. The grants will support projects studying cellular function in plants, developing drought-tolerant canola, and understanding chromosome centromeres in maize.
The European Science Foundation's TECHBREAK initiative aims to identify key enabling technologies that can benefit the space sector. By combining expertise from both space and non-space sectors, TECHBREAK seeks to accelerate scientific progress and innovation.
The number of US research doctorate degrees awarded grew to 49,562 in 2009, up 1.6% from the previous year. Doctorates in science and engineering fields increased by 1.9%, largely driven by growth in female recipients.
A Northwestern University team analyzed Wheres's George? data to identify areas of high connectivity, finding that some borders split states, while others align with cultural segmentation. The study reveals the strength of local travel over long-distance relationships.
Professor Ilkka Hanski is awarded the European Latsis Prize for his pioneering work in metapopulation biology, shedding light on mechanisms maintaining biodiversity and informing conservation. His research on the Glanville fritillary butterfly has become a model system to study general questions.
The NSF-funded ADVANCE Program aims to increase women's representation in STEM at the University of Maryland. The program will implement interconnected strategies to transform academic environments and promote the professional growth of all women faculty members.
The study sequenced the human methylome from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, identifying allele-specific methylation differences associated with gene expression. The findings suggest that parental gene imprinting may be more common than previously thought, with implications for understanding human health and disease.
Researchers at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis are developing an interactive computer simulation framework to improve watershed management practices. The new $410,000 grant will enable community members to participate in restoring ecological balance and make informed decisions about water management alternatives.