ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Galaxies in the early universe mature beyond their years
• Possible evidence for dark matter particle presented at UCLA physics symposium
• Light pollution impairs rainforest regeneration: Seed-dispersing bats avoid feeding in light polluted areas
• New light shed on changing Greenland ice
• Impersonating poisonous prey: Evolution of interspecific communication
• Natural selection has altered the appearance of Europeans over the past 5,000 years
• Unique individual with lupus and HIV demonstrates desired immune response to HIV
• Small biomass power plants could help rural economies, stabilize national power grid
• National U.S. study reveals how urban lawn care habits vary
• Turing's theory of chemical morphogenesis validated 60 years after his death
• Mongol Empire rode wave of mild climate, but warming now may be tipping region into unparalleled drought
• Volcanoes helped species survive ice ages
• Serious side effect: Several FDA-approved anti-cancer drugs induce stem cell tumors
• Outside the body our memories fail us
• How light affects our brain's performance: Photic memory for executive brain responses
• A shocking diet: Researchers describe microbe that 'eats' electricity
• West Virginia spill activates engineers to determine effects of chemicals
• Predation on invertebrates by woodland salamanders increases carbon capture
• U.S. cocaine use cut by half, while marijuana consumption jumps
• Scientists build thinnest-possible LEDs to be stronger, more energy efficient
• Two-dimensional material shows promise for optoelectronics: LEDs, photovoltaic cells, and light detectors
• Synthetic biologists shine light on genetic circuit analysis
• Emotional expressions in ancient funerary art served as therapy for the bereaved
• Computer system simulates the behavior of tax evaders
• Scents and sustainability: Renewable sources for artificial scents and flavors
• Alaska the Last Frontier ... not for long
• Healthy eating may reduce the risk of preterm delivery
• Smokers' brains biased against negative images of smoking
• Microwave radar monitors sliding slopes: Geodesists research in the Alps
• Dropped your toast? Five-second food rule exists, new research suggests
• Lower IQ and poorer cardiovascular fitness in teen years increase risk of early-onset dementia
• Aerosols from human activities tend to weaken hurricanes and cyclones
• Biomolecular tweezers facilitate study of mechanical force effects on cells and proteins
• 'Death stars' in Orion blast planets before they even form
• Mapping behavior of charges in correlated spin-orbit coupled materials: Electronic disruption prods Mott insulator's conversion to metallic state
• 'Super bacteria' clean up after oil spills
• Weirdness in cosmic web of the universe: Faint strings of galaxies in 'empty' space arranged in way never before seen

Galaxies in the early universe mature beyond their years Posted: 10 Mar 2014 06:39 PM PDT An international team of researchers has discovered the most distant examples of galaxies in the early universe that were already mature and massive. The mature galaxies were found at a record-breaking distance of 12 billion light years, seen when the universe was just 1.6 billion years old. Their existence at such an early time raises new questions about what forced them to grow up so quickly.

Possible evidence for dark matter particle presented at UCLA physics symposium Posted: 10 Mar 2014 06:23 PM PDT Dark matter, the mysterious substance estimated to make up approximately more than one-quarter of the mass of the universe, is crucial to the formation of galaxies, stars and even life but has so far eluded direct observation. At a recent UCLA symposium attended by 190 scientists from around the world, physicists presented several analyses that participants interpreted to imply the existence of a dark matter particle. The likely mass would be approximately 30 billion electron-volts, said the symposium's organizer.

Light pollution impairs rainforest regeneration: Seed-dispersing bats avoid feeding in light polluted areas Posted: 10 Mar 2014 06:06 PM PDT Increasing light pollution in tropical habitats could be hampering regeneration of rainforests because of its impact on nocturnal seed-dispersers. These new findings show that seed-dispersing bats avoid feeding in light-polluted areas.

New light shed on changing Greenland ice Posted: 10 Mar 2014 03:28 PM PDT Research using NASA data is giving new insight into one of the processes causing Greenland's ice sheet to lose mass. A team of scientists used satellite observations and ice thickness measurements gathered by NASA's Operation IceBridge to calculate the rate at which ice flows through Greenland's glaciers into the ocean. The findings of this research give a clearer picture of how glacier flow affects the Greenland Ice Sheet and shows that this dynamic process is dominated by a small number of glaciers. Over the past few years, Operation IceBridge measured the thickness of many of Greenland's glaciers, which allowed researchers to make a more accurate calculation of ice discharge rates. In a new study, researchers calculated ice discharge rates for 178 Greenland glaciers more than one kilometer (0.62 miles) wide.

Impersonating poisonous prey: Evolution of interspecific communication Posted: 10 Mar 2014 03:28 PM PDT Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery -- especially in the predator/prey/poison cycle. In nature, bright colors are basically neon signs that scream, 'Don't eat me!' But how did prey evolve these characteristics? When did predators translate the meaning?

Natural selection has altered the appearance of Europeans over the past 5,000 years Posted: 10 Mar 2014 03:27 PM PDT There has been much research into the factors that have influenced the human genome since the end of the last Ice Age. Anthropologists, geneticists and archaeologists have analyzed ancient DNA from skeletons and found that selection has had a significant effect on the human genome even in the past 5,000 years, resulting in sustained changes to the appearance of people.

Unique individual with lupus and HIV demonstrates desired immune response to HIV Posted: 10 Mar 2014 03:25 PM PDT One person's unique ability to fight HIV has provided key insights into an immune response that researchers now hope to trigger with a vaccine, according to new findings. The person had a rare combination of both lupus and HIV. Lupus, specifically systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE, is a disease in which the immune system attacks the body's cells and tissue.

Small biomass power plants could help rural economies, stabilize national power grid Posted: 10 Mar 2014 01:15 PM PDT Researchers have found that creating a bioenergy grid with these small plants could benefit people in rural areas of the country as well as provide relief to an overworked national power grid.

National U.S. study reveals how urban lawn care habits vary Posted: 10 Mar 2014 12:22 PM PDT What do people living in Boston, Baltimore, Miami, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Phoenix, and Los Angeles have in common? From coast to coast, prairie to desert -- residential lawns reign. But, according to a new study, beneath this sea of green lie unexpected differences in fertilization and irrigation practices.

Turing's theory of chemical morphogenesis validated 60 years after his death Posted: 10 Mar 2014 12:21 PM PDT Sixty years after Alan Turing's death, researchers have provided the first experimental evidence that validates Turing's theory of chemical morphogenesis in cell-like structures. This research could impact not only the study of biological development, and how similar patterns form in nature, but materials science as well. Turing's model could help grow soft robots with certain patterns and shapes.

Mongol Empire rode wave of mild climate, but warming now may be tipping region into unparalleled drought Posted: 10 Mar 2014 12:21 PM PDT Researchers studying the rings of ancient trees in mountainous central Mongolia think they may have gotten at the mystery of how small bands of nomadic Mongol horsemen united to conquer much of the world within a span of decades, 800 years ago. The rise of the great leader Genghis Khan and the start of the largest contiguous empire in human history was propelled by a temporary run of nice weather.

Volcanoes helped species survive ice ages Posted: 10 Mar 2014 12:21 PM PDT Researchers have found evidence that the steam and heat from volcanoes and heated rocks allowed many species of plants and animals to survive past ice ages, helping scientists understand how species respond to climate change.

Serious side effect: Several FDA-approved anti-cancer drugs induce stem cell tumors Posted: 10 Mar 2014 12:21 PM PDT In a surprise finding, researchers discovered that several chemotherapeutics that do stop fast growing tumors have the opposite effect on stem cells in the same animal, causing them to divide too rapidly. Not only is the finding of clinical interest, but with this study they successfully used a new non-traditional tool for assessing drugs using stem cells in the fruit fly gut, the first author says.

Outside the body our memories fail us Posted: 10 Mar 2014 12:21 PM PDT New research demonstrates for the first time that there is a close relationship between body perception and the ability to remember. For us to be able to store new memories from our lives, we need to feel that we are in our own body. According to researchers, the results could be of major importance in understanding the memory problems that psychiatric patients often exhibit.

How light affects our brain's performance: Photic memory for executive brain responses Posted: 10 Mar 2014 12:20 PM PDT It has long been known that light exerts powerful effects on the brain and on our well-being. Light is not only required for vision but is also essential for a wide range of "non-visual" functions including synchronization of our biological clock to the 24h day-night cycle. A novel photoreceptor has now been shown to be an essential component for relaying light information to a set of so-called non-visual centers in the brain. Continuous changes in light throughout the day also change us, new research suggests.

A shocking diet: Researchers describe microbe that 'eats' electricity Posted: 10 Mar 2014 11:40 AM PDT Researchers have shown that the commonly found bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris can use natural conductivity to pull electrons from minerals located remotely in soil and sediment while remaining at the surface, where they absorb the sunlight needed to produce energy.

West Virginia spill activates engineers to determine effects of chemicals Posted: 10 Mar 2014 11:39 AM PDT Engineers sprung into action when more than 10,000 gallons of a chemical mixture leaked from a storage tank near Charleston, W.Va., and entered a river upstream of a water-treatment plant in January.

Predation on invertebrates by woodland salamanders increases carbon capture Posted: 10 Mar 2014 11:11 AM PDT Woodland salamanders perform a vital ecological service in American forests by helping to mitigate the impacts of global warming. Woodland salamander predation on invertebrates indirectly affects the amount of leaf litter retained for soil-building where nutrients and carbon are captured at the litter-soil interface.

U.S. cocaine use cut by half, while marijuana consumption jumps Posted: 10 Mar 2014 11:11 AM PDT A new study shows that the use of cocaine dropped by half across the United States from 2006 to 2010, while use of marijuana jumped by more than 30 percent during the period. Studying illegal drug use nationally from 2000 to 2010, researchers found heroin use was fairly stable throughout the decade.

Scientists build thinnest-possible LEDs to be stronger, more energy efficient Posted: 10 Mar 2014 11:10 AM PDT Scientists have built the thinnest-known LED that can be used as a source of light energy in electronics. The LED is based off of two-dimensional, flexible semiconductors, making it possible to stack or use in much smaller and more diverse applications than current technology allows.

Two-dimensional material shows promise for optoelectronics: LEDs, photovoltaic cells, and light detectors Posted: 10 Mar 2014 08:17 AM PDT Team creates LEDs, photovoltaic cells, and light detectors using novel one-molecule-thick material. Researchers have used a novel material that's just a few atoms thick to create devices that can harness or emit light. This proof-of-concept could lead to ultrathin, lightweight, and flexible photovoltaic cells, light emitting diodes (LEDs), and other optoelectronic devices, they say.

Synthetic biologists shine light on genetic circuit analysis Posted: 10 Mar 2014 08:17 AM PDT In a significant advance for the growing field of synthetic biology, bioengineers have created a toolkit of genes and hardware that uses colored lights and engineered bacteria to bring both mathematical predictability and cut-and-paste simplicity to the world of genetic circuit design.

Emotional expressions in ancient funerary art served as therapy for the bereaved Posted: 10 Mar 2014 08:17 AM PDT Emotional expressions on Greek tombstones from the Hellenistic period -- 323-31 B.C. -- help increase our understanding of social communication and cultural values. Despite the potential of the tombstones as a source for history of emotions, this has rarely been explored by researchers. Researchers now conclude that the illustrations and inscriptions reflect people's way of relating to death, and that the tombstone was a means to deal with the grief of losing a loved one.

Computer system simulates the behavior of tax evaders Posted: 10 Mar 2014 08:17 AM PDT Researchers have developed a computer model which, in different situations, simulates the behavior of taxpayers when faced with the possibility of committing tax evasion. The simulator analyzes the factors motivating tax evasion and allows to determine which measures are effective in reducing it, such as an improvement in tax inspections by increasing their frequency and efficacy.

Scents and sustainability: Renewable sources for artificial scents and flavors Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:23 AM PDT Fresh banana, a waft of flowers, blueberry: the scents in some labs are a little sweeter than most. Researchers are engineering bacteria to make esters -- molecules widely used as scents and flavorings, and also as basic feedstock for chemical processes from paints to fuels.

Alaska the Last Frontier ... not for long Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:22 AM PDT Alaska, the last great frontier, is being threatened by many proposals to mine an estimated 5.5 trillion tons of coal. Scientists comment on the struggle to keep Alaska untouched.

Healthy eating may reduce the risk of preterm delivery Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:22 AM PDT In a new study, participants completed a scientifically evaluated questionnaire about what they had been eating and drinking since becoming pregnant. The results show that the group of women with the 'healthiest' pregnancy diet had a roughly 15% lower risk of preterm delivery compared with those with the most unhealthy diet. The correlation remained after controlling for ten other known risk factors for preterm delivery.

Smokers' brains biased against negative images of smoking Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:22 AM PDT What if the use of a product influenced your perception of it, making you even more susceptible to its positive aspects and altering your understanding of its drawbacks? This is precisely what happens with cigarettes in chronic smokers, according to a recent study.

Microwave radar monitors sliding slopes: Geodesists research in the Alps Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:22 AM PDT The "Steinlehnen" slope in Northern Tyrol (Austria) started to move in 2003. Rockfalls threatened people, streets and buildings. Meanwhile, peace has returned; although the slope is merely "creeping", Steinlehnen has become an interesting research object for scientists in recent years.

Dropped your toast? Five-second food rule exists, new research suggests Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:22 AM PDT Food picked up just a few seconds after being dropped is less likely to contain bacteria than if it is left for longer periods of time, according to new research. The findings suggest there may be some scientific basis to the '5 second rule' -- the urban myth about it being fine to eat food that has only had contact with the floor for five seconds or less. The study, undertaken by final year biology students monitored the transfer of the common bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus from a variety of indoor floor types (carpet, laminate and tiled surfaces) to toast, pasta, biscuit and a sticky sweet when contact was made from 3 to 30 seconds.

Lower IQ and poorer cardiovascular fitness in teen years increase risk of early-onset dementia Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:22 AM PDT Men who at the age of 18 years have poorer cardiovascular fitness and/or a lower IQ more often suffer from dementia before the age of 60. This is shown in a recent study encompassing more than one million Swedish men.

Aerosols from human activities tend to weaken hurricanes and cyclones Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:17 AM PDT Aerosols in the atmosphere produced from human activities do indeed directly affect a hurricane or tropical cyclone, but not in a way many scientists had previously believed. In fact, they tend to weaken such storms, according to a new study.

Biomolecular tweezers facilitate study of mechanical force effects on cells and proteins Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:16 AM PDT A new type of biomolecular tweezers could help researchers study how mechanical forces affect the biochemical activity of cells and proteins. The devices use opposing magnetic and electrophoretic forces to precisely stretch the cells and molecules.

'Death stars' in Orion blast planets before they even form Posted: 10 Mar 2014 07:16 AM PDT Astronomers have studied the often deadly relationship between highly luminous O-type stars and nearby protostars in the Orion Nebula. Their data reveal that protostars within 0.1 light-years (about 600 billion miles) of an O-type star are doomed to have their cocoons of dust and gas stripped away in just a few millions years, much faster than planets are able to form.

Mapping behavior of charges in correlated spin-orbit coupled materials: Electronic disruption prods Mott insulator's conversion to metallic state Posted: 10 Mar 2014 06:09 AM PDT Physicists have mapped the inner atomic workings of a compound within the mysterious class of materials known as spin-orbit Mott insulators. The findings confirm the properties that theorists predict could lead to discoveries in superconductivity, the topological phases of matter and new forms of magnetism.

'Super bacteria' clean up after oil spills Posted: 10 Mar 2014 06:06 AM PDT Researchers have achieved surprising results by exploiting nature's own ability to clean up after oil spills. Scientists know that marine bacteria can assist in cleaning up after oil spills. What is surprising is that given the right kind of encouragement, they can be even more effective.

Weirdness in cosmic web of the universe: Faint strings of galaxies in 'empty' space arranged in way never before seen Posted: 10 Mar 2014 06:06 AM PDT Australian astronomers have shown galaxies in the vast empty regions of the universe are actually aligned into delicate strings, according to new research. Using data from the Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA) survey, the astronomers found that the small number of galaxies inside these voids are arranged in a new way never seen before.

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