ScienceDaily: Top News

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• 'Metasurfaces' to usher in new optical technologies
• 'Hot spots' ride a merry-go-round on Jupiter
• One gene, many mutations: Key that controls coat color in mice evolved nine times
• DNA study clarifies how polar bears and brown bears are related
• Suppressing brain's 'filter' can improve performance in creative tasks
• Dinosaur-era climate change study suggests reasons for turtle disappearance
• Nanoscale spinning magnetic droplets created
• Key step in manufacture of red blood cells decoded: Subtle regulatory chords direct the birth of blood cells
• Breakthrough research shows chemical reaction in real time
• Life deep within oceanic crust sustained by energy from interior of Earth
• Distant planetary system is a super-sized solar system
• Playing action videogames improves visual search
• Researchers divide enzyme to conquer genetic puzzle
• Mitigating climate change? Guiding responsible research in geoengineering
• 'Dirty blizzard' in Gulf of Mexico may account for missing Deepwater Horizon oil
• Five-million-year-old saber-toothed cat in newly discovered genus discovered in Florida
• Postpartum depression: Surprising rate of women depressed after baby
• Olive oil makes you feel full
• New cancer diagnostic technique debuts
• Knowing how brown fat cells develop may help fight obesity
• Fluorescent neural cells from monkey skin mature into several types of brain cells in monkeys
• Mass strandings of pilot whales may not be driven by kinship, DNA profiles show
• International gender difference in math and reading scores persists regardless of gender equality
• Bootstrapping biotechnology: Engineers cooperate to realize precision grammar for programming cells
• New beautifully colored long-horned beetle from Yunnan, China
• What do American bullfrogs eat when they're away from home? Practically everything
• Discards ban could impact seabird populations
• Hovering is a bother for bees: Fast flight is more stable
• New sign of aging: Lessening contrast in facial features
• Probiotics reduce stress-induced intestinal flare-ups, study finds
• New early warning system for the brain development of babies
• Scientists map genome of fungus that causes Dutch elm disease
• New results indicate that particle discovered at CERN is a Higgs boson
• Rapid hearing loss may be a symptom of rare Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
• Series of studies first to examine acupuncture's mechanisms of action
• Social bees mark dangerous flowers with chemical signals
• The mysterious GRIN3A and the cause of schizophrenia
• New research discovers the emergence of Twitter 'tribes'
• Chemical chameleon tamed: Researchers give floppy molecule a structure through solvent effects
• One of world's oldest sun dial dug up in Kings' Valley, Upper Egypt
• Garbled text messages may be the only symptoms of stroke
• Whale's streaming baleen tangles to trap food

'Metasurfaces' to usher in new optical technologies Posted: 14 Mar 2013 03:03 PM PDT New optical technologies using "metasurfaces" capable of the ultra-efficient control of light are nearing commercialization, with potential applications including advanced solar cells, computers, telecommunications, sensors and microscopes.

'Hot spots' ride a merry-go-round on Jupiter Posted: 14 Mar 2013 03:03 PM PDT In the swirling canopy of Jupiter's atmosphere, cloudless patches are so exceptional that the big ones get the special name "hot spots." Exactly how these clearings form and why they're only found near the planet's equator have long been mysteries.

One gene, many mutations: Key that controls coat color in mice evolved nine times Posted: 14 Mar 2013 03:03 PM PDT Scientists have shown that changes in coat color in mice are the result not of a single mutation, but many separate mutations, all within a single gene. The results start to answer one of the fundamental questions about evolution: does evolution proceed by huge leaps -- single mutations that result in dramatic change in an organism -- or is it the result of many smaller changes that accumulate over time?

DNA study clarifies how polar bears and brown bears are related Posted: 14 Mar 2013 02:56 PM PDT A new genetic study of polar bears and brown bears upends prevailing ideas about the evolutionary history of the two species.

Suppressing brain's 'filter' can improve performance in creative tasks Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:43 AM PDT The brain's prefrontal cortex is thought to be the seat of cognitive control, working as a kind of filter that keeps irrelevant thoughts, perceptions and memories from interfering with a task at hand. Now, researchers have shown that inhibiting this filter can boost performance for tasks in which unfiltered, creative thoughts present an advantage.

Dinosaur-era climate change study suggests reasons for turtle disappearance Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:43 AM PDT Dramatic climate change was previously proposed to be responsible for the disappearance of turtles 71-million-years ago, because they were considered to be "climate-sensitive" animals. Results of this research, however, show that the disappearance of turtles came before the climate cooled and instead closely corresponds to habitat disturbances, which was the disappearance of wetlands.

Nanoscale spinning magnetic droplets created Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:43 AM PDT Researchers have successfully created a magnetic soliton -- a nano-sized, spinning droplet that was first theorized 35 years ago.

Key step in manufacture of red blood cells decoded: Subtle regulatory chords direct the birth of blood cells Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:43 AM PDT Researchers have identified a key step in the process by which red blood cells are born. The discovery could not only shed light on the causes of blood disorders such as anemia, it could also bring closer the medics' dream of being able to manufacture red blood cells in the lab.

Breakthrough research shows chemical reaction in real time Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:43 AM PDT The ultrafast, ultrabright X-ray pulses of the Linac Coherent Light Source have enabled unprecedented views of a catalyst in action, an important step in the effort to develop cleaner and more efficient energy sources.

Life deep within oceanic crust sustained by energy from interior of Earth Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:43 AM PDT The Earth's oceanic crust covers an enormous expanse, and is mostly buried beneath a thick layer of mud that cuts it off from the surface world. Scientists now document life deep within the oceanic crust that appears to be sustained by energy released from chemical reactions of rocks with water.

Distant planetary system is a super-sized solar system Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:42 AM PDT Astronomers have made the most detailed examination yet of the atmosphere of a Jupiter-like planet beyond our Solar System. A spectrum reveals that the carbon to oxygen ratio is consistent with the core accretion scenario, the model thought to explain the formation of our Solar System.

Playing action videogames improves visual search Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:13 AM PDT Researchers have shown that playing shooting or driving videogames, even for a relatively short time, improves the ability to search for a target hidden among irrelevant distractions in complex scenes.

Researchers divide enzyme to conquer genetic puzzle Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:11 AM PDT Researchers have found a way to divide and modify enzymes to create what amounts to a genetic logic gate. Biochemists have now created a library of 'AND gates' by mutating a protein from a bacterial virus. The well-understood protein known as T7 RNA polymerase is a strong driver of transcription in cells.

Mitigating climate change? Guiding responsible research in geoengineering Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:10 AM PDT Geoengineering, the use of human technologies to alter the Earth's climate system — such as injecting reflective particles into the upper atmosphere to scatter incoming sunlight back to space — has emerged as a potentially promising way to mitigate the impacts of climate change. But such efforts could present unforeseen new risks. Scientists outline how the current deadlock on governance of geoengineering research poses real threats to the sound management of climate risk. Their article advances concrete and actionable proposals for allowing further research -- but not deployment -- and for creating scientific and legal guidance, as well as addressing public concerns.

'Dirty blizzard' in Gulf of Mexico may account for missing Deepwater Horizon oil Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:09 AM PDT Oil from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill acted as a catalyst for plankton and other surface materials to clump together and fall to the sea floor in a massive sedimentation event that researchers are calling a "dirty blizzard."

Five-million-year-old saber-toothed cat in newly discovered genus discovered in Florida Posted: 14 Mar 2013 11:09 AM PDT A new genus and species of extinct saber-toothed cat has been discovered in Polk County, Florida. The 5-million-year-old fossils belong to the same lineage as the famous Smilodon fatalis from the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, a large, carnivorous apex predator with elongated upper canine teeth. Previous research suggested the group of saber-toothed cats known as Smilodontini originated in the Old World and then migrated to North America, but the age of the new species indicates the group likely originated in North America.

Postpartum depression: Surprising rate of women depressed after baby Posted: 14 Mar 2013 09:46 AM PDT A surprisingly high number of women have postpartum depression, reports a new, large-scale study of 10,000 women. A high rate of women had considered harming themselves. The study's screening likely saved several lives. Most postpartum women with depression are not identified or treated even though they are at a higher risk for psychiatric disorders. It's a major public health problem because a woman's mental health affects her child's physical and emotional development.

Olive oil makes you feel full Posted: 14 Mar 2013 09:46 AM PDT Reduced-fat food products are gaining in popularity. But whether these products are effective or not is a matter of dispute: While it is true that they contain fewer calories, people tend to overcompensate by eating more. Now a study has shown how oils and fats regulate the sensation of feeling full after eating, with olive oil leading the way. So what makes this oil so effective?

New cancer diagnostic technique debuts Posted: 14 Mar 2013 09:46 AM PDT Cancer cells break down sugars and produce the metabolic acid lactate at a much higher rate than normal cells. This phenomenon provides a telltale sign that cancer is present, via diagnostics such as PET scans, and possibly offers an avenue for novel cancer therapies. Now medical researchers have devised a molecular sensor that can detect levels of lactate in individual cells in real time.

Knowing how brown fat cells develop may help fight obesity Posted: 14 Mar 2013 09:46 AM PDT Brown fat cells are the professional heat-producing cells of the body. Because of this they are protective against obesity as well as diabetes. A protein switch called early B cell factor-2 determines which developmental path fat precursor cells take -- the brown vs. white cell trajectory.

Fluorescent neural cells from monkey skin mature into several types of brain cells in monkeys Posted: 14 Mar 2013 09:46 AM PDT For the first time, scientists have transplanted neural cells derived from a monkey's skin into its brain and watched the cells develop into several types of mature brain cells, according to a new study. After six months, the cells looked entirely normal, and were only detectable because they initially were tagged with a fluorescent protein.

Mass strandings of pilot whales may not be driven by kinship, DNA profiles show Posted: 14 Mar 2013 09:46 AM PDT Recent research has shed some light on whether family relationships play a role in beachings of otherwise healthy whales. Investigators used genetic data to describe the kinship of individual long-finned pilot whales involved in mass strandings. The study found that stranded groups are not necessarily members of one extended family, contradicting the hypothesis that stranding groups all descend from a single ancestral mother. Further, many stranded calves were found with no mother in evidence.

International gender difference in math and reading scores persists regardless of gender equality Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:18 AM PDT Even in countries with high gender equality, sex differences in math and reading scores persisted in the 75 nations examined by a new study. Girls consistently scored higher in reading, while boys got higher scores in math, but these gaps are linked and vary with overall social and economic conditions of the nation.

Bootstrapping biotechnology: Engineers cooperate to realize precision grammar for programming cells Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:18 AM PDT DNA sequences and statistical models have been unveiled that greatly increase the reliability and precision by which microbes can be engineered.

New beautifully colored long-horned beetle from Yunnan, China Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:18 AM PDT A new beautifully colored long-horned beetle species, Schwarzerium yunnanum, has been discovered in the Yunnan province, China. Additionally, seven already known representatives of the Cerambycidae family have been reported for the first time from the region.

What do American bullfrogs eat when they're away from home? Practically everything Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:16 AM PDT A control program on southern Vancouver Island provided the carcasses of over 5,000 adult and juvenile invasive alien American bullfrogs. Examination of their stomach contents confirms that bullfrogs eat virtually any organism that can fit into their large mouths, whether it be under water, at the surface, on land, even when it can defend itself with stingers, spines, or claws. So native ecosystems beware!

Discards ban could impact seabird populations Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:16 AM PDT Species of seabirds could successfully return to their natural foraging habits following changes to European fisheries policies, scientists have suggested.

Hovering is a bother for bees: Fast flight is more stable Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:06 AM PDT Bumblebees are much more unstable when they hover than when they fly fast, according to new research. Scientists used a mathematical model to analyze the way bumblebees fly at different speeds, showing that the bumblebee is unstable when it hovers and flies slowly, and becomes neutral or weakly stable at medium and high flight speeds.

New sign of aging: Lessening contrast in facial features Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:03 AM PDT The contrasting nature of facial features is one of the signals that people unconsciously use to decipher how old someone looks.

Probiotics reduce stress-induced intestinal flare-ups, study finds Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:02 AM PDT Stress has a way of significantly altering the composition of gut bacteria, which leads to inflammation and often times, belly pain for those with irritable bowel syndrome. But a new study shows how probiotics can reverse the effect of stress.

New early warning system for the brain development of babies Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:02 AM PDT Researchers have developed a non-invasive optical measurement system to monitor neonatal brain activity via cerebral metabolism and blood flow.

Scientists map genome of fungus that causes Dutch elm disease Posted: 14 Mar 2013 08:02 AM PDT Researchers have successfully mapped the genes in the fungus that causes Dutch elm disease. The researchers believe this is the first time the 30 million DNA letters for the fungus Ophiostoma ulmi have been mapped. The findings could help scientists figure out how to prevent the fungus from destroying elm trees in the future.

New results indicate that particle discovered at CERN is a Higgs boson Posted: 14 Mar 2013 07:21 AM PDT Scientists working with CERN's Large Hadron Collider have presented preliminary new results that further elucidate the particle discovered last year. Having analyzed two and a half times more data than was available for the discovery announcement in July, they find that the new particle is looking more and more like a Higgs boson, the particle linked to the mechanism that gives mass to elementary particles. It remains an open question, however, whether this is the Higgs boson of the Standard Model of particle physics, or possibly the lightest of several bosons predicted in some theories that go beyond the Standard Model.

Rapid hearing loss may be a symptom of rare Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Posted: 14 Mar 2013 05:55 AM PDT Rapid hearing loss in both ears may be a symptom of the rare but always-fatal Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and should be considered a reason for clinicians to test for the disorder.

Series of studies first to examine acupuncture's mechanisms of action Posted: 14 Mar 2013 05:55 AM PDT While acupuncture is used widely to treat chronic stress, the mechanism of action leading to reported health benefits are not understood. In a series of studies, researchers are demonstrating how acupuncture can significantly reduce the stress hormone response in an animal model of chronic stress.

Social bees mark dangerous flowers with chemical signals Posted: 14 Mar 2013 05:51 AM PDT Scientists already knew that some social bee species warn their conspecifics when detecting the presence of a predator near their hive, which in turn causes an attack response to the possible predator. Researchers have now demonstrated that they also use chemical signals to mark those flowers where they have previously been attacked.

The mysterious GRIN3A and the cause of schizophrenia Posted: 14 Mar 2013 05:51 AM PDT Since the 1960s, psychiatrists have been hunting for substances made by the body that might accumulate in abnormally high levels to produce the symptoms associated with schizophrenia. In particular, there was a search for chemicals that might be related to the hallucinogens phencyclidine (PCP) or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), which could explain the emergence of psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia. This "auto-intoxication" hypothesis led investigators on a wild goose chase where substances, including the "Pink Spot" and the "Frohman Factor", were isolated from people with schizophrenia and implicated in their illness, but these findings were later discredited. The mysterious GRIN3A is a new version of the hunt for an intrinsic mechanism that produces schizophrenia-like symptoms.

New research discovers the emergence of Twitter 'tribes' Posted: 14 Mar 2013 05:50 AM PDT Linguists have found evidence of how people form into tribe-like communities on social network sites such as Twitter.

Chemical chameleon tamed: Researchers give floppy molecule a structure through solvent effects Posted: 14 Mar 2013 05:50 AM PDT How you get the chameleon of the molecules to settle on a particular "look" has been discovered by chemists in Germany. The molecule CH5+ is normally not to be described by a single rigid structure, but is dynamically flexible. By means of computer simulations, the team showed that CH5+ takes on a particular structure once you attach hydrogen molecules.

One of world's oldest sun dial dug up in Kings' Valley, Upper Egypt Posted: 14 Mar 2013 05:50 AM PDT During archaeological excavations in the Kings' Valley in Upper Egypt a team of researchers from the University of Basel found one of the world's oldest ancient Egyptian sun dials. The team of the Egyptological Seminar under the direction of Prof. Susanne Bickel made the significant discovery while clearing the entrance to one of the tombs.

Garbled text messages may be the only symptoms of stroke Posted: 14 Mar 2013 05:49 AM PDT Difficulty or inability to write a coherent text message, even in patients who have no problem speaking, may become a "vital" tool in diagnosing a type of crippling stroke, according to new research.

Whale's streaming baleen tangles to trap food Posted: 13 Mar 2013 03:21 PM PDT Many whales filter food from water using racks of baleen plates in their mouths, but no one had ever investigated how baleen behaves in real life. According to an expert, baleen was viewed as a static material, however, he discovered that baleen streams in water just like long hair and fringes from adjacent baleen plates tangle to form the perfect net for trapping food at natural whale swimming speeds.

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