ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Babies can learn their first lullabies in the womb
• Staggering turbines improves performance 33%
• A first step in learning by imitation, baby brains respond to another's actions
• The secret math of plants: Biologists uncover rules that govern leaf design
• How the universe's violent youth seeded cosmos with iron
• New multiple action intestinal hormone corrects diabetes
• Lava world baffles astronomers: Planet Kepler-78b 'shouldn't exist'
• Earth-like exoplanet in mass and size: While too hot to support life, Kepler 78b is roughly the size of Earth
• Incurable brain cancer gene silenced: Gene regulation technology increases survival rates in mice with glioblastoma
• Warming will disturb balance of soil nutrients in drylands, make drylands less productive
• Chinese bats likely source of SARS virus
• Genetic rarity rules in wild guppy population
• Pore formation in cell membranes linked to triggers of rheumatoid arthritis
• Researchers study epigenetic mechanisms of tumor metastasis for improved cancer therapy
• A sauropod walks into a bar: 'Why the long neck?'
• Improving earthquake early warning systems for California and Taiwan
• MS study correlates negative effect of warmer weather on cognitive status
• Pain in infancy alters response to stress, anxiety later in life
• Scientists digitally reconstruct giant steps taken by dinosaurs for the first time
• First results from LUX dark matter detector: Searching for elusive dark matter
• Rare earths in bacteria: Methane-decomposing bacteria from hot springs need the valuable metals to produce energy
• Nerve stimulation in neck may reduce heart failure symptoms
• Prices, family interactions influence eating behaviors
• Bottom-feeding behavior of humpback whales confirmed
• Media Consumption To Average 15.5 Hours A Day By 2015
• Alarming increase of myopia; environmental factors influence development, progression of myopia
• Low vitamin D levels during pregnancy associated with preterm birth for non-white mothers
• Recycling valuable materials used in TVs, car batteries, cell phones
• Gimball: A crash-happy flying robot
• Future Internet aims to sever links with servers
• Brain regions can be specifically trained with video games
• 'Good' cholesterol controls blood glucose
• World's most powerful terahertz quantum cascade laser
• Understanding the difference between 'human smart' and 'computer smart'
• Events coordination during embryogenesis
• What happens when the lightbulb turns on? Measuring a person's creativity from single spoken words
• Biomarkers could lead to early diagnosis of colorectal cancer
• New look at old test may provide earlier detection of meningitis
• 'Molecular Velcro' may lead to cost-effective alternatives to natural antibodies
• Moral in the morning, but dishonest in the afternoon
• Is left-handedness higher among those suffering from psychosis?
• Warm winters let trees sleep longer
• New substance effectively combats multi-resistant bacteria
• Vibrating micro plates bring order to overcrowded radio spectrum
• Porpoises on European coasts maintain their populations but migrate southwards
• Those with Alzheimer's more likely to have heart disease , offered less treatment options
• Scientist identify genetic link between language impairment, autism
• Study: Corporate executives hugely overconfident
• Face it: Twins who smoke look older
• Re-examination of JFK assassination medical data reviews single shooter versus conspiracy theories
• Bright eyes: Reindeers' eyes change from blue to gold with Arctic seasons
• Negative consequences of noise on overall health
• Teenagers, young adults diagnosed with cancer at increased risk of suicide
• Unpublished trial data 'violates an ethical obligation' to study participants, say researchers
• Knowledge about incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse lower among women of color
• Dinner rituals correlate with child, adult weight
• Mechanisms of wound healing clarified in zebrafish study
• New molecular target for malaria control identified
• Staying one step ahead of influenza

Babies can learn their first lullabies in the womb Posted: 30 Oct 2013 03:55 PM PDT An infant can recognize a lullaby heard in the womb for several months after birth, potentially supporting later speech development.

Staggering turbines improves performance 33% Posted: 30 Oct 2013 03:51 PM PDT Researchers have found staggering and spacing out turbines in an offshore wind farm can improve performance by as much as 33 percent.

A first step in learning by imitation, baby brains respond to another's actions Posted: 30 Oct 2013 03:51 PM PDT Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery for adults, but for babies it's their foremost tool for learning. Now researchers have found the first evidence revealing a key aspect of the brain processing that occurs in babies to allow this learning by observation.

The secret math of plants: Biologists uncover rules that govern leaf design Posted: 30 Oct 2013 12:29 PM PDT Biologists have discovered fundamental rules for leaf design that underlie the ability of plants to make leaves that vary enormously in size.

How the universe's violent youth seeded cosmos with iron Posted: 30 Oct 2013 12:29 PM PDT By detecting an even distribution of iron throughout a massive galaxy cluster, astrophysicists can tell the 10-billion-year-old story of how exploding stars and black holes sowed the early cosmos with heavy elements.

New multiple action intestinal hormone corrects diabetes Posted: 30 Oct 2013 11:29 AM PDT Scientists have developed a new therapeutic approach for treatment of Type 2 diabetes. A novel single molecule hormone, which acts equally on the receptors of the insulin-stimulating hormones GLP-1 and GIP, was observed to reduce weight and improve blood sugar.

Lava world baffles astronomers: Planet Kepler-78b 'shouldn't exist' Posted: 30 Oct 2013 11:29 AM PDT Kepler-78b is a planet that shouldn't exist. This scorching lava world circles its star every eight and a half hours at a distance of less than one million miles - one of the tightest known orbits. According to current theories of planet formation, it couldn't have formed so close to its star, nor could it have moved there.

Earth-like exoplanet in mass and size: While too hot to support life, Kepler 78b is roughly the size of Earth Posted: 30 Oct 2013 11:28 AM PDT In August, researchers identified an exoplanet with an extremely brief orbital period: The team found that Kepler 78b, a small, intensely hot planet 400 light-years from Earth, circles its star in just 8.5 hours — lightning-quick, compared with our own planet's leisurely 365-day orbit. From starlight data gathered by the Kepler Space Telescope, the scientists also determined that the exoplanet is about 1.2 times Earth's size — making Kepler 78b one of the smallest exoplanets ever measured.

Incurable brain cancer gene silenced: Gene regulation technology increases survival rates in mice with glioblastoma Posted: 30 Oct 2013 11:28 AM PDT Glioblastoma multiforme, the brain cancer that killed Sen. Edward Kennedy, is aggressive and incurable. Researchers can now demonstrate delivery of a drug that turns off a critical gene in this complex cancer, increasing survival rates significantly in animals with the disease. The therapeutic, based on nanotechnology, is nimble enough to cross the blood-brain barrier and get to the brain tumor. Once there, it flips the switch of the oncogene to "off," silencing the gene.

Warming will disturb balance of soil nutrients in drylands, make drylands less productive Posted: 30 Oct 2013 11:28 AM PDT An increase in aridity due to global warming will disturb the balance of nutrients in the soil and reduce productivity of the world's drylands, which support millions of people, a landmark study predicts. The research was conducted by a global collaboration of scientists who studied sites in 16 countries. It shows that increasing aridity is associated with a reduction in carbon and nitrogen in the soil and an increase in phosphorus.

Chinese bats likely source of SARS virus Posted: 30 Oct 2013 11:24 AM PDT Scientists say they've produced "the clearest evidence yet" the SARS virus originated in Chinese horseshoe bats and that direct bat-to-human transmission is "plausible." The 2002 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) pandemic was one of the most significant public health events in recent history and researchers have been studying the virus to better understand how it is transmitted to prepare for future outbreaks.

Genetic rarity rules in wild guppy population Posted: 30 Oct 2013 11:24 AM PDT A new study demonstrates a female preference for rare males using an experiment in a wild population, rather than a laboratory setting.

Pore formation in cell membranes linked to triggers of rheumatoid arthritis Posted: 30 Oct 2013 11:24 AM PDT Experiments by scientists have unraveled two biological mechanisms as the major cause of protein citrullination in rheumatoid arthritis. Protein citrullination is suspected of sparking the immune system and driving the cascade of events leading to the disease.

Researchers study epigenetic mechanisms of tumor metastasis for improved cancer therapy Posted: 30 Oct 2013 10:28 AM PDT A review article by researchers suggests that epigenetics may be a useful target to stop the growth, spread and relapse of cancer.

A sauropod walks into a bar: 'Why the long neck?' Posted: 30 Oct 2013 10:28 AM PDT New research sheds light on the complex evolutionary cascade theory that made the unique gigantism of sauropod dinosaurs possible.

Improving earthquake early warning systems for California and Taiwan Posted: 30 Oct 2013 09:56 AM PDT Earthquake early warning systems may provide the public with crucial seconds to prepare for severe shaking. For California, a new study suggests upgrading current technology and relocating some seismic stations would improve the warning time, particularly in areas poorly served by the existing network -- south of San Francisco Bay Area to north Los Angeles and north of the San Francisco Bay Area.

MS study correlates negative effect of warmer weather on cognitive status Posted: 30 Oct 2013 09:56 AM PDT Scientists correlated fMRI findings with the negative impact of outdoor temperature on cognitive functioning in multiple sclerosis. This study in Brain Imaging & Behavior corroborates the group's previous study that established that people with MS performed worse on cognitive tasks during warmer outdoor temperatures. This new study extends previous research by demonstrating a link between brain activity and outdoor temperature.

Pain in infancy alters response to stress, anxiety later in life Posted: 30 Oct 2013 09:55 AM PDT Early life pain alters neural circuits in the brain that regulate stress, suggesting pain experienced by infants who often do not receive analgesics while undergoing tests and treatment in neonatal intensive care may permanently alter future responses to anxiety, stress and pain in adulthood, medical researchers have discovered.

Scientists digitally reconstruct giant steps taken by dinosaurs for the first time Posted: 30 Oct 2013 09:55 AM PDT Scientists were able to laser scan a 40 meter-long skeleton of the vast Cretaceous Agentinosaurus dinosaur. Then using an advanced computer modeling technique involving the equivalent of 30,000 desktop computers they recreated its walking and running movements and tested its locomotion ability tested for the very first time.

First results from LUX dark matter detector: Searching for elusive dark matter Posted: 30 Oct 2013 09:55 AM PDT In its first three months of operation, the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment has proven itself to be the most sensitive dark matter detector in the world, scientists with the experiment have announced. Researchers are now preparing the detector, located a mile underground in an old South Dakota gold mine, for a 300-day run next year in hopes of detecting for the first time weakly interacting particles thought to account for most of the matter in the universe. Though dark matter has not yet been detected directly, scientists are fairly certain that it exists.

Rare earths in bacteria: Methane-decomposing bacteria from hot springs need the valuable metals to produce energy Posted: 30 Oct 2013 09:54 AM PDT Rare earths are among the most precious raw materials of all. These metals are used in mobile telephones, display screens and computers. And they are apparently indispensable for some organisms as well. Scientists have discovered a bacterium which needs rare earths to grow -- in a hot spring.

Nerve stimulation in neck may reduce heart failure symptoms Posted: 30 Oct 2013 09:53 AM PDT A multidisciplinary team of experts in heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia, and neurosurgery are now testing nerve stimulation in the neck as a novel therapy for heart failure patients to potentially help relieve their debilitating symptoms of fatigue, shortness of breath, and heart arrhythmias, while reducing their hospitalizations.

Prices, family interactions influence eating behaviors Posted: 30 Oct 2013 09:53 AM PDT Researchers looked at how prices, parents and peers affect fruit and vegetable consumption among African-American youths. Researchers say understanding these factors can help design more effective policy interventions.

Bottom-feeding behavior of humpback whales confirmed Posted: 30 Oct 2013 09:53 AM PDT Scientists have confirmed that humpback whales in the southern Gulf of Maine are spending more feeding time on the ocean floor than in any of their known feeding behaviors, putting them at risk for entanglement in bottom-set fishing gear like lobster traps.

Media Consumption To Average 15.5 Hours A Day By 2015 Posted: 30 Oct 2013 08:13 AM PDT A new report looks at media consumption by individuals in and out of the home, excluding the workplace, between 2008 and 2015, breaking "media" down into 30 categories of media type and delivery (e.g. television, social media, computer gaming) and conclude that the average person will consume 15.5 hours per day by 2015.

Alarming increase of myopia; environmental factors influence development, progression of myopia Posted: 30 Oct 2013 08:13 AM PDT New research on myopia — how it develops, risk and protective factors, and potentially effective measures for prevention and treatment - is widely available to help address the illness.

Low vitamin D levels during pregnancy associated with preterm birth for non-white mothers Posted: 30 Oct 2013 07:41 AM PDT African-American and Puerto Rican women who have low levels of vitamin D during pregnancy are more likely to go into labor early and give birth to preterm babies, research reveals. The study is the largest to date to look at the association between vitamin D and preterm birth.

Recycling valuable materials used in TVs, car batteries, cell phones Posted: 30 Oct 2013 07:41 AM PDT Many of today's technologies, from hybrid car batteries to flat-screen televisions, rely on materials known as rare earth elements (REEs) that are in short supply, but scientists are reporting development of a new method to recycle them from wastewater. The process could help alleviate economic and environmental pressures facing the REE industry.

Gimball: A crash-happy flying robot Posted: 30 Oct 2013 07:39 AM PDT Gimball bumps into and ricochets off of obstacles, rather than avoiding them. This 34-cm in diameter spherical flying robot buzzes around the most unpredictable, chaotic environments, without the need for fragile detection sensors.

Future Internet aims to sever links with servers Posted: 30 Oct 2013 07:38 AM PDT A prototype new IP layer for the internet has been designed. Called PURSUIT, it replaces a system in which we obtain information from servers with a model similar to p2p file-sharing, but on a massive, internet-wide scale. Content would be accessed not from servers, but in fragments from other people's computers.

Brain regions can be specifically trained with video games Posted: 30 Oct 2013 07:38 AM PDT Video gaming causes increases in the brain regions responsible for spatial orientation, memory formation and strategic planning as well as fine motor skills. This has been shown in a new study. The positive effects of video gaming may also prove relevant in therapeutic interventions targeting psychiatric disorders.

'Good' cholesterol controls blood glucose Posted: 30 Oct 2013 07:36 AM PDT High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), the so-called "good" cholesterol, improves blood glucose levels by enhancing skeletal muscle function and reducing adiposity, scientists report.

World's most powerful terahertz quantum cascade laser Posted: 30 Oct 2013 07:35 AM PDT Terahertz waves are invisible, but incredibly useful; they can penetrate many materials which are opaque to visible light and they are perfect for detecting a variety of molecules. Terahertz radiation can be produced using tiny quantum cascade lasers, only a few millimeters wide. This special kind of lasers consists of tailor made semiconductor layers on a nanometer scale. A new world record has now been set; using a special merging technique, two symmetrical laser structures have been joined together, resulting in a quadruple intensity of laser light.

Understanding the difference between 'human smart' and 'computer smart' Posted: 30 Oct 2013 07:35 AM PDT Considering 798 to be an odd number is endemic to human cognition, reveals a new study. A common assumption in the cognitive sciences is that thinking consists of following sets of rules (as it does in a computer). A recent research argues that unlike digital computers, which are designed to follow rules, the computations performed by the neural networks that make up our brain are inherently context dependent. People sometimes make seemingly strange mistakes like thinking that 798 is an odd number despite knowing how to identify odd and even numbers.

Events coordination during embryogenesis Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:32 AM PDT A new study reveals a mechanism through which the expression of genes is controlled -- a finding that highlights genetic mutations that can impair the timing of gene expression. Such mutations can affect the co-ordination of key events that are required for stepwise development of an organism, and can also give rise to cancer by turning on genes at the wrong time.

What happens when the lightbulb turns on? Measuring a person's creativity from single spoken words Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:31 AM PDT Neuroscientists have created a quick but reliable test that can measure a person's creativity from single spoken words. The "noun-verb" test is so simple it can be done by virtually anyone anywhere -- even in an MRI machine, setting the stage for scientists to pinpoint how the brain comes up with unusually creative ideas. While some believe ingenuity is spontaneous, the researchers suspect there's a lot of hard work going on in the brain even when the proverbial light bulb turning on feels effortless.

Biomarkers could lead to early diagnosis of colorectal cancer Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:31 AM PDT Diagnosing colorectal cancer is complex; it relies on significant invasive tests and subjective evaluations. This process may soon become much easier thanks to a medical breakthrough. Researchers have identified genetic changes in the colon lining, or mucosa, in colorectal cancer patients that could be used as biomarkers of the disease. That will allow doctors to diagnose patients earlier, more accurately and less invasively.

New look at old test may provide earlier detection of meningitis Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:31 AM PDT Researchers have found a more accurate method to screen for bacterial meningococcal infection in its early stages, when it's hardest to detect. The method for diagnosis could save lives by getting patients treatment earlier, when the infection is most treatable.

'Molecular Velcro' may lead to cost-effective alternatives to natural antibodies Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:31 AM PDT Taking inspiration from the human immune system, researchers have created a new material that can be programmed to identify an endless variety of molecules. The new material resembles tiny sheets of Velcro, each just 100 nanometers across. But instead of securing your sneakers, this molecular Velcro mimics the way natural antibodies recognize viruses and toxins, and could lead to a new class of biosensors.

Moral in the morning, but dishonest in the afternoon Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:31 AM PDT Our ability to exhibit self-control to avoid cheating or lying is significantly reduced over the course of a day, making us more likely to be dishonest in the afternoon than in the morning, according to a new article.

Is left-handedness higher among those suffering from psychosis? Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:31 AM PDT Researchers have long studied the connections between hand dominance and different aspects of the human brain. A new study finds that among those with mental illnesses, left-handers are more likely to suffer from psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia than mood disorders.

Warm winters let trees sleep longer Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:31 AM PDT In the temperate zones, vegetation follows the change of the seasons. Researchers have now brought a new correlation to light: The colder the winter, the earlier native plants begin to grow again. Since warmer winters can be expected as the climate changes, the spring development phase for typical forest trees might start later and later -- giving an advantage to shrubs and invasive trees that don't depend on the cold.

New substance effectively combats multi-resistant bacteria Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:31 AM PDT In Europe alone, more than 25,000 people die each year from infections caused by multi-resistant bacteria. Researchers have now developed and characterized a substance that quickly and effectively kills the virulent bacteria. The substance employs a multifunctional mechanism that reduces the risk of antibiotic resistance.

Vibrating micro plates bring order to overcrowded radio spectrum Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:30 AM PDT GSM, WiFi, Bluetooth, 4G, GPS: a smartphone already has to handle many wireless standards. And this number will only increase further. There are still no good filters to keep all those future standards separate. Researchers have now taken an important step with a new type of filter, based on micromechanics.

Porpoises on European coasts maintain their populations but migrate southwards Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:30 AM PDT Seven oceanographic research vessels and three light aircraft from the SCANSII Project have recorded the abundance and distribution of small cetaceans in the waters of the European Atlantic shelf. Their results reveal that the harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena, also known as the common porpoise) is the most abundant on these shores and the only species that has moved further southwards to live.

Those with Alzheimer's more likely to have heart disease , offered less treatment options Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:29 AM PDT Persons with Alzheimer's disease suffer from ischaemic heart diseases more frequently than others, yet they undergo related procedures and surgery less frequently than persons with no diagnosed AD, according to a nation-wide register-based study. The study involved a total of 28,093 persons; that is every community-dwelling person with a diagnosed Alzheimer's disease living in Finland on 31 December 2005.

Scientist identify genetic link between language impairment, autism Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:29 AM PDT In the first molecular genetic study of families with a history of both language impairment and autism, scientists may have uncovered a shared origin for the two conditions, an important step toward explaining why some cases of autism are accompanied by language difficulties and others are not. The study indicates that a disorder called specific language impairment — one of the most common developmental delays in children — may be caused by the same genetic variants that lead to language difficulties in some children with autism.

Study: Corporate executives hugely overconfident Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:29 AM PDT Corporate executives are astonishingly overconfident in their ability to forecast the stock market, a new study shows.

Face it: Twins who smoke look older Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:29 AM PDT Twins who smoke show more premature facial aging, compared to their nonsmoking identical twins, reports a study.

Re-examination of JFK assassination medical data reviews single shooter versus conspiracy theories Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:28 AM PDT Fifty years after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the medical and scientific evidence may support the possibility of the "single shooter, three bullet theory" of the event. Yet new insights into the old medical data simultaneously suggest there may have been multiple shooters, according to a new article.

Bright eyes: Reindeers' eyes change from blue to gold with Arctic seasons Posted: 29 Oct 2013 07:08 PM PDT Researchers have discovered the eyes of Arctic reindeer change color through the seasons from gold to blue, adapting to extreme changes of light levels in their environment and helping detect predators. It is the first such color change observed in mammals.

Negative consequences of noise on overall health Posted: 29 Oct 2013 07:08 PM PDT The combined toll of occupational, recreational and environmental noise exposure poses a serious public health threat going far beyond hearing damage, according to an international team of researchers.

Teenagers, young adults diagnosed with cancer at increased risk of suicide Posted: 29 Oct 2013 07:07 PM PDT Teenagers and young adults are at increased risk of suicide after being diagnosed with cancer according to a study published. A study of nearly eight million Swedes aged 15 and over found that among the 12,669 young people diagnosed with cancer between the age of 15 and 30, there was a 60 percent increased risk of suicide or attempted suicide. The risk was highest (150 percent) in the first year after diagnosis.

Unpublished trial data 'violates an ethical obligation' to study participants, say researchers Posted: 29 Oct 2013 07:07 PM PDT Almost one in three (29 percent) large clinical trials remain unpublished five years after completion. And of these, 78 percent have no results publicly available, finds a new study.

Knowledge about incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse lower among women of color Posted: 29 Oct 2013 02:19 PM PDT Knowing what symptoms to look for may help women with pelvic floor disorders improve their chances of successful treatment. But knowledge of these disorders is lacking among most women, and especially among women of color, according to a new study.

Dinner rituals correlate with child, adult weight Posted: 29 Oct 2013 02:19 PM PDT Families that eat together without the television on and stay seated until everyone's finished have children with lower weights and body mass index (BMI), reports a study.

Mechanisms of wound healing clarified in zebrafish study Posted: 29 Oct 2013 02:19 PM PDT A crucial component of wound healing in many animals, including humans, is the migration of nearby skin cells toward the center of the wound. How do these neighboring skin cells know which way to migrate? A new paper from scientists clarifies the role of calcium signaling in wound healing.

New molecular target for malaria control identified Posted: 29 Oct 2013 02:18 PM PDT A new study has shown that egg development in the mosquito species primarily responsible for spreading malaria depends on a switch in the female that is turned on by a male hormone delivered during sex. Blocking the activation of this switch could impair the ability of the species, Anopheles gambiae, to reproduce, and may be a viable future strategy for mosquito and malaria control.

Staying one step ahead of influenza Posted: 29 Oct 2013 02:18 PM PDT Every fall, the latest batch of flu vaccines attempts to keep society a step ahead of the evolution of the flu virus. Heroic worldwide surveillance efforts have avoided a repeat of the 1918 flu pandemic, but as shown in the recent H1N1 outbreak, viruses can still outwit even the best public health efforts.

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