ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Traffic jams lend insight into emperor penguin huddle
• Four new mammal species discovered in Democratic Republic of Congo
• How household dogs protect against asthma and infection
• Cellulose nanocrystals possible 'green' wonder material
• Spurred by food allergies, two esophagus conditions stump doctors
• Do patients in a vegetative state recognize loved ones?
• Microprinting leads to low-cost artificial cells
• Discovery of 1.4 million-year-old fossil human hand bone closes human evolution gap
• Cat domestication traced to Chinese farmers 5,300 years ago
• Recognizing the elephant in the room: Future climate impacts across sectors
• Global warming: Four degree rise will end vegetation 'carbon sink', research suggests
• Recipe to fine-tune diameter of silica rods devised
• Lost freshwater may double climate change effects on agriculture
• Neanderthals buried their dead, new research of remains concludes
• Graphene nanoribbons an ice-melting coat for radar
• Scientists identify molecular biomarkers of vaccine immunity
• 'Superbugs' found breeding in sewage plants
• Nearby failed stars may harbor planet, astronomers find
• Ultrafast heating of water: This pot boils faster than you can watch it
• Golden trap: Highly sensitive system to detect individual molecules
• Brain waves encode information as time signals
• Mothers see their youngest as shorter than they are
• Affordable Care Act offers opportunities to strengthen trauma systems
• Smithsonian's Submillimeter Array reveals giant star cluster in the making
• Team reduces toxicity of Lou Gehrig's disease in animal models
• SOFs take to water: First soluble 2-D supramolecular organic frameworks created
• Piece-by-piece approach to emissions policies can be effective, study finds
• Innovative instrument probes close binary stars, may soon image exoplanets
• When will Earth lose its oceans?
• Loudspeaker is first-ever 3-D-printed consumer electronic
• Small size enhances charge transfer in quantum dots
• Elective early-term deliveries increase complications for baby, mother
• Pollination, land degradation: Top priorities for assessment by new UN intergovernmental body
• Scientists discover potential vaccine for malaria
• No math gene: Learning mathematics takes practice
• Brittle-bone babies helped by fetal stem cell grafts
• Timing is everything in new nanotechnology for medicine, security and research
• Climate change threatens genetic diversity, future of world's caribou
• Five most effective parenting programs to reduce problem behaviors in teens
• Nitrogen deposition poses threat to diversity of Europe's forest vegetation
• Bonobos stay young longer
• Better first response medical care during catastrophes
• A Terahertz generator with the highest signal quality
• Swift satellite catches a hundred thousand new cosmic X-ray sources
• Nanoparticles and their orbital positions
• Alzheimer substance may be the nanomaterial of tomorrow
• First molecular missteps discovered leading to Alzheimer's disease
• Nicotine drives cell invasion that contributes to plaque formation in coronary arteries
• World e-waste map reveals national volumes, international flows

Traffic jams lend insight into emperor penguin huddle Posted: 16 Dec 2013 05:40 PM PST Emperor penguins maintain the tight huddle that protects them from the harsh conditions of an Antarctic winter with stop-and-go movements like cars in a traffic jam, a new study has shown.

Four new mammal species discovered in Democratic Republic of Congo Posted: 16 Dec 2013 03:38 PM PST Scientists have discovered four new species of small mammals in the eastern section of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

How household dogs protect against asthma and infection Posted: 16 Dec 2013 12:50 PM PST Children's risk for developing allergies and asthma is reduced when they are exposed in early infancy to a dog in the household, and now researchers have discovered a reason why.

Cellulose nanocrystals possible 'green' wonder material Posted: 16 Dec 2013 12:50 PM PST The same tiny cellulose crystals that give trees and plants their high strength, light weight and resilience, have now been shown to have the stiffness of steel. The nanocrystals might be used to create a new class of biomaterials with wide-ranging applications, such as strengthening construction materials and automotive components.

Spurred by food allergies, two esophagus conditions stump doctors Posted: 16 Dec 2013 12:50 PM PST Researchers found that two on-the-rise esophagus conditions are so similar that even a biopsy is not enough to distinguish one disease from the other.

Do patients in a vegetative state recognize loved ones? Posted: 16 Dec 2013 12:50 PM PST Patients in a vegetative state do not respond to what is happening around them and exhibit no signs of conscious awareness. Now research has shown that the brains of patients in a vegetative state emotionally react to photographs of people they know personally as though they recognize them.

Microprinting leads to low-cost artificial cells Posted: 16 Dec 2013 12:50 PM PST Easily manufactured, low-cost artificial cells manufactured using microprinting may one day serve as drug and gene delivery devices and in biomaterials, biotechnology and biosensing applications, according to biomedical engineers. These artificial cells will also allow researchers to explore actions that take place at the cell membrane.

Discovery of 1.4 million-year-old fossil human hand bone closes human evolution gap Posted: 16 Dec 2013 12:49 PM PST Scientists have found a new hand bone from a human ancestor who roamed the earth in East Africa approximately 1.42 million years ago. The discovery of this bone is the earliest evidence of a modern human-like hand, indicating that this anatomical feature existed more than half a million years earlier than previously known.

Cat domestication traced to Chinese farmers 5,300 years ago Posted: 16 Dec 2013 12:48 PM PST Five-thousand years before it was immortalized in a British nursery rhyme, the cat that caught the rat that ate the malt was doing just fine living alongside farmers in the ancient Chinese village of Quanhucun, new research has shown.

Recognizing the elephant in the room: Future climate impacts across sectors Posted: 16 Dec 2013 12:48 PM PST A pioneering collaboration within the international scientific community has provided comprehensive projections of climate change effects, ranging from water scarcity to risks to crop yields. This interdisciplinary effort, employing extensive model inter-comparisons, allows research gaps to be identified, whilst producing the most robust possible findings. The results provide crucial insights for decision-making regarding mitigation efforts in the face of potential impact cascades.

Global warming: Four degree rise will end vegetation 'carbon sink', research suggests Posted: 16 Dec 2013 12:48 PM PST New research suggests that a temperature increase of four degrees is likely to "saturate" areas of dense vegetation with carbon, preventing plants from helping to balance CO2 escalation -- and consequently accelerating climate change.

Recipe to fine-tune diameter of silica rods devised Posted: 16 Dec 2013 12:43 PM PST By controlling the temperature of silica rods as they grow, researchers could be setting the stage for advances in anti-reflective solar cells, computer monitors, TV screens, eye glasses and more.

Lost freshwater may double climate change effects on agriculture Posted: 16 Dec 2013 12:43 PM PST A new analysis combining climate, agricultural, and hydrological models finds that shortages of freshwater used for irrigation could double the detrimental effects of climate change on agriculture.

Neanderthals buried their dead, new research of remains concludes Posted: 16 Dec 2013 12:43 PM PST Neanderthals buried their dead, an international team of archaeologists has concluded after a 13-year study of remains discovered in southwestern France.

Graphene nanoribbons an ice-melting coat for radar Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:28 AM PST A composite of graphene nanoribbons and polyurethane paint is a robust, light, cost-effective coating to keep radar domes free of ice.

Scientists identify molecular biomarkers of vaccine immunity Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:28 AM PST Scientists have taken an important step toward making a "vaccine gene chip," by comparing the molecular signatures induced by five very different vaccines in the immune systems of human volunteers.

'Superbugs' found breeding in sewage plants Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:28 AM PST Tests at wastewater treatment plants in China revealed antibiotic-resistant bacteria were not only escaping purification but also breeding and spreading their dangerous cargo.

Nearby failed stars may harbor planet, astronomers find Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:28 AM PST Astronomers took precise measurements of the closest pair of failed stars to the Sun, which suggest that the system harbors a third, planetary-mass object.

Ultrafast heating of water: This pot boils faster than you can watch it Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:26 AM PST Scientists have devised a novel way to boil water in less than a trillionth of a second. The theoretical concept, which has not yet been demonstrated in practice, could heat a small amount of water by as much as 600 degrees Celsius in just half a picosecond (a trillionth of a second). This would make the technique the fastest water-heating method on Earth.

Golden trap: Highly sensitive system to detect individual molecules Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:26 AM PST Medical diagnostics is searching for substances capable of documenting whether a disease is developing. In many cases, the treacherous molecules are present only in trace amounts -- which is why sensitive methods of detection are needed. Researchers have come up with a method of detection, which allowed them to notice the presence of only 17 dye molecules. The method might be used to scan a tiny drop of blood for potential diseases.

Brain waves encode information as time signals Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:26 AM PST A research team has examined the synaptic mechanisms of rhythmic brain waves. This was made possible through custom-design tools developed in collaboration with the institute's machine shop.

Mothers see their youngest as shorter than they are Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:25 AM PST Many parents say when their second child is born that their first child suddenly appears to have grown overnight. Now, researchers have an explanation: until the birth of the new child, those parents were subject to a "baby illusion," routinely misperceiving their youngest child as smaller (and younger) than he or she really was.

Affordable Care Act offers opportunities to strengthen trauma systems Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:24 AM PST Traumatic injuries are the leading cause of death and disability for people under the age of 45 and the fourth-leading cause of death for people of all ages. Authors of a review believe more work is needed to ensure the right patient gets to the right place at the right time, and that the Affordable Care Act may offer opportunities to strengthen trauma systems.

Smithsonian's Submillimeter Array reveals giant star cluster in the making Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:24 AM PST W49A might be one of the best-kept secrets in our galaxy. This star-forming region shines 100 times brighter than the Orion nebula, but is so obscured by dust that very little visible or infrared light escapes. Astronomers have peered through the dusty fog to provide the first clear view of this stellar nursery.

Team reduces toxicity of Lou Gehrig's disease in animal models Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:24 AM PST Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a devastating illness that gradually robs sufferers of muscle strength and eventually causes a lethal, full-body paralysis. Working with a powerful fruit fly model of the disease, researchers reduced disease toxicity and slowed the dysfunction of neurons. Their discoveries offer the possibility of a new strategy for treating ALS.

SOFs take to water: First soluble 2-D supramolecular organic frameworks created Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:24 AM PST Researchers have unveiled the first two-dimensional SOFs -- supramolecular organic frameworks -- that self-assemble in solution, an important breakthrough that holds implications for sensing and separation technologies, energy sciences, and biomimetics.

Piece-by-piece approach to emissions policies can be effective, study finds Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:24 AM PST New analysis shows that policies addressing energy consumption and technology choices individually can play an important part in reducing emissions.

Innovative instrument probes close binary stars, may soon image exoplanets Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:24 AM PST Close binary stars cannot be resolved with today's optical telescopes, despite adaptive optics that removes the fuzziness caused by atmospheric turbulence. An international team of astronomers has built and mounted on a 3-meter California telescope a fibered optic imager that combines AO and interferometry to resolve for the first time close binaries such as Capella, and have mounted an improved imager on an 8-meter Subaru telescope that may one day resolve planets around dwarf stars.

When will Earth lose its oceans? Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:23 AM PST The natural increase in solar luminosity -- a very slow process unrelated to current climate warming -- will cause the Earth's temperatures to rise over the next few hundred million years. This will result in the complete evaporation of the oceans. The first three-dimensional climate model able to simulate the phenomenon predicts that liquid water will disappear on Earth in approximately one billion years, extending previous estimates by several hundred million years.

Loudspeaker is first-ever 3-D-printed consumer electronic Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:22 AM PST Researchers have 3-D printed a working loudspeaker, seamlessly integrating the plastic, conductive and magnetic parts, and ready for use almost as soon as it comes out of the printer.

Small size enhances charge transfer in quantum dots Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:20 AM PST Scientists show that shrinking the core of a quantum dot can enhance the ability of a surrounding polymer to extract electric charges generated in the dot by the absorption of light.

Elective early-term deliveries increase complications for baby, mother Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:04 AM PST Enduring the last few weeks of pregnancy can be physically and emotionally challenging for some women. The aches and pains, the swelling of the limbs and the anxiety of when labor may start are part of the natural gestation process, but they also can seem unbearable. It may seem easier to relieve symptoms associated with late pregnancy by electing to deliver early, but researchers caution that there can be an increased risk of complications to the mother and the newborn associated with early-term deliveries.

Pollination, land degradation: Top priorities for assessment by new UN intergovernmental body Posted: 16 Dec 2013 07:30 AM PST Meeting in Antalya, Turkey, nations from around the world agreed Saturday to fast-track science assessments of two priority environmental issues, to include recommendations for government policy changes. The fast-track assessments of land degradation and of the impact on food production of changes in the populations of bees and other insect pollinators around the world form part of the first work program agreed upon for the new UN Intergovernmental science-policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

Scientists discover potential vaccine for malaria Posted: 16 Dec 2013 07:30 AM PST Scientists have discovered a key process during the invasion of the blood cell by the Malaria parasite, and more importantly, found a way to block this invasion.

No math gene: Learning mathematics takes practice Posted: 16 Dec 2013 07:28 AM PST New research shows that if you want to be good at math, you have to practice all different kinds of mathematics.

Brittle-bone babies helped by fetal stem cell grafts Posted: 16 Dec 2013 07:28 AM PST Osteogeneis imperfecta (OI) is a congenital bone disease that causes stunted growth and repeated, painful fracturing. Ultrasound scans can reveal fractures already in the fetus, and now an international team of researchers has treated two babies in utero by injecting bone-forming stem cells.

Timing is everything in new nanotechnology for medicine, security and research Posted: 16 Dec 2013 06:55 AM PST A team of researchers has created a way to control the length of time light from a luminescent nanocrystal lingers, adding a new dimension of time to color and brightness in optical detection technology. This exponentially boosts the number of different combinations that can be created and used as unique tags for biomedical screens. In addition, light emitted by the new nanocrystals far outlasts that which occurs naturally in biological systems. That difference in timing distinctly separates the signal from background noise.

Climate change threatens genetic diversity, future of world's caribou Posted: 16 Dec 2013 06:55 AM PST Caribou in southern and eastern Canada may disappear from most of their current range in 60 years if climate change takes the toll on their habitat that scientists predict. Scientists looked at reservoirs of genetic diversity in caribou and whether that diversity was linked to stable habitats.

Five most effective parenting programs to reduce problem behaviors in teens Posted: 16 Dec 2013 06:55 AM PST Researchers evaluated about 20 parenting programs and found five that are especially effective at helping parents and children at all risk levels avoid adolescent behavior problems that affect not only individuals, but entire communities.

Nitrogen deposition poses threat to diversity of Europe's forest vegetation Posted: 16 Dec 2013 05:04 AM PST Unless nitrogen emissions are curbed, the diversity of plant communities in Europe's forests will decrease. Atmospheric nitrogen deposition has already changed the number and richness of forest floor vegetation species in European forests over the last 20-30 years. In particular, the coverage of plant species adapted to nutrient-poor conditions has reduced. However, levels of nitrogen deposition in Finnish forests remain small compared to Southern and Central Europe.

Bonobos stay young longer Posted: 16 Dec 2013 05:04 AM PST Contrary to humans and chimpanzees, bonobos retain elevated thyroid hormones well into adulthood.

Better first response medical care during catastrophes Posted: 16 Dec 2013 05:03 AM PST When large-scale emergencies occur, it often takes far too long before victims receive the care their injuries demand. Now a new electronic system has been designed to support helpers during the initial assessment of victims and to speed up patient care.

A Terahertz generator with the highest signal quality Posted: 16 Dec 2013 05:03 AM PST Researchers are developing an innovative Terahertz generator that improves signal quality by one million times as compared to the best device of this kind currently on the market; it will allow this technology to be applied in the areas of biomedicine, transportation safety, industry and radio astronomy, among others.

Swift satellite catches a hundred thousand new cosmic X-ray sources Posted: 16 Dec 2013 05:01 AM PST Astronomers have published a major list of celestial X-ray sources. The result of many years work, this list of over 150,000 high-energy stars and galaxies will be a vital resource for future astronomical studies.

Nanoparticles and their orbital positions Posted: 16 Dec 2013 05:01 AM PST Physicists have developed a "planet-satellite model" to precisely connect and arrange nanoparticles in three-dimensional structures. Inspired by the photosystems of plants and algae, these artificial nanoassemblies might in the future serve to collect and convert energy.

Alzheimer substance may be the nanomaterial of tomorrow Posted: 16 Dec 2013 05:01 AM PST Amyloid protein causes diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. But amyloid also carries unique characteristics that may lead to the development of new composite materials for the nano processors and data storage of tomorrow, and even make objects invisible.

First molecular missteps discovered leading to Alzheimer's disease Posted: 15 Dec 2013 01:08 PM PST Additional evidence has been gained indicating that the massive brain cell death of Alzheimer's disease is result of mature neurons mistakenly re-entering the cell cycle. They fail to divide and eventually die.

Nicotine drives cell invasion that contributes to plaque formation in coronary arteries Posted: 15 Dec 2013 01:08 PM PST Research on human and rat vascular smooth muscle cells provides evidence of a link between nicotine and atherosclerosis, major cause of heart attacks.

World e-waste map reveals national volumes, international flows Posted: 15 Dec 2013 06:37 AM PST The first 'E-Waste World Map' has been created by UN organizations, industry, governments, non-government and science organizations through their 'Solving the E-Waste Problem (StEP)' initiative. By 2017, world volumes of end-of-life e-products is expected to be 33 percent higher than 2012 and weigh the equivalent of eight Great Egyptian Pyramids. A complementary new EPA-funded StEP report by MIT and NCER characterizes US domestic and transboundary flows of used electronics.

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