ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Simulation of 3-D exotic clouds on an exoplanet
• NOAA report finds the 2014 commercial catch of US seafood on par with 2013
• New class of DNA repair enzyme discovered
• High-tech methods study bacteria on the International Space Station
• Rewrite of onboard memory planned for NASA Mars orbiter
• Nuclear membrane repairs the 'dark matter' of DNA
• Annual Antarctic ozone hole larger and formed later in 2015
• Spirals in dust around young stars may betray presence of massive planets
• Male/female brain differences? Big data says not so much
• Low-fat diet not most effective in long-term weight loss
• Excitement grows as NASA carbon sleuth begins Year Two
• 'Ensemble' modeling could lead to better flu forecasts
• New design points a path to the 'ultimate' battery
• Warming waters a major factor in the collapse of New England cod
• New primate species at root of tree of extant hominoids
• Single gene variation linked to obesity
• Who mothers mommy?
• Water-treatment plants are not supposed to harm the functioning of river ecosystems
• It's a Tyrannosaur-eat-Tyrannosaur world
• Researchers find universality in protein locality
• Molecular switch generates calorie-burning brown fat
• People with MS may be more physically fit than tests indicate, study finds
• Birth of universe modelled in one of largest cosmological simulations ever run
• No need to stop antidepressants before plastic surgery, evidence suggests
• Are embryonic stem cells and artificial stem cells equivalent?
• Scientists fur-bricates hair with inexpensive 3-D printer
• Follow your heart as you pursue your career
• Key findings to develop a vaccine against Toxoplasma
• Ancestry of mammalian 'warm-bloodedness' revealed
• Using superlatives in the media for cancer drugs
• What blocks pro-vaccine beliefs?
• Predicting the human genome using evolution
• Unique feeding mechanism among marine reptiles from the age of dinosaurs
• Mummified seals reveal ecological impact of ice change
• 300 million-year-old 'supershark' fossils found in Texas
• Detection of proteins: We know how to build better locks for chemical keys
• Transitional species of duckbilled dinosaurs illuminate relationship between evolution and growth
• Mammal body-size responds to climate change in ancient Wyoming
• Unraveling the mysteries of two ancient parasites
• Exploiting renewable energy while allowing for protecting biodiversity
• Study showcases potential new oral treatment for inflammatory bowel disease
• Single-agent phototherapy system offers significant new tool to fight cancer
• Count your bites, count down the pounds
• Breast cancer becoming as common among African-American women as among white women
• Jet lag-like sleep disruptions spur Alzheimer's memory, learning loss
• Astrophysicists produce the first age map of the halo of the Milky Way
• Algorithm to 3-D print vibrational sounds
• Memory complaints in older women may signal thinking problems decades later
• New finding will help target multiple sclerosis immune response
• Surprising discovery of oxygen in comet's atmosphere
• Targeted therapy for gastric cancer possible
• Personal interests pivotal for identification with Europe
• Study solves mysteries of Voyager 1's journey into interstellar space
• Land-facing, southwest Greenland Ice Sheet movement decreasing
• Origin of organic matter in Apollo lunar samples revealed by new NASA study
• Adolescent T. rex unraveling controversy about growth changes in Tyrannosaurus
• Dinosaurs used nasal passages to keep brains cool
• Early humans linked to ancient Australian extinction
• Often decried, polygyny may sometimes have advantages
• Microbiomes could hold keys to improving life as we know it

Simulation of 3-D exotic clouds on an exoplanet Posted: 29 Oct 2015 04:12 PM PDT A nearby exoplanet has an atmosphere that might be similar to Earth's before life evolved. Researchers have now simulated three-dimensional exotic clouds on another world.

NOAA report finds the 2014 commercial catch of US seafood on par with 2013 Posted: 29 Oct 2015 04:08 PM PDT America's commercial and recreational fisheries show continued stability and make a large contribution to the nation's economy thanks to sustainable fisheries management policies, according to a new report.

New class of DNA repair enzyme discovered Posted: 29 Oct 2015 04:08 PM PDT A new class of DNA repair enzyme has been discovered which demonstrates that a much broader range of damage can be removed from the double helix in ways that biologists did not think were possible.

High-tech methods study bacteria on the International Space Station Posted: 29 Oct 2015 04:03 PM PDT Where there are people, there are bacteria, even in space. But what kinds of bacteria are present where astronauts live and work? In a recent study, researchers used state-of-the-art molecular analysis to explore the microbial environment on the International Space Station. They then compared these results to the bacteria found in clean rooms, which are controlled and thoroughly cleaned laboratory environments on Earth.

Rewrite of onboard memory planned for NASA Mars orbiter Posted: 29 Oct 2015 03:58 PM PDT Tables stored in flash memory aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) tell locations of Earth and the sun for the past 10 years, but not their locations next year. That needs to be changed. Carefully.

Nuclear membrane repairs the 'dark matter' of DNA Posted: 29 Oct 2015 03:56 PM PDT The nuclear membrane isn't just a protective case around the nucleus -- it actually repairs catastrophically broken DNA strands.

Annual Antarctic ozone hole larger and formed later in 2015 Posted: 29 Oct 2015 03:55 PM PDT The 2015 Antarctic ozone hole area was larger and formed later than in recent years, said scientists.

Spirals in dust around young stars may betray presence of massive planets Posted: 29 Oct 2015 03:55 PM PDT A team of astronomers is proposing that huge spiral patterns seen around some newborn stars, merely a few million years old (about one percent our sun's age), may be evidence for the presence of giant unseen planets.

Male/female brain differences? Big data says not so much Posted: 29 Oct 2015 03:55 PM PDT A research study has debunked the widely-held belief that the hippocampus, a crucial part of the brain that consolidates new memories and helps connect emotions to the senses, is larger in females than in males.

Low-fat diet not most effective in long-term weight loss Posted: 29 Oct 2015 03:55 PM PDT The effectiveness of low-fat diet on weight-loss has been debated for decades, and hundreds of randomized clinical trials aimed at evaluating this issue have been conducted with mixed results. New research finds that low-fat interventions were no more successful than higher-fat interventions in achieving and maintaining weight loss for periods longer than one year.

Excitement grows as NASA carbon sleuth begins Year Two Posted: 29 Oct 2015 03:54 PM PDT Scientists busy poring over more than a year of data from NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) mission are seeing patterns emerge as they seek answers to the science questions that drive the mission.

'Ensemble' modeling could lead to better flu forecasts Posted: 29 Oct 2015 12:26 PM PDT By combining data from a variety of non-traditional sources, a research team led by computational epidemiologists has developed predictive models of flu-like activity that provide robust real-time estimates (aka 'now-casts') of flu activity and accurate forecasts of flu-like illness levels up to three weeks into the future.

New design points a path to the 'ultimate' battery Posted: 29 Oct 2015 12:26 PM PDT Researchers have successfully demonstrated how several of the problems impeding the practical development of the so-called 'ultimate' battery could be overcome.

Warming waters a major factor in the collapse of New England cod Posted: 29 Oct 2015 12:02 PM PDT Today, cod stocks are on the verge of collapse, hovering at 3-4 percent of sustainable levels. Even cuts to the fishery have failed to slow this rapid decline, surprising both fishermen and fisheries managers. For the first time, a new report in Science explains why. It shows that rapid warming of Gulf of Maine waters -- 99 percent faster than anywhere else on the planet - reduced the capacity of cod to rebound from fishing, leading to collapse.

New primate species at root of tree of extant hominoids Posted: 29 Oct 2015 12:02 PM PDT Researchers have described the new genus and species, Pliobates cataloniae, based on a skeleton recovered from the landfill of Can Mata (Catalonia, NE Spain). The fossil remains belong to an adult female individual that weighed 4-5 kg and moved through the forest canopy by climbing and suspending below branches. Pliobates has important implications for reconstructing the last common ancestor of hominids and hylobatids. The fossil remains belong to an adult female individual named 'Laia' by her discoverers.

Single gene variation linked to obesity Posted: 29 Oct 2015 11:11 AM PDT A single variation in the gene for brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) may influence obesity in children and adults, according to a new study. The study suggests that a less common version of the BDNF gene may predispose people to obesity by producing lower levels of BDNF protein, a regulator of appetite, in the brain.

Who mothers mommy? Posted: 29 Oct 2015 11:11 AM PDT Tending to their children's needs is a tireless task that knows no schedules or time limits, but mothers dutifully do it for their family and society. But where does mom draw her strength during her decades long involvement with her children? Two researchers say unconditional acceptance by friends and authenticity in relationships play essential roles in keeping mom happy herself, and thus grounded in her tasks with child rearing and development.

Water-treatment plants are not supposed to harm the functioning of river ecosystems Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:46 AM PDT When a river receives waste water from a treatment plant, the plant's efficiency is revealed. A new study group has observed that the waste water from treatment plants significantly influences the river ecosystem. As the quantity of organic matter is bigger, the activity of the organisms that feed on it increases. Yet other organisms are harmed because this matter contains toxic substances.

It's a Tyrannosaur-eat-Tyrannosaur world Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:46 AM PDT A nasty little 66-million-year-old family secret has been leaked by a recently unearthed tyrannosaur bone. The bone has peculiar teeth marks that strongly suggest it was gnawed by another tyrannosaur. The find could be some of the best evidence yet that tyrannosaurs were not shy about eating their own kind.

Researchers find universality in protein locality Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:45 AM PDT A team of researchers has mapped out a universal dynamic that explains the production and distribution of proteins in a cell, a process that varies in detail from protein to protein and cell to cell, but that always results in the same statistical pattern.

Molecular switch generates calorie-burning brown fat Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:45 AM PDT A molecular switch capable of converting unhealthy white fat into healthy, energy-burning brown fat has been discovered in mice, scientists report.

People with MS may be more physically fit than tests indicate, study finds Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:45 AM PDT Conventional methods of assessing cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular strength among people with multiple sclerosis may underestimate participants' capabilities, prompting clinicians to prescribe exercise therapies that are less effective than they could be, according to new research.

Birth of universe modelled in one of largest cosmological simulations ever run Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:45 AM PDT Researchers are sifting through an avalanche of data produced by one of the largest cosmological simulations ever performed.

No need to stop antidepressants before plastic surgery, evidence suggests Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:44 AM PDT For patients undergoing plastic surgery procedures, there's no consistent evidence that taking antidepressants increases the risk of bleeding, breast cancer, or other adverse outcomes, concludes a research review.

Are embryonic stem cells and artificial stem cells equivalent? Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:44 AM PDT New evidence has been found suggesting some human induced pluripotent stem cells are the 'functional equivalent' of human embryonic stem cells, a finding that may begin to settle a long running argument.

Scientists fur-bricates hair with inexpensive 3-D printer Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:42 AM PDT 3-D printers typically produce hard plastic objects, but researchers have found a way to produce hair-like strands, fibers and bristles using a common, low-cost printer. The technique for producing 3-D-printed hair is similar to -- and inspired by -- the way that gossamer plastic strands are extruded when a person uses a hot glue gun.

Follow your heart as you pursue your career Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:42 AM PDT Young people with strong callings are more likely to take risks, persist, and ultimately get jobs in their chosen fields, satisfying both their personal and professional career needs. Researchers also found that those who exhibit a passion for these interests in their teens are more likely to be successful later on, regardless of their inherent talent.

Key findings to develop a vaccine against Toxoplasma Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:42 AM PDT A group of researchers has found that p62, a host molecule, played an important role in exerting immune effects of an experimental pathogenic parasite toxoplasma-inactivated vaccine. This group's achievement is expected to offer strategies for developing a toxoplasma-inactivated vaccine targeting p62 for treating toxoplasmosis.

Ancestry of mammalian 'warm-bloodedness' revealed Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:42 AM PDT 'Warm-bloodedness', a characteristic of mammals, is a trait encompassing a suite of physiological processes that helps to maintain a relatively high, constant body temperature. A new study shows that this character may have shown up in the ancestors of modern mammals far earlier than was previously thought.

Using superlatives in the media for cancer drugs Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:41 AM PDT The use of superlatives to describe cancer drugs in news articles as 'breakthrough,' 'revolutionary,' 'miracle' or in other grandiose terms was common even when drugs were not yet approved, had no clinical data or not yet shown overall survival benefits, according to an article.

What blocks pro-vaccine beliefs? Posted: 29 Oct 2015 10:41 AM PDT Despite rhetoric that pits 'anti-vaxxers' versus 'pro-vaxxers,' most new parents probably qualify as vaccine-neutral--that is, they passively accept rather than actively demand vaccination. Even in these cases, some unease is natural, argue two psychologists. The act itself is counter-intuitive, and it requires trust in medicine and government. The authors consider what compels someone to vaccinate and the cognitive obstacles that cause pro-vaccine messaging to be rejected.

Predicting the human genome using evolution Posted: 29 Oct 2015 09:45 AM PDT By observing evolution's 'greatest hits' (and misses) and the history of the major themes and patterns of genome conservation (and divergence) across many species, one scientist's approach predicts probable mutations that will be found among people and the fate of human variation.

Unique feeding mechanism among marine reptiles from the age of dinosaurs Posted: 29 Oct 2015 09:45 AM PDT Among the many groups of marine reptiles from the Age of Dinosaurs, elasmosaurs are famous for their necks, which can have up to 76 vertebrae and make up more than half the total length of the animal. These 'sea dragons' attained worldwide distribution and vanished only during the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous 66 million years ago.

Mummified seals reveal ecological impact of ice change Posted: 29 Oct 2015 08:22 AM PDT Scientists are using the mummified remains of seals freeze-dried in Antarctica to examine the long-term effects of changing ice patterns on marine mammal ecology. Recent work examined over five hundred seal mummies collected from the Ross Sea region. Findings suggest that while some species maintain a similar ecology in spite of environmental change, others underwent significant shifts in diet.

300 million-year-old 'supershark' fossils found in Texas Posted: 29 Oct 2015 08:22 AM PDT Even before the age of dinosaurs, big toothy predators were roaming Texas. 300 million years ago, during a time called the Carboniferous, the area surrounding what is now Dallas, Texas was flooded by a shallow sea. Fossils from this ancient environment were recently recovered from Jacksboro, Texas. Among these were two fossil braincases from massive extinct relatives of modern-day sharks.

Detection of proteins: We know how to build better locks for chemical keys Posted: 29 Oct 2015 08:22 AM PDT It will be increasingly difficult for protein molecules to remain anonymous, and increasingly easy for doctors and patients to detect the early stages of latent diseases, say investigators who have perfected a method of producing thin detecting films that are able to recognize specific proteins. This is an important step towards the construction of low-cost chemical sensors, identifying even small concentrations of protein disease markers in body fluids.

Transitional species of duckbilled dinosaurs illuminate relationship between evolution and growth Posted: 29 Oct 2015 08:22 AM PDT The discovery of two new transitional species is helping reveal the pattern of evolution in duckbilled dinosaurs, providing key insight into the intricate relationship between changes during growth and the evolution of elaborate display structures.

Mammal body-size responds to climate change in ancient Wyoming Posted: 29 Oct 2015 08:22 AM PDT Evidence from fossils suggests that multiple global warming events, which occurred over 50 million years ago, impacted the evolution of mammals living in ancient Wyoming. Using over seven thousand fossilized teeth, paleontologists found a reduction in body size of mammal populations, hypothesized to be related to warming events. This work provides a unique glimpse at the long-term impact of climatic change on mammal populations.

Unraveling the mysteries of two ancient parasites Posted: 29 Oct 2015 08:22 AM PDT A new discovery suggests why one relationship evolved in appearance and how one parasite turned more aggressive but also protective toward its host over millions of years.

Exploiting renewable energy while allowing for protecting biodiversity Posted: 29 Oct 2015 08:22 AM PDT Global expansion of bioenergy possesses serious threats to biodiversity, whereas solar energy could have potential for power provision with limited impacts on biodiversity, say experts.

Study showcases potential new oral treatment for inflammatory bowel disease Posted: 29 Oct 2015 08:19 AM PDT For patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the possibility of taking one pill to bring long-lasting relief might seem too good to be true. Scientists are on the brink of making that happen, thanks to a recent proof-of-concept study, in which the severity of a form of IBD in mice was dramatically reduced with one oral dose of a protein isolated from a bacterial biofilm.

Single-agent phototherapy system offers significant new tool to fight cancer Posted: 29 Oct 2015 08:19 AM PDT Researchers have announced an important advance in the field of cancer imaging and phototherapy, using a single-agent system that may ultimately change the efficacy of cancer surgery and treatment around the world.

Count your bites, count down the pounds Posted: 29 Oct 2015 08:19 AM PDT People who counted bites over a month's time lost roughly four pounds -- just about what the CDC recommends for 'healthy' weight loss -- reports new research. Those in the pilot test counted the number of bites they took each day and then committed to taking 20 to 30 percent less bites over the next four weeks. Participants who stuck with the task saw results despite changing nothing else about their routine.

Breast cancer becoming as common among African-American women as among white women Posted: 29 Oct 2015 08:19 AM PDT New data finds that rates among African-American women in the United States have continued to increase, converging with rates among white women and closing a gap that had existed for decades.

Jet lag-like sleep disruptions spur Alzheimer's memory, learning loss Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:34 AM PDT Chemical changes in brain cells caused by disturbances in the body's day-night cycle may be a key underlying cause of the learning and memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study.

Astrophysicists produce the first age map of the halo of the Milky Way Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:34 AM PDT Astronomers have produced the first chronographic (age) map of the halo of the Milky Way galaxy, the results of which extend and refine some prevailing assumptions in astrophysics.

Algorithm to 3-D print vibrational sounds Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:34 AM PDT In creating what looks to be a simple children's musical instrument -- a xylophone with keys in the shape of zoo animals -- computer scientists have demonstrated that sound can be controlled by 3D-printing shapes. They designed an optimization algorithm and used computational methods and digital fabrication to control acoustic properties -- both sound and vibration -- by altering the shape of 2D and 3D objects.

Memory complaints in older women may signal thinking problems decades later Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:33 AM PDT Older women who complain of memory problems may be at higher risk for experiencing diagnosed memory and thinking impairment decades later, new research suggests.

New finding will help target multiple sclerosis immune response Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:29 AM PDT Researchers have made another important step in the progress towards being able to block the development of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseases.

Surprising discovery of oxygen in comet's atmosphere Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:27 AM PDT The biggest surprise so far in the chemical analysis of Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko's atmosphere is the high proportion of oxygen molecules. While such molecules are common in the earth's atmosphere, their presence on comets had originally been ruled out.

Targeted therapy for gastric cancer possible Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:25 AM PDT Gastric cancer, otherwise known as stomach cancer, does not respond well to existing treatments and it is currently the third leading cause of cancer death in the world (after lung and liver cancer). Researchers have discovered that certain drugs, currently used to treat breast, ovarian and pancreatic cancers, could also be used to treat certain gastric cancers with a particular pattern of mutations (genomic molecular fingerprint).

Personal interests pivotal for identification with Europe Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:25 AM PDT What is the decisive factor for identification with Europe? Contact with people from European countries plays a more minor role, new research reveals. Personal interests are far more important: EU citizens living in Switzerland feel more closely linked to Europe than their Swiss counterparts because they benefit from EU citizenship.

Study solves mysteries of Voyager 1's journey into interstellar space Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:24 AM PDT Scientists have answered the question of why NASA's Voyager 1, when it became the first probe to enter interstellar space in mid-2012, observed a magnetic field that was inconsistent with that derived from other spacecraft observations.

Land-facing, southwest Greenland Ice Sheet movement decreasing Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:23 AM PDT In the face of decades of increasing temperatures and surface melting, the movement of the southwest portion of the Greenland Ice Sheet that terminates on land has been slowing down, according to a new study.

Origin of organic matter in Apollo lunar samples revealed by new NASA study Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:22 AM PDT A team of NASA-funded scientists has solved an enduring mystery from the Apollo missions to the moon -- the origin of organic matter found in lunar samples returned to Earth. Samples of the lunar soil brought back by the Apollo astronauts contain low levels of organic matter in the form of amino acids. Certain amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, essential molecules used by life to build structures like hair and skin and to regulate chemical reactions.

Adolescent T. rex unraveling controversy about growth changes in Tyrannosaurus Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:22 AM PDT A much-anticipated study of an adolescent Tyrannosaurus rex is poised to help resolve long-standing controversies over the growth of tyrannosaurid dinosaurs.

Dinosaurs used nasal passages to keep brains cool Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:22 AM PDT Dinosaur nasal passages were certainly nothing to sneeze at. Possessing among the largest and most complex nasal passages seen in animals, their function has puzzled paleontologists. New research suggests that the size and shape of these nasal passages would have allowed incoming air to cool the blood making its way to the brain, maintaining the brain at an optimum temperature.

Early humans linked to ancient Australian extinction Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:22 AM PDT New data implicates early humans in the extinction of large mammals, birds and lizards in Australia.

Often decried, polygyny may sometimes have advantages Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:22 AM PDT The practice of sharing a husband may, in some circumstances, lead to greater health and wealth for women and their children, new research suggests. And polygyny--where one husband has more than one wife--is decried by the United Nations Human Rights Committee and women's rights organizations as discriminatory to women.

Microbiomes could hold keys to improving life as we know it Posted: 29 Oct 2015 07:22 AM PDT A consortium of 48 scientists from 50 institutions in the United States are calling for a Unified Microbiome Initiative that would span national cross-institutional and cross-governmental agency support. The group, called the Unified Microbiome Initiative Consortium (UMIC), envisions that a coordinated effort would drive forward cutting edge microbiome research.

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