ScienceDaily: Top News

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• New species of moth named in honor of Donald Trump ahead of his swearing-in as president
• Conditions right for complex life may have come and gone in Earth's distant past
• Moving up the food chain can beat being on top
• Movin' on up? Views on social mobility shape Americans' faith in the status quo
• '5-D protein fingerprinting' could give insights into Alzheimer's, Parkinson's
• Researchers zero-in on cholesterol's role in cells
• Strength of hair inspires new materials for body armor
• Climate change forecast: More intense deluges and downpours Down Under
• Trade-offs between economic growth and deforestation
• Inception of the last ice age
• Imposing 'meaningful work' can lead to staff burnout
• Scientists make plastic from pine trees
• Sweat bees on hot chillies: Native bees thrive in traditional farming, securing good yield
• Study applies game theory to genomic privacy
• Scientists discover drug that increases 'good' fat mass and function
• Calorie restriction lets monkeys live long and prosper
• Tiny fruit flies use cold hard logic to select mates
• Why 'platonic' flies don't copulate and what that could mean for humans
• Opioids produce analgesia via immune cells
• Whether our speech is fast or slow, we say about the same
• New tool can help policymakers prioritize information needs for synthetic biology tech
• Structures dating to King Solomon discovered
• Mounting challenge to brain sex differences
• Successful antibody trial in HIV individuals
• Must-see-TV: Educational shows that entertain have greater impact on faithful viewers
• Racial bias in a heartbeat: How signals from the heart shape snap judgments about threat
• Discovery could lead to jet engines that run hotter -- and cleaner
• Signs of hope for endangered sea turtles
• A tale of two pulsars' tails: Plumes offer geometry lessons to astronomers
• San Francisco Bay Area methane emissions may be double what we thought
• Largest Populus SNP dataset holds promise for biofuels, materials, metabolites
• Frankly, we do give a damn: Study finds links between swearing and honesty
• Self-assembling particles brighten future of LED lighting
• Prolonged exposure to work-related stress thought to be related to certain cancers
• Bait knocks out cockroaches, and asthma symptom days
• Religious involvement lessens likelihood of owning a handgun
• More with mental illness, substance use disorders have health insurance
• Researcher uncovers influence of microorganisms on soil carbon storage
• Are you ready to explore baby's genome?
• How solvents affect the skin
• Researchers discover a protein that protects against fatty liver, the most common hepatic disease in Western countries
• The sun in detail: Contorted center of sunspot nearly twice the size of Earth
• Talking therapy changes the brain's wiring, study reveals for first time
• Metabolic pathway regulating key stage of embryo development revealed
• Humble bee among Australia's most lethal
• Malaria drug successfully treats 26-year-old brain cancer patient
• Discovery adds rock collecting to Neanderthal's repertoire
• Risk of tree species disappearing in central Africa 'a major concern,' say researchers
• Genetic discovery provides new insight into cognitive disorders
• Better diagnosis of fungal infections key to reducing antibiotic resistance
• How safe is that driver next to you? A trucker's poor health could increase crash risk
• UV light can aid hospitals' fight to wipe out drug-resistant superbugs
• Fossils found reveal unseen 'footprint' maker
• Candidates for bionic hand reconstruction
• Want to ace an exam? Tell a friend what you learned
• Common heart drug repurposed to treat rare cancer in Europe
• Tigers could roam again in Central Asia, scientists say
• Personalized treatment for those in blood pressure 'gray zone'
• Antimicrobial sutures can prevent surgical site infections and save money
• Dietary supplement may carry both benefits and risks associated with statins

New species of moth named in honor of Donald Trump ahead of his swearing-in as president Posted: 17 Jan 2017 04:13 PM PST Days before Donald J. Trump steps forward on the Presidential Inauguration platform in Washington on Jan. 20, an evolutionary biologist has named a new species in his honor. The researcher hopes that the fame around the new moth will successfully point to the critical need for further conservation efforts for fragile areas such as the habitat of the new species.

Conditions right for complex life may have come and gone in Earth's distant past Posted: 17 Jan 2017 01:39 PM PST Conditions suitable to support complex life may have developed in Earth's oceans -- and then faded -- more than a billion years before life truly took hold, a new study has found.

Moving up the food chain can beat being on top Posted: 17 Jan 2017 01:30 PM PST When it comes to predators, the biggest mouths may not take the biggest bite. According to a new study from bioscientists, some predators have their greatest ecological impacts before they reach adulthood.

Movin' on up? Views on social mobility shape Americans' faith in the status quo Posted: 17 Jan 2017 01:30 PM PST How Americans view social mobility affects their willingness to defend the basic underpinnings of American society -- such as social and economic policies, laws, and institutions -- psychologists have found.

'5-D protein fingerprinting' could give insights into Alzheimer's, Parkinson's Posted: 17 Jan 2017 01:30 PM PST In research that could one day lead to advances against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, engineering researchers have demonstrated a technique for precisely measuring the properties of individual protein molecules floating in a liquid.

Researchers zero-in on cholesterol's role in cells Posted: 17 Jan 2017 01:30 PM PST For the first time, by using a path-breaking optical imaging technique to pinpoint cholesterol's location and movement within the cell membrane, chemists have made the surprising finding that cholesterol is a signaling molecule that transmits messages across the cell membrane.

Strength of hair inspires new materials for body armor Posted: 17 Jan 2017 01:30 PM PST In a new study, researchers are investigating why hair is incredibly strong and resistant to breaking. The findings could lead to the development of new materials for body armor and help cosmetic manufacturers create better hair care products.

Climate change forecast: More intense deluges and downpours Down Under Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:02 AM PST Expect strong increases in rainfall during extreme precipitation events in Australia as a result of global warming making Dorothy Mackellar's now classic view of Australia as a country of droughts and flooding rains truer than ever.

Trade-offs between economic growth and deforestation Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:02 AM PST In many developing countries, economic growth and deforestation seem to go hand in hand -- but the links are not well understood. In a new study, researchers use an innovative methodology to quantify the relationship.

Inception of the last ice age Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:02 AM PST A new model reconstruction shows in exceptional detail the evolution of the Eurasian ice sheet during the last ice age. This can help scientists understand how climate and ocean warming can effect the remaining ice masses on Earth.

Imposing 'meaningful work' can lead to staff burnout Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:02 AM PST Strategies to boost staff performance and morale by manipulating our desire for meaningful work often achieve the opposite -- damaging organizations and alienating employees -- a new study suggests.

Scientists make plastic from pine trees Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:02 AM PST Most current plastics are made from oil, which is unsustainable. However, scientists have now developed a renewable plastic from a chemical called pinene found in pine needles.

Sweat bees on hot chillies: Native bees thrive in traditional farming, securing good yield Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:02 AM PST Farming doesn't always have to be harmful to bees: Even though farmers on the Mexican peninsula of Yucatan traditionally slash-and-burn forest to create small fields, this practice can be beneficial to sweat bees by creating attractive habitats. The farmers profit also since they depend on bees to pollinate their habanero chillies.

Study applies game theory to genomic privacy Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:01 AM PST A new study presents an unorthodox approach to protect the privacy of genomic data, showing how optimal trade-offs between privacy risk and scientific utility can be struck as genomic data are released for research. The framework can be used to suppress just enough genomic data to persuade would-be snoops that their best privacy attacks will be unprofitable.

Scientists discover drug that increases 'good' fat mass and function Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:01 AM PST An FDA-approved drug has been identified that can create the elusive and beneficial brown fat. Mice treated with the drug had more brown fat, faster metabolisms, and lower body weight gain, even after being fed a high-calorie diet. The researchers say the technique, which uses cellular reprogramming, could be a new way to combat obesity and type II diabetes.

Calorie restriction lets monkeys live long and prosper Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:01 AM PST Settling a persistent scientific controversy, a long-awaited report shows that restricting calories does indeed help rhesus monkeys live longer, healthier lives.

Tiny fruit flies use cold hard logic to select mates Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:00 AM PST Fruit flies -- the tiny insects that swarm our kitchens over the summer months -- exhibit rational decision making when selecting mates, according to new research. Scientists observed different combinations of fruit flies mate about 2,700 times, and were surprised to discover that male flies almost always pick the female mate that would produce the most offspring. The study provides the first evidence that fruit flies are capable of making rational choices.

Why 'platonic' flies don't copulate and what that could mean for humans Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:00 AM PST By studying the sexual behavior of a mutant strain of fruit fly called 'platonic,' researchers have found parallels between humans and flies in the neural control of copulation.

Opioids produce analgesia via immune cells Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:00 AM PST Opioids are the most powerful painkillers. Researchers have now found that the analgesic effects of opioids are not exclusively mediated by opioid receptors in the brain, but can also be mediated via the activation of receptors in immune cells.

Whether our speech is fast or slow, we say about the same Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:00 AM PST Fast talkers tend to convey less information with each word and syntactic structure than slower-paced speakers, meaning that no matter our pace, we all say just about as much in a given time, a new study finds.

New tool can help policymakers prioritize information needs for synthetic biology tech Posted: 17 Jan 2017 11:00 AM PST New technologies are developed at a rapid pace, often reaching the marketplace before policymakers can determine how or whether they should be governed. Now researchers have developed a model that can be used to assess emerging synthetic biology products, well before they are ready for the market, to determine what needs to be done to inform future policies.

Structures dating to King Solomon discovered Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:59 AM PST New discoveries at Tel Aviv University's Timna Valley excavation have revealed intact defensive structures and livestock pens that provide insight into the complexity of Iron Age copper production.

Mounting challenge to brain sex differences Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:59 AM PST A meta-analysis of human amygdala volumes reveals no significant difference between the sexes. The study strengthens the case for gender similarity in the human brain and psychological abilities.

Successful antibody trial in HIV individuals Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:59 AM PST A research team has tested a new HIV neutralizing antibody, called 10-1074, in humans. The results of the trial have just been published.

Must-see-TV: Educational shows that entertain have greater impact on faithful viewers Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:59 AM PST A study of viewing audiences shows that the television programs most effective at imparting an educational message about social behaviors are the ones that keep people watching engaged and coming back for more.

Racial bias in a heartbeat: How signals from the heart shape snap judgments about threat Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:59 AM PST Our heartbeat can increase pre-existing racial biases when we face a potential threat, according to new research.

Discovery could lead to jet engines that run hotter -- and cleaner Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:59 AM PST Researchers have made a discovery in materials science that sounds like something from the old Saturday morning cartoon Super Friends: they've found a way to deactivate 'nano twins' to improve the high-temperature properties of superalloys that are used in jet engines.

Signs of hope for endangered sea turtles Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:59 AM PST Bones from dead turtles washed up on Mexican beaches indicate that Baja California is critical to the survival of endangered North Pacific loggerhead sea turtles, which travel some 7,500 miles from their nesting sites in Japan to their feeding grounds off the coast of Mexico.

A tale of two pulsars' tails: Plumes offer geometry lessons to astronomers Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:57 AM PST Like cosmic lighthouses sweeping the universe with bursts of energy, pulsars have fascinated and baffled astronomers since they were first discovered 50 years ago. In two studies, international teams of astronomers suggest that recent images from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory of two pulsars -- Geminga and B0355+54 -- may help shine a light on the distinctive emission signatures of pulsars, as well as their often perplexing geometry.

San Francisco Bay Area methane emissions may be double what we thought Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:57 AM PST Emissions of methane, a potent climate-warming gas, in the San Francisco Bay Area may be roughly twice as high as official estimates, with most of it coming from biological sources, such as landfills, but natural gas leakage also being an important source, according to a new study,

Largest Populus SNP dataset holds promise for biofuels, materials, metabolites Posted: 17 Jan 2017 10:57 AM PST Researchers have released the largest-ever single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) dataset of genetic variations in poplar trees, information useful to plant scientists as well as researchers in the fields of biofuels, materials science, and secondary plant metabolism.

Frankly, we do give a damn: Study finds links between swearing and honesty Posted: 17 Jan 2017 07:51 AM PST It's long been associated with anger and coarseness but profanity can have another, more positive connotation. Psychologists have learned that people who frequently curse are being more honest. Now a team of researchers from the Netherlands, the UK, the USA and Hong Kong report that people who use profanity are less likely to be associated with lying and deception.

Self-assembling particles brighten future of LED lighting Posted: 17 Jan 2017 07:50 AM PST Researchers have illuminated another path forward for LED technologies by refining the manufacturing of light sources made with crystalline substances known as perovskites, a more efficient and potentially lower-cost alternative to materials used in LEDs found on store shelves.

Prolonged exposure to work-related stress thought to be related to certain cancers Posted: 17 Jan 2017 07:50 AM PST For men, prolonged exposure to work-related stress has been linked to an increased likelihood of lung, colon, rectal, and stomach cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This is the first study to assess the link between cancer and work-related stress perceived by men throughout their working life.

Bait knocks out cockroaches, and asthma symptom days Posted: 17 Jan 2017 07:50 AM PST In homes of children sensitized and exposed to cockroaches, a single intervention -- the strategic placement of insecticidal bait -- results in eradication of cockroaches and improved asthma outcomes for children.

Religious involvement lessens likelihood of owning a handgun Posted: 17 Jan 2017 07:22 AM PST Americans who are more involved in religious congregations are less likely to own handguns, according to a new study.

More with mental illness, substance use disorders have health insurance Posted: 17 Jan 2017 07:21 AM PST Significantly more people with mental illness and substance use disorders had insurance coverage in 2014 due to the expansion of health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), but many barriers to treatment remain, new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research suggests.

Researcher uncovers influence of microorganisms on soil carbon storage Posted: 17 Jan 2017 07:21 AM PST Critical information about tiny organisms under our feet has now been uncovered. Although small, these organisms can have a huge impact on the environment.

Are you ready to explore baby's genome? Posted: 17 Jan 2017 07:21 AM PST A national consortium of clinical geneticists is studying the ins and outs of potentially using genome sequencing for newborn health screenings and beyond.

How solvents affect the skin Posted: 17 Jan 2017 07:18 AM PST Researchers have developed a method that makes it possible to see how individual molecules from solvents in skin creams, medicated ointments and cleaning products affect and interact with the skin's own molecules.

Researchers discover a protein that protects against fatty liver, the most common hepatic disease in Western countries Posted: 17 Jan 2017 07:18 AM PST A team of scientists has revealed the capacity of the CPEB4 protein to prevent fatty liver disease.

The sun in detail: Contorted center of sunspot nearly twice the size of Earth Posted: 17 Jan 2017 07:18 AM PST New images have revealed otherwise invisible details of our Sun, including a new view of the dark, contorted center of a sunspot that is nearly twice the diameter of the Earth. The images are the first ever made of the Sun with a facility where ESO is a partner. The results are an important expansion of the range of observations that can be used to probe the physics of our nearest star.

Talking therapy changes the brain's wiring, study reveals for first time Posted: 17 Jan 2017 07:14 AM PST For the first time, research shows that cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) strengthens specific connections in the brains of people with psychosis, and that these stronger connections are associated with long-term reduction in symptoms and recovery eight years later.

Metabolic pathway regulating key stage of embryo development revealed Posted: 17 Jan 2017 07:14 AM PST Researchers showed that the mevalonate pathway is essential for embryonic development by promoting primitive streak formation, a key landmark for establishing embryo symmetry and gastrulation. The pathway induces farnesylation of lamin-B, which is implicated in inducing expression of primitive streak genes. The findings expand understanding of how embryos transition from a featureless ball of cells into a hollow, three-layered gastrula.

Humble bee among Australia's most lethal Posted: 17 Jan 2017 07:14 AM PST An Australian-first national analysis of 13 years' data on bites and stings from venomous creatures reveals Australia's towns and cities are a hot-spot for encounters.

Malaria drug successfully treats 26-year-old brain cancer patient Posted: 17 Jan 2017 05:40 AM PST The anti-authophagy drug chloroquine may be a unique way to resensitize some cancer patients to treatment.

Discovery adds rock collecting to Neanderthal's repertoire Posted: 17 Jan 2017 05:40 AM PST Researchers have discovered a brownish piece of split limestone in a site in Croatia that suggests Neanderthals 130,000 years ago collected the rock that stands out among all other items in the cave.

Risk of tree species disappearing in central Africa 'a major concern,' say researchers Posted: 17 Jan 2017 05:40 AM PST Human disturbance may often be criticized for harming the environment, but new research suggests a persistent lack of human attention in the central African forest could actually cause some tree species to disappear.

Genetic discovery provides new insight into cognitive disorders Posted: 17 Jan 2017 05:40 AM PST An international team of scientists has unlocked some of the genes responsible for cognitive ability.The findings bring scientists a step closer to developing new -- and potentially better -- treatments for cognitive disorders of the brain, such as schizophrenia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Better diagnosis of fungal infections key to reducing antibiotic resistance Posted: 17 Jan 2017 05:40 AM PST Poor diagnosis worldwide of fungal disease causes doctors to overprescribe antibiotics, increasing harmful resistance to antimicrobial drugs, according to a new paper.

How safe is that driver next to you? A trucker's poor health could increase crash risk Posted: 17 Jan 2017 05:38 AM PST As commuters shimmy past large, lumbering trucks on the road, they may glance over and wonder, "How safe is that driver next to me?" If the truck driver is in poor health, the answer could be: Not very. Commercial truck drivers with three or more medical conditions double to quadruple their chance for being in a crash than healthier drivers, reports a new study.

UV light can aid hospitals' fight to wipe out drug-resistant superbugs Posted: 17 Jan 2017 05:38 AM PST A new tool -- a type of ultraviolet light called UVC -- could aid hospitals in the ongoing battle to keep drug-resistant bacteria from lingering in patient rooms and causing new infections.

Fossils found reveal unseen 'footprint' maker Posted: 17 Jan 2017 05:38 AM PST Fossils found in Morocco from the long-extinct group of sea creatures called trilobites, including rarely seen soft-body parts, may be previously unseen animals that left distinctive fossil 'footprints' around the ancient supercontinent Gondwana.

Candidates for bionic hand reconstruction Posted: 17 Jan 2017 05:38 AM PST Researchers offer a treatment algorithm, or protocol, for identifying patients with global (flail arm) brachial plexus injuries who are likely to benefit from trading in their insensate and nonfunctional hand for a myoelectric prosthetic device.

Want to ace an exam? Tell a friend what you learned Posted: 17 Jan 2017 05:38 AM PST Students who are given information and tell someone about it immediately recall the details better and longer — a strategy which could be a plus come test time, says a researcher.

Common heart drug repurposed to treat rare cancer in Europe Posted: 17 Jan 2017 05:38 AM PST A drug that's commonly used to treat high blood pressure is being repurposed for a rare tissue cancer in Europe. The medication, named propranolol, was recently granted Orphan Drug Designation by the European Commission (EC).

Tigers could roam again in Central Asia, scientists say Posted: 17 Jan 2017 05:38 AM PST Caspian tigers, some of the largest cats that ever lived, roamed through much of Central Asia before they were designated as extinct in the middle of the 20th century. But there is a chance that tigers — using a subspecies that is nearly identical, genetically, to the Caspian — could be restored to Central Asia, say experts.

Personalized treatment for those in blood pressure 'gray zone' Posted: 17 Jan 2017 05:38 AM PST Using data from a national study, researchers determined that using heart CT scans can help personalize treatment in patients whose blood pressure falls in the gray zone of just above normal or mild high blood pressure.

Antimicrobial sutures can prevent surgical site infections and save money Posted: 17 Jan 2017 05:33 AM PST New analyses of the published clinical studies indicate that antimicrobial sutures are effective for preventing surgical site infections (SSIs), and they can result in significant cost savings.

Dietary supplement may carry both benefits and risks associated with statins Posted: 17 Jan 2017 05:33 AM PST Red yeast rice (RYR) is contained in dietary supplements that are often used by patients with high cholesterol, and it is often proposed as an alternative therapy in those who experience side effects from statins. A new study found that it is not a good choice for statin-intolerant patients: RYR was linked with muscle and liver injury, which can also occur with statin use.

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