This year, German environmentalists collected 1.75 million signatures for a 'save the bees' law requiring an immediate transition toward organic farming. But to create healthy ecosystems worldwide, people in communities across the globe will need to take similar action based on empathy for insects—and not only for bees and butterflies—according to entomologists Yves Basset from the Smith-sonian Tropical Research Institute and Greg Lamarre from the University of South Bohemia, writing in Science. The authors present immediate, science-based actions to mitigate insect decline.
* This article was originally published here
Thursday 27 June 2019
Researchers create multi-junction solar cells from off-the-shelf components
Multi-junction solar cells are both the most efficient type of solar cell on the market today and the most expensive type of solar cell to produce. In a proof-of-concept paper, researchers from North Carolina State University detail a new approach for creating multi-junction solar cells using off-the-shelf components, resulting in lower cost, high-efficiency solar cells for use in multiple applications.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
The RoboBee flies solo—Cutting the power cord for the first untethered flight
The RoboBee—the insect-inspired microrobot developed by researchers at Harvard University—has become the lightest vehicle ever to achieve sustained flight without the assistance of a power cord. After decades of work, the researchers achieved untethered flight by making several important changes to the RoboBee, including the addition of a second pair of wings. That change, along with less visible changes to the actuators and transmission ratio, gave the RoboBee enough lift for the researchers to attach solar cells and an electronics panel.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A snapshot in time: Study captures fleeting cell differences that can alter disease risk
In cinema and science fiction, one small change in the past can have major, sometimes life-changing effects in the future. Using a series of snapshots, researchers recently captured such so-called "butterfly effects" in heart muscle cell development, and say this new view into the sequence of gene expression activity may lead to better understanding disease risk.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Enhancing the vertical mobility of six-legged robot RHex using microspines
A team of researchers at Carnagie Mellon University has recently proposed a method to improve the vertical mobility of a renowned hexapod robot. Their approach, presented in a paper pre-published on arXiv, entails the addition of microspines to RHex, an existing cockroach-inspired robotic platform designed to navigate unstructured environments at relatively high speed.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Solar energy could turn the Belt and Road Initiative green
The region covered by the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has significant potential to be powered by solar energy, researchers report June 27 in the journal Joule. Less than 4 percent of the maximum solar potential of the region could meet the BRI's electricity demand for 2030. The research suggests a possible solution to reduce BRI countries' need for fossil fuels as they develop. This is the first time the renewable energy potential of the region is quantified.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Using artificial intelligence to deliver personalized radiation therapy
New Cleveland Clinic-led research shows that artificial intelligence (AI) can use medical scans and health records to personalize the dose of radiation therapy used to treat cancer patients.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Reducing delays in identifying visceral leishmaniasis
Women in Indian states with endemic visceral leishmaniasis—also known as Kala Azar—should be encouraged to seek care for persistent fever without delay. Raised awareness about the disease and its symptoms, and the prioritization of women's care-seeking over household work could help reduce fatalities and potentially reduce overall transmission, according to research by independent consultant Beulah Jayakumar and colleagues, published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Drag-and-drop data analytics
In the Iron Man movies, Tony Stark uses a holographic computer to project 3-D data into thin air, manipulate them with his hands, and find fixes to his superhero troubles. In the same vein, researchers from MIT and Brown University have now developed a system for interactive data analytics that runs on touchscreens and lets everyone—not just genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropists—tackle real-world issues.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A Trojan horse? Immune cells ferry deadly fungus from mouse lung into the blood
A report today in PLOS Pathogens shows how inhaled fungal spores exit the lung and trigger a fatal infection in mice.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Too many antioxidants may cause lung cancer spread
A new study explains why lung cancer spreads faster in patients with certain genetic changes, and suggests that taking vitamin E, long thought of as preventive, may cause the same spread.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Fake news 'vaccine' works: 'Pre-bunking' game reduces susceptibility to disinformation
An online game in which people play the role of propaganda producers to help them identify real world disinformation has been shown to increase "psychological resistance" to fake news, according to a study of 15,000 participants.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Camera joins Apple band in patent for smartwatch
Camera at the end of a smartwatch strap, anyone? It is being suggested as a way to overcome some hurdles in smartwatch picture-taking.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Protein offers protection against nerve degeneration in ALS model
Increasing the levels of the anti-aging protein hormone Klotho improves the neurological deficits and prolongs life span in an experimental model with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). In addition, brain immune cells called microglia play an important role in protecting the brain against inflammation and, likely, motor neuron loss in this model.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
It's easier to trust automated vehicles when we know what they plan to do ahead of time
When it comes to automated vehicles, humans continue to have difficulty trusting that the cars will make the right driving decisions to get them where they want to go and do it safely.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Infecting healthy people in vaccine research can be ethical and necessary
Medical experiments involving intentionally infecting people with bacteria, viruses, and parasites are surprisingly common. And they are becoming more common worldwide, particularly in developing countries.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers see around corners to detect object shapes
Computer vision researchers have demonstrated they can use special light sources and sensors to see around corners or through gauzy filters, enabling them to reconstruct the shapes of unseen objects.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers find that probiotic bacteria reduces the impact of white-nose syndrome in bats
It is widely accepted that probiotic bacteria are beneficial to human health, but what if they could also be used to reduce wildlife disease and conserve biodiversity?
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Risk prediction model may help determine if a lung nodule will progress to cancer
A risk prediction model developed using clinical and radiological features could stratify individuals presenting with a lung nodule as having high or low risk for lung cancer.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Robot arm tastes with engineered bacteria
A robotic gripping arm that uses engineered bacteria to "taste" for a specific chemical has been developed by engineers at the University of California, Davis, and Carnegie Mellon University. The gripper is a proof-of-concept for biologically-based soft robotics.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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