Model predicts where ticks, Lyme disease will appear next in Midwest states

By drawing from decades of studies, scientists created a timeline marking the arrival of black-legged ticks, also known as deer ticks, in hundreds of counties across 10 Midwestern states. They used these data—along with an analysis of county-level landscape features associated with the spread of ticks—to build a model that can predict where ticks are likely to appear in future years.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-lyme-disease-midwest-states.html

Glass frogs, ghost shrimp and clearwing butterflies use transparency to evade predators

What would you do if you could be invisible? Would you use your power for good? For evil? Or just to avoid awkward conversations?

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-glass-frogs-ghost-shrimp-clearwing.html

The psychology of fairness: Why some Americans don't believe the election results

The electoral votes have confirmed Joe Biden won the 2020 United States presidential election. The presidential electors gave Biden 306 electoral votes to President Donald Trump's 232 votes. Biden also recorded a solid lead of over 7 million in the popular vote.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-psychology-fairness-americans-dont-election.html

Even in a 'water-rich' country like New Zealand, some cities could face water shortages this summer

After eight months of drought rules, Auckland finally relaxed water restrictions last week, but as New Zealand heads into another La Niña summer, other cities can expect serious water shortages both now and in the future.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-water-rich-country-zealand-cities-shortages.html

Researchers identify which West Coast regions hold greatest wave energy potential

Washington and Oregon coastlines are home not only to sea stacks and vistas, they also hold the most promising areas to pull power from West Coast waves, according to a recent study published in the journal Energy and led by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-12-west-coast-regions-greatest-energy.html

Localized magnetic moments induced by atomic vacancies in transition metal dichalcogenide flakes

The emergence of two-dimensional (2-D) materials provides an excellent platform for exploring and modulating exotic physical properties in the 2-D limit, and has driven the development of modern condensed matter physics and nanoelectronic devices. Among various exotic physical properties, 2-D magnetism is one of the most important topics, which shows potential application in spintronics. In recent years, researchers have discovered a series of intrinsic 2-D magnetic materials, such as CrI3, Fe3GeTe2, etc. However, most of the yet discovered 2-D magnetic materials are instable in atmosphere, which limits further investigation and the application of 2-D magnetism. Therefore, the key issue is how to induce magnetism in air-stable 2-D materials.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-localized-magnetic-moments-atomic-vacancies.html

Diamonds are not just for jewelry anymore

When it comes to the semiconductor industry, silicon has reigned as king in the electronics field, but it is coming to the end of its physical limits.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-diamonds-jewelry-anymore.html

Researchers simulate car emissions dynamic using gold nanoparticles for catalysis

By examining tiny particles of gold with powerful X-ray beams, scientists hope they can learn how to cut down on harmful carbon monoxide emissions from motor vehicles.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-simulate-car-emissions-dynamic-gold.html

Researcher investigates how to make the global food supply more resilient

As the world grows increasingly globalized, one of the ways that countries have come to rely on one another is through a more intricate and interconnected food supply chain. Food produced in one country is often consumed in another country—with technological advances allowing food to be shipped between countries that are increasingly distant from one another.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-global-food-resilient.html

Researchers find hydrogen-supported life beneath glaciers

Using years of data collected from ice-covered habitats all over the world, a Montana State University team has discovered new insights into the processes that support microbial life underneath ice sheets and glaciers, and the role those organisms play in perpetuating life through ice ages and, perhaps, in seemingly inhospitable environments on other planets.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-hydrogen-supported-life-beneath-glaciers.html

Image: Instruments installed on Euclid spacecraft

The optical and infrared instruments of Euclid, ESA's mission to study dark energy and dark matter, have passed the qualification and acceptance review and are now fully integrated into the spacecraft's payload module. This marks an important step forward in the assembly of the Euclid space telescope, which is scheduled for launch in 2022.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-image-instruments-euclid-spacecraft.html

Frozen: Cutting-edge technology reveals structures within cells

Temperatures of -196 degrees Celsius enable high-resolution imaging of the cell's interior. Researchers at the Institute of Science and Technology (IST) Austria are thus able to show for the first time how the active form of a protein complex plays critical roles in cell motility and other important biological functions look like. This study is published in the journal Nature Communications.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-frozen-cutting-edge-technology-reveals-cells.html

Transforming self-assembled architectures into functional materials

Imagine if a material would arrange itself into a shape suited for its application, for instance, a catalyst that maximizes its own surface area for improved efficiency or a micro-actuator that forms appendages to grab nearby objects. This is the promise of self-assembly: making complex, functional materials by letting matter shape itself. Yet, not all matter that self-assembles into interesting forms turns out to have a useful function in its final shape. Researchers of the Self-Organizing Matter group recently discovered that ion exchange allows them to separate the self-assembly process from the resulting material. Their findings were published in Advanced Materials on November 16 and highlighted in Nature and Nature Reviews Materials.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-self-assembled-architectures-functional-materials.html

OnePlus 8T Concept phone has color-shifting, camera-camouflage features

As smartphone manufacturers race to reach faster transmission speeds, greater storage capacities and quicker charging times, it's a change of pace to find a new phone that ignores all of those pursuits.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-12-oneplus-8t-concept-color-shifting-camera-camouflage.html

Silkworm's brain determines diapause by thermal information

Diapause is a seasonal adaptation strategy of insects and animals in which biological functions are put on hold, such as insect eggs that remain dormant until conditions are more favorable to hatch. This is not a passive response of dormancy to adverse situations but an actively induced state that takes place well in advance in anticipation of natural conditions. Although it has been hypothesized that the neuroendocrine systems are associated with seasonal reproductive plasticity, the morphological, physiological, behavioral, reproductive responses of diapause remain unclear.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-silkworm-brain-diapause-thermal.html

China's new Long March-8 rocket makes first flight

China's new carrier rocket, the Long March-8, made its maiden flight on Tuesday, the country's space agency said, the first phase of a strategy to deploy launch vehicles that can be reused.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-china-march-rocket-flight.html

EasyJet delays delivery of Airbus planes

EasyJet has delayed delivery of new Airbus planes, the British no-frills airline announced Tuesday, as the coronavirus pandemic destroys demand for air travel.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-12-easyjet-delivery-airbus-planes.html

A groggy climate giant: subsea permafrost is still waking up after 12,000 years

In the far north, the swelling Arctic Ocean inundated vast swaths of coastal tundra and steppe ecosystems. Though the ocean water was only a few degrees above freezing, it started to thaw the permafrost beneath it, exposing billions of tons of organic matter to microbial breakdown. The decomposing organic matter began producing CO2 and CH4, two of the most important greenhouse gases.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-groggy-climate-giant-subsea-permafrost.html

Poland eyes hard split with coal

Coal-dependent EU member Poland aims to shut its last mine by the bloc's 2050 target, but experts warn the move to go green comes late and faces many hurdles.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-poland-eyes-hard-coal.html

Climate change ravages Kashmir's 'red gold' saffron crop

On sweeping fields once blanketed in lush purple, a thin and bedraggled crop of flowers is all farmers in Indian-administered Kashmir's saffron-growing region Pampore have to show for this year's harvest.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-climate-ravages-kashmir-red-gold.html

Cyberattack hit key US Treasury systems: senator

Hackers broke into systems used by top US Treasury officials during a massive cyberattack on government agencies and may have stolen essential encryption keys, a senior lawmaker said Monday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-12-cyberattack-key-treasury-senator.html

Australian regulator delays decision on Google-Fitbit merger

Australia's competition regulator on Tuesday delayed for three months its decision on Google's plan to buy fitness gadget maker Fitbit for $2.1 billion despite the European Union giving conditional approval to the deal.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-12-australian-decision-google-fitbit-merger.html

Light signal emitted during photosynthesis used to quickly screen crops

An international effort called Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) aims to transform crops' ability to turn sunlight and carbon dioxide into higher yields. To achieve this, scientists are analyzing thousands of plants to find out what tweaks to the plant's structure or its cellular machinery could increase production. University of Illinois researchers have revealed a new approach to estimate the photosynthetic capacity of crops to pinpoint these top-performing traits and speed up the screening process, according to a new study in the Journal of Experimental Botany.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-emitted-photosynthesis-quickly-screen-crops.html

Hormone metabolites found in poop give researchers new insight into whale stress

Poop samples are an effective, non-invasive tool for monitoring gray whale reproduction, stress and other physiological responses, a new study from Oregon State University shows.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-12-hormone-metabolites-poop-insight-whale.html