Electric vehicle battery firms settle trade spat

Two big South Korean electric vehicle battery makers have settled a long-running trade dispute that will allow one of them to move ahead with plans to make batteries in Georgia, a person briefed on the matter says.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-electric-vehicle-battery-firms-spat.html

Famed Egyptian archaeologist reveals details of ancient city

Egypt's best-known archaeologist on Saturday revealed further details on a Pharaonic city recently found in the southern province of Luxor.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-famed-egyptian-archaeologist-reveals-ancient.html

Ash-covered St. Vincent braces for more volcanic eruptions

People who ignored an initial warning to evacuate the area closest to a volcano on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent raced to get clear Saturday, a day after it erupted with an explosion that shook the ground, spewed ash skyward and blanketed the island in a layer of fine volcanic rock.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-ash-covered-st-vincent-braces-volcanic.html

NASA delays Mars copter flight for tech check

NASA has delayed by at least several days the first flight of its mini-helicopter on Mars after a possible tech issue emerged while testing its rotors, the US space agency said Saturday.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-nasa-mars-copter-flight-tech.html

XRP price shows that business is good for Ripple despite US legal uncertainty

XRP price is consolidating in a bullish pennant pattern, indicating a 45% surge to $1.50 soon. Ripple is making headway despite being in a legal battle ...

Biodiversity 'hot spots' devastated in warming world

Unless nations dramatically improve on carbon cutting pledges made under the 2015 Paris climate treaty, the planet's richest concentrations of animal and plant life will be irreversibly ravaged by global warming, scientists warned Friday.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-biodiversity-hot-devastated-world.html

Long road ahead for buyout offer, Toshiba board chair warns

A British hedge fund's buyout offer for Toshiba faces a long road, including seeking regulatory approval and additional financing, the chairman of the Japanese firm's board warned Friday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-road-buyout-toshiba-board-chair.html

France to declare agricultural 'disaster' over spring frost

The French government is to declare an agricultural disaster over an unusual early spring frost that has damaged crops and vines across the country, the agiculture minister said.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-france-declare-agricultural-disaster-frost.html

St. Vincent warns of volcanic eruption, orders evacuations

Authorities on the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent said Thursday they believe an active volcano is in danger of erupting and have ordered mandatory evacuations.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-st-vincent-volcanic-eruption-evacuations.html

Liftoff! Pioneers of space

Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space 60 years ago next week.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-liftoff-space.html

US sanctions Chinese computer makers in widening tech fight

The Biden administration has added seven Chinese supercomputer research labs and manufacturers to a U.S. export blacklist in a spreading conflict with Beijing over technology and security.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-sanctions-chinese-makers-widening-tech.html

Amazon union organizers deflated as vote tilts against them

Amazon is heading into the final stretch of a union push in Bessemer, Alabama with a sizeable lead over labor organizers.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-amazon-union-deflated-vote-tilts.html

Verizon recalls mobile hotspots sold to schools, in stores

Verizon is recalling 2.5 million mobile hotspots after some reports of overheating and two reports of minor burns.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-verizon-recalls-mobile-hotspots-sold.html

Three-man Soyuz flight honouring Gagarin blasts off for ISS

A three-man crew blasted off to the International Space Station Friday in a capsule honouring the 60th anniversary of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becoming the first person in space.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-three-man-soyuz-flight-honouring-gagarin.html

X-ray study recasts role of battery material from cathode to catalyst

An international team working at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) used a unique X-ray instrument to learn new things about lithium-rich battery materials that have been the subject of much study for their potential to extend the range of electric vehicles and the operation of electronic devices.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-x-ray-recasts-role-battery-material.html

Could Mario Kart teach us how to reduce world poverty and improve sustainability?

Many Mario Kart enthusiasts are familiar with the rush of racing down Rainbow Road, barely squeaking around a corner, and catching a power-up from one of the floating square icons on the screen—or, less ideally, slipping on a banana peel laid by another racer and flying off the side of the road into oblivion. This heated competition between multiple players, who use a variety of game tokens and tools to speed ahead or thwart their competitors, is part of what makes the classic Nintendo racing game that has been around since the early 1990s so appealing.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-mario-kart-world-poverty-sustainability.html

Earth's crust mineralogy drives hotspots for intraterrestrial life

Below the verdant surface and organic rich soil, life extends kilometers into Earth's deep rocky crust. The continental deep subsurface is likely one of the largest reservoirs of bacteria and archaea on Earth, many forming biofilms—like a microbial coating of the rock surface. This microbial population survives without light or oxygen and with minimal organic carbon sources, and can get energy by eating or respiring minerals. Distributed throughout the deep subsurface, these biofilms could represent 20-80% of the total bacterial and archaeal biomass in the continental subsurface according to the most recent estimate. But are these microbial populations spread evenly on rock surfaces, or do they prefer to colonize specific minerals in the rocks?

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-earth-crust-mineralogy-hotspots-intraterrestrial.html

Long-awaited review reveals journey of water from interstellar clouds to habitable worlds

Dutch astronomer Ewine van Dishoeck (Leiden University, the Netherlands), together with an international team of colleagues, has written an overview of everything we know about water in interstellar clouds thanks to the Herschel space observatory. The article, published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, summarizes existing knowledge and provides new information about the origin of water on new, potentially habitable, worlds. The article is expected to serve as a reference work for the next twenty years.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-long-awaited-reveals-journey-interstellar-clouds.html

New modeling provides greater scrutiny for supply chains

Unethical or destructive practices can be hidden within supply chains bringing us items we want and need. Dr. Arne Geschke uses data to drill into the complex global production web.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-greater-scrutiny-chains.html

Researchers study online 'pseudo-reviews' that mock products

The popularity of purchasing goods and services through online retailers such as Amazon continues to increase, making it overwhelming for consumers to differentiate fact from fiction in online product and service reviews. Thanks to the latest research from professors at UA, consumers, as well as marketers, can better identify and understand the impact of exaggerated or phony online reviews, helping them to make more informed decisions.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-online-pseudo-reviews-mock-products.html

Metal contamination of aquatic environments also threatens birds on land

The negative impact of metals in polluted lakes on aquatic organisms may also adversely affect insectivorous birds on land. This is the conclusion of a dissertation from the Industrial Doctoral School for Research and Innovation at Umeå University. Ecologist Johan Lidman will be defending his results on 19 February at Umeå University.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-metal-contamination-aquatic-environments-threatens.html

Research shows cytonemes distribute Wnt proteins in vertebrate tissue

Scientists have made a pivotal breakthrough in understanding the way in which cells communicate with each other.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-cytonemes-wnt-proteins-vertebrate-tissue.html

Research gives new insight into formation of the human embryo

Pioneering research led by experts from the University of Exeter's Living Systems Institute has provided new insight into formation of the human embryo.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-insight-formation-human-embryo.html

Colorado River basin due for more frequent, intense hydroclimate events

In the vast Colorado River basin, climate change is driving extreme, interconnected events among earth-system elements such as weather and water. These events are becoming both more frequent and more intense and are best studied together, rather than in isolation, according to new research.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-colorado-river-basin-due-frequent.html

New study explains Mycobacterium tuberculosis high resistance to drugs and immunity

A consortium of researchers from Russia, Belarus, Japan, Germany and France led by a Skoltech scientist have uncovered the way in which Mycobacterium tuberculosis survives in iron-deficient conditions by utilizing rubredoxin B, a protein from a rubredoxin family that play an important role in adaptation to changing environmental conditions. The new study is part of an effort to study the role of M. tuberculosis enzymes in developing resistance to the human immune system and medication. The paper was published in the journal Bioorganic Chemistry.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-mycobacterium-tuberculosis-high-resistance-drugs.html

NASA's Odyssey orbiter marks 20 historic years of mapping Mars

NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft launched 20 years ago on April 7, making it the oldest spacecraft still working at the Red Planet. The orbiter, which takes its name from Arthur C. Clarke's classic sci-fi novel "2001: A Space Odyssey" (Clarke blessed its use before launch), was sent to map the composition of the Martian surface, providing a window to the past so scientists could piece together how the planet evolved.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-nasa-odyssey-orbiter-historic-years.html

NASA's OSIRIS-REx completes final tour of asteroid Bennu

NASA's OSIRIS-REx completed its last flyover of Bennu around 6 a.m. EDT (4 a.m. MDT) April 7 and is now slowly drifting away from the asteroid; however, the mission team will have to wait a few more days to find out how the spacecraft changed the surface of Bennu when it grabbed a sample of the asteroid.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-nasa-osiris-rex-asteroid-bennu.html

Say cheese on Mars: Perseverance's selfie with Ingenuity

NASA's Perseverance Mars rover took a selfie with the Ingenuity helicopter, seen here about 13 feet (4 meters) away in this image from April 6, 2021, the 46th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Perseverance captured the image using a camera called WATSON (Wide Angle Topographic Sensor for Operations and eNgineering), part of the SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals) instrument, located at the end of the rover's robotic arm.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-cheese-mars-perseverance-selfie-ingenuity.html

Unlocking richer intracellular recordings

Behind every heartbeat and brain signal is a massive orchestra of electrical activity. While current electrophysiology observation techniques have been mostly limited to extracellular recordings, a forward-thinking group of researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia has identified a flexible, low-cost, and biocompatible platform for enabling richer intracellular recordings.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-richer-intracellular.html

French rail company orders 12 hydrogen trains

French national railway SNCF said Thursday it has ordered 12 hydrogen-powered trains to begin tests in four regions in 2023 as it eyes a zero-emissions future with the nascent technology.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-french-rail-company-hydrogen.html

Twitch to boot users for transgressions elsewhere

Twitch on Wednesday said that it will ban people from the popular live video streaming service for abusive or violent behavior in the real world or on other online venues.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-twitch-boot-users-transgressions.html

Longtime tax target Amazon now leads charge for reform

A longtime lightning rod for critics of corporate tax avoidance, Amazon now wants to lead the way on reform.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-longtime-tax-amazon-reform.html

Influenced by Clubhouse, Facebook experiments with audio

Facebook on Wednesday launched an experimental online forum called Hotline, an attempt by the social media giant to keep up with the live audio trend made popular by the likes of Clubhouse.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-clubhouse-facebook-audio.html

Top colleges see record application numbers amid pandemic

Highly competitive colleges including Yale, Brown and Penn are sending out acceptance notices this week to a much smaller percentage of admission seekers than usual after sorting through record-breaking numbers of applications.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-colleges-application-pandemic.html

The ulti-mutt pet? Chinese tech company develops robo-dogs

It's whip fast, obeys commands and doesn't leave unpleasant surprises on the floor—meet the AlphaDog, a robotic response to two of China's burgeoning loves: pets and technology.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-ulti-mutt-pet-chinese-tech-company.html

EXPLAINER: What to know about the Amazon union vote count

Amazon is known for quick delivery. But finding out whether Amazon warehouse workers voted for or against unionizing is going to take some more time.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-amazon-union-vote.html

All-in-one device uses microwave power for defense, medicine

An invention from Purdue University innovators may provide a new option to use directed energy for biomedical and defense applications.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-all-in-one-device-microwave-power-defense.html

One of Africa's rarest primates protected by... speedbumps

A new study revealed that a drastic reduction of deaths of one of Africa's rarest primates, the Zanzibar red colobus (Piliocolobus kirkii), followed the installation of four speedbumps along a stretch of road where the species frequently crossed.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-africa-rarest-primates-speedbumps.html

The truth about doublespeak: Is it lying or just being persuasive?

Doublespeak, or the use of euphemisms to sway opinion, lets leaders avoid the reputational costs of lying while still bringing people around to their way of thinking, a new study has found.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-truth-doublespeak-lying-persuasive.html

New method advances single-cell transcriptomic technologies

Single-cell transcriptomic methods allow scientists to study thousands of individual cells from living organisms, one-by-one, and sequence each cell's genetic material. Genes are activated differently in each cell type, giving rise to cell types such as neurons, skin cells and muscle cells.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-method-advances-single-cell-transcriptomic-technologies.html

Gut bacteria 'talk' to horse's cells to improve their athletic performance

A horse's gut microbiome communicates with its host by sending chemical signals to its cells, which has the effect of helping the horse to extend its energy output, finds a new study published in Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences. This exciting discovery paves the way for dietary supplements that could enhance equine athletic performance.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-gut-bacteria-horse-cells-athletic.html

Early combined tests mimic Ariane 6 liftoff

Ariane 6 early combined tests at Latesys in Fos-sur-Mer, in France, have simulated the moment of liftoff when the umbilicals separate from the launch vehicle.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-early-combined-mimic-ariane-liftoff.html

Heavy water tastes sweet to people, but not to mice

Ordinary pure water has no distinct taste, but how about heavy water? Does it taste sweet, as anecdotal evidence going back to 1930s may have indicated? Why would this be the case when D2O is nearly identical chemically to H2O, of which it is a stable, naturally occurring isotope? These questions arose shortly after heavy water was isolated almost 100 years ago, but they had not been satisfactorily answered.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-heavy-sweet-people-mice.html

Developing a large carbon dioxide conversion system, a core carbon neutrality technology

Studies on electrochemical CO2 conversion systems that can be used to obtain useful chemicals through conventional petrochemical processes while eliminating CO2, without polluting the environment, are essential for creating a carbon-neutral society. While significant progress has been made through a number of relevant studies, they have only been laboratory-scale in size so far. In fact, there are still many roadblocks to industrial application, such as the scaling up and development of suitable catalysts and electrodes.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-large-carbon-dioxide-conversion-core.html

Scientists create a new electronegativity scale

Skoltech chemists have proposed a new electronegativity scale and published their findings in Nature Communications.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-scientists-electronegativity-scale.html

An artificial intelligence tool that can help detect melanoma

Melanoma is a type of malignant tumor responsible for more than 70 percent of all skin cancer-related deaths worldwide. For years, physicians have relied on visual inspection to identify suspicious pigmented lesions (SPLs), which can be an indication of skin cancer. Such early-stage identification of SPLs in primary care settings can improve melanoma prognosis and significantly reduce treatment cost.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-artificial-intelligence-tool-melanoma.html

Parts of U.S.'s southernmost states will 'tropicalize' as climate changes

As climate change reduces the frequency and intensity of killing freezes, tropical plants and animals that once could survive in only a few subtropical parts of the U.S. are expanding their ranges northward, according to a new study led by the U.S. Geological Survey. This change is likely to result in some temperate zone plant and animal communities found today across the southern U.S. being replaced by tropical plant and animal communities.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-southernmost-states-tropicalize-climate.html

The incredible bacterial 'homing missiles' that scientists want to harness

Imagine there are arrows that are lethal when fired on your enemies yet harmless if they fall on your friends. It's easy to see how these would be an amazing advantage in warfare, if they were real. However, something just like these arrows does indeed exist, and they are used in warfare ... just on a different scale.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-incredible-bacterial-homing-missiles-scientists.html

The future of biodiversity collections

Events such as the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the crucial role played by biodiversity collections in enabling rapid responses to crises and in facilitating ongoing research across numerous fields. Despite the recognized value of this infrastructure, the community nevertheless has further opportunities to maximize its value to the scientific enterprise.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-future-biodiversity.html

We don't know how most mammals will respond to climate change, warn scientists

A new scientific review has found there are significant gaps in our knowledge of how mammal populations are responding to climate change, particularly in regions most sensitive to climate change. The findings are published in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Animal Ecology.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-dont-mammals-climate-scientists.html

Do school-based interventions help improve reading and math in at-risk children?

School-based interventions that target students with, or at risk of, academic difficulties in kindergarten to grade 6 have positive effects on reading and mathematics, according to an article published in Campbell Systematic Reviews.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-school-based-interventions-math-at-risk-children.html

Poor children are 'failed by system' on road to higher education in lower-income countries

A generation of talented but disadvantaged children are being denied access to higher education because academic success in lower and middle-income countries is continually 'protected by wealth', a study has found.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-children-poor-backgrounds-barriers-low-.html

Wellness, burnout, and discrimination among BIPOC counseling students

In a survey-based study of 105 graduate-level counseling students who identified as Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC), investigators found that experiences of discrimination can negatively affect student overall wellbeing and lead to burnout.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-wellness-burnout-discrimination-bipoc-students.html

Organic composts may help farmers prevent foodborne disease outbreaks

Foodborne disease outbreaks linked to the consumption of fresh produce have caused farmers to re-evaluate their practices. A recent analysis of a 27-year experiment comparing organic and conventional soil management indicates that animal-based composts do not promote pathogen survival and may even promote bacterial communities that suppress pathogens.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-composts-farmers-foodborne-disease-outbreaks.html

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted peoples' interactions with nature?

The COVID-19 pandemic and the global response to it have changed many of the interactions that humans have with nature, in both positive and negative ways. A perspective article published in People and Nature considers these changes, discusses the potential long-term consequences, and provides recommendations for further research.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-covid-pandemic-impacted-peoples-interactions.html

60 years after Gagarin, Russia lags in the space race

A station on the moon! A mission to Venus! A next generation spacecraft!

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-years-gagarin-russia-lags-space.html

In Russia, the legend of cosmonaut Gagarin lives on

Sixty years after he became the first person in space, there are few figures more universally admired in Russia today than Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-russia-legend-cosmonaut-gagarin.html

Global minimum tax for corporations inches towards reality

Proposed by the United States, supported by the IMF and welcomed by major economies including France and Germany, a global minimum tax rate on corporations is gathering momentum toward becoming a reality.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-global-minimum-tax-corporations-inches.html

Facebook says hackers 'scraped' data of 533 mn users in 2019 leak

Facebook said Tuesday that hackers "scraped" personal data of some half-billion users back in 2019 by taking advantage of a feature designed to help people easily find friends using contact lists.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-facebook-hackers-mn-users-leak.html

Tokyo, as you've never seen it before

It's Tokyo, but unlike you've ever seen it before—a miniaturised 1:1,000 scale version of one of the world's biggest capitals, displaying everything from sea levels to population densities.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-tokyo-youve.html

Survey: Even as schools reopen, many students learn remotely

Large numbers of students are not returning to the classroom even as more schools reopen for full-time, in-person learning, according to a survey released Wednesday by the Biden administration.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-survey-schools-reopen-students-remotely.html

Senators press for more on SolarWinds hack after AP report

Key lawmakers said Tuesday they're concerned they've been kept in the dark about what suspected Russian hackers stole from the federal government and they pressed Biden administration officials for more details about the scope of what's known as the SolarWinds hack.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-senators-solarwinds-hack-ap.html

Toshiba to weigh buyout offer from UK fund

Toshiba is considering a buyout offer from a British private equity fund, it said Wednesday, with reports suggesting the deal could be worth about $20 billion.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-toshiba-buyout-uk-fund.html

Samsung Electronics, LG forecast 40% leaps in Q1 operating profits

South Korea's two biggest electronics firms both forecast jumps of around 40 percent in their first-quarter operating profits Wednesday, with coronavirus-driven working from home fuelling global demand for semiconductors and home appliances.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-samsung-electronics-lg-q1-profits.html

Carbon nanospike catalyst splits water, carbon dioxide and recombines atoms into heavier nanocarbons

In a new twist to an existing ORNL technology, researchers have developed an electrocatalyst that enables water and carbon dioxide to be split and the atoms recombined to form higher weight hydrocarbons for gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-carbon-nanospike-catalyst-dioxide-recombines.html

The Deep-time Digital Earth program: Data-driven discovery in geosciences

Humans have long explored three big scientific questions: the evolution of the universe, the evolution of Earth, and the evolution of life. Geoscientists have embraced the mission of elucidating the evolution of Earth and life, which are preserved in the information-rich but incomplete geological record that spans more than 4.5 billion years of Earth history. Delving into Earth's deep-time history helps geoscientists decipher mechanisms and rates of Earth's evolution, unravel the rates and mechanisms of climate change, locate natural resources, and envision the future of Earth.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-deep-time-digital-earth-data-driven-discovery.html

Tattoo made of gold nanoparticles revolutionizes medical diagnostics

The idea of implantable sensors that continuously transmit information on vital values and concentrations of substances or drugs in the body has fascinated physicians and scientists for a long time. Such sensors enable the constant monitoring of disease progression and therapeutic success. However, until now, implantable sensors have not been suitable to remain in the body permanently and require replacement after a few days or weeks.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-tattoo-gold-nanoparticles-revolutionizes-medical.html

How baked bat guano helped archaeologists understand our ancient past

In an experiment to understand better how ancient artifacts are altered by the sediment in which they are buried for thousands of years, Australian archaeological scientists buried bones, stones, charcoal and other items in bat guano, cooked it, and analyzed how this affected the different items.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-guano-archaeologists-ancient.html

Inferring what we share by how we share

It's getting harder for people to decipher real information from fake information online. But patterns in the ways in which information is spread over the internet—say, from user to user on a social media network—may serve as an indication of whether the information is authentic or not.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-inferring.html

Amazing integration of technology and art: A 3D LotusMenu in your palm

A recent study by Associate Professor Lu Fei's human-computer interaction research team from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications has proposed a three-dimensiona menu that can "bloom in the palm."

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-amazing-technology-art-3d-lotusmenu.html

Researchers develop materials for oral delivery of insulin medication

A revolutionary technology developed within the Trabolsi Research Group at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) could dramatically improve the wellbeing of diabetic patients: an insulin oral delivery system that could replace traditional subcutaneous injections without the side effects caused by frequent injections.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-materials-oral-delivery-insulin-medication.html

Atari creates blockchain division for cryptocurrency, games

Video game pioneer Atari announced on Tuesday the creation of a blockchain division that will seize on the technology to develop games and a cryptocurrency that players could spend on items.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-atari-blockchain-division-cryptocurrency-games.html

'A space to listen': Lebanese tackle crisis on Clubhouse

In a break from social media mud-slinging and Lebanon's perennially polarised debates, audio app Clubhouse is hosting a new kind of conversation in the crisis-hit country.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-space-lebanese-tackle-crisis-clubhouse.html

Discovery is key to creating heat-tolerant crops

By 2050 global warming could reduce crop yields by one-third. UC Riverside researchers have identified a gene that could put the genie back in the bottle.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-discovery-key-heat-tolerant-crops.html

Separating beer waste into proteins for foods, and fiber for biofuels

Home brewing enthusiasts and major manufacturers alike experience the same result of the beer-making process: mounds of leftover grain. Once all the flavor has been extracted from barley and other grains, what's left is a protein- and fiber-rich powder that is typically used in cattle feed or put in landfills. Today, scientists report a new way to extract the protein and fiber from brewer's spent grain and use it to create new types of protein sources, biofuels and more.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-beer-proteins-foods-fiber-biofuels.html

Taiwan imposes water rationing as drought worsens

More than one million households and businesses in Taiwan's heavily industrialised central regions were put on water rationing Tuesday, as the island battles its worst drought in 56 years.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-taiwan-imposes-rationing-drought-worsens.html

Climate change driving marine species poleward

Warming waters have driven thousands of ocean species poleward from the equator, threatening marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of people who depend on them, researchers reported Monday.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-climate-marine-species-poleward.html

Softbank to buy $2.8 bn stake in Norway robotics firm

Japanese investment giant SoftBank Group will buy a 40 percent stake in Norwegian robotics company AutoStore in a deal worth $2.8 billion, the two firms said.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-softbank-bn-stake-norway-robotics.html

Rise of the 'robo-plants', as scientists fuse nature with tech

Remote-controlled Venus flytrap "robo-plants" and crops that tell farmers when they are hit by disease could become reality after scientists developed a high-tech system for communicating with vegetation.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-robo-plants-scientists-fuse-nature-tech.html

Apple chief Tim Cook talks of autonomous cars

Apple chief Tim Cook portrayed self-driving cars as an ideal match for the technology giant during an interview released Monday by the New York Times.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-apple-chief-tim-cook-autonomous.html

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter survives first night alone on Mars

NASA's Ingenuity mini-helicopter has survived its first night alone on the frigid surface of Mars, the US space agency said, hailing it as "a major milestone" for the tiny craft as it prepares for its first flight.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-nasa-ingenuity-helicopter-survives-night.html

Air France gets EU green light for 4 bn euros aid

The EU approved a plan Tuesday by the French government to inject up to four billion euros into Air France, hit by a collapse in passenger traffic during the pandemic.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-air-france-eu-green-bn.html

How a moving platform for 3D printing can cut waste and costs

3-D printing has the potential to revolutionize product design and manufacturing in a vast range of fields—from custom components for consumer products, to 3-D printed dental products and bone and medical implants that could save lives. However, the process also creates a large amount of expensive and unsustainable waste and takes a long time, making it difficult for 3-D printing to be implemented on a wide scale.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-platform-3d.html

COVID-19 pandemic threatens to reverse gains made on Sustainable Development Goal 1 and 2

A new study analyzing bean production and food security across 11 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, found COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions to significantly impact bean production. Border controls and high transport costs have led to drops in production of the key food security crop, threatening to reverse gains made in achieving Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2, towards no poverty and zero hunger, respectively.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-covid-pandemic-threatens-reverse-gains.html

For some Black students, discrimination outweighed integration's benefits

Integrating the American classroom has long been a goal of many who seek to eradicate racial discrimination. But a new paper from four economists, including Duke University's William A. "Sandy" Darity Jr., suggests that Black students do not always benefit from attending racially balanced schools.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-black-students-discrimination-outweighed-benefits.html

New deadly snake from Asia named after character from Chinese myth 'Legend of White Snake'

In 2001, the famous herpetologist Joseph B. Slowinski died from snakebite by an immature black-and-white banded krait, while leading an expedition team in northern Myanmar. The very krait that caused his death is now confirmed to belong to the same species identified as a new to science venomous snake, following an examination of samples collected between 2016 and 2019 from Yingjiang County, Yunnan Province, China.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-deadly-snake-asia-character-chinese.html

What can we learn from vanishing wildlife species: The case of the Pyrenean Ibex

Likely the first extinction event of the 2000s in Europe, the sad history of the Pyrenean Ibex (Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica) is a powerful example of the ever-increasing species loss worldwide due to causes related to human activity. It can, however, give us valuable information on what should be done (or avoided) to halt this extinction vortex.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-wildlife-species-case-pyrenean-ibex.html

A Swiss army knife for genomic data

A good way to find out what a cell is doing—whether it is growing out of control as in cancers, or is under the control of an invading virus, or is simply going about the routine business of a healthy cell—is to look at its gene expression. Though a vast majority of cells in an organism all contain the same genes, how those genes are expressed is what gives rise to different cell types—the difference between a muscle cell and a neuron, for example.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-swiss-army-knife-genomic.html

Under the radar: Searching for stealthy supersymmetry

The standard model of particle physics encapsulates our current knowledge of elementary particles and their interactions. The standard model is not complete; for example, it does not describe observations such as gravity, has no prediction for dark matter, which makes up most of the matter in the universe, or that neutrinos have mass.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-radar-stealthy-supersymmetry.html

Curbs on press freedom come with a cost, new research reveals

The importance of a free press to a thriving democracy is well-known. But what is its importance to a thriving economy?

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-curbs-freedom-reveals.html

Floodplains are an extension of a river: How we connect with them needs to change

Dramatic scenes of flood damage to homes, infrastructure and livelihoods have been with us on the nightly news in recent weeks. Many will be feeling the pain for years to come, as they contend with property damage, financial catastrophe and trauma.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-floodplains-extension-river.html

Avoiding a bitter end for coffee from climate change

I didn't start drinking coffee until this past fall. Despite working as a barista for four years, and growing up in a household that takes their coffee by IV, I just never had a taste for it. The last straw that turned my years of coffee-making knowledge into a coffee-drinking routine was starting graduate school. That timing is probably no coincidence. But coffee also entered my life in another way when it became the subject of a year-long research project.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-bitter-coffee-climate.html

If astronomers see isoprene in the atmosphere of an alien world, there's a good chance there's life there

It is no exaggeration to say that the study of extrasolar planets has exploded in recent decades. To date, 4,375 exoplanets have been confirmed in 3,247 systems, with another 5,856 candidates awaiting confirmation. In recent years, exoplanet studies have started to transition from the process of discovery to one of characterization. This process is expected to accelerate once next-generation telescopes become operational.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-astronomers-isoprene-atmosphere-alien-world.html

How ethically sourced chocolate can support wildlife

A study of currently farmed cacao forests, abandoned forests and natural unfarmed forest on the Caribbean island of Trinidad found that all three supported bird diversity, contrary to expectations.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-ethically-sourced-chocolate-wildlife.html

Millimeter wave and sub-terahertz spatial statistical channel model for an indoor office building

Driven by ubiquitous usage of mobile devices and the explosive growth and diversification of the Internet of Things (IoT), sixth-generation (6G) wireless systems will need to offer unprecedented high data rate and system throughput, which can be achieved in part by deploying systems transmitting and receiving at millimeter-wave (mmWave) and Terahertz (THz) frequencies (i.e., 30 GHz—3 THz). These regions of the electromagnetic spectrum are capable of massive data throughput at near zero latency, key to future data traffic demand created by such wireless applications as augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) and autonomous driving.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-millimeter-sub-terahertz-spatial-statistical-channel.html

Researcher develops better tools for understanding, protecting big data

Patterns and anomalies in big data can help businesses target likely customers, reveal fraud or even predict drug interactions. Unfortunately, these patterns are often not easily observable. To extract the needles of useful information out of haystacks of data, data scientists need increasingly powerful methods of machine learning.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-tools-big.html

Texans blame variety of factors for severity of winter storm, support reform attempts

After an unprecedented winter storm left more than 100 dead and millions without power, Texans call for better preparation through winterization and improved energy reserves, and they support legislative proposals that require energy council board members to live in Texas, according to a new poll by The University of Texas at Austin.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-texans-blame-variety-factors-severity.html

What it takes to realize a circular economy for solar photovoltaic system materials

Rapidly increasing solar photovoltaic (PV) installations has led to environmental and supply chains concerns. The United States relies on imports of raw materials for solar module manufacturing and imports of PV cells and modules to meet domestic demand. As PV demand increases, so will the need to mine valuable materials—a motivation for domestic reuse and recycling.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-circular-economy-solar-photovoltaic-materials.html

Hand signals improve video meeting success

Using a simple set of hand signals can improve the experience of online meetings, make groups feel closer to each other and that they are learning and communicating better, finds a new study by UCL researchers.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-video-success.html

Scientists develop a safe, cheap technology for disinfection of packed eggs

Russian researchers have developed an inexpensive, safe, and reliable surface disinfection technology for packed eggs. This technology helps to kill bacteria, including salmonella, on eggshells. Also, it allows growing broiler chickens with strong immunity to viral diseases. Packed eggs are disinfected with an electron beam for 50 nanoseconds (one-billionth of a second). Disinfection takes place in plastic containers. The description of the technology was published in Food and Bioproducts Processing.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-scientists-safe-cheap-technology-disinfection.html

At the crossroads of cell survival and death

National University of Singapore researchers discovered that a protein, known as MOAP-1, plays a crucial role in facilitating autophagy, a cellular "self-eating" process that recycles non-essential components during starvation.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-crossroads-cell-survival-death.html

Making cleaner, greener plastics from waste fish parts

Polyurethanes, a type of plastic, are nearly everywhere—in shoes, clothes, refrigerators and construction materials. But these highly versatile materials can have a major downside. Derived from crude oil, toxic to synthesize, and slow to break down, conventional polyurethanes are not environmentally friendly. Today, researchers discuss devising what they say should be a safer, biodegradable alternative derived from fish waste—heads, bones, skin and guts—that would otherwise likely be discarded.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-cleaner-greener-plastics-fish.html

Paleopharmaceuticals from Baltic amber might fight drug-resistant infections

For centuries, people in Baltic nations have used ancient amber for medicinal purposes. Even today, infants are given amber necklaces that they chew to relieve teething pain, and people put pulverized amber in elixirs and ointments for its purported anti-inflammatory and anti-infective properties. Now, scientists have pinpointed compounds that help explain Baltic amber's therapeutic effects and that could lead to new medicines to combat antibiotic-resistant infections.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-paleopharmaceuticals-baltic-amber-drug-resistant-infections.html

Doping by athletes could become tougher to hide with new detection method

As the world awaits the upcoming Olympic games, a new method for detecting doping compounds in urine samples could level the playing field for those trying to keep athletics clean. Today, scientists report an approach using ion mobility-mass spectrometry to help regulatory agencies detect existing dopants and future "designer" compounds.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-doping-athletes-tougher-method.html

SKorea's LG to exit loss-making mobile phone business

South Korean electronics maker LG said Monday it is getting out of its loss-making mobile phone business to focus on electric vehicle components, robotics, artificial intelligence and other products and services.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-skorea-lg-exit-loss-making-mobile.html

Facing pressure at home, Chinese tech giants expand in Singapore

Chinese tech giants are expanding in Singapore as they face a crackdown at home and growing pressure in other key markets—but they may struggle to find talent in the city-state.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-pressure-home-chinese-tech-giants.html

Rescue hampered by distance as more rain falls in Indonesia

Rescuers were hampered by damaged bridges and roads and a lack of heavy equipment Monday after torrential rains caused multiple disasters on remote eastern Indonesian islands.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-hampered-distance-falls-indonesia.html

Delta cancels about 100 flights, opens some middle seats

Delta Air Lines canceled about 100 flights Sunday due to staff shortages, and it opened up middle seats a month earlier than expected in order to carry more passengers.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-delta-cancels-flights-middle-seats.html

New paper shows benefits of Louisiana coastal restoration to soil carbon sequestration

Without restoration efforts in coastal Louisiana, marshes in the state could lose half of their current ability to store carbon in the soil over a period of 50 years, according to a new paper published in American Geophysical Union Journal of Geophysical Research Biogeosciences.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-paper-benefits-louisiana-coastal-soil.html

New study ties solar variability to the onset of decadal La Nina events

A new study shows a correlation between the end of solar cycles and a switch from El Nino to La Nina conditions in the Pacific Ocean, suggesting that solar variability can drive seasonal weather variability on Earth.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-ties-solar-variability-onset-decadal.html

France claims EU green light for more Air France aid

The French government said Sunday it has reached a deal with the European Commission allowing it to inject fresh money into flagship airline Air France, whose finances are creaking under the impact of coronavirus restrictions.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-france-eu-green-air-aid.html

Leaking wastewater reservoir threatens Florida community, ocean

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was due Sunday to visit the site of a leaking toxic wastewater reservoir, threatening nearby homes and an environmental disaster in the sensitive Tampa Bay.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-leaking-wastewater-reservoir-threatens-florida.html

NASA's Ingenuity helicopter dropped on Mars' surface ahead of flight

NASA's Ingenuity mini-helicopter has been dropped on the surface of Mars in preparation for its first flight, the US space agency said.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-nasa-ingenuity-helicopter-mars-surface.html

Robot artist sells art for $688,888, now eyeing music career

Sophia is a robot of many talents—she speaks, jokes, sings and even makes art. In March, she caused a stir in the art world when a digital work she created as part of a collaboration was sold at an auction for $688,888 in the form of a non-fungible token (NFT).

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-robot-artist-art-eyeing-music.html

In apology, Amazon admits some drivers have to 'pee in bottles'

E-commerce giant Amazon has apologized to a US lawmaker after falsely denying that some of its drivers are forced at times to urinate in plastic bottles.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-amazon-drivers-pee-bottles.html

Data from 500 mn Facebook accounts posted online: reports

Data affecting more than 500 million Facebook users that was originally leaked in 2019, including email addresses and phone numbers, has been posted on an online hackers forum, according to media reports and a cybercrime expert.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-mn-facebook-accounts-online.html

In show of Pharaonic heritage, Egypt parades royal mummies

Egypt held a gala parade on Saturday celebrating the transport of 22 of its prized royal mummies from central Cairo to their new resting place in a massive new museum further south in the capital.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-pharaonic-heritage-egypt-parades-royal.html

Births among endangered right whales highest since 2015

North Atlantic right whales gave birth over the winter in greater numbers than scientists have seen since 2015, an encouraging sign for researchers who became alarmed three years ago when the critically endangered species produced no known offspring at all.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-births-endangered-whales-highest.html

Google to restrict which apps can view already installed applications on your device

Google has announced an update to its Developer Program Policy that will help to prevent applications from viewing which other apps are installed on an Android device. The company states that they consider installed apps to be private user information and therefore, aim to protect Android users by keeping this data secure.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-google-restrict-apps-view-applications.html

Apple patents force-sensitive input structure for electronic devices

Apple's MacBook team has announced the development of a force-sensitive input structure for electronic devices, recently approved by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-apple-patents-force-sensitive-electronic-devices.html

University of California victim of nationwide hack attack

The University of California is warning its students and staff that a ransomware group might have stolen and published their personal data and that of hundreds of other schools, government agencies and companies nationwide.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-university-california-victim-nationwide-hack.html

TikTok videos pushing QAnon, COVID vaccine conspiracies surging despite crackdown, report says

TikTok videos promoting QAnon and anti-vaccine conspiracies are surging in popularity despite a crackdown by the popular social media app, according to a new report shared exclusively with U.S. TODAY.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-tiktok-videos-qanon-covid-vaccine.html

April, the giraffe that became an online star, dies

April, the giraffe that became a sensation when a rural New York zoo livestreamed her 2017 pregnancy and delivery, was euthanized Friday because of advancing arthritis, the zoo said.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-april-giraffe-online-star-dies.html

Unopened Super Mario Bros. game from 1986 sells for $660,000

An unopened copy of Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. that was bought in 1986 and then forgotten about in a desk drawer has sold at auction for $660,000.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-unopened-super-mario-bros-game.html

Piece of SpaceX rocket debris lands at Washington state farm

A piece of burning rocket debris seen streaking across the Pacific Northwest sky last week crashed on a farm in eastern Washington state, authorities said.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-piece-spacex-rocket-debris-washington.html

US lawmakers press online ad auctioneers over user data

A bipartisan group of US senators on Friday sent letters to major digital ad exchanges, including Google and Twitter, asking whether user data was sold to foreign entities who could use it for blackmail or other malicious ends.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-lawmakers-online-ad-auctioneers-user.html

LinkedIn gives staff week off for well-being

Professional social network LinkedIn is giving nearly all of its 15,900 full-time workers next week off as it seeks to avoid burnout and allow its employees to recharge, the company told AFP Friday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-linkedin-staff-week-well-being.html

Scientists studying solar try solving a dusty problem

The layer of dust and pollen that settles on the windshield of your car is easily removed with a turn of the lever that activates wipers and water. Removing that layer from a solar panel—especially one inconveniently located from any source of moisture—requires considerably more work.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-scientists-solar-dusty-problem.html

Probiotics keep calves healthy, too

Scientists in Japan have developed and tested a novel probiotic formulation to control severe diarrhea in calves, ensuring their health and reducing mortality, and in turn reducing economic loss.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-probiotics-calves-healthy.html

Researcher hopes to create a better blueprint for fish conservation

Growing up in Wisconsin surrounded by lakes and rivers, Matthew McLean has always been fascinated by aquatic life. After seeing the beauty of coral reefs firsthand and witnessing their decline, he became passionate about both studying and protecting them. His work has allowed him to study reefs and other marine ecosystems around the world, and to work closely with local communities on conservation initiatives.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-blueprint-fish.html

Anticancer compound found in monsoon-season delicacy

A small-branched shrub found in India known locally as Moddu Soppu (Justicia wynaadensis) is used to make a sweet dish during the monsoon season by the inhabitants of Kodagu district in Karanataka exclusively during the monsoons. Research published in the International Journal of Computational Biology and Drug Design has looked at phytochemicals present in extracts from the plant that may have putative anticancer agent properties.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-anticancer-compound-monsoon-season-delicacy.html

Japan scientist given Nobel for 'revolutionary' LED lamp dies

Japanese Nobel laureate Isamu Akasaki, who won the physics prize for pioneering energy-efficient LED lighting—a weapon against global warming and poverty—has died aged 92, his university said Friday.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-japan-scientist-nobel-revolutionary-lamp.html

Neglected species: Conserving reptiles on the Caribbean critical list

Antigua has a beach for every day of the year. It's one of the mantras routinely trotted out in the tourist brochures. Ask the average person what images the word "Caribbean' conjures up, and the clichés will come quick and fast, with crystal-clear waters, sun-soaked sandy beaches and calypso cricket featuring prominently.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-neglected-species-reptiles-caribbean-critical.html

Children boycotted sugar to protest slavery and support abolitionists in 1790s-1830s

Children around the country gave up sweets and cakes hundreds of years ago as part of a sugar boycott to protest against slavery, a study shows.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-children-boycotted-sugar-protest-slavery.html

A dinosaur tail vertebra leads researchers on the right track

Scientists from Mahasarakham University (Thailand) and the University of Bonn have examined the newly discovered caudal vertebrae of a spinosaurid dinosaur that could belong to Siamosaurus suteethorni. The comparison with finds around the world led to the realization that the Spanish Camarillosaurus is also a spinosaur and that often several species of these giant predators have inhabited the same area. The results have already been published online in the journal Historical Biology, and now an updated version has been published.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-dinosaur-tail-vertebra-track.html

Cutting-edge cryo-EM reveals key insight into vital DNA repair process

New research, using cutting-edge cryo-electron microscopy (CryoEM), has revealed key insights into a vital DNA repair process, which is implicated in resistance to cancer treatments.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-cutting-edge-cryo-em-reveals-key-insight.html

Research confirms ingredient in household cleaner could improve fusion reactions

Want to improve your chances of making electricity from fusion? Look no further than the cleaners under your kitchen sink.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-ingredient-household-cleaner-fusion-reactions.html

Chance finds dating back 9,000 years tell new story of 'Dream Island'

Chance finds of prehistoric stone tools and fragments of pottery, picked up from a rabbit hole by the wardens of Skokholm Island, have surprised experts and hint at new chapters in the prehistory of this famous island.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-chance-dating-years-story-island.html

How Biden's infrastructure plan addresses the climate crisis

It's no coincidence US President Joe Biden chose manufacturing hub Pittsburgh to unveil his $2 trillion green infrastructure plan, a bold pitch to Americans used to hearing that climate action will wreck industry.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-biden-infrastructure-climate-crisis.html

The road not taken: South Korea's self-driving professor

Decades before the race to build a self-driving car became a multi-billion-dollar contest between tech giants such as Tesla and Google, a South Korean professor built an autonomous vehicle and test-drove it across the country—only for his research to be consigned to the scrapheap.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-road-south-korea-self-driving-professor.html

Travel rebound: United plans to hire about 300 new pilots

United Airlines said Thursday it plans to hire about 300 pilots, another sign that airlines feel more confident that a recent increase in travel will continue.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-rebound-hire.html

US looks to keep critical sectors safe from cyberattacks

A top Biden administration official says the government is undertaking a new effort to help electric utilities, water districts and other critical industries protect against potentially damaging cyberattacks.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-critical-sectors-safe-cyberattacks.html

Biden aims to juice EV sales, but would his plan work?

Dangling tax credits and rebates in his drive to fight climate change, President Joe Biden wants you to trade your gas-burning car, truck or SUV for a zero-emissions electric vehicle.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-biden-aims-juice-ev-sales.html

Groups urge pressure on Mexico to save tiny vaquita porpoise

Environmental groups called Thursday for an international ban on trade in a range of Mexican seafood and wildlife, seeking to force Mexico to do more to save the vaquita marina porpoise, the world's most endangered marine mammal.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-groups-urge-pressure-mexico-tiny.html

Operation Cleanup on plastic-polluted Lagos beach

In blistering heat, several dozen volunteers are busy collecting plastic bottles, bags and polystyrene boxes as they launch a cleanup of the longest beach in Lagos.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-cleanup-plastic-polluted-lagos-beach.html

Evidence of Antarctic glacier's tipping point confirmed for first time

Researchers have confirmed for the first time that Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica could cross tipping points, leading to a rapid and irreversible retreat which would have significant consequences for global sea level.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-evidence-antarctic-glacier.html

Consumers are searching online but not buying. Why?

Online marketers have seen the pattern: 95%-98% of online visitors search for something, but the search never converts into a purchase and they leave the site without buying. For marketers, this results in speculation and assumptions that can lead to wasted time and investments in ineffective marketing programs.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-consumers-online.html

Consumer resistance to sustainability interventions

Researchers from University of Queensland, University of Melbourne, and Universidad Finis Terrae published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that studies consumer resistance to a nationwide plastic bag ban implemented in Chile in 2019.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-consumer-resistance-sustainability-interventions.html

Diversity can prevent failures in large power grids

The recent power outages in Texas brought attention to its power grid being separated from the rest of the country. While it is not immediately clear whether integration with other parts of the national grid would have completely eliminated the need for rolling outages, the state's inability to import significant amounts of electricity was decisive in the blackout.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-diversity-failures-large-power-grids.html

Study finds airborne release of toxin from algal scum

A dangerous toxin has been witnessed—for the first time—releasing into the air from pond scum, research published in the peer-reviewed journal Lake and Reservoir Management today shows.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-airborne-toxin-algal-scum.html

Whales dive deep for profitable prey

An international research team has investigated why dolphins and whales perform record-breaking dives to several kilometers deep. For the first time they were able to match hunting behavior to the prey present in the hunting zones. The study of researchers from the Netherlands and Germany is now published in the scientific journal Science Advances.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-whales-deep-profitable-prey.html

Go ahead for dark matter experiment

Neutrinos are the shyest elementary particles known to exist. At this moment billions of them are shooting through each square centimeter of your body.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-dark.html

Seen from space, Iceland's new volcano lights up the island at night

You've probably seen stunning images of the night side of the Earth from space. Most people have seen the veritable constellations of city lights scattered familiarly across the continents, separated by wide oceans of darkness. You very well may have seen some stunning videos from the ISS showing the dynamic and mesmerizing ribbons of the polar aurorae and the even more frenetic flashes of nighttime lightning storms. If you're a frequent reader of this site, you've likely even seen the effects of rolling blackouts during the catastrophic winter storms of February 2021 in Houston, as seen from space. Add another explosively extraordinary phenomenon to the list of nighttime space views: the March 2021 volcanic eruption in Iceland.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-space-iceland-volcano-island-night.html

Learning from below: A micro-ethnographic account of children's self-determination

At a West Coast-based after-school making/tinkering program, educators gathered participating kindergarten-5th grade students together at the beginning of each session, gave them instructions for the day's work, and then let them work independently or in small groups to complete science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) activities.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-micro-ethnographic-account-children-self-determination.html

Researchers develop 'explainable' artificial intelligence algorithm

Researchers from the University of Toronto and LG AI Research have developed an "explainable" artificial intelligence (XAI) algorithm that can help identify and eliminate defects in display screens.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-artificial-intelligence-algorithm.html

Researchers pave the way for calculating circular dichroism spectra more efficiently

Members of the CEST group published a recent paper introducing a novel method to calculate CD spectra in the open source GPAW code. The publication shows that the implemented approach is more efficient than the commonly used linear-response method and can easily calculate CD spectra of nanoscale systems, such as hybrid silver clusters composed of over 1000 atoms.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-pave-circular-dichroism-spectra-efficiently.html

New Los Alamos technology detects thermal neutrons in aircraft

A new technology developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory and Honeywell is providing needed atmospheric environment information to the aerospace industry. The device, called TinMan, has quantified the number of thermal neutrons, particles created by natural solar radiation—giving the aerospace industry a standard by which it can evaluate its semiconductor parts.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-los-alamos-technology-thermal-neutrons.html

Doubling the charging-recharging cycle of lithium batteries

The promotion of electric cars has dramatically increased the demand for lithium-ion batteries. However, cobalt and nickel, the main cathode materials for the batteries, are not abundant. If the consumption continues, it will inevitably elevate the costs in the long run, so scientists have been actively developing alternative materials. A joint research team co-led by a scientist from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has developed a much more stable, manganese-based cathode material. The new material has higher capacity and is more durable than the existing cobalt and nickel cathode materials—90% of capacity is retained even when the number of charging-recharging cycles doubled. Their findings shed lights on developing low cost and high efficiency manganese-based cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-charging-recharging-lithium-batteries.html

Risk that the terrestrial carbon sink declines in the future

Climate consequences can in the future become even bigger than thought, because the capacity of the land vegetation to absorb carbon dioxide is likely to decline. This is the conclusion of a large international study with contribution by Umeå University. So far the vegetation has dampened climate change by taking up a significant fraction of carbon dioxide emissions, but it is uncertain if this effect will persist.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-terrestrial-carbon-declines-future.html

Mental health of police officers improved thanks to surfing program's 'unique approach'

Surfing helps improve police officers' wellbeing and mental health, according to research from the University of Exeter Business School.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-mental-health-police-officers-surfing.html

Team identifies inflammation-fighting nanoparticles in honey

Sugars make up about 95% of honey, explaining how the substance became synonymous with sweetness and a food staple of bee colonies, which repeatedly digest and regurgitate flower nectar to produce it.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-team-inflammation-fighting-nanoparticles-honey.html

NOAA launches two coastal models for mariner safety on West Coast, Gulf of Mexico

Today, NOAA announced two new coastal condition forecast models that will enhance critical decision making for mariners along the West Coast and Northern Gulf of Mexico. The models provide continuous quality-controlled data on water levels, currents, water temperature and salinity out to 72 hours.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-noaa-coastal-mariner-safety-west.html

NASA's Roman mission predicted to find 100,000 transiting planets

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will create enormous cosmic panoramas, helping us answer questions about the evolution of our universe. Astronomers also expect the mission to find thousands of planets using two different techniques as it surveys a wide range of stars in the Milky Way.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-nasa-roman-mission-transiting-planets.html

New insights into the formation of bulk metallic glasses

With the ability to produce metallic glass in bulk quantities, the distinct mechanical behavior of these materials has opened up new application opportunities. However, the poor room temperature plasticity of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) impedes many engineering applications. Because of that, it's critical to better understand their plastic deformation and flow mechanism.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-insights-formation-bulk-metallic-glasses.html

Statistical solution to processing very large datasets efficiently with memory limit

Any high-performance computing should be able to handle a vast amount of data in a short amount of time—an important aspect on which entire fields (data science, Big Data) are based. Usually, the first step to managing a large amount of data is either to classify it based on well-defined attributes or—as is typical in machine learning—"cluster" them into groups such that data points in the same group are more similar to one another than to those in another group. However, for an extremely large dataset, which can have trillions of sample points, it is tedious to even group data points into a single cluster without huge memory requirements.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-statistical-solution-large-datasets-efficiently.html

Where we live can affect male reproductive health, finds new study

New research, led by scientists at the University of Nottingham, suggests that the environment in which men live may affect their reproductive health.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-affect-male-reproductive-health.html

Melting ice sheets caused sea levels to rise up to 18 meters

It is well known that climate-induced sea level rise is a major threat. New research has found that previous ice loss events could have caused sea-level rise at rates of around 3.6 meters per century, offering vital clues as to what lies ahead should climate change continue unabated.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-ice-sheets-sea-metres.html

Canada rejects outright ban on bee-killing pesticides

Canada's health agency announced Wednesday restrictions on the use of neonicotinoid pesticides in agriculture to protect aquatic insects, backtracking on a proposed outright ban prompted by a massive bee die-off.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-canada-outright-bee-killing-pesticides.html

As US newspapers slide toward abyss, a bidding war breaks out

Even as US newspapers sink toward an abyss, an unusual bidding war has broken out for a major chain, pitting hedge fund operators against civic-minded billionaires seeking to promote a nonprofit model for the struggling industry.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-newspapers-abyss-war.html

Croatia acts to save its iconic Istrian goat

With wavy horns and a sturdy build, the Istrian goat stands proudly on Croatia's national flag. But in the pastures where the white-furred animal hails from, the breed is almost nowhere to be seen.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-croatia-iconic-istrian-goat.html

Amazon to bring workers back to offices by fall

Amazon plans to have its employees return to the office by fall as the tech giant transitions away from the remote work it implemented for many workers due to the coronavirus pandemic.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-04-amazon-workers-offices-fall.html

Ancient coins may solve mystery of murderous 1600s pirate

A handful of coins unearthed from a pick-your-own-fruit orchard in rural Rhode Island and other random corners of New England may help solve one of the planet's oldest cold cases.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-ancient-coins-mystery-1600s-pirate.html

Mothers bear the cost of the pandemic shift to remote work

For many parents, the COVID-19 pandemic has made life's everyday juggling act—managing work, school, extracurricular, and household responsibilities—much, much harder. And according to a new study led by Penn sociologists, those extra burdens have fallen disproportionately on mothers.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-04-mothers-pandemic-shift-remote.html

NASA tests mixed reality, scientific know-how and mission operations for exploration

Mixed reality technologies, like virtual reality headsets or augmented reality apps, aren't just for entertainment—they can also help make discoveries on other worlds like the Moon and Mars. By traveling on Earth to extreme environments—from Mars-like lava fields in Hawaii to underwater hydrothermal vents—similar to destinations on other worlds, NASA scientists have tested out technologies and tools to gain insight into how they can be used to make valuable contributions to science.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-nasa-reality-scientific-know-how-mission.html

LED light pollution is a major turnoff to some North American bats

Light pollution, or artificial light at night (ALAN), is a rapidly spreading form of environmental degradation that currently covers about 50% of the United States and 90% of Europe. It can have wide-ranging impacts to nocturnal wildlife by causing changes in foraging behavior, space use, predator-prey interactions, communication and reproduction. New research published this week in the journal Ecology and Evolution demonstrates how disruptive ALAN can be to some bat species of the northeastern U.S.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-pollution-major-turnoff-north-american.html

Building a culture of high-quality data

The era of big data has inundated nearly all scientific fields with torrents of newly available data with the power to stimulate new research and enable inquiry at scales not previously possible. This is particularly true for ecology, where rapid growth in remote sensing, monitoring, and community science initiatives has contributed to a massive surge in the quantity and kinds of environmental data that are available to researchers.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-culture-high-quality.html

Development of a broadband mid-infrared source for remote sensing

A research team of the National Institutes of Natural Sciences, National Institute for Fusion Science and Akita Prefectural University has successfully demonstrated a broadband mid-infrared (MIR) source with a simple configuration. This light source generates highly-stable broadband MIR beam at 2.5-3.7 μm wavelength range maintaining the brightness owing to its high-beam quality. Such a broadband MIR source facilitates a simplified environmental monitoring system by constructing a MIR fiber-optic sensor, which has the potential for industrial and medical applications.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-broadband-mid-infrared-source-remote.html

Tilapia farming: Dwarfism is a response to overcrowding stress

Tilapia living in crowded aquaculture ponds or small freshwater reservoirs adapt so well to these stressful environments that they stop growing and reproduce at a smaller size than their stress-free counterparts.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-tilapia-farming-dwarfism-response-overcrowding.html

Impacts of sunscreen on coral reefs needs urgent attention, say scientists

More research is needed on the environmental impact of sunscreen on the world's coral reefs, scientists at the University of York say.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-impacts-sunscreen-coral-reefs-urgent.html

Huawei posts record profit but revenue growth sags

Chinese telecom giant Huawei said Wednesday it achieved a record profit last year, but revenue growth slowed sharply amid the pandemic and tightening US pressure that has pushed the company into new business lines to survive.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-huawei-profit-revenue-growth-sags.html

Counting begins in vote on first Amazon labor union

Counting of votes cast by Amazon employees at an Alabama warehouse began Tuesday to determine whether it would become the first union shop at the e-commerce colossus.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-vote-amazon-labor-union.html

Deliveroo shares dive on London stock market launch

Deliveroo shares slumped 23 percent as it launched on the London stock market Wednesday, with the app-driven meals delivery group facing criticism over its treatment of riders.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-deliveroo-london-stock.html

The global race to develop 'green' hydrogen

It's seen as the missing link in the race for carbon-neutrality: "green" hydrogen produced without fossil fuel energy is a popular buzzword in competing press releases and investment plans across the globe.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-global-green-hydrogen.html

Pandemic delays gender parity by a generation: WEF

The pandemic has rolled back years of progress towards equality between men and women, according to a report released Wednesday showing the crisis had added decades to the trajectory towards closing the gender gap.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-pandemic-gender-parity-wef.html

A hydrogen future for planes, trains and factories

Hydrogen could potentially power trains, planes, trucks and factories in the future, helping the world rid itself of harmful emissions.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-hydrogen-future-planes-factories.html

Sharp increase in destruction of virgin forest in 2020

An area of pristine rainforest the size of the Netherlands was burned or hacked down last year, as the destruction of the planet's tropical forests accelerated despite a global economic slowdown, according to research Wednesday.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-sharp-destruction-virgin-forest.html

Volkswagen hoaxes media with fake news release as a joke

Volkswagen of America issued false statements this week saying it would change its brand name to "Voltswagen," as a way to stress its commitment to electric vehicles, only to reverse course Tuesday and admit that the supposed name change was just a joke.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-volkswagen-hoaxes-media-fake-news.html

Automakers BMW, Volvo back moratorium on deep seabed mining

Automakers BMW and Volvo announced Wednesday that they support a moratorium on deep seabed mining for minerals used in electric vehicle batteries and other products.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-automakers-bmw-volvo-moratorium-deep.html

US, China consulted on safety as their crafts headed to Mars

As their respective spacecrafts headed to Mars, China and the U.S. held consultations earlier this year in a somewhat unusual series of exchanges between the rivals.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-china-safety-crafts-mars.html

Japan's Hitachi acquires GlobalLogic for $9.6 billion

Hitachi Ltd. is buying U.S. digital engineering services company GlobalLogic Inc. for $9.6 billion, the Japanese industrial, electronic and construction conglomerate said Wednesday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-japan-hitachi-globallogic-billion.html

Architecture of Eolian successions under icehouse and greenhouse conditions

Anthropogenic climate change is one of the foremost scientific and societal challenges. In part, our response to this global challenge requires an enhanced understanding of how the Earth's surface responds to episodes of climatic heating and cooling. As historical records extend back only a few hundred years, we must look back into the ancient rock record to see how the surface of the Earth has responded to shifts between icehouse (presence of ice at the Earth's poles) and greenhouse (no substantial ice at Earth's poles) climates in the past.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-architecture-eolian-successions-icehouse-greenhouse.html

Lab-made hexagonal diamonds stiffer than natural diamonds

Nature's strongest material now has some stiff competition. For the first time, researchers have hard evidence that human-made hexagonal diamonds are stiffer than the common cubic diamonds found in nature and often used in jewelry.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-lab-made-hexagonal-diamonds-stiffer-natural.html

Floating gardens as a way to keep farming despite climate change

Bangladesh's floating gardens, built to grow food during flood seasons, could offer a sustainable solution for parts of the world prone to flooding because of climate change, a new study has found.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-gardens-farming-climate.html

Sounds like home: Murrelets choose breeding locations by eavesdropping on other murrelets

Oregon State University researchers broadcast marbled murrelet calls in mature forests and found that the threatened seabirds' choice of breeding locations is strongly influenced by whether they hear other murrelets in the area.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-home-murrelets-eavesdropping.html

Decellularized spinach serves as an edible platform for laboratory-grown meat

Spinach, a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly scaffold, provided an edible platform upon which a team of researchers led by a Boston College engineer has grown meat cells, an advance that may accelerate the development of cultured meat, according to a new report in the advance online edition of the journal Food BioScience.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-decellularized-spinach-edible-platform-laboratory-grown.html

Human hiking trails custom built for sauntering grizzlies

In the run up to hibernation, grizzly bears go on a colossal binge, consuming as many calories as possible to get them through the long winter. Yet, little was known about how much energy the massive mammals use as they shamble around their rugged territories. "Moving across the landscape in search of food can be a huge energetic expense for some animals," Carnahan says. Fortunately, the Washington State University Bear Research, Education and Conservation Center (WSU BREC), where Carnahan is based, is home to 11 bears, including four that formerly lived in Yellowstone National Park, so he and Charles Robbins (also at WSU BREC) decided to measure the animals' metabolic rates as they sauntered on the flat, and up and down gradients to find out how much energy they use on a daily basis. The team publishes their discovery that grizzly bears prefer to walk on shallow paths to save energy in Journal of Experimental Biology, explaining why the animals often appear on human hiking trails.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-human-hiking-trails-custom-built.html

A new spin on energy-efficient electronics

The promising field of spintronics seeks to manipulate electron spin to make a new breed of small and low-power electronic devices. A recent study used Argonne's Advanced Photon Source to bring the widespread use of spintronics closer to reality.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-energy-efficient-electronics.html

Corridor test of Proba-3's formation flying sensors

The longest corridor in ESA's largest establishment was turned into a test site for one of the Agency's most ambitious future missions, Proba-3. The two satellites making up this mission will line up so that one casts a shadow onto the other, revealing inner regions of the Sun's ghostly atmosphere. But such precision formation flying will only be possible through a vision-based sensor system allowing one satellite to lock onto the other.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-corridor-proba-formation-sensors.html

Researchers first to link silicon atoms on surfaces

Materials such as gallium arsenide are extremely important for the production of electronic devices. As supplies of it are limited, or they can present health and environmental hazards, specialists are looking for alternative materials. So-called conjugated polymers are candidates. These organic macromolecules have semi-conductor properties, i.e. they can conduct electricity under certain conditions. One possible way of producing them in the desired two-dimensional—i.e. extremely flat—form is presented by surface chemistry, a field of research established in 2007.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-link-silicon-atoms-surfaces.html

Researchers obtain more efficient red bioluminescence than those available commercially

Researchers at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, have developed a novel far red light-emitting luciferin-luciferase system that is more efficient than those available commercially. An article on the subject is published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-efficient-red-bioluminescence-commercially.html

Unique AI method for generating proteins to speed up drug development

Artificial intelligence is now capable of generating novel, functionally active proteins, thanks to recently published work by researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-unique-ai-method-proteins-drug.html

Topological protection of entangled two-photon light in photonic topological insulators

In a joint effort, researchers from the Humboldt-Universität (Berlin), the Max Born Institute (Berlin) and the University of Central Florida (U.S.) have revealed the necessary conditions for the robust transport of entangled states of two-photon light in photonic topological insulators, paving the way the toward noise-resistant transport of quantum information. The results have appeared in Nature Communications.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-topological-entangled-two-photon-photonic-insulators.html

Researchers shed new light on DNA replication

In preparation for cell division, cells need to replicate the DNA that they contain. A team of researchers from TU Delft, collaborating with investigators from the Francis Crick Institute in London, has now shown that the protein building blocks involved in the initial steps of DNA replication are mobile but reduce their speed at specific DNA sequences on the genome. Their findings, which were published in the open-access journal Nature Communications on 26 March, were facilitated using an integrated approach involving biophysics and biochemistry that will propel new discoveries in the field.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-dna-replication.html

UK food giant Deliveroo set for £7.6bn London IPO

Britain's app-driven food delivery firm Deliveroo is set for London's largest stock market launch in a decade with a valuation of £7.6 billion, despite mounting criticism over its treatment of riders.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-uk-food-giant-deliveroo-76bn.html

Fire-hit chipmaker Renesas says recovery could take four months

Japanese chip manufacturer Renesas said Tuesday it could take three to four months to restore full capacity after a factory fire that threatens to worsen a global chip shortage.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-fire-hit-chipmaker-renesas-recovery-months.html

Zuckerberg confirms Instagram for kids plans at Congressional hearing on misinformation

During his contentious testimony with Congress members, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed the platform's plans to create an Instagram for kids.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-zuckerberg-instagram-kids-congressional-misinformation.html

The curious case of northeast Brazil's cross-breeding sea turtles

Sea turtles have been around since dinosaurs roamed the Earth, stretching back about 110 million years. Yet now their existence is at risk, with six of today's seven species classified as threatened or endangered.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-curious-case-northeast-brazil-cross-breeding.html

Comcast commits $1 billion to help close the digital divide as Americans increasingly rely on the internet

Comcast Corp. plans to spend $1 billion over the next decade to help low-income Americans connect to the internet, company officials said Wednesday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-comcast-commits-billion-digital-americans.html

Ecuador policeman held over 185 baby tortoises in suitcase

An Ecuadorian policeman has been arrested after airport officials in the Galapagos Islands discovered 185 baby giant tortoises stuffed in a suitcase to be trafficked, prosecutors said Monday.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-ecuador-policeman-held-baby-tortoises.html

In Tunis, flamingos wade past waste in key Africa wetlands

Hundreds of flamingos wade past waste in the murky waters of the vast Sijoumi lagoon, a critical wetland in the heart of Tunisia's capital threatened by overexpansion.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-tunis-flamingos-wade-key-africa.html

Disney+ has a $1 price increase taking effect Friday

It's official: Starting Friday, you'll be paying more for your Disney+ streaming subscription.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-disney-price-effect-friday.html

Amazon faces new lawsuit alleging it fixed book prices

A proposed class-action lawsuit from a Seattle firm has added to the swarm of antitrust scrutiny gathering around Amazon.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-amazon-lawsuit-alleging-prices.html

Airport crowds, airline ticket sales show travel recovering

Evidence is mounting that Americans are eager to drive or fly somewhere after being mostly cooped up at home for a year.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-airport-crowds-airline-ticket-sales.html

VW plans brand-name change to 'Voltswagen' in US

Volkswagen plans to change its brand name in the United States to "Voltswagen" as its shifts its production increasingly toward electric vehicles and tries to distance itself from an emissions cheating scandal.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-vw-brand-name-voltswagen.html

The truth about Christ lies in contradiction, philosopher finds

While the quest to explain how Christ can be both fully human and fully divine enjoys a long, fascinating history, Jc Beall, the O'Neill Family Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame, believes that the quest should end.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-truth-christ-lies-contradiction-philosopher.html

When parole, probation officers choose empathy, returns to jail decline

Heavy caseloads, job stress and biases can strain relations between parole and probation officers and their clients, upping offenders' likelihood of landing back behind bars.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-parole-probation-officers-empathy-decline.html

Scientists identify molecular pathway that helps moving cells avoid aimless wandering

Working with fruit flies, scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have identified a new molecular pathway that helps steer moving cells in specific directions. The set of interconnected proteins and enzymes in the pathway act as steering and rudder components that drive cells toward an "intended" rather than random destination, they say.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-scientists-molecular-pathway-cells-aimless.html

Algorithm-generated music recommendations may be least accurate for hard rock listeners

Listeners of high-energy music such as hard rock and hip-hop may be given less accurate music recommendations by music recommender systems than listeners of other non-mainstream music, according to research published in the open access journal EPJ Data Science.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-algorithm-generated-music-accurate-hard.html

Researchers discover how animals grow their pointy body parts

An interdisciplinary team at Monash University discovered a new universal rule of biological growth that explains surprising similarities in the shapes of sharp structures across the tree of life, including teeth, horns, claws, beaks, animal shells, and even the thorns and prickles of plants.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-animals-pointy-body.html

Can viruses hijack their hosts' circadian rhythms?

Our lives are so often dictated by time—it seems like we are not the only ones.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-viruses-hijack-hosts-circadian-rhythms.html

Optogenetics: A novel light sensor built from algal enzymes

The unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has already given research a massive boost: One of its light sensors, channelrhodopsin-2, founded the success of optogenetics about 20 years ago.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-optogenetics-sensor-built-algal-enzymes.html

How proteins organize themselves: Complex process may have simple explanation

Life is messy, even at microscopic and molecular level, but Michigan State University researchers have shown that some straightforward science can still account for important biological behavior.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-proteins-complex-simple-explanation.html