Smartphone giant Xiaomi sues to reverse US blacklisting

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi said Sunday it had filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the former Trump administration's last-minute blacklisting of the electronics giant.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-smartphone-giant-xiaomi-sues-reverse.html

Electric cars, fewer cows in New Zealand's climate change plan

New Zealand unveiled a blueprint Sunday to phase out petrol-powered cars while its dairy industry, a key pillar of the economy, must slash cow numbers under the ambitious plan to be carbon neutral by 2050.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-electric-cars-cows-zealand-climate.html

Hundreds protest Amazon expansion in France

Hundreds rallied in several French towns on Saturday in protests against Amazon called by anti-capitalist and environmental groups, including at one site where the US e-commerce giant plans a massive warehouse.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-hundreds-protest-amazon-expansion-france.html

GameStop soars again; Wall Street bends under the pressure

Another bout of selling gripped the U.S. stock market Friday, as anxiety mounts over whether the frenzy behind a swift, meteoric rise in GameStop and a handful of other stocks will damage Wall Street overall.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-gamestop-soars-wall-street-pressure.html

How heatwaves and drought combine to produce the perfect firestorm

Long heatwaves during entrenched drought often trigger fears of bushfire. It's easy to imagine rolling days of hot, dry weather desiccating leaves, bark and twigs, transforming them into a potent fuel.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-heatwaves-drought-combine-firestorm.html

It's elemental: Ultra-trace detector tests gold purity

Unless radon gas is discovered in a home inspection, most people remain blissfully unaware that rocks like granite, metal ores, and some soils contain naturally occurring sources of radiation. In most cases, low levels of radiation are not a health concern. But some scientists and engineers are concerned about even trace levels of radiation, which can wreak havoc on sensitive equipment. The semiconductor industry, for instance, spends billions each year to source and "scrub" ultra-trace levels of radioactive materials from microchips, transistors and sensitive sensors.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-elemental-ultra-trace-detector-gold-purity.html

Solvation-driven electrochemical actuation

In a new study led by Institute Professor Maurizio Porfiri at NYU Tandon, researchers showed a novel principle of actuation—to transform electrical energy into motion. This actuation mechanism is based on solvation, the interaction between solute and solvent molecules in a solution. This phenomenon is particular important in water, as its molecules are polar: oxygen attracts electrons more than hydrogen, such that oxygen has a slightly negative charge and hydrogen a slightly positive one. Thus, water molecules are attracted by charged ions in solution, forming shells around them. This microscopic phenomenon plays a critical role in the properties of solutions and in essential biological processes such as protein folding, but prior to this study there was no evidence of potential macroscopic mechanical consequences of solvation.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-solvation-driven-electrochemical-actuation.html

Constructing the first version of the Japanese reference genome

The Japanese now have their own reference genome thanks to researchers at Tohoku University who completed and released the first Japanese reference genome (JG1).

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-version-japanese-genome.html

Ancient rivers reveal multiple Sahara Desert greenings

Large parts of the Sahara Desert were green thousands of years ago, evidenced by prehistoric engravings in the desert of giraffes, crocodiles and a stone-age cave painting of humans swimming. Recently, more detailed insights were gained from a combination of sediment cores extracted from the Mediterranean Sea and results from climate computer modeling, which an international research team, including University of Hawai'i at Mānoa oceanography researcher Tobias Friedrich, examined for the first time.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-ancient-rivers-reveal-multiple-sahara.html

Study reveals new clues about Mt. Everest's deadliest avalanche

On the afternoon of April 15, 2015, an earthquake rocked the Himalayas, causing widespread death and damage across Nepal, India and Tibet. The magnitude 7.8 quake—the strongest ever recorded in the region—rattled glaciers and ice falls along a ridge just to the west of Mount Everest, sending an avalanche of ice and snow hurtling towards the base camp below. When the snow settled, 15 were dead and scores more were injured in what would become the deadliest day on the world's highest mountain.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-reveals-clues-mt-everest-deadliest.html

Unfrozen water content affects thermal-hydro-mechanical characteristics of frozen soil

The content of unfrozen water in frozen soil affects the freeze-thaw cycle, hydrological cycle, water and energy exchange between land and air, vegetation growth and structural strength of soil in cold regions. Currently, theoretical explanations for the presence of unfrozen water include capillarity action, surface effect, adsorption forces and the electrical double layer.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-unfrozen-content-affects-thermal-hydro-mechanical-characteristics.html

Ecological mechanism behind dredging revealed to mitigate lake cyanobacterial blooms

Cyanobacterial blooms caused by water eutrophication have become a global environmental problem. Dredging, alternatively known as removal of sediment, has been reported as an effective approach for mitigating cyanobacterial blooms, and plays important roles in enhancing water quality of urban lakes. However, the research on the ecological mechanisms behind dredging is not deep enough.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-ecological-mechanism-dredging-revealed-mitigate.html

ExoMars orbiter's 20,000th image

The CaSSIS camera onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter has captured its 20,000th image of Mars.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-exomars-orbiter-20000th-image.html

NASA's MAVEN continues to advance Mars science and telecommunications relay efforts

With a suite of new national and international spacecraft primed to explore the Red Planet after their arrival next month, NASA's MAVEN mission is ready to provide support and continue its study of the Martian atmosphere.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-nasa-maven-advance-mars-science.html

Machine learning to predict the performance of organic solar cells

Imagine looking for the optimal configuration to build an organic solar cell made from different polymers. How would you start? Does the active layer need to be very thick, or very thin? Does it need a large or a small amount of each polymer?

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-machine-solar-cells.html

Potent trivalent inhibitors of thrombin from anticoagulation peptides in insect saliva

Thrombosis, the clogging of blood vessels, is a major cause of heart attacks and embolism. Scientists have now engineered the first inhibitors of thrombin, a protease promoting thrombosis, that is three-fold efficient. In a study published in the journal Angewandte Chemie, the authors demonstrate that attacking three sites of the thrombin molecule is more efficient than attacking only two sites, which is the mode of action of many natural agents.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-potent-trivalent-inhibitors-thrombin-anticoagulation.html

Human activity caused the long-term growth of greenhouse gas methane

Methane (CH4) is the second most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide (CO2). Its concentration in the atmosphere has increased more than twice since the preindustrial era due to enhanced emissions from human activities. While the global warming potential of CH4 is 86 times as large as that of CO2 over 20 years, it remains in the atmosphere for about 10 years, a much briefer span than CO2, which can remain in the atmosphere for centuries. It is therefore expected that emission control of CH4 could have beneficial effects over a relatively short time period and contribute quickly to the Paris Agreement target to limit the global warming well below 2 degrees.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-human-long-term-growth-greenhouse-gas.html

Threads that sense how and when you move? New technology makes it possible

Engineers at Tufts University have created and demonstrated flexible thread-based sensors that can measure movement of the neck, providing data on the direction, angle of rotation and degree of displacement of the head. The discovery raises the potential for thin, inconspicuous tatoo-like patches that could, according to the Tufts team, measure athletic performance, monitor worker or driver fatigue, assist with physical therapy, enhance virtual reality games and systems, and improve computer generated imagery in cinematography. The technology, described today in Scientific Reports, adds to a growing number of thread-based sensors developed by Tufts engineers that can be woven into textiles, measuring gases and chemicals in the environment or metabolites in sweat.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-threads-technology.html

Forty years of coral spawning captured in one place for the first time

Efforts to understand when corals reproduce have been given a boost thanks to a new resource that gives scientists open access to more than forty years' worth of information about coral spawning.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-forty-years-coral-spawning-captured.html

Reddit users say GameStop rocket is revenge of the masses

For some Reddit users, GameStop's dizzying rocket ride on Wall Street is a case of the masses rebelling against one-percenters hoarding the world's wealth.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-reddit-users-gamestop-rocket-revenge.html

Google bombards Australian search users as PR campaign intensifies

US tech giant Google stepped up its public relations campaign against Australian regulation Friday, presenting all search users Down Under with a "proposal" to water down planned rules.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-google-bombards-australian-users-pr.html

Miami Heat opens doors to fans thanks to COVID-sniffing dogs

Miami Heat fans were able to watch a basketball game in person for the first time since the pandemic shut down the NBA last March—in part thanks to dogs trained to detect COVID infections.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-miami-doors-fans-covid-sniffing-dogs.html

Tiger that undewent rare hip replacement surgery has setback

An Amur tiger that underwent hip-replacement surgery at a zoo outside Chicago has managed to dislodge the orthopedic implant, veterinarians at Brookfield Zoo said Thursday.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-tiger-undewent-rare-hip-surgery.html

UN chief calls for regulating social media companies

The United Nations chief called Thursday for global rules to regulate powerful social media companies like Twitter and Facebook.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-chief-social-media-companies.html

Huawei smartphone sales plunge as US sanctions bite

Sales of smartphones made by Chinese telecom giant Huawei plunged in the latest quarter of 2020 as they were hit by US sanctions on its suppliers, research firm Canalys said on Friday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-huawei-smartphone-sales-plunge-sanctions.html

Disabled teachers being 'sidelined' in drive for more inclusive schools

One of the first academic studies to examine the working lives of disabled teachers in England has called for 'urgent change' after finding evidence of significant workplace discrimination and barriers to their career progression.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-disabled-teachers-sidelined-inclusive-schools.html

Alpine plants at risk of extinction following disappearing glaciers

Beyond the ski slopes, one of the most iconic symbols of the Alps are the alpine flowers. These plants are not only beautiful—they are also used in liqueurs and medicines, and they form the foundation of the local food chains. But a recent study in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution shows that, although plant diversity may initially increase with glacier retreat, many of these species may soon become endangered.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-alpine-extinction-glaciers.html

A new technology to reduce motion sickness associated with VR headsets

Researchers in Korea have analyzed the symptoms of motion sickness that users may experience in VR content and developed a technology to reduce VR sickness using artificial intelligence. The technology is expected to be of great help to VR content developers in creating application services while giving full rein to their creativity.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-technology-motion-sickness-vr-headsets.html

Study uses neutrons to shine light on shutting down cancer cells

Often called the building blocks of life, cells are complex and highly dynamic. The genetic information encoded inside enables them to build biomolecular components like proteins, DNA, and RNA, which assemble into larger, more complex units—from myriad organelles to ultimately whole cells—which in turn form tissues that then give rise to entire organisms. Control over the levels of organization is essential for life, but uncontrolled cell growth causes many deadly diseases, including cancer.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-neutrons-cancer-cells.html

Tiger undergoes rare hip replacement surgery at Illinois zoo

A 10-year-old Amur tiger with arthritis underwent hip replacement surgery at a zoo outside Chicago on Wednesday, and her surgical team is confident the procedure will add years to her life.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-tiger-rare-hip-surgery-illinois.html

Cathay Pacific shares plunge as bond sale announced to stem cash crisis

Shares in Hong Kong's marquee carrier Cathay Pacific plunged on Thursday after the struggling airline unveiled a HK$6.7 billion (US$870 million) bond sale to try to stem its rampant cash burn.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-cathay-pacific-plunge-bond-sale.html

Turning food waste back into food

There's a better end for used food than taking up space in landfills and contributing to global warming.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-food.html

635 million-year-old fungi-like microfossil that bailed us out of an ice age discovered

When you think of fungi, what comes to mind may be a crucial ingredient in a recipe or their amazing ability to break down dead organic matter into vital nutrients. But new research by Shuhai Xiao, a professor of geosciences with the Virginia Tech College of Science, and Tian Gan, a visiting Ph.D. student in the Xiao lab, highlights yet another important role that fungi have played throughout the Earth's history: helping the planet recover from an ice age.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-million-year-old-fungi-like-microfossil-bailed-ice.html

Nicaragua operation rescues two endangered jaguar cubs

When a post on social media exposed animal traffickers who planned to illegally sell two young jaguars abroad, Nicaragua zookeeper Eduardo Sacasa had a narrow chance to save the cubs.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-nicaragua-endangered-jaguar-cubs.html

Meet 'baby' Claire, explorer of Antwerp's bad air

Out for an afternoon hike, Veerle Bonaers and a friend stop pushing their baby and look down to their map, suddenly aware they have taken a wrong turn.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-baby-claire-explorer-antwerp-bad.html

Facebook to stop recommending political groups to users

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday said the social network will no longer recommend politics-themed groups to users, a measure already taken in the US due to election tensions.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-facebook-political-groups-users.html

Toyota overtakes Volkswagen as top-selling global auto maker

Japan's Toyota reclaimed the title of world's top-selling automaker in 2020, according to data released by the firm on Thursday, pushing Volkswagen into second place for the first time in five years.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-toyota-volkswagen-top-selling-global-auto.html

Singapore launches new self-driving bus trial

Singapore has moved a step closer to a driverless public transport network with the launch of a new trial of self-driving buses.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-singapore-self-driving-bus-trial.html

EasyJet says revenues slump almost 90% on virus hit

British no-frills airline EasyJet said Thursday that revenues collapsed by almost 90 percent in its first quarter as coronavirus ravaged travel demand, warning that second quarter capacity will be slashed.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-easyjet-revenues-slump-virus.html

Chinese app TikTok cuts jobs in India following ban

Popular short-video Chinese app TikTok is cutting its workforce in India after hundreds of millions of its users dropped it to comply with a government ban on dozens of Chinese apps amid a military standoff between the two countries.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-chinese-app-tiktok-jobs-india.html

Apple to crack down on tracking iPhone users in early spring

Apple says it will roll out a new privacy control in the spring to prevent iPhone apps from secretly shadowing people. The delay in its anticipated rollout aims to placate Facebook and other digital services that depend on such data surveillance to help sell ads.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-apple-tracking-iphone-users-early.html

Regulator says Australia must address Google ad dominance

A lack of competition for Google and a lack of transparency in the digital advertising supply chain needed to be addressed because they were impacting publishers, advertisers and consumers, Australia's competition watchdog said on Thursday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-australia-google-ad-dominance.html

Samsung Electronics profit spikes on pandemic-driven demand

Samsung Electronics, the world's biggest smartphone and memory chip maker reported fourth-quarter net profits up by more than a quarter year-on-year Thursday, with coronavirus-driven working from home boosting demand for devices powered by its chips.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-samsung-profit-driven-strong-chip.html

Eye-popping research helps inform salmon and floodplain management

If you look deep into the eyes of a fish, it will tell you its life story.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-eye-popping-salmon-floodplain.html

They're just not that into you: Consumer-brand relationship insights

Researchers from Western University, Indiana University, and Washington State University published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that uses the idea of psychological distance as a way to leverage qualities of existing consumer-brand relationships.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-theyre-consumer-brand-relationship-insights.html

Entrepreneurs benefit more from emotional intelligence than other competencies, such as IQ

Running a successful business has its challenges, but the COVID-19 pandemic has required many owners to pivot and look for new ways to operate profitably while keeping employees and consumers safe. Research from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business found that emotional intelligence—the ability to understand, use and manage emotions to relieve stress—may be more vital to a business' survival than previously thought.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-entrepreneurs-benefit-emotional-intelligence-iq.html

Technology bolsters use of chia seeds to help improve health, slow signs of aging

An improved extraction method involving chia seeds may provide new options for nutritional foods, medicine capsules and anti-aging products.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-technology-bolsters-chia-seeds-health.html

'Liquid' machine-learning system adapts to changing conditions

MIT researchers have developed a type of neural network that learns on the job, not just during its training phase. These flexible algorithms, dubbed "liquid" networks, change their underlying equations to continuously adapt to new data inputs. The advance could aid decision making based on data streams that change over time, including those involved in medical diagnosis and autonomous driving.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-liquid-machine-learning-conditions.html

First evidence that water can be created on the lunar surface by Earth's magnetosphere

Before the Apollo era, the moon was thought to be dry as a desert due to the extreme temperatures and harshness of the space environment. Many studies have since discovered lunar water: ice in shadowed polar craters, water bound in volcanic rocks, and unexpected rusty iron deposits in the lunar soil. Despite these findings, there is still no true confirmation of the extent or origin of lunar surface water.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-evidence-lunar-surface-earth-magnetosphere.html

Voters perceive political candidates with a disability as qualified for elected office

Worldwide, over one billion people live with a disability. Historically, they have been discriminated against and stigmatized by society. To improve their rights, they should be included in political decision-making, yet there is a lack of political representatives who are known to have a disability. This under-representation may be due to several factors, including how voters perceive a political candidate with a disability. However, a new study published in Frontiers in Political Science, found for the first time that voters do not apply negative stereotypes when evaluating candidates with a disability. Rather, voters tend to perceive candidates with a disability as capable, honest, and caring.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-voters-political-candidates-disability-elected.html

How blood stem cells maintain their lifelong potential for self-renewal

A characteristic feature of all stem cells is their ability to self-renew. But how is this potential maintained throughout life? Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM) have now discovered in mice that cells in the so-called stem cell niche are responsible for this: Blood vessel cells of the niche produce a factor that stimulates blood stem cells and thus maintains their self-renewal capacity. During aging, production of this factor ceases and blood stem cells begin to age.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-blood-stem-cells-lifelong-potential.html

Ancient proteins help track early milk drinking in Africa

Tracking milk drinking in the ancient past is not straightforward. For decades, archaeologists have tried to reconstruct the practice by various indirect methods. They have looked at ancient rock art to identify scenes of animals being milked and at animal bones to reconstruct kill-off patterns that might reflect the use of animals for dairying. More recently, they even used scientific methods to detect traces of dairy fats on ancient pots. But none of these methods can say if a specific individual consumed milk.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-ancient-proteins-track-early-africa.html

Genome sequences for two wild tomato ancestors

Tomatoes are one of the most popular types of fresh produce consumed worldwide, as well as being an important ingredient in many manufactured foods.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-genome-sequences-wild-tomato-ancestors.html

Philippine forest trees threatened by deforestation and climate change

The tree species in the Dipterocarpaceae family dominate many tropical forest formations in Southeast Asia (see Figure 1). The Philippines is home to more than 50 dipterocarp tree species, of which 25 cannot be found anywhere else on Earth. About 97% of the Philippines' tropical forest have been subjected to logging activities, and are often converted to other land uses such as for agriculture. Hence, many of these important and unique tree species are under severe threat. Apart from this, climate change may further threaten the survival of these tree species as environmental conditions become increasingly inhospitable, driving potential shifts in their population ranges.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-philippine-forest-trees-threatened-deforestation.html

Arctic ocean expedition advances climate modeling

As the climate warms and Arctic sea ice retreats, more research vessels and commercial ships are sailing into the Arctic Ocean, but the accuracy and sensitivity of regional weather and marine forecasts for these hazardous waters still lag well behind those of their lower-latitude counterparts, with significant differences between regional models. Direct measurements of atmospheric conditions, such as cloud cover and solar radiation can help to evaluate and improve these models.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-arctic-ocean-advances-climate.html

Not obese after all: Captive Asian elephants less fat than average human

When Daniella Chusy, currently at Indiana University, U.S., learned that many captive elephants were thought to be overweight and that their low birth rates suggested that they may be facing a fertility crisis, she began seeing parallels with the obesity crisis humans face currently. But no one had actually measured how much fat captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in zoos carry. "I was interested in discovering whether methods predominantly used in human health research could help us learn more about elephants," says Chusyd at University of Alabama at Birmingham, U.S. (UAB) at the time. She and her colleagues decided to learn about the relationship between the amount of fat the animals carry and their health and they publish their discovery that captive Asian elephants are less fat than the average human in Journal of Experimental Biology.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-obese-captive-asian-elephants-fat.html

Genome-editing tool TALEN outperforms CRISPR-Cas9 in tightly packed DNA

Researchers used single-molecule imaging to compare the genome-editing tools CRISPR-Cas9 and TALEN. Their experiments revealed that TALEN is up to five times more efficient than CRISPR-Cas9 in parts of the genome, called heterochromatin, that are densely packed. Fragile X syndrome, sickle cell anemia, beta-thalassemia and other diseases are the result of genetic defects in the heterochromatin.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-genome-editing-tool-talen-outperforms-crispr-cas9.html

Carbon-chomping soil bacteria may pose hidden climate risk

Much of the earth's carbon is trapped in soil, and scientists have assumed that potential climate-warming compounds would safely stay there for centuries. But new research from Princeton University shows that carbon molecules can potentially escape the soil much faster than previously thought. The findings suggest a key role for some types of soil bacteria, which can produce enzymes that break down large carbon-based molecules and allow carbon dioxide to escape into the air.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-carbon-chomping-soil-bacteria-pose-hidden.html

YouTube Shorts eyes TikTok competition with 3.5 bn daily views in India

YouTube Shorts—the video-sharing website's quick clips meant to compete with TikTok—are racking up 3.5 billion views a day during beta testing in India, the platform's head said Tuesday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-youtube-shorts-eyes-tiktok-competition.html

Volta Trucks set to launch urban electric lorry

Anglo-Swedish startup Volta Trucks will launch its urban electric lorry this year, the group said Wednesday, tapping into keen demand for electrified transport—and increasing bans against high-polluting vehicles.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-volta-trucks-urban-electric-lorry.html

The end of offices? New York's business districts face uncertain future

Boarded-up stores, shuttered restaurants and empty office towers: COVID-19 has turned New York's famous business districts into ghost towns, with companies scrambling to come up with ways to entice workers to return post-pandemic.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-offices-york-business-districts-uncertain.html

Biden poised to halt fossil fuel leasing on federal land

US President Joe Biden was planning to announce new bans on oil and gas drilling on federal lands Wednesday as part of a raft of actions that take aim at climate change, according to reports and a White House memo.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-biden-poised-halt-fossil-fuel.html

Google says North Korea-backed hackers sought cyber research

Google says it believes hackers backed by the North Korean government have been posing as computer security bloggers and using fake accounts on social media while attempting to steal information from researchers in the field.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-google-north-korea-backed-hackers-sought.html

Walmart to build more robot-filled warehouses at stores

Walmart is enlisting the help of robots to keep up with a surge in online orders.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-walmart-robot-filled-warehouses.html

Indonesian volcano unleashes river of lava in new eruption

Indonesia's most active volcano erupted Wednesday with a river of lava and searing gas clouds flowing 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) down its slopes.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-indonesian-volcano-unleashes-river-lava.html

Newly found Fukushima plant contamination may delay cleanup

A draft investigation report into the 2011 Fukushima nuclear meltdown, adopted by Japanese nuclear regulators Wednesday, says it has detected dangerously high levels of radioactive contamination at two of the three reactors, adding to concerns about decommissioning challenges.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-newly-fukushima-contamination-cleanup.html

Harpy eagles could be under greater threat than previously thought

Harpy eagles are considered by many to be among the planet's most spectacular birds. They are also among its most elusive, generally avoiding areas disturbed by human activity—therefore already having vanished from portions of its range—and listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as being 'Near-Threatened'.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-harpy-eagles-greater-threat-previously.html

Pace of prehistoric human innovation could be revealed by 'linguistic thermometer'

Multi-disciplinary researchers at The University of Manchester have helped develop a powerful physics-based tool to map the pace of language development and human innovation over thousands of years—even stretching into pre-history before records were kept.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-pace-prehistoric-human-revealed-linguistic.html

Children can bypass age verification procedures in popular social media apps

Children of all ages can completely bypass age verification measures to sign-up to the world's most popular social media apps including Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, Skype and Discord by simply lying about their age, researchers at Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software have discovered.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-children-bypass-age-verification-procedures.html

Making wheat and peanuts less allergenic

The United States Department of Agriculture identifies a group of "big eight" foods that causes 90% of food allergies. Among these foods are wheat and peanuts.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-wheat-peanuts-allergenic.html

Solar material can 'self-heal' imperfections, new research shows

A material that can be used in technologies such as solar power has been found to self-heal, a new study shows.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-solar-material-self-heal-imperfections.html

The naming of Tooley crater

Like Einstein, Galileo, and Copernicus, former NASA program manager Craig Tooley now has a place on the Moon named in his honor. Tooley crater is a 7 km crater in a permanently shadowed region of Shoemaker crater near the lunar south pole. The new crater designation is official and can be used in journal articles and other publications.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-tooley-crater.html

World's largest opinion survey on climate change: Majority call for wide-ranging action

The results of the Peoples' Climate Vote, the world's biggest ever survey of public opinion on climate change are published today. Covering 50 countries with over half of the world's population, the survey includes over half a million people under the age of 18, a key constituency on climate change that is typically unable to vote yet in regular elections. 

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-world-largest-opinion-survey-climate.html

Kakadu food scraps provide ancient rainfall clues

Archaeologists are generating a 65,000-year-old rainfall record from ancient food scraps found at Australia's earliest-known site of human occupation.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-kakadu-food-scraps-ancient-rainfall.html

3-D creature construction: Building chromosomes from the ground up

The Genome in a Box project is the brainchild of researchers Anthony Birnie and Cees Dekker from the Dept. of Bionanoscience at the Delft University of Technology. Their stated goal is to assemble a functioning chromosome from the bottom-up, beginning with the naked DNA. In theory, the raw sequence could be printed in pieces using DNA synthesis machines and then stitched together into one long string with the correct code of the desired chromosome. That would be nearly impossible in practice, at least with our existing technology. There would be no way to keep the fragile strings sorted so that they could be properly joined and folded without error.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-d-creature-chromosomes-ground.html

Dogs synchronize their behavior with children, but not as much as with adults, study finds

Dogs synchronize their behavior with the children in their family, but not as much as they do with adults, a new study from Oregon State University researchers found.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-dogs-synchronize-behavior-children-adults.html

To find the right network model, compare all possible histories

Two family members test positive for COVID-19—how do we know who infected whom? In a perfect world, network science could provide a probable answer to such questions. It could also tell archeologists how a shard of Greek pottery came to be found in Egypt, or help evolutionary biologists understand how a long-extinct ancestor metabolized proteins.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-network-histories.html

Mouse study identifies novel compound that may help develop diabetes drugs

Research led by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine identified a new compound that might serve as a basis for developing a new class of drugs for diabetes.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-mouse-compound-diabetes-drugs.html

New species of custard apple family found in Myanmar

With over 100 species, Artabotrys is a large palaeotropical genus that belongs to the custard apple family (Annonacea), one of the most diverse and primitive families of the angiosperms. In Myanmar, the genus is represented by seven species.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-species-custard-apple-family-myanmar.html

Scientists reveal dynamic mechanism of lead-free quadruple perovskite nanocrystals

In recent years, lead-free halide perovskite nanocrystals have drawn more and more attention due to their low toxicity, high stability and chemical diversity.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-scientists-reveal-dynamic-mechanism-lead-free.html

Smart algorithm cleans up images by searching for clues buried in noise

To enter the world of the fantastically small, the main currency is either a ray of light or electrons.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-smart-algorithm-images-clues-noise.html

Researchers construct molecular nanofibers that are stronger than steel

Self-assembly is ubiquitous in the natural world, serving as a route to form organized structures in every living organism. This phenomenon can be seen, for instance, when two strands of DNA—without any external prodding or guidance—join to form a double helix, or when large numbers of molecules combine to create membranes or other vital cellular structures. Everything goes to its rightful place without an unseen builder having to put all the pieces together, one at a time.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-molecular-nanofibers-stronger-steel.html

Energy spent avoiding humans linked to smaller home ranges for male pumas

In the Santa Cruz mountains, pumas are top predators, patrolling a diverse landscape of forests, meadows, peaks, and valleys. But "mountain lion country" is also bordered by coastal cities to the west and Silicon Valley to the east, with major roadways and fringes of development reaching into wildlands. As a result, humans have become a major source of mortality and fear for these cats. UC Santa Cruz researchers have shown that pumas will go to great lengths to avoid human "super predators," even bolting away from food at the sound of human voices.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-energy-spent-humans-linked-smaller.html

Study shows people are influenced more by fact-checks after they read news headlines, not before

The battle to stop false news and online misinformation is not going to end any time soon, but a new finding from MIT scholars may help ease the problem.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-people-fact-checks-news-headlines.html

The inner ear hides clues on human evolution

A PNAS study led by the Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont (ICP) analyzed the kinship between two Miocene great apes (Hispanopithecus and Rudapithecus) based on the morphology of their inner ear semicircular canals. This anatomical structure is informative in reconstructing phylogenetic relationships between fossil primate species. The results are in accordance with the distinction of these taxa at a generic level and reinforce their allocation in the Hominidae. Furthermore, the similarities in semicircular canal morphology with extant chimpanzees and bonobos suggest that the latter possibly retained the ancestral condition, while orangutans appear to have derived the structure independently.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-ear-clues-human-evolution.html

Engineers test LiDAR system intended for space missions

Two images of the same front steps: one taken with a camera and the other with a flash imaging LiDAR, the laser equivalent of radar, under development for future space missions.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-lidar-space-missions.html

Keeping a clean path: Doubling the capacity of solid-state lithium batteries

Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech), Tohoku University, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, and Nippon Institute of Technology have demonstrated by experiment that a clean electrolyte/electrode interface is key to realizing high-capacity solid-state lithium batteries. Their findings could pave the way for improved battery designs with increased capacity, stability, and safety for both mobile devices and electric vehicles.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-path-capacity-solid-state-lithium-batteries.html

Absence of supporters during football matches associated with fewer altercations on pitch

Players, staff and officials engaged in shorter and less extensive emotional behavior and interactions, such as arguments and discussions in games played during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, when supporters were absent. The findings are presented in a case study of 20 FC Redbull Salzburg championship group games published in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-absence-football-altercations-pitch.html

Listen-in social network Clubhouse readies for the masses

Invite-only audio social network Clubhouse is readying to let in the masses with the help of a fresh funding round reported to value it at nearly a billion dollars.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-listen-in-social-network-clubhouse-readies.html

Latin American newspapers bet on digital subscriptions

Facing a major slump in printed newspaper sales and advertising revenue, Latin America's press is fighting for survival—and increasingly betting on paid digital subscriptions as readers turn to the internet.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-latin-american-newspapers-digital-subscriptions.html

Hyundai Motor's Q4 net profit jumps 78 percent

South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor defied the coronavirus pandemic to post a surprise 78 percent surge in fourth-quarter profits Tuesday, as robust domestic sales offset weak overseas demand.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-hyundai-motor-q4-net-profit.html

Lion cub Simba born in Singapore via artificial insemination

The Singapore Zoo has welcomed a lion cub named Simba to its animal kingdom following artificial insemination that officials said Tuesday was a first for the city-state.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-lion-cub-simba-born-singapore.html

How did Florida fail to respond to a coral disease epizootic and what's to follow?

By 2020, massive losses of large populations of corals have been observed throughout Florida and into the greater Caribbean basin. Taking into account the high mortality and the large number of susceptible species affected, this is likely the most lethal case of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) ever recorded in modern history.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-florida-coral-disease-epizootic.html

Study sheds new light on the behaviour of the giant carnivorous dinosaur Spinosaurus

New research from Queen Mary University of London and the University of Maryland, has reignited the debate around the behavior of the giant dinosaur Spinosaurus.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-behaviour-giant-carnivorous-dinosaur-spinosaurus.html

Inequality in medieval Cambridge was 'recorded on the bones' of its residents

Social inequality was "recorded on the bones" of Cambridge's medieval residents, according to a new study of hundreds of human remains excavated from three very different burial sites within the historic city centre.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-inequality-medieval-cambridge-bones-residents.html

Aircraft could cut emissions by better surfing the wind

Airlines could save fuel and reduce emissions on transatlantic flights by hitching a better ride on the jet stream, new research has shown.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-aircraft-emissions-surfing.html

Plasmid-encoded toxin-antitoxin system directly controls plasmid replication: study

Conjugative plasmids are extrachromosomal genetic elements that carry genetic determinants for adaptive traits. They contribute to the global dissemination of antibiotic resistance among multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-plasmid-encoded-toxin-antitoxin-plasmid-replication.html

Image: Hubble takes portrait of the 'Lost Galaxy'

Located in the constellation of Virgo (The Virgin), around 50 million light-years from Earth, the galaxy NGC 4535 is truly a stunning sight to behold. Despite the incredible quality of this image, taken from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, NGC 4535 has a hazy, somewhat ghostly, appearance when viewed from a smaller telescope. This led amateur astronomer Leland S. Copeland to nickname NGC 4535 the "Lost Galaxy" in the 1950s.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-image-hubble-portrait-lost-galaxy.html

NASA's deep space network welcomes a new dish to the family

A powerful new antenna has been added to the NASA Space Communications and Navigation's Deep Space Network (DSN), which connects us to the space robots exploring our solar system. Called Deep Space Station 56, or DSS-56, the dish is now online and ready to communicate with a variety of missions, including NASA's Perseverance rover when it lands on the Red Planet next month.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-nasa-deep-space-network-dish.html

Platinum complex inhibits metastasis through conformational modulation of heparan sulfate

Cisplatin has been used to treat cancer since the 1970s. Since then, many other platinum-containing cytostatic drugs have been developed, such as triplatinNC, a highly charged complex that contains three ligand-bridged platinum atoms. Unlike cisplatin, this drug also directly inhibits metastasis. The reason for this seems to be modulation of the geometry of a sugar component of heparan sulfate, an important component of the extracellular matrix, reports a research team in the journal Angewandte Chemie.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-platinum-complex-inhibits-metastasis-conformational.html

Suzaku observations find X-ray intraday variability of the blazar PKS 2155−304

Using the Suzaku satellite, astronomers have examined a very high energy (VHE) blazar known as PKS 2155−304. They found that the source exhibits an X-ray intraday variability, which could improve the understanding of its nature. The finding is reported in a paper published January 15 on arXiv.org.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-suzaku-x-ray-intraday-variability-blazar.html

Researchers guide a single ion through a Bose-Einstein condensate

Transport processes are ubiquitous in nature, but still raise many questions. The research team around Florian Meinert from the Fifth Institute of Physics at the University of Stuttgart has now developed a new method to observe a single charged particle on its path through a dense cloud of ultracold atoms. The results were published in Physical Review Letters and are further reported in a Viewpoint column in the journal Physics.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-ion-bose-einstein-condensate.html

Autofocusing of microscopy images using deep learning

Optical microscopes are frequently used in biomedical sciences to reveal fine features of a specimen, such as human tissue samples and cells, forming the backbone of pathological imaging for disease diagnosis. One of the most critical steps in microscopic imaging is autofocusing so that different parts of a sample can be rapidly imaged all in focus, featuring various details at a resolution that is smaller than one millionth of a meter. Manual focusing of these microscope images by an expert is impractical, especially for rapid imaging of a large number of specimens, such as in a pathology laboratory that processes hundreds of patient samples every day.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-autofocusing-microscopy-images-deep.html

A software platform for 'smart' video tracking

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have developed a novel software platform from which apps and algorithms can intelligently track and analyze video feeds from cameras spread across cities. Such analysis is not only useful for tracking missing persons or objects, but also for "smart city" initiatives such as automated traffic control.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-software-platform-smart-video-tracking.html

Scientists identify the most effective scenario for nuclear energy in Russia through 2100

Currently, there is a rapid, fundamental transformation of energy systems with new technologies developing at an accelerated pace. It is clear that nuclear energy will be part of the global energy mix for decades to come, but its share and growth rate will depend on a number of factors, such as the speed of innovation in nuclear technology, energy policies and funding mechanisms. Many scenarios based on specific targets predict the growth of the nuclear power sector, as it can solve the problem of energy supply over a long period.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-scientists-effective-scenario-nuclear-energy.html

Physicists build unique antennas that improve MRI quality and safety

Scanners applied in research use not just one antenna that emits and receives the signal, but several of them, which can cause severe burns to inner tissues and organs. Thus, researchers are forced to power scanners with less voltage, which negatively affects the quality of their studies. Now, ITMO physicists, together with their colleagues from the M-Cube consortium, have created the first ever leaky-wave antennas for MRI scanners. The device can conduct body organ diagnostics without risks for patient health while also raising the quality of images acquired in research scanners.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-physicists-unique-antennas-mri-quality.html

Physicists succeed in filming phase transition with extremely high spatial and temporal resolution

Laser beams can be used to change the properties of materials in an extremely precise way. This principle is already widely used in technologies such as rewritable DVDs. However, the underlying processes generally take place at such unimaginably fast speeds and at such a small scale that they have so far eluded direct observation. Researchers at the University of Göttingen and the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen have now managed to film, for the first time, the laser transformation of a crystal structure with nanometre resolution and in slow motion in an electron microscope. The results have been published in the journal Science.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-physicists-phase-transition-extremely-high.html

Efficient solid-state depolymerization of waste PET

Plastic pollution has become one of the most complex environmental issues, especially in the context of increasing production and demand for plastic materials. While innovations in polymer chemistry have radically changed our lives in the mid-20th century, the outstanding properties of plastics such as durability, chemical stability, strength and many other characteristics pose a serious problem for recycling such materials.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-efficient-solid-state-depolymerization-pet.html

New skull of tube-crested dinosaur reveals evolution of bizarre crest

The first new skull discovered in nearly a century from a rare species of the iconic, tube-crested dinosaur Parasaurolophus was announced today in the journal PeerJ. The exquisite preservation of the skull, especially the bizarre tube-shaped nasal passage, finally revealed the structure of the crest after decades of disagreement.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-skull-tube-crested-dinosaur-reveals-evolution.html

Nuclear war could trigger big El Nino and decrease seafood

A nuclear war could trigger an unprecedented El Niño-like warming episode in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, slashing algal populations by 40 percent and likely lowering the fish catch, according to a Rutgers-led study.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-nuclear-war-trigger-big-el.html

Nanomedicine's 'crown' is ready for its close up

An international team of researchers led by Michigan State University's Morteza Mahmoudi has developed a new method to better understand how nanomedicines—emerging diagnostics and therapies that are very small yet very intricate—interact with patients' biomolecules.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-nanomedicine-crown-ready.html

Microbes fuelled by wind-blown mineral dust melt the Greenland ice sheet

Scientists have identified a key nutrient source used by algae living on melting ice surfaces linked to rising sea levels.The Greenland ice sheet—the second largest ice body in the world after the Antarctic ice sheet—covers almost 80% of the surface of Greenland. Over the last 25 years, surface melting and water runoff from the ice sheet has increased by about 40%.The international research team, led by the University of Leeds, analysed samples from the southwestern margin on Greenland's 1.7 million km2 ice sheet over two years.They discovered that phosphorus containing minerals may be driving ever-larger algal blooms on the Greenland Ice Sheet. As the algal blooms grow they darken the ice surface, decreasing albedo—the ability to reflect sunlight. The blooms cause increased melting thus contributing to higher sea levels. In particular, a band of low-albedo ice, known as the Dark Zone, has developed along the western margin of the massive ice sheet.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-microbes-fuelled-wind-blown-mineral-greenland.html

Global ice loss increases at record rate

The rate at which ice is disappearing across the planet is speeding up, according to new research.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-global-ice-loss.html

Texas coast uses Christmas trees to rebuild storm-ravaged dunes

Toni Capretta stands on a patch of Texas's Gulf coast where just seven months earlier the dunes were nearly her height. Now they are gone.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-texas-coast-christmas-trees-rebuild.html

US leading race in artificial intelligence, China rising: survey

The United States is leading rivals in development and use of artificial intelligence while China is rising quickly and European Union is lagging, a research report showed Monday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-artificial-intelligence-china-survey.html

SpaceX rocket deploys record-setting cargo

SpaceX on Sunday launched its Falcon 9 rocket carrying a record number of satellites on board, the private space company said.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-spacex-rocket-deploys-record-setting-cargo.html

Russian hack of US agencies exposed supply chain weaknesses

The elite Russian hackers who gained access to computer systems of federal agencies last year didn't bother trying to break one by one into the networks of each department.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-russian-hack-agencies-exposed-chain.html

Women influenced coevolution of dogs and humans

Man's best friend might actually belong to a woman.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-women-coevolution-dogs-humans.html

Study demonstrates interconnectedness of Arctic and North Pacific on multimillennial timescales

Arctic sea ice is rapidly diminishing due to global warming, and scientists have found that sea ice dynamics have a big impact on circulation and precipitation patterns in Arctic Alaska, which lies at a climatological crossroads between the Arctic and North Pacific Oceans. Recent studies—most of which focus on current trends in the region and on what will happen in the future—have shown that circulation patterns in the Arctic and North Pacific Oceans influence one another.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-interconnectedness-arctic-north-pacific-multimillennial.html

Pandemic boosts variety of video games

You're stuck in lockdown but that doesn't mean you can't visit a tropical island, a space station or have games night with your friends—certain video games have filled the need of the world's confined for a bit of distraction, adventure and socialising and achieved unexpected success during the pandemic.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-pandemic-boosts-variety-video-games.html

Miami's successful pitch to tech firms: How can we help?

The city of Miami, with a growing reputation as a financial services center enhanced by its balmy climate and low taxes, is now making a concerted and increasingly successful push to attract hi-tech firms from Silicon Valley and New York.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-miami-successful-pitch-tech-firms.html

Czech trainers teach dogs to sniff out COVID

In a dog training centre built inside a shipping container located in a Czech mountain village, Renda, Cap and Laky are being put to the test.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-czech-trainers-dogs-covid.html

Switzerland's timeless art mechanics embraces 3-D future

In his snow-bound workshop, Swiss master Francois Junod's moving mechanical artworks whir into action: birds whistle, historical luminaries write poetry—traditional craftsmanship newly recognised as being among the world's cultural heritage.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-switzerland-timeless-art-mechanics-embraces.html

Chileans receive mistaken tsunami warning following Antarctic quake

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck Saturday off the coast of Antarctica triggered a tsunami warning but panic ensued when a message to abandon coastal areas was sent to a large number of Chileans, some of whom experienced a separate, less dangerous temblor.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-chileans-mistaken-tsunami-antarctic-quake.html

Tesla sues former employee for allegedly stealing 26,000 confidential files

Tesla has sued a former employee for allegedly stealing about 26,000 confidential files in his first week of working at the company, according to a court filing seen by AFP.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-tesla-sues-employee-allegedly-confidential.html

Endangered Siamese crocodile in rare sighting at Thai national park

The critically endangered Siamese crocodile has been spotted for only the second time in a decade at Thailand's largest national park, according to photos released on Saturday.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-endangered-siamese-crocodile-rare-sighting.html

Warning light halts Boeing 737 MAX flight in Canada

Canadian airline Westjet on Friday cancelled a flight just prior to take-off after a warning light went off in the cockpit of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-halts-boeing-max-flight-canada.html

U of Louisiana-Lafayette mini-satellite zipping around Earth

A cubical satellite small enough to sit on the palm of your hand is zipping around the world and sending data about radiation to the Louisiana students who designed and built it.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-louisiana-lafayette-mini-satellite-earth.html

Chipmaker Intel Corp. blames internal error on data leak

The computer chipmaker Intel Corp. on Friday blamed an internal error for a data leak that prompted it to release a quarterly earnings report early. It said its corporate network was not compromised.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-chipmaker-intel-corp-blames-internal.html

'Baba Yaga' introduces with a virtual reality movie premiere

Last week Daisy Ridley and Jennifer Hudson went to a movie premiere together. They posed for photos and made remarks from a stage while an audience watched quietly.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-baba-yaga-virtual-reality-movie.html

New technique builds super-hard metals from nanoparticles

Metallurgists have all kinds of ways to make a chunk of metal harder. They can bend it, twist it, run it between two rollers or pound it with a hammer. These methods work by breaking up the metal's grain structure—the microscopic crystalline domains that form a bulk piece of metal. Smaller grains make for harder metals.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-technique-super-hard-metals-nanoparticles.html

Wet and wild: There's lots of water in the world's most explosive volcano

There isn't much in Kamchatka, a remote peninsula in northeastern Russia just across the Bering Sea from Alaska, besides an impressive population of brown bears and the most explosive volcano in the world.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-wild-lots-world-explosive-volcano.html

New self-assembly method creates bioelectronics out of microscopic structures

Bringing together soft, malleable living cells with hard, inflexible electronics can be a difficult task. UChicago researchers have developed a new method to face this challenge by utilizing microscopic structures to build up bioelectronics rather than creating them from the top down—creating a highly customizable product.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-self-assembly-method-bioelectronics-microscopic.html

The influence and importance of language

In the hours immediately following the events at the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, no one quite knew how to describe what had happened. It wasn't simply because nothing like it had occurred in a century, but also because details regarding what preceded and took place during the event itself—a breach by a large, angry group of Trump supporters that resulted in five deaths—still remains murky several weeks later.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-importance-language.html

The Very Large Array: Astronomical shapeshifter

When the Very Large Array was completed forty years ago, it was a different kind of radio telescope. Rather than having a single antenna dish, the VLA has 27. The data these antennas gather is combined in such a way that they act as a single radio telescope. As a radio array, the virtual dish of the VLA can cover an area roughly the size of Disney World. But the VLA can also do something ordinary telescopes can't do: it can change shape.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-large-array-astronomical-shapeshifter.html

Scientists shine new light on heat-damaged hair

A new technique allowed researchers to observe in greater detail how heat alters keratin proteins, helping in their search for ingredients that can prevent heat-damaged hair.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-scientists-heat-damaged-hair.html

New variety of paintbrush lily developed by a novel plant tissue culture technique

Scientists at Hokkaido University and Chiba University have developed simultaneous triploid and hexaploid varieties of Haemanthus albiflos by the application of endosperm culture, thus extending the use of this technique.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-variety-paintbrush-lily-tissue-culture.html

New study reveals secrets to solar success

A new study shows how researchers at The Australian National University (ANU) achieved a world record in solar cell efficiency.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-reveals-secrets-solar-success.html

How do aggregates of different sizes mediate soil-plant relationship?

Aggregates of different sizes provide heterogeneous microhabitats for soil microorganisms, which in turn drive the cycling and transformation of soil materials and energy, and have different effects on key processes related to nutrient supply and storage. The role of soil aggregates in ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, fertilizer preservation and erosion prevention has been widely studied. However, little is known about their roles in mediating the relationship between soil and plant community properties.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-aggregates-sizes-soil-plant-relationship.html

Algorithm supports cheaper, quicker microbiome functional assessment

A new algorithm may reduce the need for expensive, time-consuming whole-genome sequencing computations to understand how a microbiome functions. A team led by Jing Gongchao of the Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Su Xiaoquan of Qingdao University, published their approach, called Meta-Apo, on Jan. 6 in BMC Genomics.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-algorithm-cheaper-quicker-microbiome-functional.html

Targeted coating improves graphene oxide membranes for nanofiltration

Nanofiltration (NF) is an advanced technology for treating wastewater containing organic micropollutants (OMPs).

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-coating-graphene-oxide-membranes-nanofiltration.html

Researchers propose new method for accurate measurement of electro-optic coefficient

Recently, researchers from the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (SIOM) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have proposed a novel measurement method of the electro-optic (EO) coefficient based on the χ(2) nonlinear optical technology to measure the linear EO coefficients of KH2PO4 (KDP) and K(H1−xDx)2PO4 (DKDP) precisely. Relevant results were published in Optics Express on Jan. 18, 2021.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-method-accurate-electro-optic-coefficient.html

Record-breaking laser link could provide test of Einstein's theory

Scientists from the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) and the University of Western Australia (UWA) have set a world record for the most stable transmission of a laser signal through the atmosphere.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-record-breaking-laser-link-einstein-theory.html

Role of dams in reducing global flood exposure under climate change

A new collaborative study led by researchers at the National Institute for Environmental Studies, the University of Tokyo, and Michigan State University exposes the role of dams for mitigating flood risk under climate change.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-role-global-exposure-climate.html

SpaceX to send TU Dresden satellite into space

TU Dresden's SOMP2b satellite will be lifted into orbit by SpaceX on January 22, 2021. It will be used to investigate new nanomaterials under the extreme conditions of space, to test systems for converting the sun's heat into electricity and to precisely measure the residual atmosphere around the satellite. SOMP2b will begin its journey around the Earth at an altitude of 500 km—slightly higher than the ISS space station. It will orbit the Earth in a special polar, sun-synchronous orbit, always flying over the TU Dresden ground station at approximately the same time of day and sending measurement data.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-spacex-tu-dresden-satellite-space.html

Navigating uncertainty: Why we need decision theory during a pandemic

During a pandemic, decisions have to be made under time pressure and amid scientific uncertainty, with potential disagreements among experts and models. With COVID-19, especially during the first wave, there was uncertainty about the virus transmissibility, the disease severity, the future evolution of the pandemic and the effectiveness of the proposed policy interventions, such as wearing face masks or closing schools. Together with a group of epidemiologists and economists, including the Nobel Prize winner Lars Peter Hansen, Bocconi professors Massimo Marinacci, AXA-Bocconi Chair in Risk, and Valentina Bosetti investigated how modern decision theory can help policymakers navigate through the uncertainty that characterizes this pandemic and possible future ones.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-uncertainty-decision-theory-pandemic.html

Alphabet closes down internet balloon network project 'Loon'

Google parent company Alphabet announced Friday it was shutting down "Loon", a high-profile project aiming to deliver wireless internet via flying balloons in the stratosphere, because it is not commercially viable.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-alphabet-internet-balloon-network-loon.html

Raspberry unveils $4 Pi Pico microcontroller

Raspberry is introducing a new member to its family: a microcontroller. And its price won't set anyone back too much: The new Raspberry Pi Pico costs about the same as a box of fresh-picked raspberries at the grocery store, $4.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-raspberry-unveils-pi-pico-microcontroller.html

Air Force issues national call for 3-D scanner

Additive manufacturing and computer design experts, the Air Force needs your ideas.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-air-issues-national-d-scanner.html

Embattled Intel says earnings better than expected

Intel said Thursday that earnings topped prior expectations, as the computer chip giant faces pressure to come up with bold ways to fend off fierce competition and an activist shareholder.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-embattled-intel.html

Combined river flows could send up to 3 billion microplastics a day into the Bay of Bengal

The Ganges River—with the combined flows of the Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers—could be responsible for up to 3 billion microplastic particles entering the Bay of Bengal every day, according to new research.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-combined-river-billion-microplastics-day.html

Do promotions make consumers more generous?

Researchers from Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and University of Hong Kong published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that examines why and how charitable organizations can increase donations by soliciting consumers after retailers' price promotions.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-consumers.html

Astronomers discover first cloudless, Jupiter-like planet

Astronomers at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian have detected the first Jupiter-like planet without clouds or haze in its observable atmosphere. The findings were published this month in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-astronomers-cloudless-jupiter-like-planet.html

Study highlights factors that predict success for treating canine behavioral disorders

There is a saying that you can't teach old dogs new tricks. When it comes to canine behavioral problems, age is only one factor that can predict how well a pet may respond to clinical intervention. In a paper published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, researchers provide the first evidence on the importance of not just a dog's age, sex and size on treatment success, but the owner's personality and the kind of bond that human and animal share.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-highlights-factors-success-canine-behavioral.html

Google threatens to pull search engine in Australia

Google on Friday threatened to make its search engine unavailable in Australia if the government went ahead with plans to make tech giants pay for news content.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-google-threatens-australia.html

Drug-delivery microcapsules tagged with zirconium-89 can be tracked by PET imaging

University of Alabama at Birmingham polymer and radionuclide chemists report what they say "may represent a major step forward in microcapsule drug delivery systems."

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-drug-delivery-microcapsules-tagged-zirconium-tracked.html

Data science and computational mathematics unite to advance predictive methods in engineering

A well-known mathematical method, used as a predictive tool in engineering and the physical sciences for more than 70 years, has been radically redesigned in landmark research led by Cambridge engineers.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-science-mathematics-advance-methods.html

Point-of-care test developed for tumor marker in human saliva based on lanthanide nanoprobes

Salivary assay, emerging as a non-invasive alternative to blood assay in clinic analysis, holds great promise for early-stage cancer diagnostics with advantages of low cost, easy collection and facile processing. Therefore, point-of-care (POC) detection of tumor markers in the saliva is urgently demanded.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-point-of-care-tumor-marker-human-saliva.html

Proper geometry of leaflets is important for their movement in legumes

Most legume species have compound leaves with multiple joined units termed leaflets, and the geometry of leaflets (the spatial structure and organization of leaflets) largely determines the compound leaf shape, which has been broadly recognized in model compound-leafed species.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-proper-geometry-leaflets-important-movement.html

Researchers reveal effects of chemical lysis and mechanical lysis on quality of microbial DNA

Yield, purity and integrity, of microbial DNA extracted from digesta samples is crucial for downstream analysis of amplicon sequencing. These markers of quality are influenced by chemical and mechanical lysis. However, contributions of chemical and mechanical lysis have not been investigated in DNA extraction methodology.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-reveal-effects-chemical-lysis-mechanical.html

A closer look at how immune cells attack and heal

Macrophages—immune cells that both fight infections and fix the damage they cause—are often placed into two categories: those that increase inflammation (known as "M1") to attack, and those that decrease inflammation to begin the healing process ("M2").

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-closer-immune-cells.html

Juno maps water ice across northern Ganymede

Jupiter's moon Ganymede is the largest planetary satellite in the solar system. It's also one of the most intriguing: Ganymede is the only moon with its own magnetic field, it is the most differentiated of all moons, and it likely possesses a subsurface ocean of liquid water. It was studied by the early Jupiter flybys made by the Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft, but our understanding today rests largely on observations made by NASA's Galileo orbiter from 1995 to 2003.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-juno-ice-northern-ganymede.html

Defects may help scientists understand the exotic physics of topology

Real-world materials are usually messier than the idealized scenarios found in textbooks. Imperfections can add complications and even limit a material's usefulness. To get around this, scientists routinely strive to remove defects and dirt entirely, pushing materials closer to perfection. Now, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have turned this problem around and shown that for some materials defects could act as a probe for interesting physics, rather than a nuisance.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-defects-scientists-exotic-physics-topology.html

How clicks on a job platform can reveal bias

Scientists at ETH Zurich have leveraged big data from recruitment platforms and machine learning to study hiring discrimination. They show that discrimination against immigrants depends, among other things, on the time of day; and that both men and women face discrimination.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-clicks-job-platform-reveal-bias.html

Lake heatwaves may become hotter and longer, new study suggests

Lake heatwaves—periods of extreme warm surface water temperature in lakes—may become hotter and longer by the end of the 21st century, according to a study published in Nature, increasing the link between climate change and extreme events.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-lake-heatwaves-hotter-longer.html

Bio-in­spired ro­bot­ics: Learn­ing from drag­on­flies

It is a high-speed movement: within fractions of a second the mouthparts of the dragonfly larvae spring forwards to seize its prey. For decades, researchers had assumed that this action must have been driven primarily by hydraulic pressure. Now, for the first time, scientists at Kiel University (CAU) have completely decrypted the biomechanical functional principle of what is known as the labial mask of dragonfly larvae. A vital contribution to this discovery was made by the team led by Dr. Sebastian Büsse of the Zoological Institute in its development of a bio-inspired robot with the operating principle of the complex mouthparts adapted to test its own hypothesis—the technology used here could lead to a significant enhancement of agile robot systems. The results of the ambitious research project were published on Wednesday 20 January in the renowned specialist journal Science Robotics.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-bio-inspired-robotics-dragonflies.html

A breakthrough in chiral polymer thin films research could enable a new generation of devices

The 10,000th paper published by Diamond Light Source could fundamentally change the technology landscape by enabling a new generation of devices. This study presents a new way of looking at chirality in thin polymer films that are important for electronics. It presents disruptive insights into chiral polymer films, which emit and absorb circularly polarized light, and offers the promise of achieving important technological advances, including high-performance displays, 3-D imaging and quantum computing. These findings were published recently in Nature Communications.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-breakthrough-chiral-polymer-thin-enable.html

Astronomers see whirlwind around possible exoplanet in the making

An international team of astronomers led by researchers from the Netherlands has discovered a whirlwind of dust and debris in orbit around a young star. It is possible that a planet is forming within the debris. The scientists made the discovery during the time that designers and developers of an astronomical instrument get as a reward for their work. They will soon publish their findings in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-astronomers-whirlwind-exoplanet.html

Antibiotic resistance may spread even more easily than expected

Pathogenic bacteria in humans are developing resistance to antibiotics much faster than expected. Now, computational research at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, shows that one reason could be significant genetic transfer between bacteria in our ecosystems and to humans. This work has also led to new tools for resistance researchers.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-antibiotic-resistance-easily.html

Cancer can be precisely diagnosed using a urine test with artificial intelligence

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men. Patients are determined to have prostate cancer primarily based on PSA, a cancer factor in blood. However, as diagnostic accuracy is as low as 30%, a considerable number of patients undergo additional invasive biopsy and thus suffer from resultant side effects, such as bleeding and pain.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-cancer-precisely-urine-artificial-intelligence.html

Whale carcass washes up on Bali beach

The rotting carcass of a nearly 14-metre (46-foot) whale washed up Thursday on Bali beach popular with tourists.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-whale-carcass-bali-beach.html

Restructuring Norwegian Air to get government support

Norway's government said Thursday it will help ailing low-cost carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle - a U-turn from its previous refusal to do so - as long as the company manages to raise 4.5 billion kroner ($529 million) from other investors.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-norwegian-air.html

Common pesticides stop bees and flies from getting a good night's sleep

Just like us, many insects need a decent night's sleep to function properly, but this might not be possible if they have been exposed to neonicotinoid insecticides, the most common form of insecticide used worldwide, suggests research by academics at the University of Bristol.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-common-pesticides-bees-flies-good.html

Rich nations 'hugely exaggerate' climate finance: study

Rich countries have over-reported finance to help countries adapt to the impacts of climate change by $20 billion over the last decade, leaving at-risk communities drastically underfunded, a new analysis showed Thursday.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-rich-nations-hugely-exaggerate-climate.html

California WeChat users claim China surveillance in lawsuit

California WeChat users sued its parent company Tencent on Wednesday, saying the mobile app is used for spying on and censoring users for the Chinese government.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-california-wechat-users-china-surveillance.html

Gray whale population drops by quarter off U.S. West Coast

Researchers say the population of gray whales off the West Coast of the United States has fallen by nearly one-quarter since 2016, resembling a similar die-off two decades ago.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-gray-whale-population-quarter-west.html

United Airlines posts $1.9 billion loss in pandemic-laden 4Q

United Airlines said Wednesday that it finished one of the worst years in its history by losing $1.9 billion in the last three months of 2020, and it predicted more of the same in the first quarter of this year.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-airlines-billion-loss-pandemic-laden-4q.html

Behind those dancing robots, scientists had to bust a move

The man who designed some of the world's most advanced dynamic robots was on a daunting mission: programming his creations to dance to the beat with a mix of fluid, explosive and expressive motions that are almost human.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-robots-scientists.html

Gold nanoparticles more stable by putting rings on them

Hokkaido University scientists have found a way to prevent gold nanoparticles from clumping, which could help towards their use as an anti-cancer therapy.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-gold-nanoparticles-stable.html

New starfish-like fossil reveals evolution in action

Researchers from the University of Cambridge have discovered a fossil of the earliest starfish-like animal, which sheds light on the origins of the nimble-armed creature. The prototype starfish, which has features in common with both sea lilies and modern-day starfish, is a missing link for scientists trying to piece together its early evolutionary history.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-starfish-like-fossil-reveals-evolution-action.html

Optical data transmission speed increased by a factor of at least 10,000

Pulsed lasers repeatedly emit light for a short period of time as if blinking. They have the advantage of focusing more energy than a continuous wave laser, whose intensity is kept unchanged over time. If digital signals are loaded in a pulsed laser, each pulse can encode one bit of data. In this respect, the higher the repetition rate, the more the amount of data that can be transmitted. However, conventional optical-fiber-based pulsed lasers have typically had a limitation in increasing the number of pulses per second above the MHz level.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-optical-transmission-factor.html

US orders Ford to recall 3 mn vehicles with Takata airbags

US regulators on Tuesday ordered Ford to recall three million vehicles containing Takata airbags that show signs of "potential future rupture risk."

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-ford-recall-mn-vehicles-takata.html

How the male mantis keeps its head during rough sex

A male Springbok praying mantis looking for a hook up doesn't have to worry about a female stealing his heart away.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-male-mantis-rough-sex.html

World Wide Web inventor opposes Australia's news payment plan

World Wide Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee says Australia's plan to force digital giants to pay media outlets for news content is "unworkable" and undermines a "fundamental principle" of the internet.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-world-wide-web-inventor-opposes.html

Reducing air pollution 'could prevent 50,000 EU deaths'

Limiting air pollution to levels recommended by the World Health Organization could prevent more than 50,000 deaths in Europe annually, according to research published Wednesday that called for urgent action.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-air-pollution-eu-deaths.html

Butterflies create jet propulsion with a clap of their wings

The whimsical, wafting flight of butterflies may not give the impression of top aerodynamic performance, but research published on Wednesday suggests their large flexible wings could be perfectly designed to give them a burst of jet propulsion.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-butterflies-jet-propulsion-wings.html

Alabama museum to restore full-sized mockup of space shuttle

The U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Alabama announced plans Tuesday to restore the world's only full-sized mockup of a space shuttle coupled with an external fuel tank and twin rocket boosters.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-alabama-museum-full-sized-mockup-space.html

Jack's back: Chinese e-tycoon ends silence with online video

China's highest-profile entrepreneur, Jack Ma, appeared Wednesday in an online video, ending a 2 1/2-month absence from public view that prompted speculation about the future of the e-commerce billionaire and his Alibaba Group.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-jack-chinese-e-tycoon-silence-online.html

Netflix's big 4Q lifts video service above 200M subscribers

Netflix's video streaming service has surpassed 200 million subscribers for the first time as its expanding line-up of TV series and movies continues to captivate people stuck at home during the ongoing battle against the pandemic.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-netflix-big-4q-video-200m.html

How to train a robot (using AI and supercomputers)

Before he joined the University of Texas at Arlington as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and founded the Robotic Vision Laboratory there, William Beksi interned at iRobot, the world's largest producer of consumer robots (mainly through its Roomba robotic vacuum).

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-01-robot-ai-supercomputers.html

Protected areas vulnerable to growing emphasis on food security

Protected areas are critical to mitigating extinction of species; however, they may also be in conflict with efforts to feed the growing human population. A new study shows that 6% of all global terrestrial protected areas are already made up of cropland, a heavily modified habitat that is often not suitable for supporting wildlife. Worse, 22% of this cropland occurs in areas supposedly enjoying the strictest levels of protection, the keystone of global biodiversity protection efforts.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-areas-vulnerable-emphasis-food.html

Researchers develop a mathematical model to explain the complex architecture of termite mounds

Following a series of studies on termite mound physiology and morphogenesis over the past decade, researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have now developed a mathematical model to help explain how termites construct their intricate mounds.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-mathematical-complex-architecture-termite-mounds.html

Do simulations represent the real world at the atomic scale?

Computer simulations hold tremendous promise to accelerate the molecular engineering of green energy technologies, such as new systems for electrical energy storage and solar energy usage, as well as carbon dioxide capture from the environment. However, the predictive power of these simulations depends on having a means to confirm that they do indeed describe the real world.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-simulations-real-world-atomic-scale.html

Appearance, social norms keep students off Zoom cameras

When the semester shifted online amid the COVID-19 pandemic last spring, Cornell University instructor Mark Sarvary, and his teaching staff decided to encourage—but not require—students to switch on their cameras.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-social-norms-students-cameras.html

Study shows how network of marine protected areas could help safeguard Antarctic penguins

New research led by BirdLife International, the University of East Anglia (UEA) and British Antarctic Survey highlights how a proposed network of marine protected areas could help safeguard some of the most important areas at sea for breeding Antarctic penguins.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-network-marine-areas-safeguard-antarctic.html

Stealing the spotlight in the field and kitchen

Plant breeders are constantly working to develop new bean varieties to meet the needs and desires of the food industry. But not everyone wants the same thing.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-spotlight-field-kitchen.html

Teachers having to work harder than any other professionals, says study

Teachers are working harder than ever before and more than any other occupation, according to a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Oxford Review of Education authored by researchers from UCL .

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-teachers-harder-professionals.html

Exploration of toxic Tiger Rattlesnake venom advances use of genetic science techniques

The Tiger Rattlesnake possesses the simplest, yet most toxic venom of any rattlesnake species, and now new research from a team lead by a University of South Florida biologist can explain the genetics behind the predator's fearsome bite.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-exploration-toxic-tiger-rattlesnake-venom.html

Breakthrough in understanding 'tummy bug' bacteria

Scientists have discovered how bacteria commonly responsible for seafood-related stomach upsets can go dormant and then "wake up".

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-breakthrough-tummy-bug-bacteria.html

Free online tool calculates risk of COVID-19 transmission in poorly-ventilated spaces

The vital role of ventilation in the spread of COVID-19 has been quantified by researchers, who have found that in poorly-ventilated spaces, the virus spreads further than two meters in seconds, and is far more likely to spread through prolonged talking than through coughing.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-free-online-tool-covid-transmission.html

Amber-encased fossil shines light on evolution of bioluminescent insects

Trapped in amber for ~100 million years, an exceptionally well-preserved, light-producing beetle sheds light on the diversification of bioluminescent beetles in the Cretaceous period and provides the missing fossil link between fireflies' living relatives.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-amber-encased-fossil-evolution-bioluminescent-insects.html

Diagnosing learning disabilities in multilingual contexts

The University of Luxembourg, the Centre pour le développement des apprentissages Grande-Duchesse Maria Teresa (CDA) and the Minister of Education, Children and Youth, Claude Meisch presented a new publication on learning disabilities in multilingual contexts on Monday 18 January 2021. The handbook "Lernstörungen im multilingualen Kontext: Diagnose und Hilfestellungen" is the first result of a joint collaboration between the University of Luxembourg and the Centre pour le développement des apprentissages Grande-Duchesse Maria Teresa (CDA) and focuses on the results of a study of the (standardized) assessment tools currently used in Luxembourg to diagnose specific learning disorders. The results of the study are based on interviews and questionnaire data collected from practitioners at the local, regional and national levels.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-disabilities-multilingual-contexts.html

Home-delivered food has a huge climate cost. So which cuisine is the worst culprit?

Over the past few years, Australians have embraced online food delivery services such as UberEats, Deliveroo and Menulog. But home-delivered food comes with a climate cost, and single-use packaging is one of the biggest contributors.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-home-delivered-food-huge-climate-cuisine.html

New research suggests 1.5C climate target will be out of reach without greener COVID-19 recovery plans

The amount of carbon dioxide that we can still emit while limiting global warming to a given target is called the "remaining carbon budget," and it has become a powerful tool to inform climate policy goals and track progress towards net-zero emissions targets.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-15c-climate-greener-covid-recovery.html

Caravan communities: Older, underinsured and overexposed to cyclones, storms and disasters

News of storms battering parts of Queensland and the threat posed by Cyclone Kimi reminded me of a recent experience I'd had.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-caravan-older-underinsured-overexposed-cyclones.html

The first CubeSat with a Hall-effect thruster has gone to space

Student-led teams aren't the only ones testing out novel electric propulsion techniques recently. Back in November, a company called Exotrail successfully tested a completely new kind of electric propulsion system in space—a small Hall-effect thruster.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-cubesat-hall-effect-thruster-space.html

Astronomers detect an outbursting young stellar object

By analyzing datasets from the Palomar Gattini InfraRed survey (PGIR) and NASA's NEOWISE spacecraft, astronomers have identified an outbursting young stellar object (YSO) in the star-forming region NGC 281-W. The study, which reports the finding and sheds more light on the nature of the newfound YSO, was published Jan. 11 on arXiv.org.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-astronomers-outbursting-young-stellar.html

The magnetic fields swirling within the Whirlpool galaxy

Messier objects are some of the most imaged objects in the universe. In part that's because many of them are so visibly appealing. A good example of that is the Whirlpool galaxy, M51, which recently received an even more dramatic visual representation with a new photo released by NASA. In it, the magnetic fields that are holding the galaxy together and tearing it apart at the same time are clearly visible. And it is even more stunning to look at.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-01-magnetic-fields-swirling-whirlpool-galaxy.html