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

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

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

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

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

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

Building a culture of high-quality data

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

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

Development of a broadband mid-infrared source for remote sensing

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

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

Tilapia farming: Dwarfism is a response to overcrowding stress

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

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

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

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

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

Huawei posts record profit but revenue growth sags

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

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

Counting begins in vote on first Amazon labor union

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

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

Deliveroo shares dive on London stock market launch

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

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

The global race to develop 'green' hydrogen

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

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

Pandemic delays gender parity by a generation: WEF

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

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

A hydrogen future for planes, trains and factories

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

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

Sharp increase in destruction of virgin forest in 2020

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

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

Volkswagen hoaxes media with fake news release as a joke

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

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

Automakers BMW, Volvo back moratorium on deep seabed mining

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

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

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

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

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

Japan's Hitachi acquires GlobalLogic for $9.6 billion

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

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

Architecture of Eolian successions under icehouse and greenhouse conditions

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

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

Lab-made hexagonal diamonds stiffer than natural diamonds

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

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

Floating gardens as a way to keep farming despite climate change

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Human hiking trails custom built for sauntering grizzlies

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

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

A new spin on energy-efficient electronics

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

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

Corridor test of Proba-3's formation flying sensors

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

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

Researchers first to link silicon atoms on surfaces

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

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

Researchers obtain more efficient red bioluminescence than those available commercially

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

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

Unique AI method for generating proteins to speed up drug development

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

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

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

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

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

Researchers shed new light on DNA replication

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

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

UK food giant Deliveroo set for £7.6bn London IPO

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

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

Fire-hit chipmaker Renesas says recovery could take four months

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

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

Zuckerberg confirms Instagram for kids plans at Congressional hearing on misinformation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ecuador policeman held over 185 baby tortoises in suitcase

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

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

In Tunis, flamingos wade past waste in key Africa wetlands

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

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

Disney+ has a $1 price increase taking effect Friday

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

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

Amazon faces new lawsuit alleging it fixed book prices

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

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

Airport crowds, airline ticket sales show travel recovering

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

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

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

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

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

The truth about Christ lies in contradiction, philosopher finds

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

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

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

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

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

Scientists identify molecular pathway that helps moving cells avoid aimless wandering

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

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

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

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

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

Researchers discover how animals grow their pointy body parts

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

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

Can viruses hijack their hosts' circadian rhythms?

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

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

Optogenetics: A novel light sensor built from algal enzymes

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

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

How proteins organize themselves: Complex process may have simple explanation

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

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

Exploring the moon's shadowed regions using beamed energy

In less than three years, astronauts will return to the moon for the first time since the Apollo Era. As part of the Artemis Program, the purpose is not only to send crewed missions back to the lunar surface to explore and collect samples. This time around, there's also the goal of establishing vital infrastructure (like the Lunar Gateway and a Base Camp) that will allow for "sustained lunar exploration."

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-exploring-moon-shadowed-regions-energy.html

String theory solves mystery about how particles behave outside a black hole photon sphere

A paper by the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU) Director Ooguri Hirosi and Project Researcher Matthew Dodelson on the string theoretical effects outside the black hole photon sphere has been selected for the "Editors' Suggestion" of the journal Physical Review D. Their paper was published on March 24, 2021.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-theory-mystery-particles-black-hole.html

New research provides insights into the process of diffusion in living systems

Adrop of food coloring slowly spreading in a glass of water is driven by a process known as diffusion. While the mathematics of diffusion have been known for many years, how this process works in living organisms is not as well understood.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-insights-diffusion.html

International team uncovers mystery behind 'coffee ring' formation

An international research team, led by Monash University, has discovered for the first time the mystery behind the formation of 'coffee rings' by examining the contact angle of droplets onto a surface, and how they dry.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-international-team-uncovers-mystery-coffee.html

Wetware data retrieval: Forensic analysis and data recovery from water-submerged hard drives

A computer hard drive can be a rich source of evidence in a forensic investigation…but only if the device is intact and undamaged otherwise many additional steps to retrieve incriminating data from within are needed and not always successful even in the most expert hands. Research published in the International Journal of Electronic Security and Digital Forensics considers the data retrieval problems for investigators faced with a hard drive that has been submerged in water.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-wetware-forensic-analysis-recovery-water-submerged.html

Close-up of coronaviruses on the attack

Researchers at the University of Oldenburg are using electron microscopy images of SARS-CoV-2 to generate images that for the first time provide a highly detailed impression of the infection process. The new method relies on machine learning.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-close-up-coronaviruses.html

Microtransitions: What makes working from home so frustrating

Working from home increases frustration and can lead to potential conflicts between live-in partners. Sound familiar? In the working paper "Mitigation of Work-Family Frustration in Dual-Earner Couples during COVID-19: The Role of ICT Permeability, Planning, and Gender Effect," Bocconi's Massimo Magni, Associate Professor at the Department of Management and Technology, shows how the "work-life shock event" of COVID-19 creates a difficult dynamic in the home.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-microtransitions-home-frustrating.html

Stellar eggs near galactic center hatching into baby stars

Astronomers found a number of baby stars hiding around the center of the Milky Way using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). Previous studies had suggested that the environment there is too harsh to form stars because of the strong tidal forces, strong magnetic fields, high energy particles, and frequent supernova explosions. These findings indicate that star formation is more resilient than researchers thought. These observations suggest there is ubiquitous star formation activity hidden deep in dense molecular gas, which may allow for the possibility of a future burst of star formation around the galactic center.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-stellar-eggs-galactic-center-hatching.html

Study sheds more light on the nature of binary system 2M06464003+0109157

Astronomers have investigated orbital and stellar parameters of an eclipsing binary known as 2M06464003+0109157. Results of the study shed more light on the nature of this peculiar system. The findings were presented in a paper published March 18 on the arXiv pre-print repository.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-nature-binary-2m064640030109157.html

Object classification through a single-pixel detector

Machine vision systems have many applications, including self-driving cars, intelligent manufacturing, robotic surgery and biomedical imaging, among many others. Most of these machine vision systems use lens-based cameras, and after an image or video is captured, typically with a few megapixels per frame, a digital processor is used to perform machine-learning tasks, such as object classification and scene segmentation. Such a traditional machine vision architecture suffers from several drawbacks. First, the large amount of digital information makes it hard to achieve image/video analysis at high speed, especially using mobile and battery-powered devices. In addition, the captured images usually contain redundant information, which overwhelms the digital processor with a high computational burden, creating inefficiencies in terms of power and memory requirements. Moreover, beyond the visible wavelengths of light, fabricating high-pixel-count image sensors, such as what we have in our mobile phone cameras, is challenging and expensive, which limits the applications of standard machine vision methods at longer wavelengths, such as terahertz part of the spectrum.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-classification-single-pixel-detector.html

'Animal-stress' signal improves plant drought resilience

A team of Australian and German researchers has discovered a novel pathway that plants can use to save water and improve their drought tolerance.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-animal-stress-drought-resilience.html

Study reports six novel variants for CRISPR-Cas12a in plants, expanding genome engineering

In a new publication in Nature Communications, associate professor of Plant Science at the University of Maryland Yiping Qi continues to innovate genome editing and engineering in plants, with the ultimate goal of improving the efficiency of food production. His recent work contributes six novel variants of CRISPR-Cas12a that have never before been proven in plants, testing them first in rice as a major global crop. In addition to allowing for a much broader scope of possible gene editing targets, these new tools can edit many different sites in the genome at once, or even repress gene expression to tone down undesirable traits. These patent-pending tools greatly expand the scope of what CRISPR-Cas12a can do in plants, which can help to produce food more effectively to feed a growing global population.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-variants-crispr-cas12a-genome.html

Chinese streaming site Bilibili sinks on Hong Kong debut after $2.6 bn IPO

Video streaming site Bilibili sank on its first day trading on Hong Kong's stock exchange on Monday as investors fret over a global sell-off in Chinese tech shares.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-chinese-streaming-site-bilibili-hong.html

China cuts taxes to spur semiconductor development

China announced tax breaks Monday to spur growth of its semiconductor industry following U.S. sanctions that alarmed the ruling Communist Party by cutting off access to American processor chips for tech giant Huawei and some other companies.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-china-taxes-spur-semiconductor.html

SolarWinds hack got emails of top DHS officials

Suspected Russian hackers gained access to email accounts belonging to the Trump administration's head of the Department of Homeland Security and members of the department's cybersecurity staff whose jobs included hunting threats from foreign countries, The Associated Press has learned.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-solarwinds-hack-emails-dhs.html

Vote count to begin in Amazon union drive

Votes are set to be counted Tuesday on whether to create the first Amazon union in the United States, at a warehouse in Alabama, after a historic, five months-long David vs Goliath campaign.

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

Racial diversity within a church is associated with higher average attendance over time

United Methodist churches—whether the congregation is white or not—have higher attendance when located within white neighborhoods. But racial diversity within a church is associated with higher average attendance over time, according to a new study.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-racial-diversity-church-higher-average.html

Carried with the wind: Mass migration of Larch Budmoth to the Russian High Arctic

Arctic habitats have fascinated biologists for centuries. Their species-poor insect faunas, however, provide little reward for entomologists—scientists who study insects—to justify spending several weeks or even months in the hostile environments of tundra or polar deserts. As a result, data on insects from the High Arctic islands are often based on occasional collecting and remain scarce.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-mass-migration-larch-budmoth-russian.html

Scientists identify virus-cell interaction that may explain COVID-19's high infection rate

Bioengineering researchers at Lehigh University have identified a previously unknown interaction between receptors in human cells and the spike, or "S," protein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This new information could aid in the development of new strategies to block SARS-CoV-2 entry into human cells.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-scientists-virus-cell-interaction-covid-high.html

Forests on caffeine: coffee waste can boost forest recovery

A new study finds that coffee pulp, a waste product of coffee production, can be used to speed up tropical forest recovery on post agricultural land. The findings are published in the British Ecological Society journal Ecological Solutions and Evidence.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-forests-caffeine-coffee-boost-forest.html

A new advanced Android malware posing as system update

In recent weeks, Zimperium zLabs researchers revealed unsecured cloud configurations exposing user data across thousands of legitimate Android and iOS applications. Now, zLabs is advising Android users about a clever and malicious new Android app.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-advanced-android-malware-posing.html

Cities worldwide turn off their lights to mark Earth Hour

Cities around the world were turning off their lights Saturday for Earth Hour, with this year's event highlighting the link between the destruction of nature and increasing outbreaks of diseases like COVID-19.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-cities-worldwide-earth-hour.html

Spurred by lockdown, Spain gives 4-day week a try

After years of waiting tables, Danae De Vries is one step closer to achieving her lifetime dream of becoming a theater coach.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-spurred-lockdown-spain-day-week.html

'Treating us like robots': Amazon workers seek union

Linda Burns was excited at first to land a job at the Amazon warehouse outside Birmingham, Alabama. The former nursing assistant had always enjoyed ordering from the company, Now, she would be working for them.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-robots-amazon-workers-union.html

Pandemic fuels travel boom—in virtual reality

Jem Jenkins Jones was stuck at home in Wales for much of the past year amid pandemic lockdowns but managed to fulfill a promise to her 10-year-old daughter to see the northern lights from Iceland and South Africa's game reserves—in virtual reality.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-pandemic-fuels-boomin-virtual-reality.html

New tech a curtain raiser for cheap clean solar energy

Technology that stores clean energy by heating particles with captured sunlight is cost-effective and reliable, modeling from The Australian National University (ANU) shows.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-tech-curtain-raiser-cheap-solar.html

How to hunt fossils responsibly: 5 tips from a professional paleontologist

Many of us, at some point or another, dreamed of hunting for dinosaur fossils when we grew up. Paleontology—the study of natural history through fossils—is the scientific reality of this. It encompasses all ancient lifeforms that left their trace in the earth, from stromatolites (microbial reefs up to 3.5 billion years old) to megafauna.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-fossils-responsibly-professional-paleontologist.html

High-performance potassium ion micro-supercapacitors developed for wearable pressure sensor system

The development of flexible, wearable and implantable microelectronics has accelerated the need for miniaturized and integrated energy storage devices with mechanically robust properties, high voltage, and highly compatible integration.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-high-performance-potassium-ion-micro-supercapacitors-wearable.html

Police attitudes about body cameras suggest cops may see benefits to being monitored

The majority of U.S. law enforcement agencies have either committed to or already implemented body cameras for their police officers. But officers' concerns about a loss of on-the-job autonomy are balanced out when they can access their own body camera footage, according to research from the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-police-attitudes-body-cameras-cops.html

LiDAR acquires ranging signals with micron accuracy

Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) has been well known as it offers high ranging accuracy, and shows promising prospects in autonomous vehicles and various field. Traditional frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) LiDAR ranging is based on heterodyne detection, calculating unknown distance by extracting the frequency of the interference signal. However, such technique suffers from frequency modulation (FM) nonlinearity, which leads to inaccurate ranging results.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-lidar-ranging-micron-accuracy.html

Scientists propose highly reliable thermal power generator

Chinese scientists have proposed a highly reliable thermal power generator by combining thermoacoustic effect and triboelectric effect.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-scientists-highly-reliable-thermal-power.html

Light show over US sky likely SpaceX debris re-entering atmosphere

A spectacular display of lights that streamed across the night sky over the US Pacific Northwest was probably debris from a SpaceX mission re-entering the atmosphere, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-sky-spacex-debris-re-entering-atmosphere.html

Russia hails rare sighting of Amur leopard mum with cubs

Russian conservationists hailed Friday a rare sighting of an Amur leopard mother with three cubs in the Far East as proof of the efficiency of the country's efforts to boost the population of the endangered species.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-russia-hails-rare-sighting-amur.html

What is an NFT? Non-fungible tokens explained

Have you seen the word "NFT" spinning around the internet lately, and found yourself completely confused as to what everyone's talking about?

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-nft-non-fungible-tokens.html

Endangered songbird challenging assumptions about evolution

Not all species may travel the same path to existence, at least according to new findings from the University of Colorado Boulder and collaborators.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-endangered-songbird-assumptions-evolution.html

How microorganisms can help us get to net negative emissions

Many of the common items we use in our everyday lives—from building materials to plastics to pharmaceuticals—are manufactured from fossil fuels. To reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, society has increasingly tried turning to plants to make the everyday products we need. For example, corn can be turned into corn ethanol and plastics, lignocellulosic sugars can be turned into sustainable aviation fuels, and paints can be made from soy oil.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-microorganisms-net-negative-emissions.html

Direct observations confirm that humans are throwing Earth's energy budget off balance

Earth is on a budget—an energy budget. Our planet is constantly trying to balance the flow of energy in and out of Earth's system. But human activities are throwing that off balance, causing our planet to warm in response.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-humans-earth-energy.html

School students discover four new species of wasp

Four primary schools in regional South Australia have been involved in the discovery and naming of new species of wasp as part of a trial of a new citizen science project led by the University of Adelaide.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-school-students-species-wasp.html

How tiny machines become capable of learning

Living organisms, from bacteria to animals and humans, can perceive their environment and process, store and retrieve this information. They learn how to react to later situations using appropriate actions. A team of physicists at Leipzig University led by Professor Frank Cichos, in collaboration with colleagues at Charles University Prague, have developed a method for giving tiny artificial microswimmers a certain ability to learn using machine learning algorithms. They recently published a paper on this topic in the journal Science Robotics.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-tiny-machines-capable.html

Chemists achieve breakthrough in the production of three-dimensional molecular structures

A major goal of organic and medicinal chemistry in recent decades has been the rapid synthesis of three-dimensional molecules for the development of new drugs. These drug candidates exhibit a variety of improved properties compared to predominantly flat molecular structures, which are reflected in clinical trials by higher efficacy and success rates. However, they could only be produced at great expense or not at all using previous methods. Chemists led by Prof. Frank Glorius (University of Münster, Germany) and his colleagues Prof. M. Kevin Brown (Indiana University Bloomington) and Prof. Kendall N. Houk (University of California, Los Angeles) have now succeeded in converting several classes of flat nitrogen-containing molecules into the desired three-dimensional structures. Using more than 100 novel examples, they were able to demonstrate the broad applicability of the process. This study will be published by Science on Friday, 26 March 2021.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-chemists-breakthrough-production-three-dimensional-molecular.html

School closures disproportionately hit disadvantaged students in the US

The uneven distribution of school closures in the U.S. since September 2020 threatens to exacerbate regional, racial and class-based divides in educational performance, according to research by Zachary Parolin of Bocconi University's Department of Social and Political Science, recently published in Nature Human Behavior. For example, in October, only 35% of white students were on distance learning, compared with 52% of Black students, 60% of Hispanic students and 65% of Asian students. And schools recording the lowest math scores were 15% more likely to be closed.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-school-closures-disproportionately-disadvantaged-students.html

Eat me: The cell signal of death

Scientists at the Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) and colleagues in Japan have revealed molecular mechanisms involved in eliminating unwanted cells in the body. A nuclear protein fragment released into the cytoplasm activates a plasma membrane protein to display a lipid on the cell surface, signaling other cells to get rid of it. The findings were published in the journal Molecular Cell.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-cell-death.html

Study exposes global ripple effects of regional water scarcity

Water scarcity is often understood as a problem for regions experiencing drought, but a new study led by Tufts University researchers finds that not only can localized water shortages impact the global economy, but changes in global demand can have positive and negative ripple effects in river basins across the globe.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-exposes-global-ripple-effects-regional.html

Amazon delivery drivers scoff at company's claim that its workers don't pee in bottles

Amazon sparked a firestorm of derision when it pushed back on social media against claims that workers urinate in bottles because they are pressured to skip restroom breaks to keep up with the company's productivity goals.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-amazon-delivery-drivers-scoff-company.html

Q&A: Artist Beeple on selling NFT collage for a record $70M

When digital artist Beeple put an NFT digital artwork up for auction this month, he became instantly famous when it sold for almost $70 million. The record sale also sparked huge interest in digital certificates of authenticity based on cryptocurrency technology that are called "non-fungible tokens."

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-qa-artist-beeple-nft-collage.html

How two friends made art history buying a $70M digital work

It took a few minutes for Vignesh Sundaresan and Anand Venkateswaran to realize that they'd parted with $69.3 million for a digital artwork stored in a JPEG file, coincidentally securing their place in art history.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-friends-art-history-70m-digital.html

New problems arise for crop storage as planet gets warmer

For generations, Brian Sackett's family has farmed potatoes that are made into chips found on grocery shelves in much of the eastern U.S.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-problems-crop-storage-planet-warmer.html

Intensity of tropical cyclones is probably increasing due to climate change

Many tropical cyclone-prone regions of the world are expected to experience storm systems of greater intensity over the coming century, according to a review of research published today in ScienceBrief Review.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-intensity-tropical-cyclones-due-climate.html

'Smart clothes' that can measure your movements

In recent years there have been exciting breakthroughs in wearable technologies, like smartwatches that can monitor your breathing and blood oxygen levels.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-smart-movements.html

Size of grass blades offers better understanding of their vulnerability to climate change

One-third of the Earth's surface is covered by more than 11,000 grass species—including crops like wheat, corn, rice and sugar cane that account for the bulk of the world's agricultural food production and important biofuels. But grass is so common that few people realize how diverse and important it really is.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-size-grass-blades-vulnerability-climate.html

Emissions return to pre-pandemic levels in nation's largest oilfield

A study accepted this week in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics finds that methane emissions in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico have rebounded to the same levels seen prior to last year's oil price crash and industry downturn.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-emissions-pre-pandemic-nation-largest-oilfield.html

NASA engineers analyze navigation needs of Artemis moon missions

Space communications and navigation engineers at NASA are evaluating the navigation needs for the Artemis program, including identifying the precision navigation capabilities needed to establish the first sustained presence on the lunar surface.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-nasa-artemis-moon-missions.html

Major Earth satellite to track disasters, effects of climate change

Designed to spot potential natural hazards and help researchers measure how melting land ice will affect sea level rise, the NISAR spacecraft marks a big step as it takes shape.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-major-earth-satellite-track-disasters.html

New research confirms presence of highly invasive apple snail in Kenya

New research published today by scientists at CABI and the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) confirms that the apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata) has been discovered in Kenya for the first time. Widely considered to be one of the most invasive invertebrates of waterways and irrigation systems, the apple snail threatens Kenya's rice production and raises the questions: How much damage will it cause in Kenya, and will it spread further?

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-presence-highly-invasive-apple-snail.html

New light on baryonic matter and gravity on cosmic scales

Scientists estimate that dark matter and dark energy together are some 95% of the gravitational material in the universe while the remaining 5% is baryonic matter, which is the "normal" matter composing stars, planets and living beings. However, for decades, almost one-half of this matter has not been found. Now, using a new technique, a team including researchers from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has shown that this "missing" baryonic matter fills the space between galaxies as hot, low-density gas. The same technique also gives a new tool that shows that the gravitational attraction experienced by galaxies is compatible with the theory of general relativity. This research is published today in three articles in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS).

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-baryonic-gravity-cosmic-scales.html

Revealing complex behavior of a turbulent plume at the calving front of a Greenlandic glacier

For the first time, scientists have succeeded in continuous monitoring of a subglacial discharge plume, providing a deeper understanding of the glacier-fjord environment.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-revealing-complex-behavior-turbulent-plume.html

A disposable living laser printed on chip for drug screening

Scientists have created a new way to monitor subtle drug interactions between bacteria and antibiotics. By using a common office inkjet printer, researchers from NTU Singapore and China developed a disposable living laser on chip by encapsulating living bacteria inside. Strong laser emissions generated from bacteria inside the droplet will be dramatically enhanced during drug interactions. This breakthrough could enable more sensitive and high-throughput testing using micro-nano laser technology in the near future.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-disposable-laser-chip-drug-screening.html

Inhibiting the energy transmission impact of dust aerosols on eastern Pacific tropical cyclones

The thermodynamic state of the tropical atmosphere plays an important role in the development of tropical cyclone (TC) intensity. A TC imports thermodynamic energy from ocean-air heat and moisture fluxes and exports heat aloft at the much colder upper troposphere, through a radially and vertically directed overturning circulation in a TC. The work done through this cycle drives the TC's winds.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-inhibiting-energy-transmission-impact-aerosols.html

Researchers develop 15-minute test to assess immune response

Researchers from Critical Analytics for Manufacturing Personalized-Medicine (CAMP) have developed a new label-free immune profiling assay that profiles the rapidly changing host immune response in case of infection, in a departure from existing methods that focus on detecting the pathogens themselves, which can often be at low levels within a host. This novel technology presents a host of advantages over current methods, being both much faster, more sensitive and accurate.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-minute-immune-response.html

Division and growth of synthetic vesicles

One big challenge for the production of synthetic cells is that they must be able to divide to have offspring. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, a team from Heidelberg has now introduced a reproducible division mechanism for synthetic vesicles. It is based on osmosis and can be controlled by an enzymatic reaction or light.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-division-growth-synthetic-vesicles.html

Old-growth forest carbon sinks overestimated

The claim that old-growth forests play a significant role in climate mitigation, based upon the argument that even the oldest forests keep sucking CO2 out of the atmosphere, is being refuted by researchers at the University of Copenhagen. The researchers document that this argument is based upon incorrectly analyzed data and that the climate mitigation effect of old and unmanaged forests has been greatly overestimated. Nevertheless, they reassert the importance of old-growth forest for biodiversity.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-old-growth-forest-carbon-overestimated.html

Engineers make filters from tree branches to purify drinking water

The interiors of nonflowering trees such as pine and ginkgo contain sapwood lined with straw-like conduits known as xylem, which draw water up through a tree's trunk and branches. Xylem conduits are interconnected via thin membranes that act as natural sieves, filtering out bubbles from water and sap.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-filters-tree-purify.html

LA's biggest quake threat sits on overlooked part of San Andreas, study says. That may be good

Scientists have pinpointed a long-overlooked portion of the southern San Andreas Fault that they say could pose the most significant earthquake risk for the Greater Los Angeles area—and it's about 80 years overdue for release.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-la-biggest-quake-threat-overlooked.html

BMG and KKR team up to purchase music rights

German music management group BGM announced a partnership with US investment company KKR Wednesday in a move to acquire streaming rights—a new potentially lucrative frontier for investors.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-bmg-kkr-team-music-rights.html

Australia begins 'long haul' to recovery as floodwaters recede

Thousands of flood-stricken residents along Australia's east coast began a massive clean up effort Thursday, as waters receded revealing damaged homes, piles of debris and mud-caked roads.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-australia-haul-recovery-floodwaters-recede.html

Russia launches more UK telecom satellites into space

A Soyuz rocket blasted off from the Vostochny cosmodrome in Russia's Far East on Thursday carrying 36 UK telecommunications and internet satellites, the Roscosmos space agency said.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-russia-uk-telecom-satellites-space.html

Airlines return to old ways; Southwest drops boarding change

As Americans slowly return to flying, airlines are dropping some of the changes they made early in the pandemic.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-airlines-ways-southwest-boarding.html

Technology uses 'single' approach to develop electronics, acoustics

A Purdue University innovator has developed a new approach to creating popular thin films used for devices across a broad range of fields, including optics, acoustics and electronics.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-technology-approach-electronics-acoustics.html

Genome sequenced for pesky pumpkin pathogen

Pumpkin growers dread the tiny tan scabs that form on their fruit, each lesion a telltale sign of bacterial spot disease. The specks don't just mar the fruit's flesh, they provide entry points for rot-inducing fungus and other pathogens that can destroy pumpkins and other cucurbits from the inside out. Either way, farmers pay the price, with marketable yields reduced by as much as 90%.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-genome-sequenced-pesky-pumpkin-pathogen.html

Once-in-a-century UK wildfire threats could happen most years by end of century

Extremely hot and dry conditions that currently put parts of the UK in the most severe danger of wildfires once a century could happen every other year in a few decades' time due to climate change, new research has revealed. A study, led by the University of Reading, predicting how the danger of wildfires will increase in future showed that parts of eastern and southern England may be at the very highest danger level on nearly four days per year on average by 2080 with high emissions, compared to once every 50-100 years currently.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-once-in-a-century-uk-wildfire-threats-years.html

Lawyers used sheepskin as anti-fraud device for hundreds of years to stop fraudsters pulling the woo

Medieval and early modern lawyers chose to write on sheepskin parchment because it helped prevent fraud, new analysis suggests.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-lawyers-sheepskin-anti-fraud-device-hundreds.html

Understanding the structural and chemical heterogeneities of surface species at the single-bond limit

Advances in tip-based microscopy in materials science have allowed imaging at angstrom-scale resolution, although the technique does not provide clear characterization of the structural and chemical heterogeneities of surface species. In a new report now published on Science, Jiayu Xu and a research team in quantum information and quantum physics at the University of Science and Technology of China used a model system of pentacene derivatives on a silver surface. The researchers then combined a range of materials characterization techniques including scanning-tunneling microscopy, atomic force microscopy and tip-enhanced Raman scattering to provide electronic, structural and chemical information to characterize diverse, yet structurally similar chemical species relative to their interaction with the metal surface at single-bond resolution. The proposed multi-technique approach has wide applications across fundamental studies for heterogenous catalysis of surface chemistry.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-chemical-heterogeneities-surface-species-single-bond.html

NASA Ingenuity Mars helicopter prepares for first flight

Now uncocooned from its protective carbon-fiber shield, the helicopter is being readied for its next steps.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-nasa-ingenuity-mars-helicopter-flight.html

Pandora mission would expand NASA's capabilities in probing alien worlds

In the quest for habitable planets beyond our own, NASA is studying a mission concept called Pandora, which could eventually help decode the atmospheric mysteries of distant worlds in our galaxy. One of four low-cost astrophysics missions selected for further concept development under NASA's new Pioneers program, Pandora would study approximately 20 stars and exoplanets—planets outside of our solar system—to provide precise measurements of exoplanetary atmospheres.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-pandora-mission-nasa-capabilities-probing.html

Gender bias in the workplace starts with communication during recruitment

Eighty percent of jobs are communicated to people informally and these communications are often riddled with gender bias, providing a female (versus male) candidate with a less positive description of a leadership position, especially when the decision maker is more conservative. These are the findings of a new study by Ekaterina Netchaeva, of Bocconi University's Department of Management and Technology, looking at the role gender bias may play in the leadership gap between men and women.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-gender-bias-workplace.html

Ignoring climate change will lead to unprecedented, societally disruptive heat extremes in the Middle East

The Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA) is a climate change hot spot where summers warm much faster than in the rest of the world. Some parts of the region are already among the hottest locations globally. A new international study led by scientists from the Climate and Atmosphere Research Center of the Cyprus Institute and the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry predicts that ignoring the signals of climate change and continuing business as usual with increasing greenhouse gas emissions will lead to extreme, life-threatening heatwaves in the region. Such extraordinary heat events will have a severe impact on the people of the area.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-climate-unprecedented-societally-disruptive-extremes.html

Scientists assemble new reference genomes of mosquitoes to fight malaria

A research team from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), George Washington University and ITMO University has presented new data for studying the behavior and physiology of two types of malaria mosquitoes. This information will help find regions of the genome that are responsible for connection with the pathogen and for their feeding behavior. Research was published in GigaScience .

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-scientists-genomes-mosquitoes-malaria.html

One degree of global warming causes a 50% increase in population displacement risk

A new study shows that if the population were fixed at current levels, the risk of population displacement due to river floods would rise by ~50% for each degree of global warming. However, if population increases are taken into account, the relative global flood displacement risk is significantly higher.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-degree-global-population-displacement.html

Australians warned of deadly spider 'plague' after floods

A "plague" of the world's most venomous spiders could swarm Sydney after torrential rain and flooding, the Australian Reptile Park said Wednesday, warning that the deadly arachnids could seek refuge in homes as they escape the deluge.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-australians-deadly-spider-plague.html

NASA will attempt first off-world flight in early April

NASA is targeting early April for the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter to make the first attempt at powered, controlled flight on another planet, the space agency said Tuesday.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-nasa-off-world-flight-early-april.html

Congress to grill US internet giants over disinformation

The heads of Facebook, Google and Twitter will testify before Congress Thursday on disinformation, following a tense US election, Capitol attack and rise of a new administration seemingly intent on doing battle with Big Tech.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-congress-grill-internet-giants-disinformation.html

Australia's 'Big Wet' eases, but thousands still isolated

Rescue teams raced emergency supplies to flood-hit Australians Wednesday, as trapped residents waited for still-swollen rivers to ebb, so the long, hard clean-up can begin.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-australia-big-eases-thousands-isolated.html

California groups track face masks, gloves bound for ocean

Disposable masks, gloves and other types of personal protective equipment are safeguarding untold lives during the coronavirus pandemic. They're also creating a worldwide pollution problem, littering streets and sending an influx of harmful plastic and other waste into landfills, sewage systems and oceans.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-california-groups-track-masks-gloves.html

Prince Harry joins $1.7 bn US counseling startup

Britain's Prince Harry on Tuesday added to a growing portfolio of post-royal jobs, becoming "chief impact officer" at a San Francisco startup that provides mobile-based coaching, counseling and mentorship.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-prince-harry-bn-startup.html

Intel announces Arizona expansion as chipmaker seeks footing

Intel announced Tuesday it will build two new factories in Arizona and outsource more of its production as a new CEO looks to turnaround the struggling chipmaker.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-intel-arizona-expansion-chipmaker-footing.html

Stock trading app company Robinhood files plan to go public

Stock trading app company Robinhood said Tuesday that it has submitted a confidential plan to go public later this year.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-stock-app-company-robinhood.html

Amazon brings back former executive to run cloud business

Amazon said Tuesday that it's bringing back a former executive to run its cloud-computing unit, which has become the online shopping giant's most profitable business.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-amazon-cloud-business.html

Part of Wright brothers' 1st airplane on NASA's Mars chopper

A piece of the Wright brothers' first airplane is on Mars.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-wright-brothers-1st-airplane-nasa.html

Study finds foster youth lack critical financial skills

Most people rely on family members to help them learn how to open a bank account, find a job or create a budget, but that's often not an option for youth in foster care, according to a recent study in Child & Family Social Work.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-foster-youth-lack-critical-financial.html

How blockchain and machine learning can deliver the promise of omnichannel marketing

Researchers from University of Minnesota, New York University, University of Pennsylvania, BI Norwegian Business School, University of Michigan, National Bureau of Economic Research, and University of North Carolina published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that examines how advances in machine learning (ML) and blockchain can address inherent frictions in omnichannel marketing and raises many questions for practice and research.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-blockchain-machine-omnichannel.html

Deforestation, forest conversion and palm oil plantations linked to disease outbreaks

Deforestation, certain types of reforestation and commercial palm plantations correlate with increasing outbreaks of infectious disease, shows a new study in Frontiers in Veterinary Science. This study offers a first global look at how changes in forest cover potentially contribute to vector-borne diseases—such as those carried by mosquitos and ticks—as well as zoonotic diseases, like COVID-19, which jumped from an animal species into humans. The expansion of palm oil plantations in particular corresponded to significant rises in vector-borne disease infections.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-deforestation-forest-conversion-palm-oil.html

Study finds new inroads in fast charging for lithium-ion batteries

Perhaps the most frustrating limitation of owning an all-electric car is how long it takes to fully charge the battery. For a Tesla, for example, it takes about 40 minutes to charge it to 80% capacity using the most powerful charging station.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-inroads-fast-lithium-ion-batteries.html

Light pollution drives increased risk of West Nile virus

Florida has experienced a relatively mild winter, which typically translates to more mosquitoes in the summer and more birds on which they can feast. If history repeats itself, it's likely there will be an uptick in West Nile virus cases this year, especially in the outer fringes of the suburbs where much of the nighttime illumination emanates from the skyglow of nearby cities.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-pollution-west-nile-virus.html

Snappy evolution was behind the success of ancient crocodiles

New research led by the University of Bristol has revealed that crocodiles once flourished on land and in the oceans as a result of fast evolution.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-snappy-evolution-success-ancient-crocodiles.html

Climate change is feeding our plants junk food

The human-led climate crisis has begun to impact our world in profound ways.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-climate-junk-food.html

During emergencies, social media is a critical channel for warnings

A plume of smoke hung over the Houston area for days in March 2019 after storage tanks containing hazardous chemicals ignited at a Deer Park facility.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-emergencies-social-media-critical-channel.html

Neglected species: 'Living fossil' sturgeon on the brink of extinction

Depending on your political affiliation, the words "Sturgeon in peril" may fill you with delight, despair or indifference. For those of us at Fauna & Flora International (FFI), however, this kind of headline is already old news.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-neglected-species-fossil-sturgeon-brink.html

Stranded endangered false killer whale divulges a dietary first

Researchers found something unexpected inside a rare false killer whale that stranded dead on Maui in February 2021, and it could ultimately help the endangered species. The whale was an insular false killer whale, the most critically endangered species of dolphins and whales in Hawaiian waters. While investigating it's cause of death, the University of Hawaiʻi Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Lab found the remains of octopuses in its stomach, which was previously an unknown part of the species' diet.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-stranded-endangered-false-killer-whale.html

Glock ghost guns up for grabs on the dark web

Australians have access to a wide variety of untraceable 'ghost guns' online along with a significant market of 3D printed weapon blueprints and kits, according to a new study from The Australian National University (ANU).

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-glock-ghost-guns-dark-web.html

Penguin hemoglobin evolved to meet oxygen demands of diving

Call it the evolutionary march of the penguins.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-penguin-hemoglobin-evolved-oxygen-demands.html

Scientists study potential volcanic impacts on future global land monsoon precipitation changes

Scientists have found global precipitation significantly decreased in the year following large volcanic eruptions, as evidenced by paleoclimate reconstructions and historical observations. Decreased precipitation is a robust post-volcano eruption signal in the monsoon climate, and scientists want to explore volcanos' roles in future climate. However, major volcanic eruptions are generally not included in current model projection scenarios because they are inherently unpredictable events.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-scientists-potential-volcanic-impacts-future.html

Research reveals mechanism of salinity tolerance in Italian ryegrass

Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) is a widely cultivated forage with excellent quality, high yield, good palatability and rich nutritional value. However, its growth is inhibited by salt tress, which is a major growth limiting factor.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-reveals-mechanism-salinity-tolerance-italian.html

Landsat satellite data warns of harmful algal blooms

Come summer, Utahns will flock to the state's lakes and reservoirs to boat, swim and picnic along the shore. And every week, if not every day, scientists like Kate Fickas of Utah State University in Logan will use satellite images and other data to monitor recreation sites to check for rapid growth of algae into a bloom, and make sure the water is safe for people and pets.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-landsat-satellite-algal-blooms.html

Artificial intelligence revolution offers benefits and challenges

Australia could once again have a globally competitive manufacturing sector by using automation driven by artificial intelligence (AI). That's the view of University of Adelaide researchers who are aiming to play a major role in the development of AI which is poised to reshape the global economy, bringing challenges and opportunities.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-artificial-intelligence-revolution-benefits.html

Natural variations help resolve a climate puzzle

New research shows that naturally occurring climate variations help to explain a long-standing difference between climate models and satellite observations of global warming.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-natural-variations-climate-puzzle.html

Keeping track of spacecraft as Earth's water alters its spin

Mass is constantly being redistributed around our planet, as Earth's atmosphere, oceans and other bodies of water on and under the surface melt, shift and stir. This mass redistribution alters Earth's center of gravity, which in turn speeds up and slows down the planet's spin—and so the length of the day—as well as changing the orientation of its spin axis. These changes to Earth's spin and orientation occur over relatively short timescales of days and weeks, and threaten communication between ground stations and missions in orbit and across the solar system.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-track-spacecraft-earth.html

Nanobiomaterial boosts neuronal growth in mice with spinal cord injuries

Researchers from the Department of Orthopedics of Tongji Hospital at Tongji University in Shanghai have successfully used a nanobiomaterial called layered double hydroxide (LDH) to inhibit the inflammatory environment surrounding spinal cord injuries in mice, accelerating regeneration of neurons and reconstruction of the neural circuit in the spine. The researchers were also able to identify the underlying genetic mechanism by which LDH works. This understanding should allow further modification of the therapy which, in combination with other elements, could finally produce a comprehensive, clinically applicable system for spinal cord injury relief in humans.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-nanobiomaterial-boosts-neuronal-growth-mice.html

Novel thermometer can accelerate quantum computer development

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden, have developed a novel type of thermometer that can simply and quickly measure temperatures during quantum calculations with extremely high accuracy. The breakthrough provides a benchmarking tool for quantum computing of great value—and opens up for experiments in the exciting field of quantum thermodynamics.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-thermometer-quantum.html

People have started to care about insects. Now we need action, say experts

"If you had asked me this question four years ago, I would have given you a totally different answer."

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-people-insects-action-experts.html

Algorithms inspired by social networks reveal lifecycle of substorms, a key element of space weather

Space weather often manifests as substorms, where a beautiful auroral display such as the Northern Lights is accompanied by an electrical current in space which has effects at earth that can interfere with and damage power distribution and electrical systems. Now, the lifecycle of these auroral substorms has been revealed using social media-inspired mathematical tools to analyse space weather observations across the Earth's surface.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-algorithms-social-networks-reveal-lifecycle.html

New result from the LHCb experiment challenges leading theory in physics

The LHCb Collaboration at CERN has found particles not behaving in the way they should according to the guiding theory of particle physics—the Standard Model.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-result-lhcb-theory-physics.html

China's Baidu debuts in Hong Kong after $3.1 bn IPO

Chinese search engine Baidu debuted on Hong Kong's stock exchange Tuesday after raising $3.1 billion in its initial public offering, the latest mainland tech giant to flock to the financial hub.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-china-baidu-debuts-hong-kong.html

Nintendo teams up with Pokemon Go creator for smartphone games

Japanese games giant Nintendo is teaming up with the US firm behind runaway hit Pokemon Go to develop augmented reality smartphone games, the two companies said Tuesday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-nintendo-teams-pokemon-creator-smartphone.html

'Catastrophic' Australia floods prompt helicopter rescues

Military helicopters, jet skis and rubber boats were deployed to rescue people stranded by "catastrophic" floods along Australia's populous east coast Tuesday, with thousands of homes damaged.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-catastrophic-australia-prompt-helicopter.html

Facebook hit by French lawsuit over hate speech

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders announced Tuesday that it has filed a lawsuit against Facebook in France, saying the website breaks its own terms by failing to protect users against hate speech.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-facebook-french-lawsuit-speech.html

US weather model upgraded to better forecast extreme events

The National Weather Service has turbocharged its lagging forecast model to better predict extreme weather events such as hurricanes, blizzards and downpours, as well as day-to-day weather.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-weather-extreme-events.html

A leader's gender plays a role in local government sustainability policymaking

When it comes to local government, does the gender of a mayor or county executive matter in sustainability policymaking? Yes, but only in certain ways, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-leader-gender-role-local-sustainability.html

Novel cathode designed for high-performance sodium ion batteries

Due to their large-scale energy storage, sodium ion batteries (SIBs) are a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, it's challenging to develop high-energy and high-power SIBs due to the greater atomic mass and larger ionic radius.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-cathode-high-performance-sodium-ion-batteries.html

How insect wings withstand collisions without breaking

About once a second wings of foraging bees collide with small obstacles such as flowers, leaves or branches during flight without suffering major long-term damage. At the same time, they withstand aerodynamic loads effortlessly—yet the fragile structures make up just two percent of the total mass of an insect's body. Scientists from the Zoological Institute at Kiel University (CAU) are investigating how insect wings withstand these different demands without breaking. In an article in the current issue of the journal Advanced Science, they show several special features in the wing structure, thanks to which they are both stable and flexible and can thus adapt to different needs. In the long term, these design strategies could lead to the development of structural elements that are load-bearing, durable and impact resistant at the same time and allow various applications in the fields of robotics, aviation or biomedicine.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-insect-wings-collisions.html

Why day and night aren't equal length on an equinox

Winter in the northern hemisphere and summer in the southern hemisphere are both coming to an end. That means the days and nights are becoming roughly equal in length, and the path the sun traces across the sky is changing.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-day-night-equal-length-equinox.html

Pandemic brings record fall in global carbon emissions

According to the latest figures published by the Global Carbon Project (GCP), the current coronavirus pandemic has led to a significant reduction in global CO2 emissions. The GCP is an international collaboration of climate researchers, which includes LMU geographers Julia Pongratz, Selma Bultan and Kerstin Hartung as contributors. The group monitors both the amounts of greenhouse gases released into Earth's atmosphere and the quantities absorbed by the world's oceans and sequestered in vegetation on land.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-pandemic-fall-global-carbon-emissions.html

Researchers develop nanofiltration membrane for highly efficient dye/salt separation

A research group led by Prof. Wan Yinhua from the Institute of Process Engineering (IPE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a robust, dually charged loose nanofiltration (NF) membrane for highly efficient dye/salt separation. The study was published in the Journal of Membrane Science on March 21.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-nanofiltration-membrane-highly-efficient-dyesalt.html

Recyclable 'veggie' battery could power future devices more efficiently

A new type of 3D-printed battery which uses electrodes made from vegetable starch and carbon nanotubes could provide mobile devices with a more environmentally-friendly, higher-capacity source of power.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-recyclable-veggie-battery-power-future.html

Hubble captures re-energized planetary nebula

Located around 5,000 light-years away in the constellation of Cygnus (the Swan), Abell 78 is an unusual type of planetary nebula.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-hubble-captures-re-energized-planetary-nebula.html

Smaller amphibians have increased extinction risk due to fewer offspring

Research led by Queen's University Belfast has found that the risk of extinction among amphibians—the most endangered animals on the planet—increases for species of smaller body size as their females produce fewer babies per birth.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-smaller-amphibians-extinction-due-offspring.html

Toxic PAH air pollutants from fossil fuels 'multiply' in sunlight

When power stations burn coal, a class of compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, form part of the resulting air pollution. Researchers have found that PAH toxins degrade in sunlight into child compounds and byproducts.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-toxic-pah-air-pollutants-fossil.html

Expressing some doubts: Comparative analysis of human and android faces could lead to improvements

Researchers from the Graduate School of Engineering and Symbiotic Intelligent Systems Research Center at Osaka University used motion capture cameras to compare the expressions of android and human faces. They found that the mechanical facial movements of the robots, especially in the upper regions, did not fully reproduce the curved flow lines seen in the faces of actual people. This research may lead to more lifelike and expressive artificial faces.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-analysis-human-android.html

Tracking species invasions with digital biodiversity data

Large online data sources are increasingly important to understand biological invasions. Emerging fields of conservation culturomics and iEcology have a great potential to inform invasion science and practice through novel insights and knowledge. In a recent publication, an international research team led by the Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences is looking at the state of the art of invasion culturomics and iEcology, and their potential applications for research and management of invasive alien species.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-tracking-species-invasions-digital-biodiversity.html

Major 'State of the Planet' report out in advance of first Nobel Prize Summit

Human actions are threatening the resilience and stability of Earth's biosphere—the wafer-thin veil around Earth where life thrives. This has profound implications for the development of civilization, say an international group of researchers in a report published for the first Nobel Prize Summit, a digital gathering to be held in April to discuss the state of the planet in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-major-state-planet-advance-nobel.html

'Doodles of light' in real time mark leap for holograms at home

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have devised and implemented a simplified algorithm for turning freely drawn lines into holograms on a standard desktop CPU. They dramatically cut down the computational cost and power consumption of algorithms that require dedicated hardware. It is fast enough to convert writing into lines in real time, and makes crisp, clear images that meet industry standards. Potential applications include hand-written remote instructions superimposed on landscapes and workbenches.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-doodles-real-holograms-home.html

Water in a loop: How to combat water scarcity on remote islands

Every summer, thousands of tourists travel to Greece's idyllic islands to enjoy their sunny beaches. Even the global pandemic couldn't keep visitors away, but water scarcity might. Many Greek islands survive on water imports and are struggling to meet residents' and agriculture's water needs—let alone those of tourists.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-loop-combat-scarcity-remote-islands.html

No threat to Earth as huge asteroid zooms past

The largest asteroid to pass by Earth this year has made its closest approach, posing no threat of a cataclysmic collision but giving astronomers a rare chance to study a rock formed during the beginning of our solar system.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-threat-earth-huge-asteroid.html

Deliveroo eyes £8.8 bn valuation at London float

Meal delivery app Deliveroo is aiming for a valuation of up to £8.8 billion when it shortly launches on the London stock market, the company said Monday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-deliveroo-eyes-bn-valuation-london.html

Global biodiversity awareness tracked with Wikipedia page views

Wikipedia page views could be used to monitor global awareness of biodiversity, proposes a research team from UCL, ZSL, and the RSPB.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-global-biodiversity-awareness-tracked-wikipedia.html

Trump to launch own social media platform: ex-aide

Donald Trump plans to return to social media soon, using "his own platform" after being banned from Twitter and other outlets, a former advisor said Sunday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-trump-social-media-platform-ex-aide.html

First ever tweet turns 15 years old

Fifteen years ago Jack Dorsey typed out a banal message—"just setting up my twttr"—which became the first ever tweet, launching a global platform that has become a controversial and dominant force in civil society.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-tweet-years.html

Fresh deluge worsens 'one in 100 year' Australia floods

Torrential rain lashed Australia's southeast again Monday, worsening once-in-a-century flooding that has forced 18,000 people to evacuate their homes and shuttered hundreds of schools.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-fresh-deluge-worsens-year-australia.html

Mars findings cataloged in Navajo language

Native people have had ties to land in North America since time immemorial, and now that connection is expanding to the cosmos.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-mars-navajo-language.html

In both gorillas and humans, it takes a village to raise a child

A study by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund shows that gorilla families come together to support young gorillas that lose their mothers.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-gorillas-humans-village-child.html

Microsoft Defender Antivirus now offers automatic on-premises Exchange Server mitigation

In light of the plethora of cybercriminals who have attempted to attack unpatched on-premises versions of Exchange Server 2013, 2016 and 2019, Microsoft has ramped up its support of customers and partners in securing their environments and responding to related incidents.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-microsoft-defender-antivirus-automatic-on-premises.html

With friendly rivalries, eSports gain traction in corporate world

Microsoft software engineer Daniel Jost has found a way to take on his peers at Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google in friendly fashion—through video game competition.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-friendly-rivalries-esports-gain-traction.html

China crackdown cuts Big Tech down to size

Tighter regulations, billions in lost overseas share value and government pledges to get even tougher—Chinese tech giants are reeling under what looks like a sustained Big Brother assault on innovation and enterprise.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-china-crackdown-big-tech-size.html

Large asteroid to (safely) zip past Earth

The largest asteroid to pass by Earth this year will swing closest on Sunday, giving astronomers a rare chance for a good look at a space rock that formed at the dawn of our solar system.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-large-asteroid-safely-earth.html

Swiss kids suit up for 'Mission to Mars'

Leo pulls on a shiny, silver suit and places the helmet gingerly over his head before marching with the other budding astronauts towards their spaceship.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-swiss-kids-mission-mars.html

Musk tells China data gathered by Teslas remain secret: report

Tesla boss Elon Musk strongly denied Saturday that his cars, which gather large amounts of data, could ever be used to spy on China despite fears raised by Beijing, the Wall Street Journal reported.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-musk-china-teslas-secret.html

Meteor streaks over Cuba, causes explosion

What is believed to be a meteor lit the sky over eastern Cuba and caused an explosion, scientists on the island said Saturday. There were no reports of damage or injury.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-meteor-streaks-cuba-explosion.html

Eruption of Iceland volcano easing, not affecting flights

The eruption of a long-dormant volcano that sent streams of lava flowing across a small valley in southwestern Iceland is easing and shouldn't interfere with air travel, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said Saturday.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-eruption-iceland-volcano-easing-affecting.html

Japan lifts tsunami advisory after strong quake off northeast

Japan's meteorological agency lifted a tsunami advisory around an hour after a strong 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the country's northeastern coast on Saturday, causing no immediate damage or injuries.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-japan-tsunami-advisory-strong-quake.html

How Finland embraced being 'world's happiest nation'

Once notorious for its bland food and long, harsh winters, Finland's repeated success in the annual happiness rankings has helped transform the country's global reputation, boosting tourism and business.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-finland-embraced-world-happiest-nation.html

An easy way to reduce socioeconomic disparities

Researchers from Columbia University and Temple University published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that examines how choice architecture can reduce socioeconomic disparities.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-easy-socioeconomic-disparities.html

Volkswagen suspends production in Brazil over COVID

Volkswagen said Friday it was suspending production at its four plants in Brazil for 12 days because of a new surge of COVID-19 in the hard-hit country.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-volkswagen-production-brazil-covid.html

Twitter to establish legal entity in Turkey, comply with law

Twitter has announced it will establish a legal entity in Turkey in order to continue operating in the country, which passed a controversial social media law last year.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-twitter-legal-entity-turkey-comply.html

Lava eruption from long-dormant Icelandic volcano

Glowing red lava spewed Saturday from a volcano that has erupted near Iceland's capital Reykjavik after being dormant for more than 900 years.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-icelandic-volcano-erupts-night-sky.html

Iceland's main volcanic eruptions

A volcano erupted just 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Iceland's capital Reykjavik on Friday, turning the sky crimson as streams of red lava spewed from the ground.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-iceland-main-volcanic-eruptions.html

Record rains, flooding prompt evacuations in Australia

Record rains and widespread flooding prompted evacuations along Australia's east coast Saturday and threatened the most serious overflow of Sydney's main reservoir in 30 years, officials said.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-prompt-evacuations-australia.html

Carbon pawprint: is man's best friend the planet's enemy?

Is your adorable puppy as bad for the planet as a gas-guzzling SUV?

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-carbon-pawprint-friend-planet-enemy.html

UK gamers and politicians take aim at console 'scalpers'

Furious British gamers and lawmakers are training their sights on "scalpers" who are buying up coveted PS5 and Xbox consoles and selling them online at vastly inflated prices.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-uk-gamers-politicians-aim-console.html

Scientists find new solid-state material for thermal regulation

About 90% of the world's energy use involves generation or manipulation of heat, while controlling thermal transport is yet a challenge in many fields, varying from the micro- and nano-scale electronic devices to aeronautics. Materials exhibiting abrupt transition between low and high thermal conductance states are strongly desired for rapidly developing thermal regulation applications.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-scientists-solid-state-material-thermal.html

Foreign-born run greater risk of workplace bullying

The risk of being bullied at work in Sweden is twice as high if you were born outside Sweden. And if you come from a culture that is culturally dissimilar to Sweden's, the risk is even higher. These are the results of a study from Linköping University that was recently published in The International Journal of Human Resource Management.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-foreign-born-greater-workplace-bullying.html

Galileo will help Lunar Pathfinder navigate around moon

ESA's Lunar Pathfinder mission to the moon will carry an advanced satellite navigation receiver, in order to perform the first ever satnav positioning fix in lunar orbit. This experimental payload marks a preliminary step in an ambitious ESA plan to expand reliable satnav coverage—as well as communication links—to explorers around and ultimately on the moon during this decade.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-galileo-lunar-pathfinder-moon.html

Researchers confirm accuracy of cosmological data analysis technique using mock data

Astronomers have played a game of guess-the-numbers with cosmological implications. Working from a mock catalog of galaxies prepared by a Japanese team, two American teams correctly guessed the cosmological parameters used to generate the catalog to within 1% accuracy. This gives us confidence that their methods will be able to determine the correct parameters of the real universe when applied to observational data.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-accuracy-cosmological-analysis-technique-mock.html

Building knowledge of changes in uranium chemistry

"There are still a great many questions to be answered in uranium chemistry, particularly in the context of the nuclear fuel cycle; but when researchers combine their skills and expertise, pioneering and significant solutions can be found," said Dr. Zhaoming Zhang, Principal Research Scientist, Nuclear Fuel Cycle, ANSTO.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-knowledge-uranium-chemistry.html

Carbon uptake in regrowing Amazon forest threatened by climate and human disturbance

Large areas of forests regrowing in the Amazon to help reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, are being limited by climate and human activity.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-carbon-uptake-regrowing-amazon-forest.html

Bioengineers learn the secrets to precisely turning on and off genes

In a recent study led by the University of Bristol, scientists have shown how to simultaneously harness multiple forms of regulation in living cells to strictly control gene expression and open new avenues for improved biotechnologies.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-03-bioengineers-secrets-precisely-genes.html