Science & Technology
Solid aerosols found in Arctic atmosphere could impact cloud formation and climate
Solid aerosols can change how clouds form in the Arctic. And, as the Arctic loses ice, researchers expect to see more of these unique particles formed from oceanic emissions combined with ammonia from birds, which will impact cloud formation and climat…
Lack of sleep increases unhealthy abdominal fat, study finds
New research shows that lack of sufficient sleep combined with free access to food increases calorie consumption and consequently fat accumulation, especially unhealthy fat inside the belly.
Caribou herd rebounds as Indigenous stewards lead conservation efforts
Despite recovery efforts from federal and provincial governments, caribou populations across Canada continue to decline, largely due to human activity. But as a new study finds, in central British Columbia there is one herd of mountain caribou, the Kli…
New information about amyloid filaments in neurodegenerative diseases
Researchers have helped identify that a common protein found in neurodegenerative diseases forms amyloid filaments in an age-dependent manner without a connection to disease.
Scientists observe mysterious death of a star emitting six rings
Astrophysicists studying in unprecedented detail a red giant star named V Hydrae have witnessed the star’s mysterious death throes. Researchers discovered that the carbon-rich star has expelled six slowly expanding molecular rings and two hourglass-sha…
Quantum information theory: Quantum complexity grows linearly for an exponentially long time
Physicists know about the huge chasm between quantum physics and the theory of gravity. However, in recent decades, theoretical physics has provided some plausible conjecture to bridge this gap and to describe the behavior of complex quantum many-body …
Visualizing the invisible
With the advent of cutting-edge apparatus that can image samples at the atomic scale, scientists found that traditional molecular models did not fit the images they saw. Researchers have devised a better way to visualize molecules building on these tra…
Hundreds of new mammal species waiting to be found, study says
At least hundreds of so-far unidentified species of mammals are hiding in plain sight around the world, a new study suggests. Researchers found that most of these hidden mammals are small bodied, many of them bats, rodents, shrews, and moles.
Invading hordes of crazy ants may have finally met their kryptonite
Scientists have have demonstrated how to use a naturally occurring fungus to crush local populations of tawny crazy ants.
Spirituality can improve quality of life for heart failure patients, study finds
Numerous studies have shown that spirituality can help improve quality of life for people with chronic diseases like cancer. According to a literature review, spirituality can also have a positive impact on quality of life for heart failure patients.
Black patients with cancer fare worse with COVID-19, study shows
Lack of access to health care, social determinants of health, preexisting comorbidities and reduced access to clinical research are common to both cancer and COVID-19 in Black individuals. Together these two diseases create a perfect storm in this popu…
New test predicts sepsis before blood clots cause permanent organ damage, markedly increasing survival
In a potential paradigm change for sepsis diagnostics, a new test predicted sepsis soon after infection in mice — well before blood clotting and organ failure — enabling early antibiotic treatment and markedly increased survival. The findings provide…
Squid skin-inspired cup cozy will keep your hands cool and your coffee hot
Drawing inspiration from cephalopod skin, engineers have invented an adaptive fabric that can be used to insulate the contents of coffee cups, to-go boxes and containers of almost any size. In a new paper, the researchers describe the manufacturing pro…
Citizen science data are crucial to understand wildlife roadkill, demonstrates a study in Flanders
Researchers in Flanders (Belgium) analyzed roadkill records from the last decade in the region, using data provided by citizen scientists. Their study looks at the fate of 17 mammal species on the roads of Flanders. In the last decade, roadkill inciden…
Unprecedented videos show RNA switching ‘on’ and ‘off’
Using new simulations, researchers discovered one part of RNA smoothly invades and displaces another part of the same RNA, enabling the structure to rapidly and dramatically change shape. Called strand displacement, this mechanism appears to switch gen…
Genetic risk for asthma comes from changes in airway cells, study finds
A significant amount of genetic risk for asthma is likely mediated through altered gene expression within the airway epithelium. That is the conclusion of a new study to identify genetic variants that cause asthma by altering the function of airway cel…
New nasal spray treats Delta variant infection in mice, indicating broad spectrum results
Researchers have shown a new compound delivered in a nasal spray is highly effective in preventing and treating COVID-19 caused by the Delta variant in mice. The researchers believe this is the first treatment of its kind proven to be effective against…
Ancient helium leaking from core offers clues to Earth’s formation
Helium-3, a rare isotope of helium gas, is leaking out of Earth’s core, a new study reports. Because almost all helium-3 is from the Big Bang, the gas leak adds evidence that Earth formed inside a solar nebula, which has long been debated.
Identifying risk factors following ICH strokes
Researchers reveal new insights into how different risk factors following intracerebral hemorrhages can affect patient outcomes.