Science News from around the Web
- Physicists beat Lorentz reciprocity for microwave transmissionNew device could boost telecommunications and be adapted for photonics... Read more »
- Japan’s SuperKEKB set for first particle collisionsRevamped accelerator will soon be smashing electrons and positrons together... Read more »
- Wood-based 'supermaterial' is stronger and tougher than steelNew material is made by compressing treated wood... Read more »
- Three photons bind together to make a ‘molecule’ of lightTechnique could be used to create quantum-information systems... Read more »
- Nuclear excitation by electron capture seen at long lastBreakthrough could lead to new type of energy source... Read more »
- Removing sweets from checkouts linked to dramatic fall in unhealthy snack purchasesPolicies aimed at removing sweets and chips from checkouts could lead to a dramatic reduction to the amount of unhealthy food purchased to eat 'on the go' and a significant reduction in that purchased to take home, suggests new research.... Read more »
- Southwest forest trees will grow much slower in the 21st centurySouthwest forests may decline in productivity on average as much as 75 percent over the 21st century as climate warms. The finding is based on a treasure trove of about 20,000 unanalyzed tree cores discovered in a Utah laboratory about a decade ago.... Read more »
- Using CRISPR technology for conditional gene regulationCRISPR allows scientists to precisely target and edit DNA within living cells, which could help them correct anomalies that cause inherited diseases. A team has now developed a method to use CRISPR/Cas9 technology to set off a cascade of activities in cells, a phenomenon known as conditional gene regulation.... Read more »
- Gender separation affects sense of smellOlfactory sensory receptors in mice change as a function of exposure to odors emitted from members of the opposite sex, researchers have discovered.... Read more »
- Uncovering a key mechanism in assembly of Avian Sarcoma Virus, a relative of HIV-1Researchers used NMR to detail how the matrix domain of the Avian Sarcoma Virus Gag protein binds to certain phospholipids. These phospholipids are vital for Gag protein binding to the plasma membrane of a cell, as the virus replicates and takes its first step toward virus formation and budding. ASV... Read more »
- System monitors radiation damage to materials in real-time(Massachusetts Institute of Technology) A new system allows detailed real-time observations of how materials are affected by a high-radiation environment. The system, developed at MIT and Sandia National Laboratories, could accelerate the development of better materials for nuclear plants.... Read more »
- Sarpeshkar elected to the National Academy of Inventors(Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth) Rahul Sarpeshkar, professor of engineering at Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth, has been named a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Sarpeshkar is a leader in the fields of medical devices and electronics as well as ultra-low power, analog, and... Read more »
- The vanished mirror image(Technical University of Munich (TUM)) Enantiomeric molecules resemble each other like right and left hands. Both variants normally arise in chemical reactions. But frequently only one of the two forms is effectual in biology and medicine. Hitherto, completely converting this mixture into the desired enantiomer was deemed impossible. Deploying a... Read more »
- Pathogen predicament: How bacteria propel themselves out of a tight spot(University of York) Scientists have deciphered how some types of 'swimming' bacteria have evolved to be able to escape when trapped in small spaces.The discovery could pave the way to finding new methods to stop the spread of certain bacteria, including species that cause food poisoning and stomach ulcers.... Read more »
- Media invited to open meeting on the future of quantum technology held at RIT January 23-25(Rochester Institute of Technology) An international conference on quantum science and technology is expected to draw more than a hundred leading scientists and engineers to Rochester Institute of Technology in January in response to a congressional imperative to accelerate quantum research.... Read more »
- A Network Theorist Seeks "Universal Laws" of SuccessA scientist leverages big data to pin down precepts that extend beyond the self-help aisle -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com ... Read more »
- U.S. Health Official Expresses Alarm at Increase in Vaping among TeensNora Volkow of the National Institute on Drug Abuse addresses record high stats among 12th graders -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com ... Read more »
- Pterosaurs Just Keep Getting WeirderThey beat birds at powered flight. Were they also a step ahead with feathers? -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com ... Read more »
- Caught in the Act--Astronomers Get Their Best Look Yet at a Supernova Blowing UpNew observations of a stellar explosion have revealed a surprise that could point to the trigger behind these violent, yet mysterious, eruptions -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com ... Read more »
- "Spy" Virus Eavesdrops on Bacteria, Then Obliterates ThemViruses use bacteria’s chemical language to time their destruction; this might lead to new ways to fight infections -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com ... Read more »
- How best to talk to your science-denying relatives this ChristmasTrying to change someone's mind is no easy task, but researchers have studied the various pitfalls when it comes to correcting scientific myths... Read more »
- Snake-oil sellers must no longer be able to hide behind charity statusUK regulators are cracking down on charities that promote bogus treatments. But will it be enough, asks Tom Chivers... Read more »
- Dolphins have best friends but also shun those outside their cliqueIn a group of dolphins in the Adriatic sea, long-term friendships blossomed, but so did exclusive cliques where some dolphins shun each other... Read more »
- Computer chip will sniff your armpits and tell you when you have BOTechnology firm Arm is building computer chips that will smell their surroundings. It wants to use them to spot gone-off food and to tell people if they have BO... Read more »
- Dan Holdsworth’s new artwork captures the past in a point-cloudIn collaboration with geologists and data scientists, a British photographer has found a way to snap pictures of the Jurassic... Read more »
- How best to talk to your science-denying relatives this ChristmasTrying to change someone's mind is no easy task, but researchers have studied the various pitfalls when it comes to correcting scientific myths... Read more »
- Snake-oil sellers must no longer be able to hide behind charity statusUK regulators are cracking down on charities that promote bogus treatments. But will it be enough, asks Tom Chivers... Read more »
- Dolphins have best friends but also shun those outside their cliqueIn a group of dolphins in the Adriatic sea, long-term friendships blossomed, but so did exclusive cliques where some dolphins shun each other... Read more »
- Computer chip will sniff your armpits and tell you when you have BOTechnology firm Arm is building computer chips that will smell their surroundings. It wants to use them to spot gone-off food and to tell people if they have BO... Read more »
- Dan Holdsworth’s new artwork captures the past in a point-cloudIn collaboration with geologists and data scientists, a British photographer has found a way to snap pictures of the Jurassic... Read more »