Science In flow

Neuroscientists have experimented on mice to identify the brain region that functions beyond sensory encoding and motor encoding, potentially opening up new directions to studying the cellular and circuit mechanisms of sensory-motor transformations. The researchers report a cortical region traditionally defined as whisker motor cortex in mice is most directly related to the transformation process. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2YuaXyn

Unless radon gas is discovered in a home inspection, most people remain blissfully unaware that rocks like granite, metal ores, and some soils contain naturally occurring sources of radiation. In most cases, low levels of radiation are not a health concern. But some scientists and engineers are concerned about even trace levels of radiation, which can wreak havoc on sensitive equipment. The semiconductor industry, for instance, spends billions each year to source and "scrub" ultra-trace levels of radioactive materials from microchips, transistors and sensitive sensors. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3cu0Phs

Researchers have resolved for the first time, how the environment affects the formation of nanoparticles in the Arctic. The results give additional insight into the future of melting sea ice and the Arctic atmosphere. Until recent studies, the molecular processes of particle formation in the high Arctic remained a mystery. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/36tqTW1

Scientists have developed a process to produce commodity chemicals in a much less hazardous way than was previously possible. The researchers report that they have been able to utilize electrolysis, i.e., the application of an electric current, to obtain chemicals known as dichloro and dibromo compounds, which can then be used to synthesize commodity chemicals. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3pCZKYf

The analysis of sediment cores from the Mediterranean Sea combined with Earth system models tells the story of major environmental changes in North Africa over the last 160,000 years. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Md7yBT

High-intensity tropical cyclones have been moving closer to coasts over the past 40 years, potentially causing more destruction than before. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3pCsrVt

Efforts to understand when corals reproduce have been given a boost thanks to a new resource that gives scientists open access to more than forty years' worth of information about coral spawning. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3am35EF

Researchers have conducted an original scientific study that puts forth a plausible explanation for the mysterious 1959 death of nine hikers in the Ural Mountains in the former Soviet Union. The tragic Dyatlov Pass Incident, as it came to be called, has spawned a number of theories, from murderous Yeti to secret military experiments. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ar23Ym

New findings buck the historical view that most cities in the United States developed in similar ways. Using a century's worth of urban spatial data, researchers found a long history of urban size (how big a place is) ''decoupling'' from urban form (the shape and structure of a city), leading to cities not all evolving the same -- or even close. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2YJNY2N

For most of Earth's history, life was limited to the microscopic realm, with bacteria occupying nearly every possible niche. Life is generally thought to have evolved in some of the most extreme environments, like hydrothermal vents deep in the ocean or hot springs that still simmer in Yellowstone. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2YvQUjd

A new study has revealed insights on the intricate, adaptive mechanisms of a protective system employed by the cells of mammalian immune systems. These defenses have evolved to set a type of tripwire that produces an immune response against attack from viruses. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/36L5N5Z

Decadal growth rate of methane in the atmosphere varied dramatically over the past 30 yeas with three distinct periods of slowed (1988-1998), quasi-stationary (1999-2006) and renewed (2007-2016) phases. An inverse analysis with atmospheric chemistry transport modeling explained these variations consistently. While emissions from oil and gas exploitation and natural climate events caused the slowed growth and the temporary pause, those from coal mining in China and livestock farming in the tropics drove the renewed growth. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2MkoZjO

Researchers detail the mechanism that allows propofol, a common anesthetic, to halt the movement of kinesin proteins that deliver cargoes to the far reaches of cells. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3amUfqi

A genetic engineering method makes it possible to observe how woody cell walls are built in plants. The new research in wood formation opens up the possibility of developing sturdier construction materials and perhaps more climate efficient trees. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3r8iVtA

When males have to fight for reproductive rights, having larger weapons such as horns gives them an edge. However, this can also limit their mobility, making them more vulnerable to predators. In a recent study, scientists demonstrated that males of a species adopt different anti-predator tactics -- tonic immobility or escape -- based on the size of their weapons, opening doors to a better understanding of the evolution of animal behaviors. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2MnR9uj

Global circulating winds can carry bacteria, fungal spores, viruses and pollen over long distances and across national borders, but the United States is ill-prepared to confront future disease outbreaks or food-supply threats caused by airborne organisms, says a new article. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3cruvvD

Scientists have discovered fermented food waste can boost bacteria that increase crop growth, making plants more resistant to pathogens and reducing carbon emissions from farming. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2YsORMW

A team has developed and patented a method to separate mucilage from chia seeds, yielding a protein-rich chia seed flour with improved bioactivity and functionality compared with conventional methods. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3crrtHL

Research based on the daily movements of people living in a contemporary hunter-gatherer society provides new evidence for links between the gendered division of labor in human societies over the past 2.5 million years and differences in the way men and women think about space. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3r5gqIk

Access to legal cannabis stores is associated with a reduction in opioid related deaths in the United States, particularly those linked to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, finds a new study. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Yy1ZAu

A new study used machine learning to identify bird species with the potential to transmit the Lyme disease bacterium (Borrelia burgdorferi) to feeding ticks. The team developed a model that identified birds known to spread Lyme disease with 80% accuracy and flagged 21 new species that should be prioritized for surveillance. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2ME6K8L

An overzealous push for breastfeeding is affecting availability of baby formula in food banks, worsening problems for the poorest people, writes Clare Wilson from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/2L8y4vA

New research demonstrates how certain types of bacteria can adapt to long-term exposure to antibiotics by changing their shape. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3afUEed

A study has revealed for the first time the ancient origins of one of the world's most important ecosystems by unlocking the mechanism which determined the evolution of its mountains and how they shaped the weather there as well as its flora and fauna. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/36r3pB2

A committee of experts has urged officials at all levels of government to support research and policies that could help get the buildings and services society depends on up and running quickly after an earthquake. In a report delivered to Congress, the committee outlines seven recommendations that, if acted upon, may greatly improve the resilience of communities across the nation. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2YtCyzT

To start the process of unpacking tightly bundled genetic material, plants depend on the LEAFY pioneer protein, according biologists. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3pCuvwz

Last and First Men tracks the beginning and end of humanity. It is a film that ranks with Solaris and 2001: A Space Odyssey and it may even break your heart, says Simon Ings from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3cn6B4v

The colourful story of Valerie Taylor premieres at Sundance Film Festival 2021. With husband Ron, she made a dramatic switch from shark-hunting to shark filming, even shooting footage for Jaws from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3t2quUp

Several studies suggest that coronavirus vaccines can significantly reduce transmission of the virus, but not halt it completely – so social distancing is still necessary from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/2YpSoLJ

Being constantly flooded by a mass of stimuli, it is impossible for us to react to all of them. The same holds true for a little fish. Which stimuli should it pay attention to and which not? Scientists have now deciphered the neuronal circuit that zebrafish use to prioritize visual stimuli. Surrounded by predators, a fish can thus choose its escape route from this predicament. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3cpf4Eq

For species to survive in the wild, maintaining connectivity between populations is critical. Without 'wildlife corridors', groups of animals are isolated and may die out. In assessing wildlife connectivity, many aspects of the landscape are measured, but the impact of human behavior has largely been overlooked. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3tc4ruC

A new 3D analysis shows that wildland fires flare up in forests populated by similar-sized trees or checkerboarded by large clearings and slow down where trees are more varied. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3concVq

The latest coronavirus news updated every day including coronavirus cases, the latest news, features and interviews from New Scientist and essential information about the covid-19 pandemic from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3cnQcgc

Russel T Davies's mini series It’s A Sin serves as the perfect snapshot into London’s gay scene in the 1980s, while exposing the harsh realities of the decade’s rising AIDS epidemic from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3iXfKC7

Archaeologists show that the Chumash Indians had been using shell beads as money for at least 800 years. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Mzg6mn

With the New Year, many people are making resolutions to eat healthier, by eating more vegetables, for example. But those who don't like the taste or texture of some vegetables might prefer to drink them in a home-squeezed juice. Now, researchers have found that the choice of household juicing technique can influence the phytochemical content and antioxidant activity of common vegetable juices. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iXju6q

In a new and first of its kind study, researchers study fermented beverages to find the one with the most umami flavor. Which one wins -- champagne, beer, wine or sake? from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3pv9kwh

Intelligent extraterrestrials may have built vast solar power plants around their host stars. The hunt for their telltale glow is hotting up from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3a7yric

Clinical trials show that a new covid-19 vaccine developed by Novavax is highly effective against a variant of the coronavirus vaccine circulating widely in the UK, but less effective against a variant in South Africa from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/2M73kM5

New Scientist's weekly round-up of the best books, films, TV series, games and more that you shouldn't miss from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3oy6mG6

An AI can guess how a person will feel when viewing art and write a caption that passes as human-sounding 50 per cent of the time from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3qZnTIY

Covid-19 vaccines are not being rolled out equally – in Guinea, 25 doses have been administered, while 7 million have gone out in the UK alone – which could prolong the pandemic and increase the risk of more transmissible mutations from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3r5QtrZ

Polyester microfibres are similar in shape to small plant roots, and they may have a detrimental impact on soil properties that is similar to the effects of drought from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/2NLdhPE

These six rare and exquisite images of galactic evolution were taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. They show what happens when galaxies collide and merge from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/39sUalS

Translucent robots with cameras inside can detect human touch and differentiate between prods, strokes or hugs, which can help us communicate with them non-verbally from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3iWSRhU

Demand for rare metals can only increase in the move to a zero-carbon economy. The Rare Metals War by Guillaume Pitron lays out the terrifying cost from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3acGn1P

Although loggerhead sea turtles return to the same beach where they hatched to lay their eggs, a new study finds individual females lay numerous clutches of eggs in locations miles apart from each other which increases the odds that some of their offspring will survive. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3pGp3ZP

When thick, the surface layer of the ocean acts as a buffer to extreme marine heating -- but a new study shows this 'mixed layer' is becoming shallower each year. The thinner it becomes, the easier it is to warm. The new work could explain recent extreme marine heatwaves, and point at a future of more frequent and destructive ocean warming events as global temperatures continue to climb. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3qZDesR

The origin of flowering plants famously puzzled Charles Darwin, who described their sudden appearance in the fossil record from relatively recent geological times as an 'abominable mystery'. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iULpE2

A team of scientists has discovered the remains of a fungi-like microfossil that emerged at the end of an ice age some 635 million years ago. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3t8aVdG

The thought of eating insects is stomach turning for many, but new research is shedding light on allergy causing proteins which could pose serious health risks for those suffering from shellfish allergy. The research identified 20 proteins found in cricket food products which could cause serious allergic reactions. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3osq2uY

'Shell-crushing,' an explosive sound, occurs when marine animals crack open hard shells like clams to eat the edible tissue. There hasn't been any data to support this feeding noise, until now. A study is first to quantify these sounds using underwater acoustics in a marine animal in a controlled setting. Scientists know what type of shell a ray is eating based on the sound it makes and show it's audible above ambient noise in lagoons out to 100 meters. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3acFFl9

If you look deep into the eyes of a fish, it will tell you its life story. Scientists demonstrate that they can use stable isotopic analysis of the eye lenses of freshwater fish -- including threatened and endangered salmon -- to reveal a fish's life history and what it ate along the way. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ovjPyq

Widespread use of antibiotics in human healthcare and livestock husbandry has led to trace amounts of the drugs ending up in food products. Long-term consumption could cause health problems, but it's been difficult to analyze more than a few antibiotics at a time because they have different chemical properties. Now, researchers have developed a method to simultaneously measure 77 antibiotics in a variety of foods. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Ypviow

Researchers are using plant breeding and biotechnology to remove proteins associated with food allergies. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2YpvgNq

Viral infections and space travel similarly trigger inflammation and the enzymes APOBEC3C and ADAR1; researchers are developing ways to inhibit them as a means to potentially lower cancer risk for both astronauts and people on Earth. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/39vdmzv

There's a tendency among horticulturists to prefer native plant species, but we shouldn't assume they are better, writes James Wong from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3ozGKc9

All of us are vulnerable to psychological manipulation, due to quirks in the way our brains create our perception of the world. Understanding how that happens can help strengthen our defences against gaslighting from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/2MzRZ6J

An unexpected use for catnip, plus the “right to reuse” ink cartridges and the benefits (or not) of blockchain, in Feedback’s weird weekly-round up from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3iYGTo3

Glass windows are notoriously bad at keeping buildings insulated, and a simple new process for making sturdy transparent wood could provide a solution from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3r05FqU

An analysis of millions of posts on Reddit found that people who joined groups related to conspiracy theories were more likely to have faced actions from moderators in more mainstream groups beforehand from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/2Mf7bGF

Baleen whales include the largest animals ever to exist, but despite their size, they remain mysterious – and a new species has just been found near the US south coast from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3ccQBC2

Earth system science researchers conducted an analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and land use since 1961, finding some opportunities for mitigation as well as areas where curtailment will require sacrifices. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3opgoJF

A material that can be used in technologies such as solar power has been found to self-heal, a new study shows. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iQF8tc

Biologists often study animal sociality by collecting observations about behavioral interactions. These interactions can be things like severe or minor fights, cooperative food sharing or grooming. But to analyze animal behavior, researchers need to make decisions about how to categorize and code these interactions. That gets tricky. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3or08YH

A team of marine scientists has confirmed that southern Africa's most threatened endemic shark - the Critically Endangered shorttail nurse shark (Pseudoginglymostoma brevicaudatum) - has been found to occur in Mozambique; a finding that represents a range extension of more than 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles). from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2NI9zGt

Burning fossil fuels has long powered world economies while contributing to air pollution and the buildup of greenhouse gases. A new analysis of nearly two decades of satellite data shows that economic development, fossil-fuel combustion and air quality are closely linked on the continental and national scales, but can be decoupled at the national level, according to scientists. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3r29FH5

Photoanodes made of metal oxides are considered to be a viable solution for the production of hydrogen with sunlight. Alpha-SnWO4 has optimal electronic properties for photoelectrochemical water splitting with sunlight, but corrodes easily. Protective layers of nickel oxide prevent corrosion, but reduce the photovoltage and limit the efficiency. Now a team has investigated at BESSY II what happens at the interface between the photoanode and the protective layer. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iWxsWq

Researchers have developed a new computational method for studying genetic and environmental interactions and how they influence disease risk. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3a7MTqF

The spread of quagga mussels across the American Great Lakes has transformed the supply of phosphorus - a key biological nutrient - to the ecosystem. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2KTSHeK

Organelles continue to thrive after the cells within which they exist die, scientists have found, overturning previous assumptions that organelles decay too quickly to be fossilized. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3cpAOQa

Got milk? The 1990s ad campaign highlighted the importance of milk for health and wellbeing, but when did we start drinking the milk of other animals? And how did the practice spread? A new study led by scientists from Germany and Kenya highlights the critical role of Africa in the story of dairying, showing that communities there were drinking milk by at least 6,000 years ago. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2M2wAUc

Much of the earth's carbon is trapped in soil, and scientists have assumed that potential climate-warming compounds would safely stay there for centuries. But new research shows that carbon molecules can potentially escape the soil much faster than previously thought. The findings suggest a key role for some types of soil bacteria, which can produce enzymes that break down large carbon-based molecules and allow carbon dioxide to escape into the air. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3otuTvY

Global goals for biodiversity must apply to all member states of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) also at national level. This is one of four recommendations for improving the global strategy for biodiversity. The researchers analyze why the goals have been largely missed so far and present concrete policy options. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2MymYA5

Wildfires are the enemy when they threaten homes in California and elsewhere. But a new study suggests that people living in fire-prone places can learn to manage fire as an ally to prevent dangerous blazes, just like people who lived nearly 1,000 years ago. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3a7WvBM

Researchers used single-molecule imaging to compare the genome-editing tools CRISPR-Cas9 and TALEN. Their experiments revealed that TALEN is up to five times more efficient than CRISPR-Cas9 in parts of the genome, called heterochromatin, that are densely packed. Fragile X syndrome, sickle cell anemia, beta-thalassemia and other diseases are the result of genetic defects in the heterochromatin. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iSqRfw

New research suggests estimates of the species' current distribution are potentially overestimating range size. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3sZVzrG

A physics professor has joined forces with language experts to build a 'linguistic thermometer' that can record the temperature of 'hot' or 'cold' (ie fast or slow) developments in modern linguistic features to create a computer-based model that can provide a better understanding of the development in human language and innovation stretching back to pre-history. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2MbvqWn

New research has reignited the debate around the behavior of the giant dinosaur Spinosaurus. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3t0l1NQ

Heart disease is a killer threat for southern sea otters feasting on domoic acid in their food web. Climate change projections indicate that toxic blooms and domoic acid exposure will continue to rise. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3cgUAxe

Potentially dangerous new coronavirus variants can be detected more easily by monitoring sewage systems for virus shed in faeces than by testing people directly from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3sYoGLX

The existence of the Denisovans was discovered just a decade ago through DNA alone. Now we're starting to uncover fossils and artefacts revealing what these early humans were like from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/36chTVl

From efficacy after one dose, to whether you can still transmit the coronavirus to others and how to find out if the vaccine has worked for you, here's everything you need to know after one dose of the covid-19 from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/39kjo5O

We suspected that tooth-like scales help sharks slip more easily through water, and now we know the effect is most pronounced when the sharks accelerate from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3pnu2OT

The biggest ever poll of climate change views, canvassing 1.4 million people in 50 countries, has found that 64 per cent of people think the issue is a global emergency from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/2YoC0Lr

There are markedly different outcomes for different species of coral reef fishes under climate change - scientists are now another step closer to uncovering the 'winners and losers'. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/36eFRiP

After an initial report told of collapsing food webs in Puerto Rico, a group of researchers conducting long-term research on the island took a closer look at the issue. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2M0O9nA

In a study of 500 sourdough starters spanning four continents, scientists have garnered new insights into the environmental factors that contribute to each sourdough starter's microbial ecosystem, and how different types of microbes influence both a sourdough's aroma and how quickly the sourdough rises. The results may surprise sourdough enthusiasts. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2YkaA9z

Scientists have designed a single-dose universal vaccine that could protect against the many forms of leptospirosis bacteria, according to a new study. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3cdXR0h

Scientists analyzed where and when thousands of genes are activated in baby corn. This allowed them to build an anatomical map of important developmental genes that can be manipulated to improve crop yield and resilience. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3pkTVi4

Landslides caused by the collapse of unstable volcanoes are one of the major dangers of volcanic eruptions. A method to detect long-term movements of these mountains using satellite images could help identify previously overlooked instability at some volcanoes, according to scientists. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3cc6Hvx

Global warming or climate change. It doesn't matter what you call it. What matters is that right now it is having a direct and dramatic effect on marine environments across our planet. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3pibsHI

Extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and increased precipitation, affect both the amount and the composition of picophytoplankton in the Neuse River Estuary. The work is a first step in determining how a wetter climate may affect the estuarine ecosystem. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3am73gT

A new study presents a prototype Rate-State earthquake simulator that simulates hundreds of thousands of years of seismic history in California. Coupled with another code, the framework can calculate the amount of shaking that would occur for each quake. The new approach improves the ability to pinpoint how big an earthquake might occur in a given location, allowing building code developers and structural engineers to design more resilient buildings that can survive earthquakes. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3oo3ED3

Mosses and flowering plants took different genetic routes to evolve a similar defense mechanism. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3pidGqy

Researchers have developed a method to boost the performance of carbon capture systems that use catalytic surfaces to enhance the rates of carbon-sequestering electrochemical reactions. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3pgYl9L

Individual house sparrows show distinct personality types, and they are healthier when they live in groups that reflect a diversity of sparrow personalities from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3om4GPR

In 2016, the World Health Organization called the Zika virus epidemic a 'public health emergency of international concern' due to the virus causing birth defects for pregnant women in addition to neurological problems. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3qTedzB

Life is thought to be fairly sparse in the deep ocean, but an underwater probe equipped with bait managed to draw in more than 100 eels 3100 metres down in the Pacific from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/2M7Ftvp

The latest coronavirus news updated every day including coronavirus cases, the latest news, features and interviews from New Scientist and essential information about the covid-19 pandemic from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3sXUd0G

Humans cooperate with each other in large groups to defend territories or wage war. But what underlies the evolution of this kind of cooperation? Researchers show that there may be a link between social bonds and participation in large-scale cooperation: Chimpanzees join their close bond partners when fighting rivals. In humans, too, social bonds may have been essential to the evolution of cooperative abilities. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iOqKRY

A study indicates that the gut microbiota of patients suffering from inflammatory gastrointestinal disorders can be used to predict whether they will benefit from expensive therapies. The study also confirms the key role of therapies that have a beneficial effect on the gut microbiota in inflammatory bowel diseases. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2YjQ5K4

New research shows that fear of humans causes mountain lions to increase their energy expenditures as they move through the landscape, and this can ultimately limit the size of the home ranges they're able to maintain. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3a9tupl

Large-scale production of vegetables and fruit in Spain with intensive plastic consumption in its greenhouse industry is believed to have leaked microplastic contaminants since the 1970s into the surrounding Mediterranean seagrass beds. This is shown in a new study where researchers have succeeded in tracing plastic pollution since the 1930s and 1940s by analyzing seagrass sediments. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3cbZFaj

The absence of monsoon rains at the source of the Nile was the cause of migrations and the demise of entire settlements in the late Roman province of Egypt. This demographic development has been compared with environmental data for the first time by professor of ancient history, leading to a discovery of climate change and its consequences. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2MlADKV

Daily contact with trees in the street may reduce the need for antidepressants. Street tree planting in cities may be a nature-based solution in urban planning to reduce the risk of depression, also addressing climate change and biodiversity loss. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3a7TUYq

In a study of local rivers, experts have discovered more invertebrates - animals without a backbone, such as insects and snails - living on litter than on rocks. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2YeA34a

Vaccine makers are set to deliver fewer coronavirus vaccine doses to the European Union than expected, leading the bloc to require pharmaceutical firms to notify it before exporting vaccines from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3qRWVmv

Artificial intelligence has learned to identify the song someone is listening to from scans of their brain, with an accuracy of 85 per cent from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/2M5EbBg

Boys given antibiotics in the first two weeks of life are more likely to gain weight and height at a lower than average rate – but the effect is not seen in girls from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/2Yiyfrc

Air pollution is linked to a heightened risk of progressive and irreversible sight loss, known as age related macular degeneration (AMD), reveals a large long term study. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/39jvGeD

A method for editing RNA that works similarly to the CRISPR genome-editing tool could be used to temporarily change the way genes are expressed, which could be helpful in treating conditions such as chronic pain from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/39lart4

A new study in Arctic Alaska has investigated sea ice dynamics and their impact on circulation and precipitation patterns in Arctic Alaska on a long-term basis. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/36e9Zed

It appears the UK's B.1.1.7 coronavirus variant is slightly more deadly and more transmissible than other variants, but improved treatments may limit the risk of death if you are infected from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/2MsErtH

Scientists have for the first time quantified how warming coastal waters are impacting individual glaciers in Greenland's fjords. Their work can help climate scientists better predict global sea level rise from the increased melting. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3iOa8tW

To predict when earthquakes are likely to occur, seismologists often use statistics to monitor how clusters of seismic activity evolve over time. However, this approach often fails to anticipate the time and magnitude of large-scale earthquakes, leading to dangerous oversights in current early-warning systems. For decades, studies outside the seismology field have proposed that these major, potentially devastating seismic events are connected to a range of non-seismic phenomena -- which can be observed days or even weeks before these large earthquakes occur. So far, however, this idea hasn't caught on in the wider scientific community. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3a5O7CG

Nature is full of color. For flowers, displaying color is primarily a means to attract pollinators. Insects use their color vision not only to locate the right flowers to feed on but also to find mates. The evolutionary interaction between insects and plants has created complex dependencies that can have surprising outcomes. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3op9bcI

As the planet's burden of rubber and plastic trash rises unabated, scientists increasingly look to the promise of closed-loop recycling to reduce waste. A team of researchers announces the discovery of a new polybutadiene molecule - from a material known for over a century and used to make common products like tires and shoes - that could one day advance this goal through depolymerization. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2YbPhXV

In a new study an international team of researchers examined three-dimensional digital models of the bones, joints, and muscles of the fins and limbs of two extinct early tetrapods and a closely related fossil fish and discover these early tetrapods had a very distinct pattern of muscle leverage that didn't look like a fish fin or modern tetrapod limbs and their limbs were more adapted for propulsion rather than weight bearing. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Nt4rWs