Science In flow

Researchers have used microscopic strands of DNA to guide the assembly of gel blocks that are visible to the naked eye. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/WnOldet9j

While cellular networks are the foundation of smart cities, they consume a lot of energy, enhancing global warming. Putting base stations (BSs) with low traffic to sleep saves energy but also reduces traffic prediction accuracy. In a new study, researchers address this trade-off using machine learning technique to switch off BSs based on their contribution to prediction accuracy. The new scheme reduces power consumption and demonstrates a prediction accuracy superior to benchmark schemes. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/eKcU6t9W7

Climate change could result in the financial toll of flooding rising by more than a quarter in the United States by 2050 -- and disadvantaged communities will bear the biggest brunt, according to new research. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/bfuiFkLeJ

Our sensory systems provide us with immediate information about the world around us. Researchers have created the first sensory map for smell. The map details how the fruit fly's olfactory receptor neurons, the components that sense smell, are organized within the insect's sensory hairs. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/Stj0R7w5X

A team has identified nine sinkholes in the Yucatan peninsula that contain evidence of both cacao trees and ancient ceremonial rituals. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/w2HeSgfbT

A rare variant of the SIRT6 gene increases DNA repair in human cells, and learning its effects could help to develop anti-ageing drugs from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/pfnwtcdKP

Thawing permafrost in the Arctic could be emitting greenhouse gases from previously unaccounted-for carbon stocks, fuelling global warming. In the Siberian Arctic, the research team determined the origin of carbon dioxide released from permafrost that is thousands of years old. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/B9mzTLKAE

In this month's newsletter, Penny Sarchet explains the great divide in flowering plant biology, and remembers American naturalist E.O. Wilson from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/8HgXM7l3S

Research has shown that the level of growth needed to produce the amount of trees required by UK targets is unlikely to be achieved through natural means alone. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/CNBUIEeoi

The waste problem we face today is many orders of magnitude greater than the one that led to the Great Stink of London. Political leaders may wish to hold their noses, but they will soon find there is nowhere to hide from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/93ZdC5wkm

It has long been known that lactic acid is produced in large quantities by cancer cells and that this lactic acid disrupts our defense against tumors. However, scientists did not know exactly how this happens. Now researchers report they have found the answer. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/UqR4Ku58W

There's something for everyone in this week's stargazing guide, as Abigail Beall picks out celestial treats tailored to both of Earth's hemispheres from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/dQ3BnZGkq

Habitat selection in wildlife is a process that occurs at different scales: Balancing advantages, such as high abundance of food, with disadvantages, such as human disturbance. Large predators, with their large spatial requirements, are particularly sensitive to these disturbances. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3u9qNQj

Scientists have made a link between muscular dystrophy and a group of bioactive fats, the sphingolipids, which are involved in numerous cell functions and other diseases. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3AJLSBV

A research team has developed a material made of natural proteins that contracts autonomously. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3gcY44B

A new study has determined the post-mortem interval of human skeletal remains using real samples, which has been made possible by the combination of two non-destructive analytical tools: Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics. This opens up new avenues for dating in the field of forensic medicine and anthropology. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3KLlCvA

Researchers have discovered a parasite present in seawater and which belongs to a primitive lineage; they have named it Txikispora philomaios. This organism will help to explain how multicellularity developed in animals. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/35zo4W3

Leafy vegetables accompany many West African dishes, such as pounded yam in the south of the region. Researchers have now successfully shown that the origins of such dishes date back 3,500 years. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3HcWAU7

A new study in mice showed that an unhealthy vaginal microbiome in pregnant mothers in combination with an unhealthy diet contributed to increased pup deaths and altered development in the surviving babies. The findings suggest that changes in a mother's diet, such as more fruits and vegetables, may counteract unhealthy microbiome effects in disadvantaged groups. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ICWkxQ

A new article compares the inner ear structures of the two main groups of bats. By examining the microscopic inner ears of bats from 19 of the 21 known bat families, the researchers were able to show that the presence of extra neurons and specialized ear structures align with a split in bat evolution revealed by DNA. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3rTsH4H

Strict COVID-19 lockdown policies such as workplace closures in European cities reduced levels of air pollution and the number of associated deaths, according to new estimates. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/34aVyJw

It is unlikely that a cancer-causing chemical inside your car, TDCIPP, can be dusted or wiped way, according to new research. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3AwXDf3

Researchers have developed a framework that solves the challenge of bridging experimental and computer sciences to better predict peptide structures. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3KME0nL

Scientists have developed a way to maximize hydrogen yields from biowaste, within few milliseconds. The method uses rapid photo-pyrolysis to produce hydrogen gas and solid conductive carbon from banana peels. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3o16YXc

All cells on Earth are enveloped in a fatty layer of lipids. Lipid membranes protect the content of the cells, including genetic information such as RNA and DNA. A new study reveals how lipids and RNA can directly interact and how this regulates RNA activity in unexpected ways. The study could help explain how RNA could be regulated in primordial or synthetic biological systems and lead to improvements in the design of RNA vaccines. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3nZA09U

Water quality in rivers is affected by underpinning 'natural' hydrogeological and biogeochemical processes, as well as interactions between people and their environment that are accelerating stress on water resources at unprecedented rates. Pollutants can move at different speeds and accumulate in varying quantities along rivers where the mix of the complex 'cocktail' of chemicals that is making its way towards the ocean is constantly changing, a new study reveals. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3u0NfLh

More than 70 million tons of carbon were prevented from being released into the atmosphere under a deforestation emissions reduction scheme in Indonesia -- but researchers point out this is only 3 per cent of the total required by Indonesia's Nationally Defined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ICKzHP

Researchers report that a yeast cells can actively regulate a process called phase separation in one of their membranes. During phase separation, the membrane remains intact but partitions into multiple, distinct zones or domains that segregate lipids and proteins. The new findings show for the first time that, in response to environmental conditions, yeast cells precisely regulate the temperature at which their membrane undergoes phase separation. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3H4cIHg

Lead haunts old homes in chipping paint and pipes, but it also lurks outside, in soil. It's the stuff of mud pies and garden plots, crumbling from boot treads to join household dust in forgotten corners. It's easily overlooked, but soil can be an important source of lead where children live and play. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3KLXRn2

A new study found that seafloor sediments have the potential to transmit a deadly pathogen to local corals and hypothesizes that sediments have played a role in the persistence of a devastating coral disease outbreak throughout Florida and the Caribbean. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3r0mi8H

New research into how viral proteins interact and can be disabled holds promise to help plants defend themselves against viruses -- and ultimately prevent crop losses. The study found that viral proteins interact with each other to help a virus hijack its host plant and complete its life cycle. When some of these viral proteins were disabled, the researchers found that the virus could not move from cell to cell. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3qZCtmz

Scientists set out to discover if there is sufficient green space, such as private gardens, parks and other recreational areas, within our towns and cities to grow enough fresh food to feed local populations. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3H0Xra7

A study of overweight dogs fed a reduced calorie, high-protein, high-fiber diet for 24 weeks found that the dogs' body composition and inflammatory markers changed over time in ways that parallel the positive changes seen in humans on similar diets. The dogs achieved a healthier weight without losing too much muscle mass, and their serum triglycerides, insulin and inflammatory markers all decreased with weight loss. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ArFejM

A recent study finds a technique that uses dried spots of blood to measure health indicators in elephants is comparable to techniques that use larger blood samples and require immediate cold storage -- technology that is not always available when monitoring animals in the wild. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3FYuaeQ

Chimpanzees don't automatically know what to do when they come across nuts and stones. Researchers have now used field experiments to show that chimpanzees thus do not simply invent nut cracking with tools, but need to learn such complex cultural behaviors from others. Their culture is therefore more similar to human culture than often assumed. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3fPWTbo

Hippopotamuses are rather vocal animals. Their 'wheeze honk' calls can be heard over long distances, leading researchers to suspect the calls play an important role in maintaining social groups. Now, a new study shows that hippos recognize each other's voices. They also respond less aggressively to the calls of a neighbor compared to those of a stranger. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/32tRWC3

Poverty has been linked with changes in child brain development, and a scheme to give $333 a month to low-income families improved brain activity in a child’s first year from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3fS8jv0

Facebook’s owner wants extraordinary computing power to develop AI models to recognise speech, translate languages and power 3D worlds from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3FYUAgJ

Wing transparency as a flexible weapon for self-defense is one of many findings from a multi-year study spanning the physics, biology, ecology, and evolution of transparency in butterflies conducted by several groups. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3G13cn0

Radar images of Mars’s southern ice cap indicated that there could be a lake there – but a new set of simulations hints that it could be volcanic rock instead from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/35kJkyH

A new system helps labs determine the most efficient way to produce target molecules by utilising the strengths of humans and robots from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3tU7MAY

We now have a good idea what can make individuals and society happier – countries should use this information to emerge from coronavirus lockdowns and build back not just better, but happier from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3nRHZWz

Researchers conducted single-cell gene expression analysis to uncover the effects of manipulation of the sensory cell regulator POU IV in the protovertebrate Ciona intestinalis. Alteration of POU IV expression led to the induction of cells with characteristics of multiple sensory cell types and cells that express a gene expression profile that has not been previously observed in Ciona intestinalis. The activation of upstream POU IV regulators Foxg and Neurogenin was identified as a possible mechanism underlying the unusual sensory cell development. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3tQRngU

A research team has set a new record in the power conversion efficiency of solar cells made using perovskite and organic materials. Their latest work demonstrated a power conversion efficiency of 23.6%, approaching that of conventional silicon solar cells. This technological breakthrough paves the way for flexible, light-weight, low cost and ultra-thin photovoltaic cells for wide-ranging applications. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3tQzI8U

In a win-win for commercial fisheries and marine wildlife, researchers have found that using lighted nets greatly reduced accidental bycatch of sharks, rays, sea turtles, and unwanted finfish. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/32qKaJ8

When 2-year old mice were studied after two months of progressive weighted wheel running, despite having no prior training, it was determined that they were the epigenetic age of mice eight weeks younger than sedentary mice of the same age. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3GUOsXY

Native marine macroalgae, also known as limu, or as seaweed, thrive in environments created by natural groundwater seeps, specifically benefiting from the combined effects of enhanced nutrients despite lowered salinity levels, according to a new review. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3tQ3WsE

Scientists have boosted the efficiency and scalability of perovskite solar cells by replacing their electron-transport layers with a thin layer of quantum dots. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3KwUNet

The CDC estimates more than 2.8 million Americans experience antibiotic-resistant infections each year. To address this critical issue, researchers recently investigated whether a series of novel nanoparticles can kill some pathogens that lead to infection without affecting healthy cells. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/33z0sAl

An upbeat yet moving tale shows how hardship shapes us for the better, and how even utopia has its drawbacks, says Simon Ings from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3GWTXFJ

A study proposes that imbalanced forces and torques in the Earth-moon-sun system drive circulation of the whole mantle. The new analysis provides an alternative to the hypothesis that the movement of tectonic plates is related to convection currents in the Earth's mantle. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3IlJbZU

A study has discovered that sufficient water flows during summer can be critical to a Chinook salmon population in the interior of British Columbia. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3tOmDwQ

Mange has decimated the population of wild vicunas and guanacos in an Argentinian national park that was created to conserve them, according to a new study. The findings suggest domestic llamas introduced to the site may have been the source of the outbreak. Cascading consequences for local predator and scavenger species are expected. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3qRqGH4

We now know that economic growth doesn’t necessarily translate into greater well-being. A closer look at Nordic countries such as Finland reveals surprising truths about what really makes a happy society and how other governments can emulate their success from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/32gzwEK

Bumblebees are important pollinators because they pollinate many different plant species and are extremely resilient. They can still manage to fly at temperatures that are too cold for other pollinators. Like many other insects, they are in sharp decline. This makes it even more important to find out what bumblebees need to reproduce successfully. A team has shown that a diverse landscape and a diverse pollen diet, which the bumblebees collect as a protein source to nourish their offspring, play a significant role in this. A more diverse diet could even mitigate negative effects of infestation with parasitic wax moth larvae. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3KzHmuv

Researchers have developed a free, user-friendly tool that makes use of multiple computational models to help solid waste systems achieve their environmental goals in the most cost-efficient way possible. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/32gEWzp

Infants and toddlers seem to expect people who exchange saliva, for example by taking bites of the same food, to be close enough to comfort each other if one gets upset from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3KrfjgB

Ever wondered whether whales can burp, and why they don't drown when they gulp down gallons of water and krill? New research may just hold the answer. Researchers found that lunge-feeding whales have an 'oral plug', a fleshy bulb in their mouths that moves backwards to seal off the upper airways during feeding, while their larynx closes to block the lower airways. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3KrYoKW

Magma transports carbon dioxide stored in the Earth's mantle to volcanoes, where it is released into the atmosphere. A research team now presents results obtained using a new methodology to clarify the contribution of volcanoes to natural CO2 emissions. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3AhMGxK

A new study simulated the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, on a flight from London to Hanoi and on another flight from Singapore to Hangzhou. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3fK79BL

A new study has revealed that marine heatwaves associated with the climate crisis are bringing down the populations of coral in the Mediterranean, the biomass of which in some cases has been reduced by 80 to 90%. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3nEnGeW

A new imaging approach monitors antibody responses to vaccines more quickly than current techniques, which could accelerate vaccine design from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3tEfLC7

We haven’t been able to take a close-up look at the far side of the moon until now, and the discoveries being made by the Yutu-2 rover might prove important for future missions from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3AeqDYI

A high protein diet appears linked to kidney disease and shortened lifespans for captive polar bears, a relationship similarly suspected in humans. A careful look at what zoos have fed polar bears revealed they mostly offered a diet intended for big cats, containing about 2-3 parts protein to 1-part fat, a reversal from what was observed in the wild. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3rqqrSg

Daylight passing through smart windows results in almost complete disinfection of surfaces within 24 hours while still blocking harmful ultraviolet (UV) light, according to new research. For this research, she tested four strains of hazardous bacteria -- methicillin-resistance Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa -- using a mini-living lab set-up. The lab had smart windows, which tint dynamically based on outdoor conditions, and traditional windows with blinds. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3GN19UI

New research has revealed how giant 50-ton sauropod dinosaurs, like Diplodocus, evolved from much smaller ancestors, like the wolf-sized Thecodontosaurus. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3AhT6Nh

An innovative method of controlling a range of damaging crop diseases using native, beneficial soil bacteria has emerged from a research-industry collaboration. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3qCQB4T

Climate change will force 45 per cent of the fish stocks that cross through two or more exclusive economic zones to shift significantly from their historical habitats and migration paths by 2100, a challenge that may lead to international conflict, according to a new study. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3GHYETR

A species of tarantula seems to live exclusively inside hollow bamboo stems, which no other tarantula is known to do from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3qC7LzQ

Freshwater flowing into the Arctic Ocean from the continent is thought to exacerbate Arctic amplification, but the extent of its impact isn't fully understood. New research measures how the flow of the Yenisei River -- the largest freshwater river that flows into the Arctic Ocean -- has changed over the last few hundred years, and describes the impact freshwater has had on the Arctic. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3qAA7ue

Huhu grubs have long been prized as a traditional food source and their nutritional value has just been analysed. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3Kn1eAY

AT&T and Verizon plan to turn on 5G networks across the US on 19 January, but airline bosses warn that potential interference with planes could cause a "catastrophic" crisis from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3tzwSoN

Most quantum computers are based on superconductors or trapped ions, but an alternative approach using ordinary atoms may have advantages from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3GEjPGc

The 200-year-old malting barley variety 'Chevalier' was for a long time world-leading in beer brewing and is thought to have originated from a single plant. In a new study, researchers have investigated this claim. They have analyzed seed samples that are older than 150 years using molecular genetic methods. The results give a revealing insight into the plant breeding of times gone by. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3FEslDN

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/3tzE6sL

A fresh approach to generating images based on text descriptions with AI, called a diffusion model, effectively un-destroys new images into existence from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3AdkWKO

A model based on Earth’s oceans and atmosphere explains how Mars could have been cold and wet 3 billion years ago from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/33pl79C

Unfamiliar voices seem to put the sleeping brain on alert in a way that familiar voices don’t from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/327slP7

Rising levels of ground-level ozone in China and nearby countries are having a big effect on the yields of staple crops such as wheat, rice and maize from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3Kh2Rjx

Retrieving an accurate picture of what a tagged animal does as it journeys through its environment requires statistical analysis, especially when it comes to animal movement, and the methods statisticians use are always evolving to make full use of the large and complex data sets that are available. A recent study by researchers at the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries (IOF) and the UBC department of statistics has taken us a step closer to understanding the behaviours of northern resident killer whales by improving statistical tools useful for identifying animal behaviours that can't be observed directly. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3fwTnCI

The dramatic collapse of Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano in December 2018 resulted from long-term destabilising processes, and was not triggered by any distinct changes in the magmatic system that could have been detected by current monitoring techniques, new research has found. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/327fqfX

Plastic straws are increasingly being avoided for both health and environmental reasons, but the alternatives all have their downsides – until now from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3rpox4h

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/3FAy2Tn

The underwater Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai eruption has already triggered a tsunami, a sonic boom and thousands of lightning bolts, and could now lead to acid rain from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3GBovwt

A research team succeeds at observing high-resolution 3D structure of human chromosomes using the radiation accelerator. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3KfONXw

Hints of a fifth force of nature may only interest researchers and science lovers for now, but physics breakthroughs have a habit of delivering technological leaps from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3ttKYb5

The history of life on Earth has been marked five times by events of mass biodiversity extinction caused by extreme natural phenomena. Today, many experts warn that a Sixth Mass Extinction crisis is underway, this time entirely caused by human activities. A comprehensive assessment of evidence of this ongoing extinction event was recently published. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3tx3MXa

Before the introduction of the domestic horse in Mesopotamia, valuable equids were being harnessed to ceremonial or military four wheeled wagons and used as royal gifts, but their true nature remained unknown. According to a palaeogenetic study, these prestigious animals were the result of a cross between a domestic donkey and a wild ass from Syria, now extinct. This makes them the oldest example of an animal hybrid produced by humans. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3A0guPn

Scientists have investigated how genes are accessed if so tightly packed away? How can these molecules be broken apart to promote gene expression? from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3twUYka

Rivers need water -- a fact that may seem ridiculously obvious, but in times of increasing water development, drought, and climate change, the quantity of natural streamflow that remains in river channels is coming into question, especially in the Colorado River basin. Newly published research poses a tough question in these days of falling reservoir levels and high-stakes urban development: whether the continued development of rivers for water supply can be balanced with fish conservation. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3FwrpBs

A new study finds that while young and healthy mice show clear differences between daytime and nighttime body temperature rhythms, in older and diseased animals the difference essentially disappeared. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3FwbgvY

Evolutionary biologists describe a new gene in the Central American Midas cichlid fish and identify a variant caused by a 'jumping gene' (transposon). This variant of the 'goldentouch gene' is most likely the reason for the golden coloration that can be found in a small percentage of animals of this species complex. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3qwlHet

Scientists have developed ways to decipher effects of the CO2 rise during the past 100 years on metabolic fluxes of the key plant species in peatlands, mosses. Analyses of cellulose in peat cores collected by collaborating scientists working in five continents indicate that a CO2-driven increase in photosynthesis of mosses is strongly dependent on the water table, which may change the species composition of peat moss communities. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ftsK1k

The word 'honeydew' sounds benign, but the sugary waste product of aphids can promote growth of bacteria that are highly virulent to the pests, according to a new study. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3tA8nYu

Early Bronze Age people in Syria crossed donkeys with wild asses to make prized horse-like hybrids, demonstrating advanced understanding of animal breeding from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3qsDeEr

Infants born via uncomplicated cesarean delivery, without labor or membrane rupture before delivery and no concern for infection, should not need antibiotics at birth, according to a new study. The findings could help clinicians tailor the use of early antibiotics in newborns. Only those deemed at risk for infection should receive antibiotics, thereby reducing unnecessary use. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3qrN8pH

Deciding when to stop learning and take action is a common, but difficult decision in conservation. Using a new method, this trade-off can be managed by determining the amount of time to spend on research at the outset. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3qrJU5B

Lidar uses lasers to create 3D images, but these can be hard to interpret because they are black and white. A new scanner adds cameras to make colour images that could be useful for infrastructure inspection or robot vision from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3Gwy7c3

Researchers have demonstrated in the lab how well a mineral common at the boundary between the Earth's core and mantle conducts heat. This leads them to suspect that the Earth's heat may dissipate sooner than previously thought. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3rgCsty

Evidence shows that getting a flu jab during pregnancy provides substantial protection to young babies, but uptake in many countries is still concerningly low from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3I8EkuS

When it comes to feeding behavior, humans are the inefficient gas-guzzlers of the primate family, according to a new study of hunter-gatherer energy budgets. Unlike our herbivorous cousins who spend much of the day lounging while chewing their fibrous diets, early humans made high-risk, high-energy investments in finding big calories they could share with the group. And that in turn, likely led to free time and culture. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3FqOKo0

Understanding the basic mechanisms that lead to cell death (apoptosis) is essential for the development of therapies for cancer and other diseases. Scientists have now discovered a protein interaction that directly triggers cell death. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3Frc5WA

Fine particle pollution affects most of the world's population, causing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases as well as premature deaths, all at a cost to society. A multidisciplinary research team has now drawn up various scenarios that would reduce the mortality caused by fine particles by two thirds over the entire conurbation, and has shown that the benefits obtained would exceed the costs of the policies implemented. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3KanvBW

Why do mice without taste buds still prefer real sugar to the fake stuff? 'We've identified the cells that make us eat sugar, and they are in the gut,' said one of the researchers. Specialized cells in the upper gut send different signals to the brain for sugar and sugar substitute. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/33i1OPE

A new study looking into the impacts that large industrial farming has on biodiversity found that increased farm size causes a decline in bird diversity. Researchers studied how different farming indicators impact the diversity of local birds in the farmland bordering the former Iron Curtain in Germany. They found that increased farm sizes resulted in a 15 per cent decline in bird diversity. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zYcfna

A huge study of US military personnel suggests almost all cases of multiple sclerosis are triggered by the common Epstein-Barr virus, meaning a vaccine could largely eradicate the condition from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3fnUkNm

Declines in birds and mammals are hampering plants by curbing the dispersal of their seeds, in a "clear intersection of the biodiversity crisis heavily impacting the climate crisis" from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3tmhGLH

Molecules containing carbon atoms, called organics, have been found all over Mars and could hypothetically have been formed by living organisms, but it seems they were not from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3fiDTlD

Life on Earth is made possible by our planet’s magnetosphere – an invisible radiation shield that protects the surface – now it turns out that super-Earths could have magnetospheres too from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/339yStf

The term "endemic" usually means that an infection is stable, not that it's less deadly or that protective measures are no longer required. With the omicron variant surging, covid-19 is unlikely to become endemic soon from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/31Wwi9h

Near the Filchner Ice Shelf in the south of the Antarctic Weddell Sea, a research team has found the world's largest fish breeding area known to date. A towed camera system photographed and filmed thousands of nests of icefish of the species Neopagetopsis ionah on the seabed. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3FosMlK

The little rodents can drink without falling off their wheels, while the large beasts go on a rampage. Plus more nominative determinism and some elementary names, in Feedback’s weekly instalment from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3zUrw8y

New research suggests that more shark attacks occur during fuller phases of the moon. While the exact cause remains unclear, the researchers found that more shark attacks than average occur during periods of higher lunar illumination and fewer attacks than average occur during periods of lower illumination. Many different types of animals show behaviors that are linked to moon phases yet few studies to date have looked at the connections between lunar phases and shark attacks. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3zUcX55

Scientists demonstrate the direct transmission of bisphenol A (BPA) from a mother to her developing child via the placenta could negatively impact fetal brain development. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3tjNjFC

ARCHER2, a £79 million machine funded by the UK government, is still in a testing period, but already working on real science such as modelling volcanic plumes from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3qlBs7X

Economic growth goes down when the number of wet days and days with extreme rainfall go up, a team of scientists finds. Rich countries are most severely affected and herein the manufacturing and service sectors, according to their study. The data analysis of more than 1.500 regions over the past 40 years shows a clear connection and suggests that intensified daily rainfall driven by climate-change from burning oil and coal will harm the global economy. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3Gn4GZT

Scavengers are supposed to have generalist diets and eat whatever they can find. But a new study shows Australia's Tasmanian devils have their own specific tastes and preferences -- in other words, they're picky eaters. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3FpUE8N

Arctic coasts are characterized by sea ice, permafrost and ground ice. This makes them particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, which is already accelerating rapid coastal erosion. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3fdvkse

A team has shown that the CLASSY gene family regulates which parts of the genome are turned off in a tissue-specific manner. The work identifies the CLSY genes as major factors underlying epigenetic diversity in plant tissues. This research has broad implications for both agriculture and medicine. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3FfO193