Every winter, thousands of tourists head north hoping to catch a glimpse of the luminous auroras dancing in the sky.
* This article was originally published here
Friday 31 May 2019
Is traffic-related air pollution killing us?
It's summer getaway season. According to AAA, two-thirds of American families are taking a summer vacation this year, and more than half of us are planning a road trip.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Prescription drug costs steadily soar, yet price transparency is lacking
After reviewing tens of millions of insurance claims for the country's 49 most popular brand-name prescription drugs, a team from Scripps Research Translational Institute found that net prices rose by a median of 76 percent from January 2012 through December 2017—with most products going up once or twice per year.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
REPLAB: A low-cost benchmark platform for robotic learning
Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed a reproducible, low-cost and compact benchmark platform to evaluate robotic learning approaches, which they called REPLAB. Their recent study, presented in a paper pre-published on arXiv, was supported by Berkeley DeepDrive, the Office of Naval Research (ONR), Google, NVIDIA and Amazon.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Only few hundred training samples bring human-sounding speech in Microsoft TTS feat
Microsoft Research Asia has been drawing applause for pulling off text to speech requiring little training—and showing "incredibly" realistic results.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sensor-packed glove learns signatures of the human grasp
Wearing a sensor-packed glove while handling a variety of objects, MIT researchers have compiled a massive dataset that enables an AI system to recognize objects through touch alone. The information could be leveraged to help robots identify and manipulate objects, and may aid in prosthetics design.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Violent video games, unlocked guns a dangerous combo for kids
(HealthDay)—Shoot 'em up video games might be making your children far too comfortable with how they approach and handle real-life firearms, a new study argues.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Is it fatigue or a stroke? Women shouldn't ignore these warning signs
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in the U.S., and women make up nearly 60% of all stroke deaths.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Using geography to explore land policy and management
One of the challenges for researchers is collaborating and communicating with communities to solve social and environmental problems. However, that challenge is what inspires and motivates scientists to keep investigating important questions.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Research reveals role of fat storage cells in anti-obesity intervention
New research from a team at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine establishes a role of adipocyte Na/K-ATPase signaling in worsening obesity and its companion diseases, including neurodegeneration and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), that was enhanced by specific targeting of NaKtide, an antagonist of Na/K-ATPase signaling, to the adipocyte.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Excess cause-specific mortality tied to chronic proton pump inhibitor use
(HealthDay)—Taking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is associated with an excess of cause-specific mortality, according to a study published online May 30 in The BMJ.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Smoke from Canadian wildfires drifts into 5 US states
Smoke from large wildfires in Canada's Alberta province has drifted into five U.S. states and is causing haze and air quality issues.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Guidelines for managing anaphylaxis in children need an update
Treatment guidelines for managing anaphylaxis in children should be reassessed, according to a new Canadian study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Classification system based on co-occurring conditions may provide insight into autism
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often affected by co-occurring conditions, such as epilepsy, immune disorders, gastrointestinal problems, and developmental delays. According to research published today in Autism Research, creating a classification system for ASD based on co-occurring conditions could provide useful insights into the underlying mechanics of ASD and these conditions.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Physicists 'teleport' logic operation between separated ions
Physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have teleported a computer circuit instruction known as a quantum logic operation between two separated ions (electrically charged atoms), showcasing how quantum computer programs could carry out tasks in future large-scale quantum networks.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
An AI taught itself to play a video game and now it's beating humans
Since the earliest days of virtual chess and solitaire, video games have been a playing field for developing artificial intelligence (AI). Each victory of machine against human has helped make algorithms smarter and more efficient. But in order to tackle real world problems—such as automating complex tasks including driving and negotiation—these algorithms must navigate more complex environments than board games, and learn teamwork. Teaching AI how to work and interact with other players to succeed had been an insurmountable task—until now.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Defense against wireless attacks using a deep neural network and game theory
A growing number of devices are now connected to the internet and are capable of collecting, sending and receiving data. This interconnection between devices, referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT), poses serious security threats, as cyberattackers can now target computers and smartphones, but also a vast array of other devices, such as tablets, smart watches, smart home systems, transportation systems and so on.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Transgender no longer classified as mental health disorder by WHO
(HealthDay)—Transgender people will no longer be classified as having a mental disorder by the World Health Organization.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Swapping water for CO2 could make fracking greener and more effective
Scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and China University of Petroleum (Beijing) have demonstrated that CO2 may make a better hydraulic fracturing (fracking) fluid than water. Their research, published May 30 in the journal Joule, could help pave the way for a more eco-friendly form of fracking that would double as a mechanism for storing captured atmospheric CO2.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A 'Noah's Ark' project for corals: Scientists race to save Florida Reef from killer disease
On a sunny afternoon in Dania Beach, a dozen scientists unloaded crates full of corals from a dive boat and onto a pickup truck. They gently removed each piece from large tanks on the deck and placed them inside smaller containers, which were slowly taken onshore.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Thursday 30 May 2019
More democracy: A second chance for climate politics
Hope was high when the Paris Climate Agreement was adopted 2015. Under the agreement, countries pledged to keep global warming well below two degrees Celsius. Five years later, the situation is sobering: Global emissions of carbon dioxide and other climate-relevant gases continue to rise. In an article in Science, Mark Lawrence and Stefan Schäfer of the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) argue that the centralized approach to addressing global warming has failed and only greater democratic engagement can reanimate global climate politics.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New organic flow battery brings decomposing molecules back to life
After years of making progress on an organic aqueous flow battery, Harvard University researchers ran into a problem: the organic anthraquinone molecules that powered their ground-breaking battery were slowly decomposing over time, reducing the long-term usefulness of the battery.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers add 'time-travel' feature to drives to fight ransomware attacks
One of the latest cyber threats involves hackers encrypting user files and then charging "ransom" to get them back. In the paper, "Project Almanac: A Time-Traveling Solid State Drive," University of Illinois students Chance Coats and Xiaohao Wang and Assistant Professor Jian Huang from the Coordinated Science Laboratory look at how they can use the commodity storage devices already in a computer, to save the files without having to pay the ransom.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
PULP Dronet: A 27-gram nano-UAV inspired by insects
Researchers at ETH Zürich and the University of Bologna have recently created PULP Dronet, a 27-gram nano-size unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a deep learning-based visual navigation engine. Their mini-drone, presented in a paper pre-published on arXiv, can run aboard an end-to-end, closed-loop visual pipeline for autonomous navigation powered by a state-of-the-art deep learning algorithm.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
'Slothbot' takes a leisurely approach to environmental monitoring
For environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, infrastructure maintenance and certain security applications, slow and energy efficient can be better than fast and always needing a recharge. That's where "SlothBot" comes in.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Italy team cheers robot pulling a passenger plane
This four-legged robot has pull—3 tons of it—and its engineers were proud to show it off on May 23 as rugged and powerful as it is.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
High costs associated with physician burnout in U.S.
(HealthDay)—High costs are associated with physician turnover and reduced clinical hours attributed to burnout, according to a study published online May 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Wednesday 29 May 2019
Inappropriate prescribing leads to poor outcomes in older adults
(HealthDay)—Potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) is tied to increased health care utilization and poor outcomes among older individuals seen in primary care practices, according to a review published in the May/June issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Potential novel biomarker for alcohol dependence
Specific molecules (small noncoding microRNAs or miRNAs) found in saliva may be able to predict alcohol dependence as biomarkers.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Toward a safer treatment for leukemia
An international team of researchers at VIB-KU Leuven, Belgium, the U.K. Dementia Institute and the Children's Cancer Institute, Australia, have found a safer treatment for a specific type of leukemia. By refining a therapeutic avenue that was previously abandoned because of its severe side effects, they developed a targeted approach that was both effective and safe in mice and in human cancer cells. The findings revive hope for translation to patients and have been published in this week's edition of Science Translational Medicine.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Societal values and perceptions shape energy production and use as much as new technology
Societal values and perceptions have shaped the energy landscape as much as the technologies that drive its production and consumption, a new paper from an Oregon State University researcher suggests.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
When drug treatment for social anxiety is insufficient
A Japanese study group clarified that cognitive therapy maintained its effects more than a year after the end of therapy for patients with a social anxiety disorder (SAD) even for those who did not respond to antidepressant drugs. The study was published online in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics on May 23, 2019.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Tuesday 28 May 2019
New evidence supports surgery for rare type of brain lymphoma
Through a systematic review of published studies going back 50 years, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say they have identified a distinct subtype of primary central nervous system (PCNS) lymphoma that should be considered for surgical removal, suggesting a major shift in how this type of tumor is evaluated and managed.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Ultra-small microbes exhibit extreme survival skills in Ethiopia's Mars-like wonderland
The first study of ultra-small bacteria living in the extreme environment of Ethiopia's Dallol hot springs shows that life can thrive in conditions similar to those thought to have been found on the young planet Mars. An international team of researchers lead by Dr. Felipe Gómez from Astrobiology Center in Spain (CAB (CSIC-INTA)) has found a strain of the Nanohaloarchaeles Order bacteria embedded in samples taken from a salt chimney deposited by supersaturated water at temperatures of 89 degrees Celsius and at the extremely acidic pH of 0.25.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
K-Athena: a performance portable magnetohydrodynamics code
Running large-scale simulations is a crucial aspect of modern scientific research, yet it often requires a vast amount of computational resources. As we approach the era of exascale computing, which will be marked by the introduction of highly performing supercomputers, researchers have been trying to develop new architectures and codes to meet the huge computational requirements of our times. An important property to consider when developing codes for the exascale computing era is performance portability, which prevents the repeated, non-trivial refactoring of a code for different architectures.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Thirty years after anorexia onset, fewer ill than healthy
A study that started in 1985 followed some 50 people who had become anorexic in their teens. It shows that 30 years later, the majority were healthy but some had persistent eating disorders. The study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, was carried out at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Brazil braces for another tailings dam collapse
Thousands of Brazilians braced Monday for the possible collapse of another tailings dam owned by mining giant Vale that threatens to spew millions of tons of toxic sludge over towns, rivers and forest.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Monday 27 May 2019
Vertical plating offers benefit for mandibular body fractures
(HealthDay)—For treatment of mandibular body fractures, vertical plating offers equal or greater resistance to torsional forces and is associated with reduced incidence of postoperative complications and operative time, according to a study published online May 23 in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Under the dome: Fears Pacific nuclear 'coffin' is leaking
As nuclear explosions go, the US "Cactus" bomb test in May 1958 was relatively small—but it has left a lasting legacy for the Marshall Islands in a dome-shaped radioactive dump.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Short-term use of opioids increases subjective pleasure
The human opioid system contributes to the regulation of emotions, pleasure and pain. Opioids are strong analgesics. In addition to effectively relieving pain, external opioids may improve mood and reduce negative emotions. However, not much has been known about the effect of opioids on emotional responses caused by external stimuli.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sunday 26 May 2019
Vision loss may up cognitive decline-related functional limitations
(HealthDay)—Vision impairment is associated with increased subjective cognitive decline (SCD)-related functional limitations for adults aged 45 years and older, according to research published in the May 24 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
With a hop, a skip and a jump, high-flying robot leaps over obstacles with ease
Topping out at less than a foot, Salto the robot looks like a Star Wars imperial walker in miniature. But don't be fooled by its size—this little robot has a mighty spring in its step. Salto can vault over three times its height in a single bound.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
'Don't be too optimistic': Huawei employees fret at US ban
While Huawei's founder brushes aside a US ban against his company, the telecom giant's employees have been less sanguine, confessing fears for their future in online chat rooms.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
NASA's first-of-kind tests look to manage drones in cities
NASA has launched the final stage of a four-year effort to develop a national traffic management system for drones, testing them in cities for the first time beyond the operator's line of sight as businesses look in the future to unleash the unmanned devices in droves above busy streets and buildings.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Comet inspires chemistry for making breathable oxygen on Mars
Science fiction stories are chock full of terraforming schemes and oxygen generators for a very good reason—we humans need molecular oxygen (O2) to breathe, and space is essentially devoid of it. Even on other planets with thick atmospheres, O2 is hard to come by.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Electrified methane reformer produces far less carbon dioxide
A team of researchers from several institutions in Denmark, along with colleagues from Sintex and Haldor Topsoe, has developed an electrified methane reformer that produces far less CO2 than conventional steam-methane reformers. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their new technology and how well it works. Kevin Van Geem, Vladimir Galvita and Guy Marin with the Laboratory for Chemical Technology and Center for Sustainable Chemistry in Ghent have published a Perspective piece on the work done by the team in the same journal issue.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
NASA's Mars 2020 mission drops in on Death Valley
On a test flight in Death Valley, California, an Airbus helicopter carried an engineering model of the Lander Vision System (LVS) that will help guide NASA's next Mars mission to a safe touchdown on the Red Planet. During the flight - one in a series—the helicopter (which is not part of the mission and was used just for testing) and its two-person crew flew a pre-planned sequence of maneuvers while LVS collected and analyzed imagery of the barren, mountainous terrain below.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
U.S. incidence of pediatric thyroid cancer on the rise
(HealthDay)—From 1973 to 2013, there was an increase in the incidence rates of pediatric thyroid cancer, with marked increases from 2006 to 2013, according to a study published online May 23 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Drinking red wine for heart health? read this before you toast
For years, studies have shown a relationship between drinking a moderate amount of red wine and good heart health, but experts say it's important to understand what that means before you prescribe yourself a glass or two a day.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
PixelGreen: A hybrid, green media wall for existing high-rise buildings
Researchers at Deakin University and the University of Hong Kong have recently designed a hybrid green architectural wall system for high-rise buildings that integrates a vertical micro-farm and a media screen. They presented this wall, called PixelGreen, in a paper published on Research Gate. PIXEL GREEN is designed for integration into the wall surfaces of existing buildings, turning them into analogue media screens.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
AlterEgo opens silent spring of computer connections via wearable
OK, we get it. Artificial intelligence experts are on a fast clip from year to year, month to month, showing off what their research can promise. But could it be that we have reached that stage in human-computer interaction, where you can think of a question —— without saying a word— and the machine will respond with the answer?
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Tapping the power of AI and high-performance computing to extend evolution to superconductors
Owners of thoroughbred stallions carefully breed prizewinning horses over generations to eke out fractions of a second in million-dollar races. Materials scientists have taken a page from that playbook, turning to the power of evolution and artificial selection to develop superconductors that can transmit electric current as efficiently as possible.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Huawei could be stripped of Google services after US ban
Huawei could lose its grip on the No. 2 ranking in worldwide cellphone sales after Google announced it would comply with U.S. government restrictions meant to punish the Chinese tech powerhouse.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New approaches to study the genetics of autism spectrum disorder may lead to new therapies
Canadian neuroscientists are using novel experimental approaches to understand autism spectrum disorder, from studying multiple variation in a single gene to the investigation of networks of interacting genes to find new treatments for the disorder.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
If you could learn every disease your child could possibly develop in life, would you?
Newborn screening is required in the U.S. and differs slightly depending on which state you live in. For the most part, it's done before a newborn baby leaves the hospital and includes a blood test that screens for 30-50 serious health problems that usually arise in infancy or childhood, and could hinder normal development.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
FDA approves $2M medicine, most expensive ever
U.S. regulators have approved the most expensive medicine ever, for a rare disorder that destroys a baby's muscle control and kills nearly all of those with the most common type of the disease within a couple of years.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Got knee pain? What you need to know about alternatives to surgery
Arthritis in the knees can strike people as young as 45, with symptoms severe enough to limit activities and harm quality of life. What can be done about it?
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
WHO praises Brazil lawsuit against tobacco giants
The World Health Organization has praised Brazil's move to sue two global cigarette makers and their local units for costs of treating tobacco-related diseases, but the firms said Friday they were still waiting for details of the lawsuit.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Study suggests infants with autism risk may be less able to distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar speech patterns
A new study by Columbia University researchers found that infants at high risk for autism were less attuned to differences in speech patterns than low-risk infants. The findings suggest that interventions to improve language skills should begin during infancy for those at high risk for autism.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Saturday 25 May 2019
100% renewables doesn't equal zero-carbon energy, and the difference is growing
While 160 companies around the world have committed to use "100 percent renewable energy," that does not mean "100 percent carbon-free energy." The difference will grow as power grids become less reliant on fossil power, according to a new Stanford study published today in Joule. Entities committed to fighting climate change can and should measure the environmental benefits of their renewable strategies accurately, the authors write.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New neurons form in the brain into the tenth decade of life, even in people with Alzheimer's
In a new study from the University of Illinois at Chicago, researchers examining post-mortem brain tissue from people ages 79 to 99 found that new neurons continue to form well into old age. The study provides evidence that this occurs even in people with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease, although neurogenesis is significantly reduced in these people compared to older adults with normal cognitive functioning.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Friday 24 May 2019
Mathematically designed graphene has improved electrocatalytic activity
An international research group has improved graphene's ability to catalyse the hydrogen evolution reaction, which releases hydrogen as a result of passing an electronic current through water. They designed a mathematically-predicted graphene electrocatalyst, and confirmed its performance using high resolution electrochemical microscopy and computational modelling. The findings were published in the journal Advanced Science.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
MobiKa: A low-cost mobile robot that can assist people in a variety of settings
Researchers at Fraunhofer IPA, in Stuttgart, Germany, have recently developed MobiKa, a low-cost, mobile robot capable of two-modal (voice and text) interactions with humans. Their robot, presented in a paper pre-published on arXiv, could be particularly useful for assisting elderly people.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Thursday 23 May 2019
Did Leonardo da Vinci have ADHD?
Leonardo da Vinci produced some of the world's most iconic art, but historical accounts show that he struggled to complete his works. 500 years after his death, King's College London researcher Professor Marco Catani suggests the best explanation for Leonardo's inability to finish projects is that the great artist may have had Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers create soft, flexible materials with enhanced properties
A team of polymer chemists and engineers from Carnegie Mellon University have developed a new methodology that can be used to create a class of stretchable polymer composites with enhanced electrical and thermal properties. These materials are promising candidates for use in soft robotics, self-healing electronics and medical devices. The results are published in the May 20 issue of Nature Nanotechnology.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Dolby wants you to experience music in a new way
Dolby, the company most of us know for bringing premium sound to movie theaters and high-end home audio, wants you to listen to music in a different way.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Eating to reach health goals
(HealthDay)—What and when you eat certain foods can boost how you feel at different times during the day. When it comes to meal planning, timing is everything.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
CycleMatch: a new approach for matching images and text
Researchers at Leiden University and the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT), in China, have recently developed a new approach for image-text matching, called CycleMatch. Their approach, presented in a paper published in Elsevier's Pattern Recognition journal, is based on cycle-consistent learning, a technique that is sometimes used to train artificial neural networks on image-to-image translation tasks. The general idea behind cycle-consistency is that when transforming source data into target data and then vice versa, one should finally obtain the original source samples.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
This robot helps you lift objects—by looking at your biceps
We humans are very good at collaboration. For instance, when two people work together to carry a heavy object like a table or a sofa, they tend to instinctively coordinate their motions, constantly recalibrating to make sure their hands are at the same height as the other person's. Our natural ability to make these types of adjustments allows us to collaborate on tasks big and small.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Studying the function of liver cancer genes in mini-organs
Researchers from the Hubrecht Institute and Radboud University have developed a human model in which they use organoids, or mini organs, to study the function of specific genes that are mutated in liver cancer. Using this method, they have found that mutations in BAP1, a gene commonly mutated in liver cancer, changes the behaviour of the cells, which may make them more likely to be invasive. Their results were published in the scientific journal Cell Stem Cell on the 23 of May.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
The effect of sleep quality on peptic-ulcer relapse in older adults
Poor sleep quality and peptic ulcer disease (PUD, a condition when sores known as ulcers develop on the lining of your stomach or in the first part of your small intestine) are both major public health problems that affect the physical and psychological wellbeing of older adults.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Nerve stimulation could provide new treatment option for most common type of stroke
Research led by a UCLA scientist found that a new nerve stimulation therapy to increase blood flow could help patients with the most common type of stroke up to 24 hours after onset.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Ecologists find bush dog, native of South America, in remote central Costa Rica
Wildlife ecologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who are studying different conservation practices in the forests of Costa Rica recently made a startling discovery on a wildlife camera trap—wild bush dogs documented farther north than ever before and at the highest elevation.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Zero-carbon electric transport is already in reach for small islands
At a recent talk on the UK's energy sector, the head of an electric utility company claimed that "the problem of decarbonising our electricity sector is fixed". Eyebrows were raised at this, but his point quickly became clear. The technologies needed to decarbonise the UK's electricity system now exist, he explained. Indeed, grid operators in the UK expect a zero carbon electricity system by 2025.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Soft, social robot brings coziness to home robotics
A few years ago, when social robots began appearing in stores and homes, Guy Hoffman wondered why they all looked so much alike.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New collider concept would take quantum theories to an extreme
A new idea for smashing beams of elementary particles into one another could reveal how light and matter interact under extreme conditions that may exist on the surfaces of exotic astrophysical objects, in powerful cosmic light bursts and star explosions, in next-generation particle colliders and in hot, dense fusion plasma.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Google Glass struck out for masses but enterprise class has takers
My, have we grown. All eyes are on the Glass Enterprise Edition 2. with its hardware update and new frames. Google Glass has come a long way since its debut in 2013. As Scott Stein in CNET quipped, "You might remember Glass as a strange 2013 footnote."
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Wednesday 22 May 2019
Production of more than 250,000 chips embedded within fibers in less than a year
In the summer of 2018, a team led by MIT researchers reported in the journal Nature that they had successfully embedded electronic devices into fibers that could be used in fabrics or composite products like clothing, airplane wings, or even wound dressings. The advance could allow fabrics or composites to sense their environment, communicate, store and convert energy, and more.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New method could shed light on workers' historical radiation exposure
Researchers in the UK have developed a new method for evaluating plutonium workers' historical internal radiation exposure in a study funded by the National Institute for Health Research.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Dog-like robot jumps, flips and trots
Putting their own twist on robots that amble through complicated landscapes, the Stanford Student Robotics club's Extreme Mobility team has developed a four-legged robot that is not only capable of performing acrobatic tricks and traversing challenging terrain but is also designed with reproducibility in mind. Anyone who wants their own version of the robot, dubbed Stanford Doggo, can consult comprehensive plans, code and a supply list that the students have made freely available online.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Successful HIV effort prompts call for clinics to expand mental health services on site
Increasing access to mental health services improves HIV outcomes among vulnerable patients, a new study from the University of Virginia School of Medicine suggests. Based on their findings, the researchers are urging HIV clinics to expand their on-site mental health services.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Eastern forests shaped more by Native Americans' burning than climate change
Native Americans' use of fire to manage vegetation in what is now the Eastern United States was more profound than previously believed, according to a Penn State researcher who determined that forest composition change in the region was caused more by land use than climate change.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Tuesday 21 May 2019
Driverless cars working together can speed up traffic by 35%
A fleet of driverless cars working together to keep traffic moving smoothly can improve overall traffic flow by at least 35 percent, researchers have shown.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Monday 20 May 2019
Gas insulation could be protecting an ocean inside Pluto
A gassy insulating layer beneath the icy surfaces of distant celestial objects could mean there are more oceans in the universe than previously thought. Computer simulations provide compelling evidence that an insulating layer of gas hydrates could keep a subsurface ocean from freezing beneath Pluto's icy exterior, according to a study published in the journal Nature Geoscience.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New measurement device: Carbon dioxide as geothermometer
For the first time, it is now possible to measure, simultaneously and with extreme precision, four rare molecular variants of carbon dioxide (CO2) using a novel laser instrument. It is thus able to measure the temperature during the formation of CO2-binding carbonates and carbonaceous fossils completely independently of other parameters. As a new type of geothermometer, the laser-spectroscopy-based measurement device is significant for scientific disciplines investigating, for example, climatic conditions in Earth's history. It was developed by a German-French research team, with substantial contributions from environmental physicists at Heidelberg University.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers develop new flying / driving robot
The first experimental robot drone that flies like a typical quadcopter, drives on tough terrain and squeezes into tight spaces using the same motors, has been developed by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
CDC: Salmonella outbreaks linked to backyard poultry
(HealthDay)—Backyard flocks of live poultry have been linked with Salmonella outbreaks that have sickened 52 people in 21 states, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Hyperspectral camera captures wealth of data in an instant
Standard snapshots from space don't quite show Earth in all its glory. There's so much more to see.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Samsung at foundry event talks about 3nm, MBCFET developments
"The nanometer process deals with the space between the transistors mounted on a substrate at a nanometer level," said Pulse.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sunday 19 May 2019
Missouri, latest US state to restrict abortion
The Missouri House passed a bill on Friday banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, making it the latest US state to pass restrictions on ending a pregnancy.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A social perception scheme for behavior planning of autonomous cars
To navigate dynamic environments, autonomous vehicles (AVs) should be able to process all information available to them and use it to generate effective driving strategies. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have recently proposed a social perception scheme for planning the behavior of autonomous cars, which could help to develop AVs that are better equipped to deal with uncertainty in their surrounding environment.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Ultra-clean fabrication platform produces nearly ideal 2-D transistors
Semiconductors, which are the basic building blocks of transistors, microprocessors, lasers, and LEDs, have driven advances in computing, memory, communications, and lighting technologies since the mid-20th century. Recently discovered two-dimensional materials, which feature many superlative properties, have the potential to advance these technologies, but creating 2-D devices with both good electrical contacts and stable performance has proved challenging.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Avelumab and axitinib approved for treatment of renal cell carcinoma
(HealthDay)—Avelumab (BAVENCIO) was approved this week for first-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in combination with axitinib, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Changes in subsistence hunting threaten local food security
Scientists with the Universidad San Francisco de Quito and WCS Ecuador Program publishing in the journal BioTropica say that subsistence hunting in Neotropical rain forests—the mainstay of local people as a source of protein and a direct connection to these ecosystems—is in jeopardy from a variety of factors.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Facebook breakup could boost China rivals: Sandberg
Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg said Friday a breakup of big US technology would not address "underlying issues" facing the sector and suggested that such a move could help rivals in China.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sedimentary, dear Johnson: Is NASA looking at the wrong rocks for clues to Martian life?
In 2020, NASA and European-Russian missions will look for evidence of past life on Mars. But while volcanic, igneous rock predominates on the Red Planet, virtually the entire Earth fossil record comes from sedimentary rocks.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Guidelines updated for TB screening, treatment in health care workers
(HealthDay)—Guidelines have been updated for screening and treatment for tuberculosis (TB) infection among health care personnel, according to research published in the May 17 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
What's behind the belief in a soulmate?
The United States appears to be in a romantic slump. Marriage rates have plummeted over the last decade. And compared to previous generations, young single people today are perhaps spending more time on social media than actual dating. They are also having less sex.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Life goes on under cloud of smog in Mexico City
Scientists say breathing the heavily polluted air in Mexico City these days is like smoking somewhere between a quarter- and a half-pack of cigarettes a day.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers unravel mechanisms that control cell size
Working with bacteria, a multidisciplinary team at the University of California San Diego has provided new insight into a longstanding question in science: What are the underlying mechanisms that control the size of cells?
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Wearable cooling and heating patch could serve as personal thermostat and save energy
Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a wearable patch that could provide personalized cooling and heating at home, work, or on the go. The soft, stretchy patch cools or warms a user's skin to a comfortable temperature and keeps it there as the ambient temperature changes. It is powered by a flexible, stretchable battery pack and can be embedded in clothing. Researchers say wearing it could help save energy on air conditioning and heating.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Cancer drug could be repurposed to provide treatment for brain aneurysms
An important class of drug used to treat cancer patients could be used to treat brain aneurysms, according to new research published this week.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
German startup to offer electric air taxis 'by 2025'
German startup firm Lilium announced Thursday the maiden flight of its all-electric pilotless jet-powered 'air taxi' which it hopes to operate in various cities around the world 'by 2025'.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Saturday 18 May 2019
Researchers develop electric field-based dressing to help heal wound infections
Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine have found a way to charge up the fight against bacterial infections using electricity.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A new era in 3-D printing
In the mid-15th century, a new technology that would change the course of history was invented. Johannes Gutenberg's printing press, with its movable type, promoted the dissemination of information and ideas that is widely recognized as a major contributing factor for the Renaissance.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
'Brand Me' presentations increase students' confidence and enhance their employability
The University of Portsmouth is helping its students build a strong personal brand to increase their confidence and enhance their employability.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Manipulating atoms one at a time with an electron beam
The ultimate degree of control for engineering would be the ability to create and manipulate materials at the most basic level, fabricating devices atom by atom with precise control.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Nanoscale sculpturing leads to unusual packing of nanocubes
From the ancient pyramids to modern buildings, various three-dimensional (3-D) structures have been formed by packing shaped objects together. At the macroscale, the shape of objects is fixed and thus dictates how they can be arranged. For example, bricks attached by mortar retain their elongated rectangular shape. But at the nanoscale, the shape of objects can be modified to some extent when they are coated with organic molecules, such as polymers, surfactants (surface-active agents), and DNA. These molecules essentially create a "soft" shell around otherwise "hard," or rigid, nano-objects. When the nano-objects pack together, their original shape may not be entirely preserved because the shell is flexible—a kind of nanoscale sculpturing.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Study aims to improve capturing wind power for energy production
Scientists have released the first of several reports outlining major results that could help wind industry officials manage wind power facilities more efficiently and increase renewable energy production.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Virtual reality game simulates experiences with race
Video games that use virtual reality to create immersive experiences have become increasingly popular for entertainment and for research. However, the representation of race in these simulations is often shallow—and fails to go beyond physical appearance attributes like skin color.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Augmented reality affects people's behavior in the real world
As major technology firms race to roll out augmented reality products, Stanford researchers are learning how it affects people's behavior – in both the physical world and a digitally enhanced one.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sleep duration tied to adverse measures of glycemia
(HealthDay)—Self-reported short and long sleep are both associated with adverse measures of glycemia among adults with prediabetes, according to a study published online May 10 in Diabetes Care.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
WhatsApp flaw let spies take control with calls alone (Update)
Spyware crafted by a sophisticated group of hackers-for-hire took advantage of a flaw in the popular WhatsApp communications program to remotely hijack dozens of targeted phones without any user interaction.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
EU adopts powers to respond to cyberattacks
The European Union on Friday adopted powers to punish those outside the bloc who launch cyberattacks that cripple hospitals and banks, sway elections and steal company secrets or funds.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
What to do when your child throws a fit
(HealthDay)—You know the scenario—your child has a meltdown, leaving you frustrated, embarrassed and arguing even though your brain says it's a battle you're not likely to win.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Clinical trial improves treatment of genetic rickets
A new study shows a drug developed in conjunction with investigators at Indiana University School of Medicine to alleviate symptoms of a rare musculoskeletal condition is significantly more effective than conventional therapies. The findings are published in Lancet.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
FDA approves venetoclax for chronic, small lymphocytic leukemia
(HealthDay)—Venetoclax (VENCLEXTA) has been approved to treat adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced yesterday.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Early dengue virus infection could 'defuse' Zika virus
"We now know for sure that Zika virus infection during pregnancy can affect the unborn foetus in such a way that the child develops microcephaly and other severe symptoms," explains Prof Felix Drexler, a virologist at Charité who has been developing diagnostic tests for Zika and other viruses at the DZIF. Just a few years ago, pictures of affected newborns were cause for worldwide dismay and perplexity. "However, what we did not understand then was that high incidence of microcephaly seemed to occur particularly in northeastern Brazil," says Drexler. Why are expecting mothers in these regions at a higher risk of developing a severe Zika-associated disease than in other regions? The scientists consequently began to search for cofactors that have an influence on whether a Zika infection during pregnancy will develop fatal consequences or not.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
When an aircraft landing system is made to enter the spoofing zone
Just what the airplane passenger who is always skittish does not want to hear: Radio navigation on planes for landing purposes is not secure; signals can be hacked.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers imagine a cheaper, fairer marketplace for digital goods
E-commerce is sizzling. Last year, consumers spent more than $517 billion online with US merchants, up 15 percent from the year before, according to Internet Retailer.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Earliest evidence of the cooking and eating of starch
New discoveries made at the Klasies River Cave in South Africa's southern Cape, where charred food remains from hearths were found, provide the first archaeological evidence that anatomically modern humans were roasting and eating plant starches, such as those from tubers and rhizomes, as early as 120,000 years ago.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Friday 17 May 2019
New laws of robotics needed to tackle AI: expert
Decades after Isaac Asimov first wrote his laws for robots, their ever-expanding role in our lives requires a radical new set of rules, legal and AI expert Frank Pasquale warned on Thursday.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
HP Enterprise buying supercomputer star Cray
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) on Friday announced a $1.3 billion deal to buy supercomputer maker Cray, part of a move to expand into data analysis from connected devices .
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Black women more likely to die of breast cancer, especially in the South
When Felicia Mahone was 27, she felt her breast and found a mass. Breast cancer had killed nearly all the women in her family—her mother, two aunts and two cousins. Her doctor, though, downplayed the lump, assuring her everything would be all right.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers develop novel framework for tracking developments in optical sensors
Plasmonics and photonics have been drawing attention in both academia and industry due to their use in an extensive range of applications, one of which includes optical sensing. The development of optical sensing technology not only contributes to the scientific research community as a versatile tool, but also offers substantial commercial value for smart city and Internet of Things (IOT) applications due to its energy efficiency, lightweight, small size and suitability for remote sensing. Reinforcing its significance, Scientific American identified plasmonic sensing as one of the top 10 emerging technologies of 2018.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Study finds narrowing gender gap in youth suicides
New research from Nationwide Children's Hospital finds a disproportionate increase in youth suicide rates for females relative to males, particularly in younger youth aged 10-14 years. The report, which describes youth suicide trends in the United States from 1975 to 2016, appears this week in JAMA Network Open.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Essentials for growing tasty herbs on your windowsill
(HealthDay)—Whether you have a dedicated space in an outdoor garden or just a few buckets on a small patio, there's nothing quite like having your own herb garden for giving your cooking fresh flavor boosts.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Quinn on Nutrition: Carbs—how low can we go?
"Fruit has carbs? I had no idea," a stunned patient told me recently.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Scientists capture first-ever video of body's safety test for T-cells
For the first time, immunologists from The University of Texas at Austin have captured on video what happens when T-cells—the contract killers of the immune system, responsible for wiping out bacteria and viruses—undergo a type of assassin-training program before they get unleashed in the body. A new imaging technique that allowed for the videos, described today in the journal Nature Communications, holds promise for the fight against autoimmune disorders such as Type 1 diabetes.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Tobacco and e-cigarette promotions spark teens' use of nicotine products, study finds
Owning items that promote e-cigarettes and other alternative tobacco products doubles the likelihood that a young person will try these products, a new study led by the Stanford University School of Medicine has found. The finding illustrates the influence of such marketing on teenagers.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New AI sees like a human, filling in the blanks
Computer scientists at The University of Texas at Austin have taught an artificial intelligence agent how to do something that usually only humans can do—take a few quick glimpses around and infer its whole environment, a skill necessary for the development of effective search-and-rescue robots that one day can improve the effectiveness of dangerous missions. The team, led by professor Kristen Grauman, Ph.D. candidate Santhosh Ramakrishnan and former Ph.D. candidate Dinesh Jayaraman (now at the University of California, Berkeley) published their results today in the journal Science Robotics.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Microsoft alerts hospitals to fix potential security risk
Computer experts inside hospitals were working diligently on Wednesday to address a serious new security vulnerability in older versions of the Windows operating system, which is still used in many health care devices even though Microsoft hasn't actively supported the older software in years.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Machine learning speeds modeling of experiments aimed at capturing fusion energy on Earth
Machine learning (ML), a form of artificial intelligence that recognizes faces, understands language and navigates self-driving cars, can help bring to Earth the clean fusion energy that lights the sun and stars. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) are using ML to create a model for rapid control of plasma—the state of matter composed of free electrons and atomic nuclei, or ions—that fuels fusion reactions.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
First anticoagulant approved for preventing VTE recurrence in children
(HealthDay)—Fragmin (dalteparin sodium) injection has been granted the first approval for subcutaneous use in preventing recurrence of symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) in children aged 1 month or older, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Making the best of sparse information
New findings reported by LMU researchers challenge a generally accepted model of echolocation in bats. They demonstrate that bats require far less spatial information than previously thought to navigate effectively.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Just like toothpaste: Fluoride radically improves the stability of perovskite solar cells
Solar cells made of perovskite hold much promise for the future of solar energy. The material is cheap, easy to produce and almost as efficient as silicon, the material traditionally used in solar cells. However, perovskite degrades quickly, severely limiting its efficiency and stability over time. Researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology, energy research institute DIFFER, Peking University and University of Twente have discovered that adding a small amount of fluoride to the perovskite leaves a protective layer, increasing stability of the materials and the solar cells significantly. The solar cells retain 90 percent of their efficiency after 1000 hours operation at various extreme testing conditions. The findings are published today in the leading scientific journal Nature Energy.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
What do they mean by 'stem cells'? Recommended guidelines for reporting on cell therapies
Cell therapies including so-called "stem cells" are increasingly being marketed and used for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders - despite questions about these treatments and their effectiveness. A new tool for standardizing communication about cell therapies is presented in the May 15 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers find way to build potassium-oxygen batteries that last longer
Researchers have built a more efficient, more reliable potassium-oxygen battery, a step toward a potential solution for energy storage on the nation's power grid and longer-lasting batteries in cell phones and laptops.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Stop gambling with black box and explainable models on high-stakes decisions
As the buzzwords "machine learning" continue to grow in popularity, more industries are turning to computer algorithms to answer important questions, including high-stakes fields such as healthcare, finance and criminal justice. While this trend can lead to major improvements in these realms, it can also lead to major problems when the machine learning algorithm is a so-called "black box."
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New Horizons team publishes first Kuiper Belt flyby science results
NASA's New Horizons mission team has published the first profile of the farthest world ever explored, a planetary building block and Kuiper Belt object called 2014 MU69.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Thursday 16 May 2019
Stigma deterring elite athletes with mental health issues from seeking help
Stigma is the main reason why elite athletes with mental health issues don't seek the help they need, finds a summary of the available evidence, published in a special issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine devoted to the topic.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Study reports breakthrough to measure plant improvements to help farmers boost production
An international team is using advanced tools to develop crops that give farmers more options for sustainably producing more food on less land. To do this, thousands of plant prototypes must be carefully analyzed to figure out which genetic tweaks work best. Today, in a special issue of the journal Remote Sensing of Environment, scientists have shown a new technology can more quickly scan an entire field of plants to capture improvements in their natural capacity to harvest energy from the sun.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
To win online debates, social networks worth a thousand words
Want to win an argument online? Bolstering your social network may be more helpful than rehearsing your rhetorical flourishes.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Natural compound found in broccoli reawakens the function of potent tumor suppressor
Your mother was right: Broccoli is good for you. Long associated with decreased risk of cancer, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables—the family of plants that also includes cauliflower, cabbage, collard greens, Brussels sprouts and kale—contain a molecule that inactivates a gene known to play a role in a variety of common human cancers. In a new paper published today in Science, researchers, led by Pier Paolo Pandolfi, MD, Ph.D., Director of the Cancer Center and Cancer Research Institute at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, demonstrate that targeting the gene, known as WWP1, with the ingredient found in broccoli suppressed tumor growth in cancer-prone lab animals.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers discover how a member of a family of light-sensitive proteins adjusts skin color
A team of Brown University researchers found that opsin 3—a protein closely related to rhodopsin, the protein that enables low-light vision—has a role in adjusting the amount of pigment produced in human skin, a determinant of skin color.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
SpaceX set to launch first satellites of its internet network
SpaceX is targeting Thursday night for the launch of 60 satellites into low-Earth orbit, the first of potentially thousands in its Starlink project to beam broadband internet across the planet.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Bullet train champion in Japan will debut in 2030, now being tested
Testing for a train capable of 249mph (400 kph) speeds is to happen about twice a week at night. Bloomberg said ALFA-X is the world's fastest bullet train— well, for now, it is holding that title. Japan has also been working on a maglev train.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Framework improves 'continual learning' for artificial intelligence
Researchers have developed a new framework for deep neural networks that allows artificial intelligence (AI) systems to better learn new tasks while "forgetting" less of what it has learned regarding previous tasks. The researchers have also demonstrated that using the framework to learn a new task can make the AI better at performing previous tasks, a phenomenon called backward transfer.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Imagine Apple's App Store with no walled garden
Gregg Spiridellis isn't shy when it comes to his feelings about the Apple iOS App Store.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Helping robots remember: Hyperdimensional computing theory could change the way AI works
The Houston Astros' José Altuve steps up to the plate on a 3-2 count, studies the pitcher and the situation, gets the go-ahead from third base, tracks the ball's release, swings ... and gets a single up the middle. Just another trip to the plate for the three-time American League batting champion.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Eyes in the sky project will show power plant pollution marks
Air pollution is responsible for millions of deaths every year, worldwide. According to a State of Global Air report, air pollution is the fifth greatest global mortality risk.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
How climate change will affect the rural northeast: Expect three weeks of heat
While extreme cold and snow often make headlines in the Northeast, by 2060, there will be far more record heat. Imagine the most sweltering day of the year. By 2060, you will experience that type of hot day for approximately three weeks of the year, assuming we don't substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to a Dartmouth study, of the rural Northeast counties represented, those in the bottom two lowest income quartiles will be hit hardest, as their communities will be disproportionately affected by increases in extremely hot days relative to wealthier counties. The findings are published in the Annals of the American Association of Geographers.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Ancient fish ponds in the Bolivian savanna supported human settlement
A network of fish ponds supported a permanent human settlement in the seasonal drylands of Bolivia more than one thousand years ago, according to a new study published May 15, 2019 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Gabriela Prestes-Carneiro of Federal University of Western Para, Brazil, and colleagues. The study is the first to document the full range of fish species likely kept in these constructed ponds, and provides new insights into how humans modified the savannah environment to cope with the months-long droughts that characterize this region of the Amazon Basin.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
rTMS improves memory in younger and older adults
Magnetic stimulation of the brain improves working memory, offering a new potential avenue of therapy for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, according to new research from the Duke University School of Medicine.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
'Striking' differences in rates of HIV/AIDS within African nations
Despite the rapid scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) since 2000, HIV/AIDS is still the most common cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa, according to data from the Global Burden of Disease.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Transfer of EU powers leads to silent erosion of UK pesticide regulation
New analysis by the UK Trade Policy Observatory is warning that what should have been the technical formality of transferring EU powers into national law when the UK leaves the European Union, could instead open the gates for the widespread use of outlawed carcinogenic pesticides that have been shown to alter human reproductive, neurological, and immune systems.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Wednesday 15 May 2019
Tool predicts quality measures after ventral hernia repair
(HealthDay)—The Outcomes Reporting App for Clinical and Patient Engagement (ORACLE) tool can predict quality measures following ventral hernia repair (VHR) and facilitate preoperative surgeon-patient discussions, according to a study published online May 2 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Genomic collision may explain why many kidney transplants fail
A genomic collision could explain why many kidney transplants fail, even when donors and recipients are thought to be well-matched, according to a new study from researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. This genomic collision is a genetic incompatibility between kidney donor and recipient, causing the recipient to mount an immune attack against the donor protein.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
FAA chief defends handling of Boeing Max safety approval
The acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday that Boeing should have done more to explain an automated flight-control system on its 737 Max aircraft before two deadly crashes, but he defended his agency's safety certification of the plane and its decision not to ground the jet until other regulators around the world had already done so.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Machine learning reduces language barriers in global trade, research shows
Machine learning and artificial intelligence have exploded onto the scene in recent years, offering the hope of greater business efficiency. At the same time, researchers have found virtually no empirical evidence supporting the promised strides in labor productivity and economic activity.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Toy transformers and real-life whales inspire biohybrid robot
Drawing inspiration from biology and the toy shelf, researchers at Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College and City University of Hong Kong have developed a swimming robot with a light-controlled cellular engine that can perform highly-targeted drug delivery.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
What's causing your vertigo? Goggles may help with diagnosis
Vertigo is a form of severe dizziness that can result in a loss of balance, a feeling of falling, trouble walking or standing, or nausea. There is more than one type of vertigo, each with a different cause, and sometimes requiring different treatment. Now a proof-of-concept study has found that special goggles that measure eye movements during an episode of vertigo may help more accurately diagnose which type of vertigo a person has. The study is published in the May 15, 2019, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Neanderthals and modern humans diverged at least 800,000 years ago
Neanderthals and modern humans diverged at least 800,000 years ago, substantially earlier than indicated by most DNA-based estimates, according to new research by a UCL academic.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Experimental brain-controlled hearing aid decodes, identifies who you want to hear
Our brains have a remarkable knack for picking out individual voices in a noisy environment, like a crowded coffee shop or a busy city street. This is something that even the most advanced hearing aids struggle to do. But now Columbia engineers are announcing an experimental technology that mimics the brain's natural aptitude for detecting and amplifying any one voice from many. Powered by artificial intelligence, this brain-controlled hearing aid acts as an automatic filter, monitoring wearers' brain waves and boosting the voice they want to focus on.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Blood biopsy: New technique enables detailed genetic analysis of cancer cells
A new way to cleanly separate out cancer cells from a blood sample enables comprehensive genetic profiling of the cancer cells, which could help doctors target tumors and monitor treatments more effectively.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Artificial intelligence shines light on the dark web
Beneath the surface web, the public form of the internet you use daily to check email or read news articles, exists a concealed "dark web." Host to anonymous, password-protected sites, the dark web is where criminal marketplaces thrive in the advertising and selling of weapons, drugs, and trafficked persons. Law enforcement agencies work continuously to stop these activities, but the challenges they face in investigating and prosecuting the real-world people behind the users who post on these sites are tremendous.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Tuesday 14 May 2019
Biomarker reveals PTSD sufferers at risk of suicide
The risk of suicide among individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is much higher than the general population, but identifying those individuals at greatest risk has been difficult. However, a team at Yale has discovered a biological marker linked to individuals with PTSD who are most likely to think about suicide, the researchers report May 13 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Tester eyes unhackable claim on USB flash drive
When the unhackable turns hackable you know there will be lots of noise. Case in point: The eyeDisk USB flash drive. Passwords exposed in clear text were discovered.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
T2Bacteria Panel rapidly and accurately diagnoses common bloodstream infections
In a clinical trial, the T2Bacteria Panel showed promise for rapidly and accurately diagnosing bloodstream infections or sepsis caused by five common bacteria. The test could be used in a clinical setting in place of blood cultures, which are insensitive and can take a long time to show results. How these findings will affect clinical practice is not yet determined. Findings from a diagnostic accuracy study are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Sunday 12 May 2019
Road test proves adaptive cruise control can add to traffic jam problem
A new, open-road test of adaptive cruise control demonstrated that the feature, designed to make driving easier by continuously adjusting a vehicle's speed in response to the car ahead, doesn't yet solve the problem of phantom traffic jams.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Making a case for robotic objects as anger outlets
Coochi coo. Robots have undergone impressive designs and engineering for social use, manifested in puppy-like robots with expressive, blinking eyes, to little space robots. These little pals and helpers appeal to the home-confined elderly and children. These are social robots designed to understand and respond to cues.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Video games are a 'great equalizer' for people with disabilities
Gaming has been a huge part of Erin Hawley's life since she started playing Atari as a little girl.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Space exploration exhibit for Apollo 11 opens at Ohio museum
A new permanent exhibit focusing on space exploration and the Ohio native who was the first person to walk on the moon has opened at a Cincinnati museum.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Stricken ship refloated after Solomons oil spill
The ship at the centre of an environmental disaster near World-Heritage listed waters in the Solomon Islands was refloated Saturday after being stranded on a coral reef for more than three months.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Saturday 11 May 2019
Measuring quality of life after pediatric kidney transplant
After receiving a kidney transplant, children may experience quality-of-life difficulties that underscore the importance of screening transplant recipients for psychosocial function, according to Children's research presented May 4, 2019, during the 10th Congress of the International Pediatric Transplant Association.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Limiting oxygen could control symptoms of Friedreich's ataxia
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a rare, inherited disorder that causes progressive damage to the nervous system. This damage leads to ataxia—problems with movement and coordination—that worsens with time. Other symptoms, such as loss of strength and sensation in the arms and legs, muscle stiffness, and impaired speech, hearing, and vision, can also result. New research in cell models and in mice suggests that limited environmental oxygen, known as hypoxia, might one day help FRDA patients, although the safety of doing so is yet unknown.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Study shows native plants regenerate on their own after invasive shrubs are removed
Invasive shrubs have become increasingly prevalent in the deciduous forests of eastern North America—often creating a dense understory that outcompetes native plants. Many land managers would like to remove the invaders, but worry about what happens afterwards. Will they need to launch a costly remediation program to reestablish native plant communities?
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Uber, Lyft losses keep competitors at bay
A fare war between Uber and Lyft has led to billions of dollars in losses for both ride-hailing companies as they fight for passengers and drivers.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Uber shifts into reverse in disappointing Wall Street debut
Uber shares skidded Friday in a disappointing Wall Street debut following a massive public offering from the global ride-hailing giant.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Atlas is rockstar cross-stepper over tricky terrain
Robot enthusiasts were sending up cheers this month to the team advancing Atlas into an even more human-like walker through obstacles including a bunch of cinder blocks and a balance beam. They have turned Atlas into the very credible hulk, who wins the spotlight with its display of walking, which was recorded May 1.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Manipulating superconductivity using a 'mechanic' and an 'electrician'
In strongly correlated materials such as cuprate high-temperature superconductors, superconductivity can be controlled either by changing the number of electrons or by changing the kinetic energy, or transfer energy, of electrons in the system. Although a large number of strongly correlated materials have been examined with different parameters to understand the mechanism of superconductivity, the range of parameter control is always limited. A versatile experimental method to achieve simultaneous control of the number and the transfer energy of the electrons has been long desired.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A friction reduction system for deformable robotic fingertips
Researchers at Kanazawa University have recently developed a friction reduction system based on a lubricating effect, which could have interesting soft robotics applications. Their system, presented in a paper published in Taylor & Francis' Advanced Robotics journal, could aid the development of robots that can efficiently manipulate objects under both dry and wet conditions.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Trial remedies racial disparities in treatment for early-stage lung and breast cancer patients
Results from a study published in the Journal of the National Medical Association show that a pragmatic system-based intervention within cancer treatment centers can nearly eliminate existing disparities in treatment and outcomes for black patients with early-stage lung and breast cancer. The treatment completion rates before this intervention were 87.3 percent for white patients versus 79.8 percent for black patients. With the intervention in place, treatment completion climbed to 89.5 percent for white patients and 88.4 percent for black patients.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
How much protein do you need for weight loss and muscle growth?
(HealthDay)—Low-carb, vegetarian, Mediterranean—whatever your diet, it's important to get enough protein.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A face-following robot arm with emotion detection
Researchers at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) have recently developed a face-following robotic arm with emotion detection inspired by Pixar Animation Studios' Luxo Jr. lamp. This robot was presented by Vernon Stanley Albayeros Duarte, a computer science graduate at UAB, in his final thesis.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A surprising experiment opens the path to new particle manipulation methods
Researchers at Aalto University have discovered a surprising phenomenon that changes how we think about how sound can move particles. Their experiment is based on a famous experiment recognisable from high school science classrooms worldwide—the Chlandni Plate experiment, where particles move on a vibrating surface. The experiment was first performed in 1787 by Ernst Chladni, who is now known as the father of acoustics. Chladni's experiment showed that when a plate is vibrating at a certain frequency, heavy particles move towards the regions with less vibration, called nodal lines. This experiment has been extensively repeated during the centuries since, and has shaped the common understanding of how heavy particles move on a vibrating plate. But researchers at Aalto University have now shown a case where heavy particles move towards the regions with more vibrations, or antinodes. "This is a surprising result, almost a contradiction to common beliefs," says Professor Quan Zhou.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Luxembourg and US agree to deepen cooperation in space
The tiny EU country of Luxembourg and the United States agreed on Friday to work more closely on projects in space, including research and exploration as well as defence and commerce.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers discover the Achilles' heel of an aggressive brain cancer
Glioblastoma is the most prevalent and also the most lethal type of brain tumour in adults, with no curative treatment currently available. Glioblastomas cannot be surgically completely excised, as the tumour cells are adept at invading tissues and spreading around the brain. In addition, glioblastoma cells are extremely resistant to existing drug therapies.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New study shows scientists who selfie garner more public trust
Many scientists today have embraced social media as tools to communicate their research and to engage broader audiences in scientific discovery and its outcomes. But the rise of the "social media scientist" has also led communicators and scholars to ask an important and often overlooked question: Do people trust the scientists who show up in their social media feeds?
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Friday 10 May 2019
Google bucks soaring smartphone prices with new Pixel
Google bucked the soaring smartphone price trend Tuesday, unveiling a high-performance Pixel handset aimed at the middle of the market as part of a wide-ranging pitch to developers of its new hardware, software and privacy efforts.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Walmart's robot zips along in tech revolution that's raising big questions for workers
When an autonomous floor scrubber was rolled out in Walmart's Bonney Lake store last month, shoppers mistook the teal blue scrubber zipping down the aisles for a runaway machine, said manager David Klein. "Some customers are a little freaked out."
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
A case of the chimp sniffles or major outbreak? Syndromic surveillance may hold the key
Two sniffling chimps could be one too many for a wild chimpanzee community susceptible to respiratory disease outbreaks, report Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers at the University of Minnesota. The team's findings were a result of their development of a syndromic surveillance system to noninvasively and preemptively detect a potential outbreak of respiratory disease. The study recently was published in EcoHealth.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Researchers propose air conditioners as climate-change remedy
Scientists have an idea that could make you feel more like a green citizen than hedonist if you buy an air conditioner for your living quarters. There is a way that could use the units to fight climate change. OK, let us review the question posed by a Fast Company: What if every air conditioner was stopping climate change as it kept you cool?"
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
HIV prevention drug can curb the epidemic for high-risk groups in India
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a combination drug used to prevent HIV infection, has already gained significant traction in the U.S. and Europe. The once-a-day pill, when taken consistently, can reduce the risk of HIV acquisition by over 85 percent. A new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases by an international research team suggests that making PrEP available to men who have sex with men (MSM) and people who inject drugs (PWID) in India may be a cost-effective way of curbing the epidemic there.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Using AI to predict breast cancer and personalize care
Despite major advances in genetics and modern imaging, the diagnosis catches most breast cancer patients by surprise. For some, it comes too late. Later diagnosis means aggressive treatments, uncertain outcomes, and more medical expenses. As a result, identifying patients has been a central pillar of breast cancer research and effective early detection.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Study sheds new light on urinary tract infections in postmenopausal women
A UT Southwestern study suggests why urinary tract infections (UTIs) have such a high recurrence rate in postmenopausal women—several species of bacteria can invade the bladder walls.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
New study highlights fundamental challenges of living with wildfire
Wildfires can have dramatic impacts on Western landscapes and communities, but human values determine whether the changes caused by fire are desired or dreaded. This is the simple—but often overlooked—message from a collaborative team of 23 researchers led by University of Montana faculty in a study published in the May issue of the journal BioScience.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Scientists introduce novel perspective in robotic capability
University of Illinois researcher Amy LaViers has introduced a new point of view from which to observe robotic capabilities in her paper, "Counts of Mechanical, External Configurations Compared to Computational, Internal Configurations in Natural and Artificial Systems," published today in PLOS ONE, a leading interdisciplinary research journal.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
Space-tourism dream edges toward reality in New Mexico
British billionaire Richard Branson and his space-tourism company Virgin Galactic announced new steps Friday toward offering thrill rides into the low reaches of space for paying passengers, with the company immediately starting to move personnel and space vehicles from California to a launch and landing facility in the New Mexico desert.
* This article was originally published here
* This article was originally published here
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