Science
press releases.

Science2 Dec 2024

Pregnancy enhances natural immunity to block severe flu

McGill University scientists have discovered that pregnancy may trigger a natural immunity to boost protection against severe flu infection. Contrary to the common belief that pregnancy increases vulnerability to infections, researchers found that it strengthened an immune defense in mice, blocking the Influenza A virus from spreading to the lungs, where it can cause severe infection. “Our results are surprising because of the current dogma, but it makes sense from an evolutionary perspective,” said co-lead author Dr. Maziar Divangahi, ...

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Science2 Dec 2024

Deep-sea marvels: How anglerfish defy evolutionary expectations

A groundbreaking Rice University study sheds light on the extraordinary evolution of anglerfish, a group of deep-sea dwellers whose bizarre adaptations have captivated scientists and the public alike. The research, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, uncovers how these enigmatic creatures defied the odds to diversify in the harsh, resource-poor environment of the bathypelagic zone — part of the open ocean that extends from 3,300 to 13,000 feet below the ocean’s surface. Led by a team of biologists including Rice’s ...

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Science2 Dec 2024

Sir Gustav Nossal Professor of Immunology to honor giant of Australian science

The exceptional research, discovery and advocacy legacy of former WEHI director and Australian treasure Sir Gustav Nossal AC CBE will continue through an ongoing professorship, announced today by WEHI and the Nossal family. Launched with a generous gift from the Nossal family, the Sir Gustav Nossal Professor of Immunology is a prestigious new position that will lead pivotal research to advance human immunology. An international search is now underway for an outstanding candidate who will become the first Nossal Professor, a role that will build on Sir Gus’ ...

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Science2 Dec 2024

$1.7 million CDC grant will allow researchers to study spina bifida across the lifespan

Researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson received $1.7 million in funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve knowledge regarding the prevalence, mortality and health outcomes for people of all ages living with spina bifida. Spina bifida is a birth defect that occurs when an embryo’s spinal cord does not properly close during the third and fourth weeks of pregnancy, resulting in a gap in the spine. According to the CDC, spina bifida occurs in 1 ...

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Science2 Dec 2024

Partially domesticated maize is found in caves in Minas Gerais state, Brazil

Brazilian scientists have determined that ancient specimens of partially domesticated maize (Zea mays, also known as corn) originally from Peruaçu Valley in Minas Gerais state (Brazil) were the farthest from Mexico, the plant’s historic center of origin, of any finds made so far. An article describing their research is published in the journal Science Advances. The study was led by researchers affiliated with the University of São Paulo (USP) and EMBRAPA, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation. The findings reinforce the theory, based on genetic evidence from plants alive now, that domestication ...

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Science2 Dec 2024

Brief scientific literacy interventions may quash new conspiracy theories

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The more time you spend on social media, the likelier you are to have come across a viral post that seems too strange to be true. Brief scientific literacy interventions, especially those that focus on critical thinking skills, may help to undermine conspiracy beliefs and behaviors before the conspiracy theories have a chance to take root, according to a team led by Penn State researchers. The team published their findings in the Journal of Consumer Research. \“While some conspiracy beliefs may seem relatively harmless, others — about vaccines, genetically modified organisms and climate change, for example ...

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Science2 Dec 2024

Characterizing services advertised on crisis pregnancy center websites

About The Study: The findings of this study suggest the need for greater scrutiny of crisis pregnancy center practices, particularly their service provision, provider qualifications, and how these conform with regulations or best practices. A key concern is their promotion of abortion pill reversal, which lacks FDA approval or scientific support and may cause harm. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, John W. Ayers, PhD, MA, email ayers.john.w@gmail.com. To ...

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Science2 Dec 2024

Study of crisis pregnancy centers reveals misleading and dangerous claims

La Jolla, Calif. (December 2, 2024) — A new study from scientists at the University of California San Diego introduces a powerful new approach to understanding the operation of crisis pregnancy centers, non-profit organizations dedicated to an anti-abortion agenda. The study published in JAMA Internal Medicine provides the first account of the practices of crisis pregnancy centers (CPC) operating in the United States. "While our study shows crisis pregnancy centers provide valuable community services, like parenting classes, there is a clear need for consumer safety measures to prevent the promotion and use of their ...

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Science2 Dec 2024

Researchers deal a blow to theory that Venus once had liquid water on its surface

A team of astronomers has found that Venus has never been habitable, despite decades of speculation that our closest planetary neighbour was once much more like Earth than it is today. The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, studied the chemical composition of the Venusian atmosphere and inferred that its interior is too dry today for there ever to have been enough water for oceans to exist at its surface. Instead, the planet has likely been a scorching, inhospitable world for its entire history. The results, reported in the journal Nature Astronomy, have implications for understanding Earth’s uniqueness, and for the search for life on planets outside ...

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Science2 Dec 2024

‘I don’t feel your pain’: How alcohol increases aggression

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Alcohol’s ability to increase people’s pain threshold is one reason that drinking also leads to more aggressive behavior, a new study suggests. Researchers found that the less pain that study participants felt after drinking an alcoholic beverage, the more pain they were willing to inflict on someone else. “We’ve all heard the idiom ‘I feel your pain,’” said study co-author Brad Bushman, professor of communication at The Ohio State University. “But if intoxicated people can’t feel their own pain, they might be less likely to feel ...

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Science2 Dec 2024

To build better fiber optic cables, ask a clam

DURHAM, N.C. -- Since the first fiber optic cables rolled out in the 1970s, they’ve become a major part of everything from medical devices to high-speed internet and cable TV. But as it turns out, one group of marine mollusks was way ahead of us. A new study reveals that clams called heart cockles -– so-named because of their heart-shaped shells -- have unique structures in their shells that act like fiber optic cables to convey specific wavelengths of light into the bivalves’ tissues. Researchers from Duke University and Stanford University used electron and laser microscopy and computer simulations ...

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Science1 Dec 2024

Virginie McNamar appointed President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of SynGAP Research Fund (SRF) dba Cure SYNGAP1

Mill Valley, CA – December 1, 2024 – SynGAP Research Fund 501(c)(3), the leading patient advocacy group working to improve the lives of SYNGAP1-Related Disorders (SRD) patients, announces the appointment of Virginie McNamar as President and Chief Operating Officer, effective December 1, 2024. “Virginie was a respected leader in the global SYNGAP1 community before SRF was founded. Her support and guidance in the early years was critical. Almost six years later, the SRF organization has grown to the point where a full time leader ...

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Science30 Nov 2024

When devices can read human emotions without a camera

Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have used measurements of skin conductance over time to tell emotions apart. Volunteers were shown videos depicting fearful scenes, family bonding, and humor, while their skin conductance trace was recorded. The team’s analysis showed that traces could be used to make good guesses of which emotions were being felt. Advances like this help break down an over-reliance on facial data, bringing emotionally aware technologies closer to home. A new frontier is being pioneered in consumer electronics: one day, digital devices might be able to offer services depending on your emotional ...

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Science29 Nov 2024

Sea anemone study shows how animals stay ‘in shape’

Our bodies are remarkably skilled at adapting to changing environments. For example, whether amid summer heat or a winter freeze, our internal temperature remains steady at 37°C, thanks to a process called homeostasis. This hidden balancing act is vital for survival, enabling animals to maintain stable internal conditions even as the external world shifts. But recent research from the Ikmi Group at EMBL Heidelberg shows that homeostasis can extend beyond internal regulation and actively redefine an organism’s shape. The starlet sea anemone (Nematostella vectensis) possesses remarkable regenerative abilities. Cut off its head ...

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Science29 Nov 2024

Strategies for safe and equitable access to water: a catalyst for global peace and security

Water can be a catalyst for peace and security with a critical role in preventing conflicts and promoting cooperation among communities and nations - but only if managed equitably and sustainably, a new study reveals. Experts have devised a blueprint to ensure safe, equitable and sustainable global access to clean water. The seven-point strategy will allow water challenges to be governed effectively so they do not create conflict when access is restricted or usage unfairly shared. Publishing ...

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Science29 Nov 2024

Unique killer whale pod may have acquired special skills to hunt the world’s largest fish

Killer whales can feed on marine mammals, turtles, and fish. In the Gulf of California, a pod might have picked up new skills that help them hunt whale sharks – the world’s largest fish, growing up to 18 meters long. Whale sharks feed at aggregation sites in the Gulf of California, sometimes while they are still young and smaller. During this life-stage, they are more vulnerable to predation, and anecdotal evidence suggests orcas could be hunting them. Now, researchers in Mexico have reported four separate hunting events. “We show how orcas displayed a collaboratively hunting technique on whale sharks, characterized by ...

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Science29 Nov 2024

Emory-led Lancet review highlights racial disparities in sudden cardiac arrest and death among athletes

UNDER STRICT EMBARGO UNTIL 6:30 PM November 28, 2024: A recent major review of data published by the Lancet and led by Emory sports cardiologist Jonathan Kim, MD, shows that Black athletes are approximately five times more likely to experience sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) compared to White athletes, despite some evidence of a decline in rates of SCD overall. SCA and SCD have historically been a leading cause of mortality among athletes, particularly those involved in high-intensity sports. The disparities in SCA/D rates highlights the need for increased research into the social determinants of health in younger athletes, a topic that remains ...

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Science28 Nov 2024

Coral adaptation unlikely to keep pace with global warming

Coral adaptation to ocean warming and marine heatwaves will likely be overwhelmed without rapid reductions of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to an international team of scientists. Their study, led by Dr. Liam Lachs of Newcastle University, reveals that coral heat tolerance adaptation via natural selection could keep pace with ocean warming, but only if Paris Agreement commitments are realised, limiting global warming to two degrees Celsius. “The reality is that marine heatwaves are triggering mass coral bleaching mortality events across the world’s shallow tropical reef ecosystems, and the increasing frequency and intensity of these events ...

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Science28 Nov 2024

Bioinspired droplet-based systems herald a new era in biocompatible devices

UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 19:00 GMT / 14:00 ET THURSDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2024 Bioinspired droplet-based systems herald a new era in biocompatible devices Oxford University researchers have developed a set of biocompatible devices, which can replicate or surpass many electronic functions but use ions as the signal carriers. The ‘dropletronic devices’ are made from miniature soft hydrogel droplets and can be combined to produce diodes, transistors, reconfigurable logic gates, and memory storage devices that mimic biological synapses. The research team generated a biocompatible, dropletronic ...

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Science28 Nov 2024

Chemical replacement of TNT explosive more harmful to plants, study shows

The increased use of a chemical compound to replace TNT in explosive devices has a damaging and long lasting effect on plants, new research has shown. In recent years, TNT has started to be replaced with DNAN, but until now very little was known about how this substance impacts the environment and how long it can remain in the soil. Researchers at the University of York have been studying the environmental impact of the explosive, TNT, for more than a decade. They have shown that the chemical compound, which is used by the military around the world, remains in ...

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Science28 Nov 2024

Scientists reveal possible role of iron sulfides in creating life in terrestrial hot springs

An international team of scientists recently published a study highlighting the potential role of iron sulfides in the formation of life in early Earth’s terrestrial hot springs. According to the researchers, the sulfides may have catalyzed the reduction of gaseous carbon dioxide into prebiotic organic molecules via nonenzymatic pathways. This work, which appeared in Nature Communications, offers new insights into Earth’s early carbon cycles and prebiotic chemical reactions, underscoring the significance of iron sulfides in supporting the terrestrial hot ...

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Science27 Nov 2024

Discovering the traits of extinct birds

Looking to inform the conservation of critically endangered bird species, University of Utah biologists completed an analysis identifying traits that correlate with all 216 bird extinctions since 1500. Species most likely to go extinct sooner were endemic to islands, lacked the ability to fly, had larger bodies and sharply angled wings, and occupied ecologically specific niches, according to research published this month. While some of these findings mirror previous research on extinct birds, they are the first to correlate bird traits with the timing of ...

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Science27 Nov 2024

The sound of traffic increases stress and anxiety

Manmade sounds such vehicle traffic can mask the positive impact of nature soundscapes on people’s stress and anxiety, according to a new study published November 27, 2024, in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Paul Lintott of the University of the West of England, U.K., and Lia Gilmour of the Bat Conservation Trust, U.K. Existing research shows that natural sounds, like birdsong, can lower blood pressure, heart, and respiratory rates, as well as self-reported stress and anxiety. Conversely, anthropogenic soundscapes, like traffic or aircraft noise, are hypothesized to have negative effects on human health and wellbeing in a variety ...

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Science27 Nov 2024

Global food yields have grown steadily during last six decades

Contrary to widespread concerns that global crop yields have stagnated in recent decades, a comprehensive study of worldwide food production finds yields have continued to grow at roughly the same rate since the 1960s. John Baffes of the World Bank and Xiaoli Etienne of the University of Idaho, U.S., report these findings on November 27, 2024, in the open-access journal PLOS ONE. Almost 10 billion people are expected to inhabit Earth by 2050, so agricultural production will become increasingly critical ...

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Science27 Nov 2024

Children who grow up with pets or on farms may develop allergies at lower rates because their gut microbiome develops with more anaerobic commensals, per fecal analysis in small cohort study

Children who grow up with pets or on farms may develop allergies at lower rates because their gut microbiome develops with more anaerobic commensals, per fecal analysis in small cohort study ### Article URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0313078 Article Title: Gut microbiota markers in early childhood are linked to farm living, pets in household and allergy Author Countries: Sweden Funding: This work was supported by the Region Västra Götaland (agreement concerning medical research and education – ALF), https://www.alfvastragotaland.se [ALFGBG966243] [ALFGBG720181] ...

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