Science
press releases.

Science25 Nov 2024

Researchers uncover what makes large numbers of “squishy” grains start flowing

Researchers Samuel Poincloux (currently at Aoyama Gakuin University) and Kazumasa A. Takeuchi of the University of Tokyo have clarified the conditions under which large numbers of “squishy” grains, which can change their shape in response to external forces, transition from acting like a solid to acting like a liquid. Similar transitions occur in many biological processes, including the development of an embryo: cells are “squishy” biological “grains” that form solid tissues and sometimes flow to form different organs. Thus, the experimental and theoretical framework elaborated here will help separate the ...

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Science25 Nov 2024

New study reveals the explosive secret of the squirting cucumber

UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET MONDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2024 New study reveals the explosive secret of the squirting cucumber IMAGES AND VIDEO AVAILABLE – SEE NOTES SECTION BELOW A team led by the University of Oxford has solved a mystery that has intrigued scientists for centuries: how does the squirting cucumber squirt? The findings, achieved through a combination of experiments, high-speed videography, image analysis, and advanced mathematical modelling, have been published today (25 November) in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The squirting cucumber (Ecballium elaterium, from the Greek ‘ekballein,’ meaning to throw out) is named for ...

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Science25 Nov 2024

Vanderbilt authors find evidence that the hunger hormone leptin can direct neural development in a leptin receptor–independent manner

Researchers from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences have uncovered the first example of activity-dependent development of hypothalamic neural circuitry. Although previous research has shown that the hormone leptin acts directly on hunger neurons through leptin receptors to promote the development of neural circuitry, results that will be published in PNAS on Nov. 25 indicate that certain neurons that do not express leptin receptors are nonetheless sensitive to its activity. The research, led by the lab of Richard Simerly, Louise B. McGavock Professor and professor of molecular physiology ...

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Science25 Nov 2024

Cannabis, maybe, for attention problems

Cannabis — whether marijuana itself or various products containing cannabinoids and/or THC, the main psychoactive compound in weed – have been touted as panaceas for everything from anxiety and sleep problems to epilepsy and cancer pain. Nursing researcher Jennie Ryan, PhD, at Thomas Jefferson University, studies the effects of cannabis on symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Current medical guidelines for ADHD include medications such as Adderall and cognitive behavioral therapy. ...

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Science25 Nov 2024

Study reveals new factor involved in controlling calorie expenditure

An international team of researchers has discovered a new component of the peripheral nervous system that acts by increasing energy metabolism in the body. The finding paves the way for the development of simpler and cheaper drugs to control obesity and weight gain, regardless of the amount of food ingested. In an article published in the journal Nature, researchers from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom and the Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center (OCRC) – funded by FAPESP and based at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil – describe where and how this component ...

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Science25 Nov 2024

Women who suffer pregnancy complications have fewer children

Women who suffer severe complications during their first pregnancy or delivery are less inclined to have more babies, a study published in JAMA by researchers at Karolinska Institutet reports. Given the recent steady decline in birth rate in Sweden, the researchers propose monitoring in antenatal care to address the problem. “The clinical monitoring of these women is essential, and they need individualised advice on possible future pregnancies,” says the study’s first author Eleni Tsamantioti, doctoral student at the Department of Medicine in Solna, Karolinska Institutet. Birth rates and fertility have both been in steady decline ...

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Science25 Nov 2024

Bats’ amazing plan B for when they can’t hear

When bats can’t hear, new research finds that these hearing-dependent animals employ a remarkable compensation strategy. They adapt immediately and robustly, suggesting for the first time that bats’ brains are hard-wired with an ability to launch a Plan B in times of diminished hearing. The Johns Hopkins University work, newly published in Current Biology, raises questions about whether other animals and even humans might be capable of such deft accommodations. “Bats have this amazing flexible adaptive behavior that they can employ anytime,” said senior author ...

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Science25 Nov 2024

Vaping causes immediate effects on vascular function

CHICAGO – Researchers have identified acute effects of cigarette and e-cigarette smoking on vascular function, even without nicotine. The results of the ongoing research are being presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). E-cigarettes, also known as vapes, are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid to produce an aerosol, which is then inhaled into the lungs. Vapes contain significantly fewer chemicals and toxins than are found in tobacco smoke. As a result, e-cigarettes are believed by many to be less harmful than cigarette smoking. Vapes also come in various flavors, making them popular among young people. “E-cigarettes ...

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Science25 Nov 2024

A new clock to structure sleep

Researchers at the University of Lausanne have identified a novel role for the brain’s ‘locus coeruleus’ in sleep and its disruptions. This brain region facilitates the transition between NREM and REM sleep states while maintaining an unconscious vigilance toward the external world. Stress disrupts its functions and negatively impacts on sleep quality. Sleep disorders affect an increasing number of people, with potentially serious consequences for their health. Mammalian sleep consists of cycles between two states: non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye ...

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Science25 Nov 2024

Viking colonizers of Iceland and nearby Faroe Islands had very different origins, study finds

The ancient Vikings certainly had the travel bug. Between the late eighth century and approximately 1050 CE, they roamed the Atlantic in their longships all the way to Newfoundland, Labrador, and Greenland, as well as exploring the Mediterranean and continental Eurasia. Among the places the Vikings are known to have settled were the Faroe Islands, an archipelago of 18 islands in the North Atlantic. They probably weren’t the first to do so: archaeologists have found evidence that these islands had been inhabited since approximately 300 CE, possibly ...

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Science25 Nov 2024

One in 20 people in Canada skip doses, don’t fill prescriptions because of cost

Affordability in Canada affects not just groceries but also medications, with 1 in 20 people unable to take their medications as prescribed because of cost, found new research published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.241024. Prescription medications are not universally covered under Canada’s 13 provincial and territorial health insurance systems. In 2021, Canadian households paid more than $7.4 billion out of pocket for prescription medications. The study, which included a nationally representative ...

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Science22 Nov 2024

Black men — including transit workers — are targets for aggression on public transportation, study shows

Black men on buses and trains — whether as passengers or transit workers — face hostile encounters that threaten their sense of safety and well-being, according to a new study by a Keough School of Global Affairs sociologist. By reinforcing racist tropes that they are dangerous or invisible, these encounters can also erode Black men’s sense of dignity and self-worth. “Black men who want to go to work, school, appointments, visit others, or do any of the other things that people use public transport for, find the experience to be degrading rather than liberating,” said Gwendolyn Purifoye, assistant professor of racial justice and conflict transformation in ...

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Science22 Nov 2024

Troubling spike in severe pregnancy-related complications for all ages in Illinois

Increase in annual rates of obesity were largest by far: 7.8% in 2016 to 22.3% in 2023 Vaginal birth complications increased 22.4%; cesarean birth complications increased 48.9% Non-Hispanic Black mothers faced more than double the rate of severe complications compared to non-Hispanic white mothers Illinois data reflects national increases in obesity, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes in pregnant people of all ages CHICAGO --- A new study from Northwestern Medicine reveals a troubling ...

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Science22 Nov 2024

#16to365: New resources for year-round activism to end gender-based violence and strengthen bodily autonomy for all

New York, NY | November 22, 2024 - On Friday the Sexual and Reproductive Justice Hub (SRJ Hub) at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH) launched the newest iteration of the civil society-led Global 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-based Violence campaign. For more than 30 years, feminist activists and movements around the world have used the 16 days between the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (November 25) and Human Rights Day (December 10) to advocate for an end to gender-based violence. ...

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Science22 Nov 2024

Earliest fish-trapping facility in Central America discovered in Maya lowlands

DURHAM, N.H.—(November 22, 2024)—An archaeologist from the University of New Hampshire and her team have collected data which indicates the presence of a large-scale pre-Columbian fish-trapping facility. Discovered in the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary (CTWS), the largest inland wetland in Belize, the team dated the construction of these fisheries to the Late Archaic period (cal. 2000-1900 BCE), pre-dating Amazonian examples by a thousand years or more. “The network of canals was designed to channel annual flood waters ...

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Science22 Nov 2024

3D-printing advance mitigates three defects simultaneously for failure-free metal parts

University of Wisconsin–Madison engineers have found a way to simultaneously mitigate three types of defects in parts produced using a prominent additive manufacturing technique called laser powder bed fusion. Led by Lianyi Chen, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at UW–Madison, the team discovered the mechanisms and identified the processing conditions that can lead to this significant reduction in defects. The researchers detailed their findings in a paper published on November 16, 2024, in the International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture. “Previous research has normally focused on reducing one type of defect, but that would ...

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Science22 Nov 2024

Simplicity is key to understanding and achieving goals

People’s preference for simple explanations of any situation is connected to their desire to execute tasks efficiently, finds a new study from the University of Waterloo. "These findings show that our preference for simpler explanations mirrors how we evaluate actions. Simplicity isn't just valued in explanations—it's part of how we think about achieving results efficiently," said Claudia Sehl, lead author and a PhD candidate in developmental psychology at Waterloo. Sehl collaborated with Waterloo developmental psychology professors Ori Friedman and Stephanie Denison on this study. They conducted seven experiments involving 2,820 ...

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Science22 Nov 2024

Caste differentiation in ants

Most ants have two morphologically differentiated adult castes - queens and workers - each irreversibly specialized for either reproduction or nonreproductive altruism such as foraging, defense and care of maternal brood. Adult gynes (virgin queens) normally have higher body mass, wings and frontal eyes, as well as enlarged ovaries and a sperm storage organ. In contrast, workers are wingless females with smaller body size and degenerated reproductive tracts, usually without a sperm storage organ. In 1910, the American entomologist ...

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Science22 Nov 2024

A novel approach for the composition design of high-entropy fluorite oxides with low thermal conductivity

Current researches show that the standard deviation of the cationic radii, configuration entropy, or maintenance of Ce4+ have a certain impact on the formation of single-phase HEFOs, but the discovered rules are only applicable to partially synthesized material systems and have significant limitations. Furthermore, the range of elements used in the synthesized materials is relatively narrow, which restricts the potential to fully exploit the advantages of high-entropy materials and their vast compositional space. “Inspired by the synthesized HEFOs and the stabilization mechanism ...

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Science22 Nov 2024

A groundbreaking new approach to treating chronic abdominal pain

A research team at the University of Vienna, led by medicinal chemist Markus Muttenthaler, has developed a new class of oral peptide therapeutic leads for treating chronic abdominal pain. This groundbreaking innovation offers a safe, non-opioid-based solution for conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which affect millions of people worldwide. The research results were recently published in the international edition of the renowned journal Angewandte Chemie. An Innovative Approach to Pain Management Current medications used to treat chronic abdominal pain often rely on opioids. ...

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Science22 Nov 2024

ECOG-ACRIN appoints seven researchers to scientific committee leadership positions

The ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (ECOG-ACRIN) announces new appointments of cancer researchers to lead committees in its expansive scientific program. ECOG-ACRIN is at the forefront of research spanning the cancer care spectrum, from early detection to management of advanced disease. These impactful appointments, which are effective immediately, underscore the group’s commitment to wide-ranging cancer research excellence and premier professional opportunities for researchers. Angela M. DeMichele, MD, MSCE, is chair of the Breast Cancer Committee, succeeding ...

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Science22 Nov 2024

South Korea completes delivery of ITER vacuum vessel sectors

The ITER vacuum vessel sectors, manufactured in South Korea, have been successfully delivered to the ITER construction site in Cadarache, France. South Korea was responsible for manufacturing 4 out of the 9 sectors that make up the ITER vacuum vessel. Starting with the delivery of the first sector in 2020, South Korea has now completed all four sectors, fulfilling its commitment to this significant international project. The ITER vacuum vessel is a key component that sustains the ultra-high-temperature plasma required for nuclear fusion reactions by maintaining a high-vacuum environment. This large structure weighs 5,000 tons and consists of 9 sectors and ...

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Science22 Nov 2024

Global research team develops advanced H5N1 detection kit to tackle avian flu

Singapore – The Diagnostics Development Hub (DxD Hub), a national platform hosted by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, in collaboration with the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan, and the A*STAR Bioinformatics Institute (A*STAR BII), has successfully developed Steadfast, an advanced diagnostic kit for detecting the highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus (AIV). This development marks a significant breakthrough in avian influenza monitoring, reinforcing global efforts in pandemic preparedness. Steadfast ...

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Science22 Nov 2024

New copper metal-organic framework nanozymes enable intelligent food detection

Recently, a team led by Prof. HUANG Qing from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, successfully used the gas-liquid interface dielectric barrier (DBD) low-temperature plasma (LTP) technology to prepare a series of Cu metal organic framework (MOF) nanozymes. “These nanozymes have different base ligands and mimic the activity of laccase,” said Prof. HUANG. The team also developed encoded array sensors for intelligent sensing and identification of bioactive components in food. The relevant research ...

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Science21 Nov 2024

Exploring the impact of offshore wind on whale deaths #ASA187

MELVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 21, 2024 – In the winter of 2022-2023, nearly a dozen whales died off the coast of New Jersey, near the sites of several proposed wind farms. Their deaths prompted concern that related survey work being conducted in the area somehow contributed to their deaths. Michael Stocker of Ocean Conservation Research will present his work Thursday, Nov. 21, at 3:29 p.m. ET in a session dedicated to examining the circumstances surrounding these whale deaths, as part of the virtual 187th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, running Nov. 18-22, 2024. In pursuit of clean energy goals and to ...

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