Science
press releases.

Science28 Aug 2024

Rain or shine? How rainfall impacts size of sea turtle hatchlings

Female sea turtles lay their eggs, cover the nest with sand and then return to the ocean, leaving them to develop and hatch on their own. From nest predators to rising temperatures, odds of survival are bleak. Once hatched and in the ocean, about one in 1,000 make it to adulthood. Hatchling size matters. Larger hatchlings, which move faster, are more likely to survive because they spend less time on risky beach sands. Research shows that both air and sand temperatures crucially impact sea turtle hatchlings. Cooler temperatures produce larger, heavier hatchlings with more males, while warmer temperatures ...

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Science28 Aug 2024

In-person contact linked with lower levels of loneliness in older adults

EMBARGO UNTIL 6 A.M. EST, WEDNESDAY AUG. 28, 2024. In-person contact helps lead to lower levels of loneliness in older people, but other ways of staying in touch, such as phoning, emailing or texting, are not as effective in lowering loneliness, a team of researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Michigan have found. The findings, out today in the The Journals of Gerontology: Series B Psychological Science, have implications for the health and well-being of many older people. “We were interested to see how older adults react ...

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Science28 Aug 2024

Bats are surviving and thriving on nothing but sugar

KANSAS CITY, MO—August 28, 2024—Humans must regulate blood sugar concentrations to stay healthy and to fuel our cells. Too little or too much can cause serious health complications, and high blood sugar is a hallmark of the metabolic condition, diabetes. New research from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research may enable potential solutions to metabolic disease by turning to evolution and to bats. Recently published in Nature Ecology and Evolution on August 28, 2024, the study led by co-first authors Postdoctoral Research Associate Jasmin Camacho, Ph.D., and former Stowers researcher Andrea Bernal-Rivera from the lab of Stowers ...

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Science28 Aug 2024

Researchers develop novel organic redox-active molecules for flow batteries

Organic redox-active molecules (ORAMs) are abundant and diverse, offering significant potential for cost-effective and sustainable energy storage, particularly in aqueous organic flow batteries (AOFBs). However, ensuring the stability of the ORAMs during the charge and discharge process is critical, as side reactions can deactivate them and eliminate their redox activity. Air stability remains a challenge for many ORAMs, complicating their practical use. Recently, a research group led by Prof. LI Xianfeng and Prof. ZHANG Changkun from ...

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Science28 Aug 2024

What role did fear play in Europe's population growth?

[Vienna, August 26 2024] – Since the end of the last Ice Age, growth of human population was far from uniform, marked instead by periods of rapid expansion followed by sharp declines. The reasons behind these fluctuations remain only partially understood. Previous research by CSH scientists Peter Turchin, Daniel Kondor, and an international team of collaborators, demonstrated that social conflicts, rather than – or in addition to – environmental factors, could have significantly impacted these patterns. Now, they add another piece to the puzzle. Wars and conflicts not only cause direct casualties but also create an atmosphere of distress ...

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Science28 Aug 2024

Protect your teeth with fruit: antimicrobial effects found in biomass compounds

Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease caused by a periodontal pathogenic bacteria infection that affects oral and internal health. Good oral care is essential for prevention, but most over-the-counter oral hygiene products are disinfectants that can be highly irritating. This makes them unsuitable for use by young children and the elderly, who are susceptible to periodontal disease. To find an antibacterial that is easy to use and effective in preventing periodontal disease at all ages, Professor Shigeki Kamitani of Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology led a research team in verifying the antibacterial effect of seven ...

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Science28 Aug 2024

Insights into spinel cobalt oxides may lead to efficient ammonia synthesis

Researchers have made a significant breakthrough in the development of catalysts for the electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (eNO₃RR) to ammonia, a process that has broad implications for sustainable energy, agriculture, and industrial applications. Ammonia, a critical component in global food production, also holds promise as a zero-carbon fuel due to its high energy density, clean combustion products, and established infrastructure for storage and transportation. However, the current method of producing ...

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Science28 Aug 2024

Moths may use disco gene to regulate day/night cycles

How does one species become two? If you’re a biologist, that’s a loaded question. The consensus is that, in most cases, the process of speciation occurs when individuals from a single population become geographically isolated. If they remain separate long enough, they lose the ability to interbreed. A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences demonstrates what happens when a less common form of speciation occurs. Rather than being separated by a physical barrier, such as a mountain range or an ocean, members of a species can become ...

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Science28 Aug 2024

Cold math, hot topic: Sea ice thermal conductivity

A new applied mathematical theory could enhance our understanding of how sea ice affects global climate, potentially improving the accuracy of climate predictions. The authors of a new paper published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society A on 28 August, offer new insights into how heat travels through sea ice, a crucial factor in regulating Earth's polar climate. Dr Noa Kraitzman, Senior Lecturer in Applied Mathematics at Macquarie University and lead author of the study, says the research addresses a key gap in current climate modelling. “Sea ice covers about 15 per cent of the ocean’s surface during ...

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Science27 Aug 2024

Mizzou researchers explore solutions to help reduce nurse burnout

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Even before the coronavirus pandemic, high rates of burnout and staffing shortages plagued the nursing industry, primarily because of the stressful demands of the job. The COVID-19 pandemic only amplified these challenges, and with nearly a third of all Missouri nurses nearing retirement, improving nurse retention is key to avoiding an impending nursing workforce crisis in our state. Despite dozens of studies proving burnout is an issue, few provide interventions to help nurses — and their patients — overcome its challenges. A recent study by the University of Missouri has found that ...

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Science27 Aug 2024

Defining chronic pain for high-performance athletes with disabilities

With the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games just around the corner, the extensive training and the sacrifices athletes make to compete at the games take centre stage. For Paralympians and high-performance athletes with spinal cord injuries (SCI), assessing chronic pain plays a key role in their training and readiness to compete. However, the source of chronic pain is often misattributed to acute trauma or overuse injuries. While the International Olympic Committee acknowledges pain management data among Paralympians and athletes with disabilities is limited, few studies have been launched investigating this dilemma. Now, new research from UBC Okanagan highlights the need for more comprehensive ...

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Science27 Aug 2024

Illinois researchers develop near-infrared spectroscopy models to analyze corn kernels, biomass

URBANA, Ill. – In the agricultural and food industry, determining the chemical composition of raw materials is important for production efficiency, application, and price. Traditional laboratory testing is time-consuming, complicated, and expensive. New research from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign demonstrates that near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and machine learning can provide quick, accurate, and cost-effective product analysis. In two studies, the researchers explore the use of NIR spectroscopy for analyzing characteristics of corn kernels and sorghum biomass. “NIR spectroscopy has many advantages over traditional methods. ...

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Science27 Aug 2024

Texas A&M researchers find that aoudad, bighorn sheep share respiratory pathogens

By Courtney Price, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences A team of researchers at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) has discovered that aoudad — an animal in the sheep and goat family — can catch and spread many of the same respiratory pathogens that can impact desert bighorn sheep, a native species in Texas that often shares its habitat with aoudad. The new research, recently published in the journal PLOS ONE, will help wildlife conservationists better understand the complex relationship between ...

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Science27 Aug 2024

Not sure how to stand out as a leader on Zoom calls? It starts with how you communicate, new study shows

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- More companies are embracing remote work, and with that comes a need for more frequent communication. Teamwork through a screen isn’t always the same as having a group in the same room, so how are companies cultivating leaders in these virtual settings? New research involving a collaboration between Binghamton University, State University of New York schools and research centers shows how, in virtual teams where nonverbal cues are limited, a person’s engagement and influence in conversations can significantly shape whether they’re perceived as a leader. But taking charge of the conversation isn’t enough, the study found; for leadership ...

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Science27 Aug 2024

Prenatal smoking risks academic achievement of unborn babies

Smoking harms almost every part of your body. But if you smoke when pregnant, the toxic chemicals in tobacco will also harm your unborn baby, with new research showing that it could lead to reduced academic outcomes at school. In a systematic review of 19 studies and 1.25 million participants, researchers at the University of South Australia along with a team at Curtin University, SAHMRI, Harvard University and others* found that 79% of studies reported reduced academic achievement in children exposed to maternal prenatal smoking. An additional meta-analysis of eight primary studies with 723,877 participants ...

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Science27 Aug 2024

The importance of brand strength when designing group and individual sales incentives in brand-managed retail sales settings

Researchers from Wake Forest University and University of California-Riverside published a new Journal of Marketing article that examines the dynamic BMR retail context and investigates the sales incentives there. The study, forthcoming in the Journal of Marketing, is titled “Group or Individual Sales Incentives? What is Best for Brand-Managed Retail Sales Operations?” and is authored by Wenshu Zhang, Jia Li, and Subramanian Balachander. Should a brand adopt group or individual sales incentives for its retail sales force? Could differences in brand strength or brand equity affect how brands incentivize their sales ...

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Science27 Aug 2024

Dumas receives funding for study of how distinct NMDA receptor signaling domains regulate hippocampal network dynamics

Dumas Receives Funding For Study Of How Distinct NMDA Receptor Signaling Domains Regulate Hippocampal Network Dynamics Theodore Dumas, Associate Professor, Psychology, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS), received funding for the project: “Distinct NMDA receptor signaling domains regulate hippocampal network dynamics. Dumas and his collaborators hypothesize that in wildtype mice, NMDA receptors regulate hippocampal network oscillatory activity (slow gamma frequency) in the absence of ion conductance (nonionotropic) and that enhancing GluN2B subunit-type nonionotropic signaling will increase slow gamma power and enhance spatial memory retrieval. The researchers ...

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Science27 Aug 2024

Keeping native bees buzzing requires rethinking pest control

Whether you’re strolling through a garden, wandering a park, or simply enjoying an open space in the United States, you’re likely to notice bees buzzing about the flowers. While honeybees, imported from Europe in the 17th century to produce honey, are the most recognizable, they aren’t the only bees at work. If you’re a keen observer, you might spot some of the thousands of less familiar, native bee species that call these spaces home. Native wild bees play a crucial ecological role, ensuring the survival and reproduction of ...

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Science27 Aug 2024

Nanotubes get a boost: Liquid-phase synthesis unlock efficient production

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are known for their remarkable properties, which make them essential in many advanced technologies. Yet, creating these nanotubes efficiently and on a large scale has been a persistent challenge. Now, a team led by Professor Takahiro Maruyama at Meijo University has introduced a revolutionary method that utilizes cobalt (Co) and iridium (Ir) nanoparticle catalysts in a liquid-phase synthesis process. This innovative approach offers a promising solution to the longstanding issues of production efficiency and scalability. These findings have been published ...

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Science27 Aug 2024

Pregnancy after sterilization turns out to be surprisingly common

Study led by UCSF estimates 3 to 5% of women have unplanned pregnancies following “permanent” sterilization Tubal sterilization is thought to be a permanent form of birth control and is the most common method of contraception nationally. But a new study led by UC San Francisco reports that tubal surgery fails often enough that some other forms of birth control are usually more effective. The authors found that 3 to 5% of women in the United States who had their tubes tied later reported an unplanned pregnancy. This failure rate led the authors to suggest that patients who really want to avoid future pregnancy should instead ...

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Science27 Aug 2024

EHT scientists make highest-resolution observations yet from the surface of Earth

The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration has conducted test observations, using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and other facilities, that achieved the highest resolution ever obtained from the surface of Earth [1]. They managed this feat by detecting light from distant galaxies at a frequency of around 345 GHz, equivalent to a wavelength of 0.87 mm. The Collaboration estimates that in future they will be able to make black hole images that are 50% more detailed than was possible before, bringing the region immediately outside the boundary of nearby supermassive black holes into sharper focus. They will also ...

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Science27 Aug 2024

MIT Press’s Direct to Open (D2O) seeks funding to continue expanding access to leading scholarship in 2025

At the MIT Press, we believe that everyone deserves access to scholarship. Our dedication to this mission remains strong as we head into the fourth funding cycle for Direct to Open (D2O), our model for open access monographs. Libraries and consortia can commit to support the program through November 30, 2024. “Direct to Open is a game changer,” said Amy Brand, Director and Publisher at the MIT Press. “We know that open scholarship benefits authors, readers, and the academy at large. This is why we ...

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Science27 Aug 2024

Darwin’s longstanding interest in biological rhythms

A close reading of Darwin’s work suggests a deep interest in cyclical events. Rhythmic phenomena in nature—today the subjects of the field of chronobiology—have been studied since at least the 18th century. In a perspective, Tiago Gomes de Andrade and Andrew D. Beale examined the writings and work of Charles Darwin to explore and share the eminent naturalist’s deep fascination with biological rhythms. Darwin’s work on the “sleep movements” in plants, published in 1880 with his son Francis is well known. This work examined the daily cycle of opening and closing of leaves. But as far ...

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Science27 Aug 2024

Kamikaze termites protect their colony with the help of a special enzyme. Its secrets have been uncovered by scientists from IOCB Prague

Researchers from the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, in cooperation with colleagues from the Faculty of Tropical AgriScience of the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, are unravelling the mysteries of the life of termites. Colonies of the species Neocapritermes taracua boast a unique type of defence, which is provided by worker termites at the end of their lives. When attacked, they sacrifice themselves by setting off an explosive chemical reaction, the ...

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Science27 Aug 2024

Metal baseball bats still help Little Leaguers hit a little better

PULLMAN, Wash. – While meant to simulate wood bats, regulation USA Baseball metal bats are more forgiving than wood for young players who might not connect with the ball on a bat’s optimal “sweet spot.” After testing wood bats and two types of metal bats with youth players, Washington State University researchers found that the exit speed of a hit ball was as much as 5% faster with metal bats over wood. Analyzing the data, they found that the performance of the USA Baseball metal bats at the sweet spot was similar to wood. It was when the hits were on less optimal areas that there was a bigger difference. “There’s ...

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