Science
press releases.

Science20 Dec 2023

Finding new ways to adapt to a growing weather threat

As climate change drives more frequent and intense weather, finding new ways to adapt can be a matter of life or death. A new Stanford-led study reveals a steady increase in the number of people at risk from tropical cyclones and the number of days per year these potentially catastrophic storms threaten health and livelihoods. The findings could help relief agencies, development banks, and other organizations plan more effective strategies for mitigating extreme weather impacts. “Understanding the demographics of populations exposed to cyclones is crucial for understanding evolving risks,” said study lead author Renzhi Jing, a postdoctoral ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

AIBS announces winners of 2023 Faces of Biology Photo Contest

Three winners have been selected in the 2023 Faces of Biology Photo Contest, sponsored by the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) and the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB). “Photography is an effective tool to help communicate the process of scientific research,” said Scott Glisson, CEO of AIBS. “This contest provides a visual forum for expression, inspiration, and technical skill that can have a positive impact on how the public views research and science. The competition showcases, in a personal way, biological research in its many forms and settings. With the images, we ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

A trillion scents, one nose

The mammalian nose is a work of evolutionary art. Its millions of nerve cells, each tailored with just one of thousands of specific odor-chemical receptors encoded in the genome, can collectively distinguish a trillion distinct scents. Those sensations, in turn, inform many behaviors, from assessing food options to discerning friends from foes to sparking memories. Today, in the journal Nature, a research team led by scientists at Columbia’s Zuckerman Institute describes a previously undetected mechanism in mice—starring the genetic molecule RNA—that could explain how each sensory cell, or neuron, in mammalian noses becomes tailored to detect a specific ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

Fraunhofer USA releases Annual Research Report, Focus 2023

Fraunhofer USA, a leading nonprofit research organization dedicated to applied research and development services, is proud to announce the release of its Annual Report, Focus 2023. The report underscores Fraunhofer USA's commitment to fostering transatlantic collaboration, strengthening university-government partnerships, and driving impactful technology transfer. Transatlantic Collaboration: A Pillar of Innovation In the pursuit of global innovation, Fraunhofer USA continues to play a pivotal role in fostering transatlantic collaboration. The annual report highlights the organization's successful partnerships with Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft research institutes, resulting in groundbreaking ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

New study sheds light on the connection between the microbiome and kidney stones

A new study from Lawson Health Research Institute and Western University published in the journal Microbiome has found changes in the microbiome in multiple locations in the body are linked to the formation of kidney stones. The human microbiome comprises trillions of microorganisms, including healthy bacteria. In recent years, research has begun to uncover its role in health and numerous diseases. The research team examined the gut, urinary and salivary microbiomes in 83 patients who had kidney stones ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

TTUHSC researcher studies the ability of brine shrimp to thrive in high salinity

Brine shrimp of the genus Artemia are small crustaceans that can thrive in environments where sodium concentrations are as high as 25% (more than eight times typical ocean sea water). Also known by the household pet trademark ‘sea monkeys,’ these animals are abundant in inland salt lakes where brine-fly larvae are the only other animals known to exist. The mechanisms which permit brine shrimp to tolerate some of the harshest environments are only partially understood. Previously known adaptive features include a tight protective layer (integument) to avoid water loss and the increased extrusion of sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl-) ions ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

Discovery: Plants use “trojan horse” to fight mold invasions

UC Riverside scientists have discovered a stealth molecular weapon that plants use to attack the cells of invading gray mold. If you’ve ever seen a fuzzy piece of fruit in your fridge, you’ve seen gray mold. It is an aggressive fungus that infects more than 1,400 different plant species: almost all fruits, vegetables, and many flowers. It is the second most damaging fungus for food crops in the world, causing billions in annual crop losses. A new paper in the journal Cell Host & Microbe describes how plants send tiny, innocuous-seeming lipid “bubbles” filled with RNA across enemy lines, into the cells of the aggressive mold. Once ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

How researchers are “CReATiNG” synthetic chromosomes faster and cheaper

A groundbreaking new technique invented by researchers at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Science may revolutionize the field of synthetic biology. Known as CReATiNG (Cloning Reprogramming and Assembling Tiled Natural Genomic DNA), the method offers a simpler and more cost-effective approach to constructing synthetic chromosomes. It could significantly advance genetic engineering and enable a wide range of advances in medicine, biotechnology, biofuel production and even space exploration. CReATiNG works by cloning and reassembling natural DNA segments from yeast, allowing scientists to create synthetic chromosomes that can replace their native counterparts in cells. ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

IOP Publishing expands open access in Asia Pacific region with its first Read and Publish agreement in Taiwan

IOP Publishing (IOPP) has secured its first ‘Read and Publish’ transformative agreement in Taiwan, demonstrating its dedication to expanding open access (OA) to research in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region and at scale globally. The three-year transformative agreement with the Physics Research Promotion Centre, which is part of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), will enable 20 Taiwanese universities to offer their researchers unlimited OA publishing at no cost to them. The agreement will also allow authors to retain copyright ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

How does the inability to burp affect daily life?

The inability to burp—called retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction (R-CPD)—is caused by failure of the throat’s cricopharyngeal muscle to relax to allow the outward passage of gas. An interview-based study in Neurogastroenterology & Motility that included 199 adults affected by the condition reveals the impact of R-CPD on quality of life. Most participants reported abdominal bloating, socially awkward gurgling noises, excessive flatulence, and difficulty vomiting. Only half discussed their symptoms with their primary care clinician, and 90% felt they did not receive ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

Does losing a parent during childhood contribute to separation anxiety and anxious attachment in women?

Women who lost a parent early in life may be more likely to experience separation anxiety with romantic partners during adulthood, according to a study published in Stress and Health. In addition to feeling distressed when separated from their partners, these women may also experience anxious attachment, or worry that significant others will not be available at times of need. The study included 60 women who lost one or both parents in their youth and 60 who had living parents. Based on participants’ answers to questionnaires, women who lost a parent reported higher levels of anxious attachment and adult separation anxiety ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

360-degree head-up display view could warn drivers of road obstacles in real time

Researchers have developed an augmented reality head-up display that could improve road safety by displaying potential hazards as high-resolution three-dimensional holograms directly in a driver’s field of vision in real time. Current head-up display systems are limited to two-dimensional projections onto the windscreen of a vehicle, but researchers from the Universities of Cambridge, Oxford and University College London (UCL) developed a system using 3D laser scanner and LiDAR data to create a fully 3D representation of London streets. The system ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

Giving video games this Christmas? New research underlines need to be aware of loot box risks

Recent controversy has surrounded the concept of loot boxes – the purchasable video game features that offer randomised rewards but are not governed by gambling laws. Now research led by the University of Plymouth has shown that at-risk individuals, such as those with known gaming and gambling problems, are more likely to engage with loot boxes than those without. The study is one of the largest, most complex and robustly designed surveys yet conducted on loot boxes, and has prompted experts to reiterate the call for stricter enforcement around them. ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

Large language models validate misinformation, research finds

New research into large language models shows that they repeat conspiracy theories, harmful stereotypes, and other forms of misinformation. In a recent study, researchers at the University of Waterloo systematically tested an early version of ChatGPT’s understanding of statements in six categories: facts, conspiracies, controversies, misconceptions, stereotypes, and fiction. This was part of Waterloo researchers’ efforts to investigate human-technology interactions and explore how to mitigate risks. They discovered that GPT-3 frequently made mistakes, contradicted ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

3 potentially unique acoustic features of healing music that transcend genre identified

There are three potentially unique acoustic features of healing music that transcend musical genres, suggests research published in the open access journal General Psychiatry. The findings might help to personalise playlists for patients, using artificial intelligence to analyse individual physiological and psychological responses, and help to evaluate the effectiveness of existing music therapies, suggest the researchers. Despite evidence of the therapeutic effects of music for mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and post traumatic stress disorder, there’s no consensus on what defines healing ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

Antimicrobial resistance leads to more deaths and illnesses in the WHO African region than anywhere else

SEATTLE, Wash., Dec. 19, 2023 ‑‑­­ Over 1.05 million deaths were associated with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and 250,000 deaths were attributable to AMR in the WHO African region, posing an unprecedented health threat. That’s according to a new study published in The Lancet Global Health today. The number of deaths linked to AMR in the WHO African region is higher than those caused by both HIV/AIDS (639,554) and malaria (594,348), marking a pivotal shift in the health challenges facing the region. Despite the relatively low prevalence of resistance, the WHO African region had the highest burden of AMR mortality, which ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

Groundbreaking discovery at Museums Victoria Research Institute rewrites our understanding of whale evolution

Groundbreaking new research from the Museums Victoria Research Institute has turned upside down our previous understanding of the evolution of the largest animals ever––baleen whales. Palaeontologists Dr James Rule (Monash University and Natural History Museum, London) and Dr Erich Fitzgerald (Museums Victoria Research Institute) have co-authored the open access paper ‘Giant baleen whales emerged from a cold southern cradle’, published today in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Until now, it was believed that the beginning of the Ice Age in the ...

Read the release

Science20 Dec 2023

Sanford Burnham Prebys continues unprecedented recruitment of early-career scientists

Continuing its rapid and dramatic recruitment of emerging, top-tier researchers, Sanford Burnham Prebys has hired two more highly regarded early-career scientists: Angela Liou, M.D., a specialist in pediatric oncology and hematology; and Xueqin Sherine Sun, Ph.D., a cancer biologist and genome engineer. “With Drs. Liou and Sun, we have now hired eight superb young scientists and physicians in less than a year, an achievement that reflects the extraordinary challenges in biomedical research today and our ambitious plans ...

Read the release

Science19 Dec 2023

New grant gives South Carolina life sciences companies a chance to accelerate

The Medical University of South Carolina is one of nine leading research universities across six states partnering with Innosphere Ventures on its Regional Life Sciences Incubator. Innosphere Ventures is a Colorado-based life sciences incubator with proven methods for propelling startups to successful market entry. Funding from a $2 million three-year Build to Scale Venture Challenge grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce will create a regional incubator that will offer its partnering institutions and selected startups ...

Read the release

Science19 Dec 2023

Predicting prenatal care to improve pregnancy outcomes

Socioeconomic factors, like education and location, can affect access to life-saving prenatal care services. Researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital are taking steps towards implementing strategies that improve access to prenatal care: estimating how many pregnant people attend the recommended number of visits and identifying pregnant people who are at high risk of failing to attend. This could help policymakers allocate resources to populations not getting enough prenatal care and could, in turn, improve health outcomes for mothers and babies. Led by Grace Chan, M.D., Ph.D., Attending Physician in the Intermediate Care Program at Boston ...

Read the release

Science19 Dec 2023

Fish display distinct individual behaviours when swimming to find food

Fish from the same species can evolve their sense of smell and display individual foraging ‘personalities’ to successfully find food in different habitats, according to new research. In the study, published today as a Reviewed Preprint in eLife, researchers developed a high-throughput behavioural assay to test spontaneous swimming and differences in the sense of smell of individual Mexican cavefish larvae. eLife editors described the work as important, presenting compelling evidence that the surface and cave morphs of the fish show different olfactory preferences and odour sensitivities, and that individual fish show substantial variability in their spontaneous ...

Read the release

Science19 Dec 2023

UTRF Innovation Awards celebrate UTHSC researchers

The University of Tennessee Research Foundation (UTRF) celebrated the researchers whose achievements are making life better locally, nationally, and globally at its annual Innovation Awards ceremony, held December 14 at the Mooney Library at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) in Memphis. The Innovation Awards recognize researchers from all over the UT System who partner with UTRF to bring their innovations to market. “Turning research into practical, sustainable solutions calls for resilience, adaptability, and market savvy. Let's collectively celebrate the foundational research successes that made ...

Read the release

Science19 Dec 2023

David Kaplan named fellow of the National Academy of Inventors

David Kaplan, the Stern Family Endowed Professor of Engineering, has been named a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Election as an academy fellow is the highest professional distinction awarded solely to inventors. The NAI was founded to recognize and encourage inventors with U.S. patents and enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation. As a member of the Class of 2023, Kaplan will be honored at the NAI’s annual meeting on June 18, 2024 in Raleigh, North ...

Read the release

Science19 Dec 2023

Novel approach emerging for rescuing limbs at risk

Across the United States, about 2 million people are living with an amputation and another 185,000 amputations occur every year, according to the Amputee Coalition, a Washington DC-based support group. About 54% of these lost limbs were caused by vascular disease, including diabetes and peripheral arterial disease (PAD). And as more people are diagnosed with diabetes, in the US and worldwide, the number of amputations keeps rising. Now, experts at Cincinnati Children’s in collaboration with colleagues from Kanazawa University in Japan, have uncovered a new way to prompt blood vessel ...

Read the release

Science19 Dec 2023

Gentle x-ray imaging of small living specimens

X-ray imaging visualizes hidden structures and processes in living cells and organisms. The radiation that consists of highly energy-rich electromagnetic waves, however, has an ionizing effect and may damage the genetic material. This limits the possible observation period. While conventional X-ray images of soft tissue are of low contrast, phase contrast methods produce far better image contrasts at a reduced radiation dose. With higher resolution, however, gentle imaging becomes increasingly difficult, as a higher dose is required. Moreover, ...

Read the release