Science
press releases.

Science31 Oct 2023

For the sunflower, turning toward the sun requires multiple complex systems

A sunflower’s ability to track the sun east to west during the day, and to face east again before the next sunrise, relies on multiple types of photoresponses, according to a new study publishing October 31st in the open access journal PLOS Biology by Stacey Harmer and colleagues at the University of California Davis, US. The results deepen the understanding of this well-known plant behavior, and upend previous assumptions about its dependence on a canonical light-dependent response pathway. Because plants are ...

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Science31 Oct 2023

How sunflowers see the sun

Sunflowers famously turn their faces to follow the sun as it crosses the sky. But how do sunflowers “see” the sun to follow it? New work from plant biologists at the University of California, Davis, published Oct. 31 in PLOS Biology, shows that they use a different, novel mechanism from that previously thought. “This was a total surprise for us,” said Stacey Harmer, professor of plant biology at UC Davis and senior author on the paper. Most plants show phototropism – the ability to grow toward a ...

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Science31 Oct 2023

The first oncogene was found more than 40 years ago. CNIO researchers have just discovered that it has a previously unknown mechanism of action

In the late 1970s, the relationship between the c-Src gene and cancer was discovered. The first oncogene was identified. Since then, c-Src has been found to be overactivated in half of colon, liver, lung, breast, prostate and pancreatic tumors, but its function is not yet fully understood. CNIO researchers have now discovered that this oncogene is capable of 'self-activation', by means of a previously undescribed molecular mechanism. This finding has implications for the development of new drugs. In ...

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Science31 Oct 2023

How cruise ships can steer clear of viral spread

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2023 – When COVID-19 began to spread across the globe, its effects were significantly pronounced on cruise ships. Indeed, compared to other population segments, cruise ship passengers became disproportionately infected and often, ironically, stranded on board to quarantine. That’s why focus has been directed at addressing the need for improved ventilation on cruise ships – since dispersing fresh air in cabins and other enclosed spaces is critical for mitigating viral spread. In Physics of Fluids, by AIP Publishing, a group of researchers from Cyprus examined how ventilation can affect ...

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Science31 Oct 2023

Studies illustrate moderate awareness—and room for growth—with new 988 lifeline

Two studies led by researchers at NYU’s School of Global Public Health and Silver School of Social Work and published in JAMA Network Open show emerging awareness of the new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline among both policymakers and the general public—but also point to potential areas of improvement for the vital nationwide service. In July 2022, “988” became the new number for the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which provides a phone, text, and chat resource for people who are experiencing suicidal thoughts, hopelessness, substance use crises, and other psychological distress. Similar to ...

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Science31 Oct 2023

Outlook on exercise may curb aging anxiety

AMES, Iowa – Since 2011, roughly 10,000 people in the U.S. have turned 65 every day. The Baby Boomer generation and those born before 1946 make up the country’s fastest growing age group, which is on track to outnumber children by 2035. “As this large demographic ages, it’s really important to support health promoting behaviors and have an approach that focuses on prevention — not just treatment — when it comes to chronic diseases. To do that, we need to know what their needs are and how best to address those needs,” says Sarah Francis. Francis holds many titles at Iowa State University: professor and ...

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Science31 Oct 2023

Using transcription factors to explore plant metabolites

Plants produce a dizzying array of chemical compounds known as secondary metabolites, which help them flourish under fluctuating environmental conditions. Some of these metabolites defend against insect attack, while others help plants communicate, time life cycle events, or attract pollinators, among other functions. Humanity has long taken advantage of these bioactive natural products, using them as medicine, flavorings, dyes, perfumes, and even industrial materials. Production of secondary metabolites is typically controlled by transcription factors. Tsubasa Shoji and colleagues sought to identify unexplored secondary metabolites by manipulating these upstream regulators ...

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Science31 Oct 2023

The limits of deplatforming

Social media can incubate communities that are so resilient that even banning them from the platform cannot destroy them. Michele Starnini and colleagues studied two online communities on the social media site Reddit: the far-right conspiracy theory subreddit GreatAwakening, which was banned in 2018, and the hate-speech subreddit FatPeopleHate, banned in 2015. Both communities decided amongst themselves to move to Voat, an unmoderated Reddit clone designed to serve those banned by Reddit. The authors estimate that less than 20% of FatPeopleHate users migrated to Voat, while more than 70% of GreatAwakening users migrated to the new platform. This result suggests that members ...

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Science31 Oct 2023

CCDC expands global talent pool with Ghana-based Orgmento

· CCDC extends its partnership with Orgmento, a Ghanaian software engineering and data sciences company. · The partnership, which started in 2021, has been strengthened by the shared commitment to engineering excellence from both organizations, and has now been extended for a further 3 years. · Software engineering teams from the CCDC and Orgmento will build software to advance structural science. Cambridge, UK. 31 October 2023 The Cambridge Crystallographic ...

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Science31 Oct 2023

Humans are disrupting natural ‘salt cycle’ on a global scale, new study shows

The planet’s demand for salt comes at a cost to the environment and human health, according to a new scientific review led by University of Maryland Geology Professor Sujay Kaushal. Published in the journal Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, the paper revealed that human activities are making Earth’s air, soil and freshwater saltier, which could pose an “existential threat” if current trends continue. Geologic and hydrologic processes bring salts to Earth’s surface over time, but human activities such as mining and land development are rapidly accelerating the natural “salt ...

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Science31 Oct 2023

Want to prevent misinformation? Present data with an interactive visual.

Getting readers of a news story interested in numbers can be a challenge. But the benefits of engaging readers in data can lead to a better understanding, preventing misinformation and misrepresentation in the news. New research by Haiyan Jia, assistant professor in the Department of Journalism and Communication and the Data X Initiative at Lehigh University, and S. Shyam Sundar, the James P. Jimirro Professor of Media Effects at Penn State University, explored different ways journalists present data and recommend a method using an interactive visualization. Inspired by exemplification theory, Jia wanted to see the persuasive effect data could have and whether ...

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Science31 Oct 2023

One-stop solution for shaping and outlining objects

Approximately 80% of Apple's latest iPhone 15 pre-orders in Korea fall within the age group of 20s and 30s. Their keen interest in this expensive device is primarily attributed to tis camera's ability to deliver sharp and particular mood of colors, a hallmark of iPhones. If it can achieve high quality image and video without the need for multiple lenses, it may garner greater support from millennials and generation Z. A collaborative research team led by Professor Junsuk Rho from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the ...

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Science31 Oct 2023

Breaking glass ceilings instead of feet

In a time when bound feet, arranged marriages, and subservience were prevalent, Hui-lan, Ida, and Lucy forged a path that broke free from cultural stereotypes. They skilfully flew airplanes, managed Asia's most opulent estates, and charmed the Western world with their impeccable sense of style and sophistication. Their courage and determination not only shattered stereotypes but also paved the way for countless others to follow in their footsteps. Daryl Yeap, a celebrated author and historian, invites readers on a captivating journey into the lives of three remarkable women—Hui-lan, Ida, and Lucy—in her upcoming book, As Equals: The Oei ...

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Science30 Oct 2023

Roe v. Wade repeal impacts where young women choose to go to college, PSU researcher finds

The impacts of Roe v. Wade's reversal in 2022 are still being understood, but new research from Portland State's Rajiv Sharma provides another piece of the puzzle. Sharma found that in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision, female students are more likely to choose a university or college in states where abortion rights and access are upheld. The research, conducted with the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, indicates a potential impact on future workforces and economic development ...

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Science30 Oct 2023

Amphibians have one more thing to worry about—mercury—large USGS study shows

RESTON, Va. — The first widescale assessment of methylmercury in adult amphibians in the U.S. to date shows that, in amphibians, this toxic compound is common, widespread and, at least for some, can reach very high levels. The study, “Broad-scale Assessment of Methylmercury in Adult Amphibians,” which published today in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, brought together scientists from around the country to test more than 3,200 amphibians representing 14 species from 26 populations. “Amphibians ...

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Science30 Oct 2023

Most websites do not publish privacy policies, researchers say

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Online privacy policies may not only be difficult to find but nonexistent, according to Penn State researchers who crawled millions of websites and found that only one-third of online organizations made their privacy policy available for review. “Privacy Lost and Found: An Investigation at Scale of Web Privacy Policy Availability,” a paper authored by students and faculty from the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), detailed an analysis of the online privacy policy landscape and studied the unavailability of privacy policies on company domains. It received the Best Student Paper ...

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Science30 Oct 2023

Prisons vulnerable to natural disasters, but ill-prepared

Three-quarters of Colorado prisons are likely to experience a natural disaster in the coming years, but due to aging infrastructure and outdated policies, many are ill-equipped to keep residents safe, suggests new CU Boulder research. The study, published in the journal Natural Hazards Review, comes on the heels of one of the hottest summers on record and as U.S. lawmakers are calling for an investigation into a rash of what are believed to be heat-related deaths in the nation’s prisons. In other research, including interviews and focus groups with 35 formerly incarcerated Coloradans, the researchers found that most had already suffered from climate-related hazards, experiencing ...

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Science30 Oct 2023

New frequency comb can identify molecules in 20-nanosecond snapshots

From monitoring concentrations of greenhouse gases to detecting COVID in the breath, laser systems known as frequency combs can identify specific molecules as simple as carbon dioxide and as complex as monoclonal antibodies with unprecedented accuracy and sensitivity. Amazing as they are, however, frequency combs have been limited in how fast they can capture a high-speed process such as hypersonic propulsion or the folding of proteins into their final three-dimensional shapes. Now, researchers at the National Institute of Standards ...

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Science30 Oct 2023

Soy expansion in Brazil linked to increase in childhood leukemia deaths

URBANA, Ill. – Over the past decades, Brazil has become the world’s leading soybean producer, as well as the leading consumer of pesticides. Despite concerns about potential public health consequences, little is known about the effects of pesticide exposure in the general population. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in collaboration with the University of Denver and University of Wisconsin-Madison looks at how soy expansion and increased pesticide use in Brazil’s Cerrado and Amazon biomes correlate with increased childhood cancer mortality. “The Brazilian Amazon region is undergoing a transition ...

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Science30 Oct 2023

Royal Canadian Institute for Science recognizes the unsung heroes of science communication

The Royal Canadian Institute for Science (RCIScience) awards the 2023 Sandford Fleming Medal for Excellence in Science Communication to independent science writer Terry Collins and the William Edmond Logan Award to the team behind CBC Radio's national weekly science program, Quirks & Quarks. A knowledge translator for over 27 years, Terry Collins' reporting has been picked up by journalists in Canada and worldwide, awakening public interest in and deepening understanding of diverse sciences, fostering political will and mobilizing resources for change. Nominator Dr. Peter A. Singer, former Special Advisor to the Director-General of the World Health Organization, ...

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Science30 Oct 2023

RIT scientists receive grant to expand work on a sign language lexicon for chemistry

A team of scientists at Rochester Institute of Technology will expand its work after receiving a large grant from the National Science Foundation to make chemistry more accessible for students who rely on American Sign Language interpreters in class. Christina Goudreau Collison, professor in the School of Chemistry and Materials Science; Jennifer Swartzenberg, senior lecturer in the National Technical Institute for the Deaf’s Department of Science and Mathematics; Lea Michel, professor in the School of Chemistry and Materials Science; and Pepsi Holmquist, visiting assistant professor in NTID’s Department of Science and Mathematics, have been awarded nearly $380,000 ...

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Science30 Oct 2023

Canine cuddles can comfort equally across all genders

While there are a number of studies demonstrating that dog therapy programs can improve a person’s social and emotional wellbeing, many typically have a disproportionate number of female participants. Recent research led by Dr. John-Tyler Binfet, an Associate Professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Education and Director of Building Academic Retention through K9s (BARK), evaluated if there are gender differences in wellbeing by setting up separate dog therapy sessions for those who identified as female, male and gender diverse participants. Dr. Binfet has conducted numerous studies on the benefits of canine therapy, but to his knowledge, ...

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Science30 Oct 2023

Novel Rett syndrome variant shines light on new screening strategies for therapies

Rett syndrome is a rare devastating neurological disorder that primarily affects young girls and manifests as an impaired ability to walk and talk, along with characteristic ‘hand-wringing’ movements, seizures, and cognitive disability. This incurable condition results from mutations in the methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2) gene that impairs the role of the MeCP2 protein in regulating the activity of many genes in brain cells. A new MECP2 gene variant (G118E) was recently characterized by a research team led by Dr. Huda Zoghbi, a distinguished service professor at Baylor College of Medicine and the founding director of the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological ...

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Science30 Oct 2023

Just in time for Halloween: Researchers document the power of 'ghostly encounters' on organizations

Brigham Young University researcher Jeff Bednar is now a part-time ghost hunter. And while the business professor doesn’t have night vision cameras or ultrasensitive recording equipment, he’s found a bunch of ghosts — including several on his own campus. The ghosts Bednar and University of Illinois colleague Jacob Brown are hunting sound similar to the ghosts you’ve heard of — they linger long after they’ve left this life and hover over their previous haunts — but they’re not necessarily the kind of ghosts that show up around Halloween. They’re called organizational ghosts: admired former ...

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Science30 Oct 2023

Why all languages have words for ‘this’ and ‘that’

Why all languages have words for ‘this’ and ‘that’ Languages around the world have words for ‘this’ and ‘that’ according to new research from an international team, led by the University of East Anglia. Researchers studied more than 1,000 speakers of 29 different languages to see how they use demonstratives – words that show where something is in relation to a person talking such as ‘this cat’ or ‘that dog’. It was previously thought that languages vary in the spatial distinctions they make - and that speakers of different languages may think in fundamentally different ...

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