Science
press releases.

Science7 Jun 2023

Comprehensive new report tackles food safety risks in the informal sector of developing countries

Key messages Despite ongoing structural changes, small-scale processors, grocers, market vendors and food service operators dominate the food systems of most low- and lower middle-income countries; Unsafe food is widespread in informal food distribution channels, having national public health implications; Very few countries have coherent strategies for tackling food safety risks in the informal sector; Most of the policy attention and resources now devoted to domestic food safety in the developing world focuses on strengthening ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

What does ChatGPT say when you tell it you were sexually assaulted, you’re suicidal, or want to quit smoking?

La Jolla, Calif. (June 5, 2023) — What does ChatGPT say when you tell it you were sexually assaulted, want to commit suicide, or are trying to quit smoking? A new study published in JAMA Network Open led by John W. Ayers, Ph.D., from the Qualcomm Institute within the University of California San Diego, provides an early look into how artificially intelligent (AI) assistants could help answer public health questions. Already, hundreds of millions use AI assistants like ChatGPT, and it will change the way the public accesses information. Given the growth of AI assistant use, the scientific team evaluated ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

Scientists discover ‘lost world’ of early ancestors in billion-year-old rocks

The discovery of a “lost world” of ancient organisms that lived in Earth’s waterways at least 1.6 billion years ago could change our understanding of our earliest ancestors. Known as the ‘Protosterol Biota’, these microscopic creatures are part of a family of organisms called eukaryotes. Eukaryotes have a complex cell structure that includes mitochondria, known as the “powerhouse” of the cell, and a nucleus that acts as the “control and information centre”. ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

Remains of an extinct world of organisms discovered

Newly discovered biomarker signatures point to a whole range of previously unknown organisms that dominated complex life on Earth about a billion years ago. They differed from complex eukaryotic life as we know it, such as animals, plants and algae in their cell structure and likely metabolism, which was adapted to a world that had far less oxygen in the atmosphere than today. An international team of researchers, including GFZ geochemist Christian Hallmann, now reports on this breakthrough for the field of evolutionary geobiology in the journal Nature. The previously unknown “protosteroids” were ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

Scientists discover ‘lost world’ of our early ancestors in billion-year-old rocks

The newly discovered record of so-called protosteroids was shown to be surprisingly abundant throughout Earth´s Middle Ages. The primordial molecules were produced at an earlier stage of eukaryotic complexity – extending the current record of fossil steroids beyond 800 and up to 1600 million years ago. Eukaryotes is the term for a kingdom of life including all animals, plants and algae and set apart from bacteria by having a complex cell structure that includes a nucleus, as well as a more complex molecular machinery. “The highlight of ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

New study identifies mechanism driving the sun’s fast wind

The fastest winds ever recorded on Earth reached more than 200 miles per hour, but even those gusts pale in comparison to the sun’s wind. In a paper published June 7, 2023 in the journal Nature, a team of researchers used data from NASA’s Parker Solar Probe to explain how the solar wind is capable of surpassing speeds of 1 million miles per hour. They discovered that the energy released from the magnetic field near the sun’s surface is powerful enough to drive the fast solar wind, which is made up of ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

Pre-basophils: A basophil origin story

Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) find that pre-basophil and mast cell progenitors differentiate into pre-basophils before producing mature basophils in mice Tokyo, Japan – Big changes often happen in small steps, and it’s not always easy to see how we get from point A to point B. Now, researchers from Japan have found a new step in the process of cell differentiation that leads to the production of fully functional basophils, which are critical cells in the immune system. In a study published this month in Nature Communications, researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) have revealed a previously unknown intermediate ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

Study uncovers role of ultraviolet radiation in development of rare leukemia in the skin

BOSTON – A change of scenery can restore one's outlook, but for some precancerous cells, a journey from the caves of the bone marrow to the sunny climes of the skin can trigger genetic changes that are a harbinger of cancer, according to a new study by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. The study, published online today by the journal Nature, is one of the first to uncover the "genetic travelogue" ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

Investigating the placenta: Discovery from Stowers Scientists shows why this often-overlooked organ should be given more attention

KANSAS CITY, MO—June 7, 2023—The placenta, critical for healthy embryo development, is a multi- purpose organ with a precise lifespan—the length of a pregnancy. New research from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research suggests that further exploration of the placenta’s roles and capabilities may one day lead to insights for positive pregnancy outcomes. The study published in Development on June 6, 2023, focuses on a unique property of many cells comprising the placenta that explains how these cells perform essential functional and physical ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

When it comes to bumblebees, does size matter?

Certain crops, like greenhouse tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and blueberries, rely on bumblebees for a style of pollination that only bumblebees can perform. Among growers, the preference can be for bigger-bodied bumblebees because they’re thought to be more efficient pollinators. Enabled by a $750,000 grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the research team will investigate factors suspected of influencing bumblebee biology and body size, including climate change, wildfires, and the ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

Does evening “recovery” affect a person’s mood at work the next day?

The quality of recovery a person experiences on a given evening after work may impact their mood when they start their job again the next day, according to new research published in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology. The study, which was based on diary entries by 124 employees on 887 days, found that people who had higher quality recovery during the evening than usual had higher levels of wakefulness, calmness, and pleasantness when they started work the next day. However, people’s wakefulness and calmness tended to decline more strongly during the workday after evenings with higher ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

UCDP: Number of deaths in armed conflicts has doubled

At least 237,000 people died in organised violence in 2022. A new report from Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) at Uppsala University shows that this is a 97 per cent increase compared with the previous year, and the highest number since the Rwandan genocide in 1994. “We see this increase despite considerable de-escalation in the two deadliest conflicts of 2021; Yemen and Afghanistan. Instead, violence in Ethiopia and Ukraine escalated drastically,” says Shawn Davies, Senior Analyst at UCDP. Together, the wars in Ethiopia and Ukraine resulted in at least 180,000 battle-related deaths in 2022. This is a low estimate as information from these ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

Science shows why our taste in music can’t be siloed into catch-all genres

Liking certain things or styles is an important aspect of peoples’ identities and social lives. Tastes can influence the ways humans act and judge. How to best describe musical taste reliably is – due to the ever-changing diversification and transformation of music – difficult and open to debate. Using an approach which also considered sub-genres, researchers in Germany surveyed more than 2,000 people on their musical taste and took a closer look at the fans of five genres: European classical music, electronic dance music (EDM), metal, pop, and rock. “Our ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

Activated partial metal sites in high entropy oxides for enhanced catalytic performance

High entropy oxides (HEOs) have been tentatively and prospectively applied for catalysis and energy storage. However, it is hard to further enhance its performance due to the difficult regulation of HEOs' physical-chemical properties. Although some optimized strategies, such as the introduction of noble metal, have been taken to improve the properties and performance of HEOs by a simple and effective way, the current methods could not well guide its commercial preparation and industrial application. Recently, a research team led by Prof. Zhong-Shuai Wu from State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

First five years crucial for refugee success: New study

The economic situation of 24,894 people from refugee backgrounds who came to New Zealand between 1997 and 2020 is the focus of the first paper in an ongoing study from the Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies (CAPRS) at the University of Auckland. The study asked three broad questions: What are refugee access rates to education and state housing, who remains on benefits, as opposed to in employment over time and what factors contribute to income over time? Findings reveal the importance of the first five years in terms of successful ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

Kūmara research offers hope for sleep-deprived parents

There’s fresh hope for sleep-deprived parents, with a study into whether kūmara boosts babies’ microbiome, potentially helping them sleep soundly and ward off viruses. The Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland trial explores whether kūmara acts as a prebiotic, fostering healthy bacteria in baby’s microbiome, and supporting immune development and sleep. “One of the really critical periods in pregnancy is very early on in the first trimester, and the other is between when a baby's born till about five or six months of age,” says Professor Clare Wall, principle investigator in the SUN study. “What babies first eat and what they're ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

Sabotage and collusion could be derailing your weight loss journey, finds study

Family and loved ones may be conspiring to sabotage your weight loss journey, according to a new study from the University of Surrey. The study is part of a growing body of evidence which suggests that not all social support results in positive health outcomes. Reviewing literature in this area, researchers found the negative side of social support in the form of sabotage, feeding behaviour and collusion, which all undermine the attempts of those trying to lose weight. The Surrey team found acts of sabotage, discouraging healthy eating, and putting up barriers to attending support groups, often undermined an individual's ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

Development of communication in chimpanzees echoes that of human infants

-With pictures/video- Young chimpanzees combine different gestures, vocalisations and facial expressions in a way which echoes the development of communication in human infants, according to new research. Psychologists at Durham University found that young chimpanzees combine different communication signals, which may help them be better understood by other chimpanzees in different situations such as playing or fighting. The researchers found that this ability develops throughout infancy and adolescence. Such ...

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Science7 Jun 2023

The evolutionary origins and advantages of masturbation

Masturbation is common across the animal kingdom but is especially prevalent amongst primates, including humans. Historically, this behaviour was considered to be either pathological or a by-product of sexual arousal, and recorded observations were too fragmented to understand its distribution, evolutionary history, or adaptive significance. New research published in Proceedings of The Royal Society B finds that, perhaps surprisingly, this behaviour seems to serve an evolutionary purpose. The findings indicate that masturbation is an ancient trait in primates, and that – at least in males – it increases reproductive ...

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Science6 Jun 2023

Elizabeth Anderson and Alondra Nelson win 2023 Sage-CASBS Award

Sage and the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) at Stanford University are pleased to announce Elizabeth Anderson and Alondra Nelson as winners of the 2023 Sage-CASBS Award. Established in 2013, the Sage-CASBS Award recognizes outstanding achievement in the behavioral and social sciences that advances our understanding of pressing social issues. It underscores the role of the social and behavioral sciences in enriching and enhancing public discourse and good governance. Past winners of the award include Daniel Kahneman, psychologist and Nobel laureate in economic sciences; Pedro ...

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Science6 Jun 2023

Recent papers in ACS Measurement Science Au

ACS Measurement Science Au is a member of the ACS Au family of journals. These publications are open access, and each one focuses on a specific field relevant to chemistry. Here, we take a look at a few recent papers from ACS Measurement Science Au, which publishes experimental, computational or theoretical research in all areas of chemical measurement science. The journal welcomes papers on any phase of analytical operations, such as sampling, measurement and data analysis. “Colorimetric Signal Readout for the Detection of Volatile Organic Compounds Using a Printable Glass-Based ...

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Science6 Jun 2023

SRF operations earns certification to ensure customer satisfaction

NEWPORT NEWS, VA – An important certificate now hangs on the wall of the Superconducting Radiofrequency Operations group at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. SRF Operations builds cryomodules and other particle accelerator parts for the lab’s very own Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF), a DOE Office of Science user facility. The group also supports user facilities at other DOE labs, including SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This piece of paper represents the department’s dedication to supplying ...

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Science6 Jun 2023

New push will digitize records of African plants held in herbaria and museums across the US

LAWRENCE — Over the past few decades, herbaria and museums worldwide have created digital data records documenting millions of specimens in their holdings. The benefits of digitizing the contents of natural history museums and research institutions flow to the public and researchers worldwide. Now, through a group of related grants from the National Science Foundation, researchers are systemically digitizing more than a million specimens of plants from across tropical Africa held at 20 institutions throughout the United States. The tropical African plant specimens — documenting some of ...

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Science6 Jun 2023

Turning up the heat

Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists found that a small tweak created big performance improvements in a type of solid-state battery, a technology considered vital to broader electric vehicle adoption. These batteries use a solid electrolyte instead of a potentially flammable liquid. When the battery charges or operates, ions move between electrodes through the electrolyte between them. A new method for pressing the solid electrolyte practically eliminates tiny air pockets that block ion flow, so the battery charges twice as fast. ORNL lead researcher Marm Dixit said the approach involved heating the press after spreading ...

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Science6 Jun 2023

CityU invents wireless olfactory feedback system to let users smell in the VR world

A research team co-led by researchers from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) recently invented a novel, wireless, skin-interfaced olfactory feedback system that can release various odours with miniaturised odour generators (OGs). The new technology integrates odours into virtual reality (VR)/augmented reality (AR) to provide a more immersive experience, with broad applications ranging from 4D movie watching and medical treatment to online teaching. “Recent human machine interfaces highlight the importance of human sensation feedback, including vision, audio and haptics, associated with wide applications in entertainment, medical treatment and VR/AR. Olfaction also plays a significant ...

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