Science News
Colorado Mine Spill Aftermath: How to Clean a River
Live Science - 12 Aug 2015 16:48
An accidental breach by an EPA cleanup crew sent 3 million gallons of acidic, heavy-metal-laden water into Colorado's waterways. How do you clean up a river? The answer is twofold: treatment and dilution.
Using an electron to probe the tiny magnetic core of an atom
Phys.org - 12 Aug 2015 15:30
Precise information about the magnetic properties of nuclei is critical for studies of what's known as the 'weak force.' While people do not feel this force in the same way they feel electricity or gravity, its effects a...
World's most powerful laser is 2,000 trillion watts - but what's it for?
Phys.org - 12 Aug 2015 15:00
The most powerful laser beam ever created has been recently fired at Osaka University in Japan, where the Laser for Fast Ignition Experiments (LFEX) has been boosted to produce a beam with a peak power of 2,000 trillion ...
Trans fats, but not saturated fats like butter, linked to greater risk of early death and heart disease
Science Daily - 12 Aug 2015 03:55
Contrary to prevailing dietary advice, a recent evidence review found no excess cardiovascular risk associated with intake of saturated fat. In contrast, research suggests that industrial trans fats may increase the risk...
Discovery in growing graphene nanoribbons could enable faster, more efficient electronics
e! Science News - 12 Aug 2015 00:51
Graphene, an atom-thick material with extraordinary properties, is a promising candidate for the next generation of dramatically faster, more energy-efficient electronics. However, scientists have struggled to fabricate ...
King Tut's Tomb May Hide Nefertiti's Secret Grave
Live Science - 12 Aug 2015 23:43
King Tutankhamun's tomb has the faint etchings that may point to a hidden doorway, which one researcher thinks holds the tomb of Nefertiti.
Neighborhood Marijuana Shops Linked to Pot-Related Hospital Stays
Live Science - 12 Aug 2015 23:41
California neighborhoods that have more medical marijuana dispensaries may also have more hospitalizations related to marijuana abuse or addiction, a new study finds.
Protein-packed breakfast prevents body fat gain in overweight teens
Science Daily - 12 Aug 2015 22:59
Researchers compared the benefits of consuming a normal-protein breakfast to a high-protein breakfast and found the high-protein breakfast -- which contained 35 grams of protein -- prevented gains of body fat, reduced da...
Exercise may be associated with reduced disease activity in children with MS
Science Daily - 12 Aug 2015 22:59
Children with multiple sclerosis who exercise regularly may have a less active disease. For the study, 31 children with MS and 79 who had experienced a single inflammatory neurologic event were given questionnaires about...
Beak to Beak: Octopus Has Unusual Sex, Feeding Rituals
Live Science - 12 Aug 2015 22:25
A very unusual octopus has scientists wondering just how well they really know the mysterious eight-armed creatures that inhabit the world's oceans.
Tentacles that think
The Economist - 12 Aug 2015 21:50
ALMOST all intelligent creatures, be they parrots, sharks or human beings, are vertebrates. This is inconvenient for anyone trying to understand the nature of intelligence because it means, by and large, that he can stud...
Quantum computing advance locates neutral atoms
e! Science News - 12 Aug 2015 21:22
For any computer, being able to manipulate information is essential, but for quantum computing, singling out one data location without influencing any of the surrounding locations is difficult. Now, a team of Penn State ...
Combination vaccine could reduce number of shots for infants
Science Daily - 12 Aug 2015 21:17
In a phase III trial, a new combination vaccine was determined to be effective, safe and well-tolerated. The new vaccine is currently under review by the Food and Drug Administration. After approval, the vaccine will be ...
Cardiorespiratory fitness linked to thinner gray matter and better math skills in kids
Science Daily - 12 Aug 2015 21:12
A new study reveals that 9- and 10-year-old children who are aerobically fit tend to have significantly thinner gray matter and do better on math tests than their 'lower-fit' peers.
Children who are leaner report eating more polyunsaturated fatty acids
Science Daily - 12 Aug 2015 21:12
Children who report eating more polyunsaturated fatty acids, found in tree nuts, seeds and fatty fish, and consume a higher ratio of PUFA: saturated fatty acids, were found to be leaner, have less body fat and less abdom...
Developing a targeted hydrogel to treat inflammatory bowel disease
Science Daily - 12 Aug 2015 21:12
Investigators set out to find a better way to deliver medicine using a gel-like material created in the lab. The team reports that their hydrogel material was able to stick to sites of inflammation and slowly deliver med...
Quantum computing advance locates neutral atoms
Phys.org - 12 Aug 2015 21:07
For any computer, being able to manipulate information is essential, but for quantum computing, singling out one data location without influencing any of the surrounding locations is difficult. Now, a team of Penn State ...
Moderate physical activity associated with lower risk of heart failure in men
Science Daily - 12 Aug 2015 20:16
Men who participated in moderate amounts of physical activity, particularly walking and bicycling, were associated with a lower risk of future heart failure compared to those with lower and higher levels of activity. How...
Scientists uncover a difference between the sexes
Science Daily - 12 Aug 2015 19:56
Many brain disorders vary between the sexes, but how biology and culture contribute to these differences has been unclear. Now neuroscientists have found an intrinsic biological difference between males and females in th...
How lipids are flipped
Science Daily - 12 Aug 2015 19:56
A team of researchers has succeeded in determining the structure of a lipid flippase at high resolution, which has provided insight into how this membrane protein transports lipids by flipping.
PINK1 protein crucial for removing broken-down energy reactors
Science Daily - 12 Aug 2015 19:56
Cells are powered by tiny energy reactors called mitochondria. When damaged, they leak destructive molecules that can cause substantial harm and eventually kill brain cells. A protein called PINK1 that is implicated in P...
Why statins should be viewed as a double-edged sword
Science Daily - 12 Aug 2015 19:44
Statins have significant cardiovascular benefits, but also serious side effects. A new study finds that statin use impairs stem cell function, which helps in slowing atherosclerosis but hinders other body processes. Beca...