Science News
The BepiColombo spacecraft is about to blast off to Mercury
New Scientist - 18 Oct 2018 12:15
On 20 October, the BepiColombo spacecraft will begin a 7-year journey to Mercury, where it will orbit and investigate the many mysteries Mercury
Making the Church Taller
Scientific American - 18 Oct 2018 18:00
We should not accept our notions of reality as given, but always make them better --
Scientists find unusual behavior in topological material
Phys.org - 18 Oct 2018 17:10
Argonne scientists have identified a new class of topological materials made by inserting transition metal atoms into the atomic lattice of a well-known two-dimensional material.
Will Tech Make Insurance Obsolete in the Future?
Singularity Hub - 18 Oct 2018 17:00
We profit from it, we fear it, and we find it impossibly hard to quantify: risk. While not the sexiest of industries, insurance can be a life-saving protector, pooling everyone's premiums to safeguard against some of our...
Baby Names Show Enormous Gender Gap
Live Science - 18 Oct 2018 14:08Smallest life forms have smallest working CRISPR system
EurekAlert! - 18 Oct 2018 06:00
(University of California - Berkeley) Bacteria and Archaea have developed many types of CRISPR-Cas systems to protect themselves from viruses. A search through metagenomic databases of microbes, many of them uncultivatab...
Pushing the extra cold frontiers of superconducting science
Phys.org - 18 Oct 2018 20:42
Measuring the properties of superconducting materials in magnetic fields at close to absolute zero temperatures is difficult, but necessary to understand their quantum properties. How cold? Lower than 0.05 Kelvin (-272°...
Sensory Perception is Not A One Way Street
Neuroscience News - 18 Oct 2018 20:15
Researchers decipher the pathways by which the brain alters its own perception of the outside world.
Bee Study Links Genes to Social Behaviors, Including Autism
Neuroscience News - 18 Oct 2018 20:09
Bees are helping researchers to uncover genes responsible for social behaviors, including social deficits associated with ASD. Researchers have identified 200 new gene variations linked to social behaviors, with 21 clust...
High Stakes Decision Making Causes More Cheating and Less Charity
Neuroscience News - 18 Oct 2018 20:01
According to researchers, when faced with high stakes decision making tasks, people are more likely to lose sight of personal morality, leading to more cheating and less charitable efforts.
Breakthrough in accessing the tiny magnet within the core of a single atom
Phys.org - 18 Oct 2018 20:00
Researchers at the Center for Quantum Nanoscience (QNS) within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) in South Korea have made a major scientific breakthrough by detecting the nuclear magnetism, or "nuclear spin" of a sin...
Scientists discover first high-temperature single-molecule magnet
Phys.org - 18 Oct 2018 20:00
A team of scientists led by Professor Richard Layfield at the University of Sussex has published breakthrough research in molecule-based magnetic information storage materials.
How Rare Gene Mutation Affects Brain Development and Memory
Neuroscience News - 18 Oct 2018 19:58
Researchers have identified a rare genetic mutation that alters brain development in mice. The mutation appears to cause impairment in memory and disrupts neurotransmission. The study reports memory problems may be impro...
Novel Antidepressants May Improve Sleep for Those With Depression
Neuroscience News - 18 Oct 2018 18:21
According to researchers, a small cohort of MDD patients had significant improvements in sleep quality and reduced daytime sleepiness following treatment with the antidepressant Vortioxetine.
Astrocytes Have an Unexpected Role in Brain Plasticity
Neuroscience News - 18 Oct 2018 18:18
A new study reports a protein made by astrocytes plays a critical role in brain plasticity by assisting with neural maturation and flexibility.
'Missing in Action' Multiple Sclerosis Genes Discovered
Neuroscience News - 18 Oct 2018 18:15
Researchers have identified four new genes that act independently as risk factors for multiple sclerosis.
Electrical Properties of Dendrites Help Explain the Brain's Unique Computing Power
Neuroscience News - 18 Oct 2018 18:11
Human dendrites have different electrical properties from those of other species, a new study reveals. Researchers report electrical signals weaken more as they flow along human dendrites, allowing small sections of dend...
Weight Loss Success Linked with Active Self Control Regions of Brain
Neuroscience News - 18 Oct 2018 18:08
A new neuroimaging study found those who achieved greater success at losing weight showed increased activation in regions of the lateral prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain associated with self control.
The big problem of small data: A new approach
Phys.org - 18 Oct 2018 18:00
Big Data is all the rage today, but Small Data matters too! Drawing reliable conclusions from small datasets, like those from clinical trials for rare diseases or in studies of endangered species, remains one of the tric...
Measurement Shows the Electron's Stubborn Roundness
Scientific American - 18 Oct 2018 18:00
Once again, a major experiment reveals no deviations in the fundamental particle’s shape, complicating the search for new physics --
What Made Leonardo da Vinci Such a Great Artist? 'Crossed Eyes' May Have Helped
Live Science - 18 Oct 2018 17:53How Brain Structure Influences Performance on Language Tasks
Neuroscience News - 18 Oct 2018 17:17
A new computational model sheds light on how personal brain structure can influence our cognitive performance on language based tasks.