Science News
How biology creates networks that are cheap, robust, and efficient
Phys.org - 17 Jan 2020 18:41
From veins that deliver oxygen to tissues to xylem that send water into stems and leaves, vascular networks are a crucial component of life. In biology, there is a wide range of unique patterns, like the individualized s...
'Melting rock' models predict mechanical origins of earthquakes
EurekAlert! - 17 Jan 2020 09:00
(Duke University) Engineers at Duke University have devised a model that can predict the early mechanical behaviors and origins of an earthquake in multiple types of rock. The model provides new insights into unobservabl...
Ingestible medical devices can be broken down with light
Science Daily - 18 Jan 2020 01:27
Engineers have developed a light-sensitive material that allows gastrointestinal devices to be triggered to break down inside the body when they are exposed to light from an ingestible LED.
Neuron found in mice could have implications for effective diet drugs
Science Daily - 17 Jan 2020 21:21
A CALCR cell found in mice may stop feeding without subsequential nauseating effects, as well as influence the long term intake of food.
Acid reflux drugs may have negative side effects for breast cancer survivors
Science Daily - 17 Jan 2020 20:08
Acid reflux drugs that are sometimes recommended to ease stomach problems during cancer treatment may have an unintended side effect: impairment of breast cancer survivors' memory and concentration.
Real risks associated with cannabis exposure during pregnancy
Science Daily - 17 Jan 2020 19:47
A new study has definitively shown that regular exposure to THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, during pregnancy has significant impact on placental and fetal development.
Activation of a distinct genetic pathway can slow the progress of metastatic breast cancer
Science Daily - 17 Jan 2020 19:47
Activation of the BMP4 signalling pathway presents a new therapeutic strategy to combat metastatic breast cancer, a disease that has shown no reduction in patient mortality over the past 20 years.
Rich rewards: Scientists reveal ADHD medication's effect on the brain
Science Daily - 17 Jan 2020 19:02
Researchers have identified how certain areas of the human brain respond to methylphenidate -- a stimulant drug which is used to treat symptoms of ADHD. The work may help researchers understand the precise mechanism of t...
Focus on opioids and cannabis in chronic pain media coverage
Science Daily - 17 Jan 2020 18:43
New Zealand media reports on chronic pain are focusing on treatments involving opioids and cannabis at the expense of best practice non-drug treatments, researchers have found.
Scientists unexpectedly witness wolf puppies play fetch
Neuroscience News - 18 Jan 2020 01:44
Wolf pups can interpret human social communicative cues, enabling them to play fetch. The findings shed light on the evolutionary behavior of domestic dogs.
US Officials Will Screen Travelers from China for New Virus
Live Science - 18 Jan 2020 01:02
As an outbreak of a new virus in China spreads, U.S. officials will start screening passengers arriving at select U.S. airports.
A Hot Blob in the Pacific Ocean Caused 1 Million Seabirds to Die
Live Science - 18 Jan 2020 00:49
Five years ago, tens of thousands of emaciated seabirds washed ashore on the Pacific Coast.
New dog, old tricks? Stray dogs can understand human cues
Neuroscience News - 18 Jan 2020 00:32
Stray, untrained dogs respond to gestures given by humans. The findings suggest that dog/human understanding may transcend learning.
The way you dance is unique, and computers can tell it's you
Neuroscience News - 17 Jan 2020 23:39
While machine learning technology is not too accurate at distinguishing between dance styles, when it comes to recognizing the personal style of dancers, it is 97% effective at determining who is who.
Reward improves visual perceptual learning, but only after people sleep
Neuroscience News - 17 Jan 2020 23:24
Reward does not improve visual perception learning unless it is followed by a good night's sleep.
Violence and adversity in early life can alter the brain
Neuroscience News - 17 Jan 2020 23:01
Exposure to violence and childhood adversity has a negative effect on the developing brain. Neuroimaging reveals adolescents who experienced adversity and violence as children had reduced connectivity between the amygdal...
Watch the first ever video of a chemical bond breaking and forming
New Scientist - 17 Jan 2020 23:01
A chemical bond between two metal atoms has been filmed breaking and forming for the first time - something scientists say they only dreamed of seeing
A special kind of nose cell may trigger allergic reactions
New Scientist - 17 Jan 2020 23:00
Mice have thousands of allergen-sensing nose cells, a discovery which may offer clues as to why some people with allergies lose their sense of smell
Walking with atoms--chemical bond making and breaking recorded in action
Phys.org - 17 Jan 2020 23:00
Ever since it was proposed that atoms are building blocks of the world, scientists have been trying to understand how and why they bond to each other. Be it a molecule (which is a group of atoms joined together in a part...
Rich rewards: ADHD medication's effect on the brain
Neuroscience News - 17 Jan 2020 22:33
Methylphenidate may boost norepinephrine levels in the prefrontal cortex, which in turn regulates dopaminergic neurons firing in the striatum, when a reward is delivered. The study sheds new light on how medications for ...
America's most widely consumed cooking oil causes genetic changes in the brain
Neuroscience News - 17 Jan 2020 22:12
Soybean oil, the most consumed cooking oil in the US, has been linked to neurological and metabolic alterations in mice. Soybean oil-fed mice showed decreased levels of oxytocin in the hypothalamus.
Out of Deep-Sea Mud, a Strange Blob May Hold Secrets to the Origins of Complex Life
Live Science - 17 Jan 2020 22:01
This unassuming little organism may hold the secrets to how the first multicellular life-forms evolved.