Science News
3 Major Materials Science Breakthroughs--and Why They Matter for the Future
Singularity Hub - 21 May 2020 16:00
Few recognize the vast implications of materials science. To build today's smartphone in the 1980s, it would cost about $110 million, require nearly 200 kilowatts of energy (compared to 2kW per year today), and the devic...
Scientists unravel challenge in improving fusion performance
Phys.org - 21 May 2020 15:51
A team at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility led by a William & Mary physicist has made a significant advancement in physics understanding that represents a key step toward practical fusion energy.
Capturing the coordinated dance between electrons and nuclei in a light-excited molecule
Phys.org - 21 May 2020 21:54
Using a high-speed "electron camera" at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, scientists have simultaneously captured the movements of electrons and nuclei in a molecule after it was excited wi...
Bees force plants to flower early by cutting holes in their leaves
New Scientist - 21 May 2020 21:00
Hungry bumblebees can make plants flower up to a month earlier than usual by cutting holes in their leaves, which may help them adapt to climate change
Exercise improves memory and boosts blood flow to brain
Neuroscience News - 21 May 2020 20:38
Following a one year program of aerobic exercise improves memory function and boosts blood flow to brain areas critical for cognition in older adults with risk factors for dementia.
Mysterious inflammatory syndrome tied to COVID-19 is showing up in adults in their early 20s
Live Science - 21 May 2020 20:36
A mysterious inflammatory syndrome tied to COVID-19 that has been reported in children is now also turning up in young adults in their early 20s.
Hearts that drum together beat together
Neuroscience News - 21 May 2020 20:23
Drumming in a group stimulates behavioral and physiological synchronization, which contributes to the formation of social bonds and the ability to cooperate.
Population of world's strangest plant threatened by climate change
New Scientist - 21 May 2020 20:10
Hardy and resilient Welwitschia is unlike anything on Earth, but climate change appears to be pushing these plants past their limits
Pollen-starved bumblebees bite 'half-moons' into plants to make them bloom
Live Science - 21 May 2020 20:00
Scientists don't yet know when or how the behavior evolved.
How the coronavirus pandemic is affecting wildlife and conservation
New Scientist - 21 May 2020 19:59
Poaching is up, zoos are running out of money, and conservation funding has been slashed. But there's hope the pandemic could make biodiversity a higher priority
HPV vaccine linked to fewer premature births in Australia
New Scientist - 21 May 2020 19:49
An estimated 2,000 premature births have been prevented by widespread HPV vaccination in Australia, possibly by protecting against damage to the cervix
Brain's 'updating mechanisms' may create false memories
Neuroscience News - 21 May 2020 19:49
New evidence suggests the brain can update poorly formed memories with incorrect information, leading to the creation of false memories.
Death mask of King Henry VII is brought to astonishing life in a digital restoration
Live Science - 21 May 2020 19:41
A highly detailed digital replica of the face of England's King Henry VII offers a glimpse of how the monarch may have looked in life.
Ancient humans scavenged this enormous elephant 300,000 years ago
Live Science - 21 May 2020 16:58
The elephant likely died of old age, and stone tools nearby indicate it was scavenged.
New mobile health tool measures hemoglobin without drawing blood
Phys.org - 21 May 2020 16:00
Researchers have developed a way to use smartphone images of a person's eyelids to assess blood hemoglobin levels. The ability to perform one of the most common clinical lab tests without a blood draw could help reduce t...
Searching for scalar dark matter using compact mechanical resonators
Phys.org - 21 May 2020 15:59
Researchers at University of Delaware, University of Arizona and Haverford College have recently introduced the idea of searching for scalar dark matter using compact acoustic resonators. Their paper, published in Physic...
Physicists curate list of COVID-19 projects to join
Symmetry Magazine - 21 May 2020 15:44
Physicists are finding ways to contribute to projects related to epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, supporting healthcare systems, and studying public sentiment. Biomedical researchers are racing to understand the virus...
A large moon might be hugging an object in the outer solar system
New Scientist - 21 May 2020 15:25
A trans-Neptunian object known as 2002 TC302 appears to have a large moon at an unusually close orbit
Hawaii just got a new 'largest volcano on Earth.' (Condolences to Mauna Loa.)
Live Science - 21 May 2020 14:49
Scientists used sonar and gravimeters to measure the gargantuan Pūhāhonu volcano in Hawaii -- and it's the world's biggest.
Baby exoplanet spotted growing around distant star (photo)
Live Science - 21 May 2020 14:08
New imagery pinpoints the spot where a baby planet is forming around the young star AB Aurigae, which lies 520 light-years from Earth.
Hidden underground chambers unearthed near Israel's Western Wall
Live Science - 21 May 2020 13:00
It's not clear why ancient people dug up these chambers, but evidence suggests they used them in everyday life.
Ocean waves play a critical role in shaping our economy, weather and climate
EurekAlert! - 21 May 2020 06:00
(World Scientific) Leading international researchers share their latest research on ocean wave dynamics. Topics covered include both traditional fields of research for wind-generated waves: air-sea interaction, nonlinear...