Science News
Decades-old mystery of lithium-ion battery storage solved
EurekAlert! - 2 Sep 2020 06:00
(University of Texas at Austin) For years, researchers have aimed to learn more about a group of metal oxides that show promise as key materials for the next generation of lithium-ion batteries because of their mysteriou...
The fuzzy law that could break the idea of a mathematical universe
New Scientist - 2 Sep 2020 14:00
The discovery that a fundamental law of physics cannot be precisely defined challenges the ability of mathematics as we know it to describe reality completely
A molecular approach to quantum computing
Phys.org - 2 Sep 2020 16:10
The technology behind the quantum computers of the future is fast developing, with several different approaches in progress. Many of the strategies, or "blueprints," for quantum computers rely on atoms or artificial atom...
Keeping the Beat - It's All in Your Brain
Neuroscience News - 2 Sep 2020 22:16
Study identified the neural markers of beat synchronization in the brain and sheds light on how auditory perception and motor processes work together.
Winter ice in the Bering Sea is doomed to disappear within decades
New Scientist - 2 Sep 2020 21:00
A study of winter sea ice in the Bering Sea over the past 5500 year suggests that all the ice will be lost within decades, with knock-on effects for the Arctic
Asphalt on roads may soon be greater source of air pollution than cars
New Scientist - 2 Sep 2020 21:00
A range of toxic carbon-based chemicals are released into the air from asphalt on hot or sunny days, and climate change could make the problem worse
A lot of veg is 'toxic' but that doesn't mean you shouldn't eat it
New Scientist - 2 Sep 2020 20:00
There are claims online that most of the fruit and veg we eat is toxic. Though there is some truth to this, it doesn't mean you should stop eating your greens, writes James Wong
Gravitational wave detectors have found their biggest black hole yet
New Scientist - 2 Sep 2020 15:00
Gravitational wave observatories LIGO and Virgo have spotted their biggest black hole yet at 142 times the mass of the sun, the first hard proof that black holes this size exist
Hunting for a better biofuel is scope of new UT Austin-led research
EurekAlert! - 2 Sep 2020 06:00
(University of Texas at Austin) A team of scientists from nine universities and research facilities hope to find out how to make switchgrass -- a fast-growing perennial native to the US -- into a biofuel powerhouse.
Creepy images show airway cells teeming with SARS-CoV-2
Live Science - 2 Sep 2020 23:00
The images were captured with a scanning electron microscope.
Viral claim that only 6% of COVID-19 deaths were caused by the virus is flat-out wrong
Live Science - 2 Sep 2020 22:57
COVID-19 is often more severe in people with underlying conditions and it can also cause complications. The 6% stat doesn't include these people.
Why Naming Neurons Can Help Cure Brain Disease
Neuroscience News - 2 Sep 2020 22:33
Researchers propose a unified classification of diverse cell types, which could shed light on how our brains are wired.
Autism May Not Be Tied to Mindblindness
Neuroscience News - 2 Sep 2020 21:47
Reassessing years of research on Theory of Mind in autism, researchers argue the brains of those with ASD may be able to grasp what others think but may have a more difficult time processing the degree to which others th...
Steroids are life-saving for critically ill COVID-19 patients, WHO says
Live Science - 2 Sep 2020 20:23
The WHO recommends that critically ill patients be given corticosteroids.
Bilingual Children May Lose Less Brain Matter as They Grow Up
Neuroscience News - 2 Sep 2020 20:12
Growing up speaking two or more languages was associated with increased gray matter in the brain during adulthood.
E-cigarettes are no better than alternative aids to quit smoking
New Scientist - 2 Sep 2020 20:00
People who use e-cigarettes to help them stop smoking are no more likely to be abstinent a year later, and are more likely to remain dependent on nicotine, according to data from a large US study
Revolutionary quantum breakthrough paves way for safer online communication
Phys.org - 2 Sep 2020 20:00
The world is one step closer to having a totally secure internet and an answer to the growing threat of cyber-attacks, thanks to a team of international scientists who have created a unique prototype which could transfor...
The moon really may have strange effects on our health
New Scientist - 2 Sep 2020 20:00
Any lunar influence on our health has long been dismissed as unscientific. But new evidence means it may be time to re-evaluate the moon's subtle effects on our sleep and mental health
Joe Henrich interview: Psychology must look beyond Western cultures
New Scientist - 2 Sep 2020 20:00
Most psychology studies involve people living in Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich and Democratic societies. But the peculiarities of WEIRD thinking are far from universal
Guilt by Dissociation: The Role of Serotonin in Autism
Neuroscience News - 2 Sep 2020 19:47
SERT Ala56 impacts the structure of the SERT protein cells, increasing the activity of the transporter to abnormally high levels. The high-activity state results in the removal of too much serotonin from brain sites wher...
Largest black hole collision ever detected
Live Science - 2 Sep 2020 19:27
Two large black holes crashed together and formed a massive new one -- the largest of its kind ever detected, so large that physicists weren't sure it could exist at all.
'Spinal Tap'-size Stonehenge reveals how the ancient monument really sounded
Live Science - 2 Sep 2020 19:09
The huge standing stones in the outer circle of Stonehenge acted as an amplifier and gave reverberation to enhance speech and music in ceremonies held thousands of years before modern acoustics emerged.