Science X Newsletter Week 20

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for week 20:

	Which countries have the best healthcare? Neither Canada nor Japan cracked the top 10, and the United States finished a dismal 35th, according to a much anticipated ranking of healthcare quality in 195 countries, released Friday.
	Scientists develop revolutionary eye drops to treat age-related blindness Scientists at the University of Birmingham have developed a type of eye drop which could potentially revolutionise the treatment of one of the leading causes of blindness in the UK.
	3-D printed ovaries produce healthy offspring The brave new world of 3-D printed organs now includes implanted ovary structures that, true to their design, actually ovulate, according to a study by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and McCormick School of Engineering.
	Antarctica 'greening' due to climate change Plant life on Antarctica is growing rapidly due to climate change, scientists have found.
	Physicists use Einstein's 'spooky' entanglement to invent super-sensitive gravitational wave detector The first direct detection of gravitational waves, a phenomenon predicted by Einstein's 1915 general theory of relativity, was reported by scientists in 2016.
	Scientists shed light on the tight connection between mental and physical health How do you feel right now, in general? Pleasant or unpleasant? Crummy, calm, or jittery? Somewhere in between?
	Another large-scale cyberattack underway: experts Another large-scale, stealthy cyberattack is underway on a scale that could dwarf last week's assault on computers worldwide, a global cybersecurity firm told AFP on Wednesday.
	IBM builds its most powerful universal quantum computing processors IBM announced today it has successfully built and tested its most powerful universal quantum computing processors. The first new prototype processor will be the core for the first IBM Q early-access commercial systems. The first upgraded processor will be available for use by developers, researchers, and programmers to explore quantum computing using a real quantum processor at no cost via the IBM Cloud. The second is a new prototype of a commercial processor, which will be the core for the first IBM Q early-access commercial systems.
	STEM students who learn by example may miss key concepts, study finds No matter how smart, well-prepared or hard-working, many college students struggle with rigorous introductory science courses because their approach to learning fails to provide a working knowledge of abstract concepts that underlie examples presented in the classroom, suggests new research from Washington University in St. Louis.
	Using graphene to create quantum bits In the race to produce a quantum computer, a number of projects are seeking a way to create quantum bits—or qubits—that are stable, meaning they are not much affected by changes in their environment. This normally needs highly nonlinear non-dissipative elements capable of functioning at very low temperatures.
	Diabetes drug may help symptoms of autism associated condition A widely used diabetes medication could help people with a common inherited form of autism, research shows.
	Antibody for fighting cancer emerges While studying the underpinnings of multiple sclerosis, investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital came across important clues for how to treat a very different disease: cancer. In a paper published in Science Immunology, a group of researchers led by neurologist Howard Weiner, MD, describe an antibody that can precisely target regulatory T cells which in turn unleashes the immune system to kill cancer cells. The team reports that the antibody decreased tumor growth in models of melanoma, glioblastoma and colorectal carcinoma, making it an attractive candidate for cancer immunotherapy.
	Stars as random number generators could test foundations of physics (Phys.org)—Stars, quasars, and other celestial objects generate photons in a random way, and now scientists have taken advantage of this randomness to generate random numbers at rates of more than one million numbers per second. Generating random numbers at very high rates has a variety of applications, such as in cryptography and computer simulations.
	Nano fiber feels forces and hears sounds made by cells Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a miniature device that's sensitive enough to feel the forces generated by swimming bacteria and hear the beating of heart muscle cells.
	Research teams uncover extraordinary properties of strontium niobate Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) recently uncovered novel properties of strontium niobate, which is a unique semiconductor material that displays both metallic type conduction and photocatalytic activity. The two studies, which were conducted in collaboration with researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, herald exciting opportunities for the creation of novel devices with unprecedented functionalities as well as unique applications of a new family of photocatalytic materials.
	How RNA formed at the origins of life A single process for how a group of molecules called nucleotides were made on the early Earth, before life began, has been suggested by a UCL-led team of researchers.
	Scientists take first tentative steps to explore potential climate of Proxima B The quest to discover whether a planet orbiting our closest neighbouring star, Proxima Centauri (4.2 light years or 25 trillion miles from Earth), has the potential to support life has taken a new, exhilarating twist.
	No escaping ocean plastic: 37 million bits of litter on one of world's remotest islands The beaches of one of the world's most remote islands have been found to be polluted with the highest density of plastic debris reported anywhere on the planet, in a study published in the prestigious US scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
	Mining the moon for rocket fuel to get us to Mars Forty-five years have passed since humans last set foot on an extraterrestrial body. Now, the moon is back at the center of efforts not only to explore space, but to create a permanent, independent space-faring society.
	Electronic tattoos: Using distinctive body locations to control mobile devices intuitively Computer scientists from Saarland University and Google are giving wrinkles, knuckles and birthmarks a whole new meaning. Similarly to temporary tattoos for children, the researchers are placing ultra-thin, electronic tattoos on distinctive body locations. The user can touch, squeeze or pull them, and thereby intuitively control mobile devices such as a music player, or easily make indicators light up.

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