Science X Newsletter Friday, Aug 11

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 11, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Blind quantum computing for everyone

New ultrathin semiconductor materials exceed some of silicon's 'secret' powers

Scientists reveal how goldfish make alcohol to survive without oxygen

Tracing the links between basic research and real-world applications

Sleep biology discovery could lead to new insomnia treatments that don't target the brain

De-jargonizing program helps decode science speak

A new method for the formation of fluorinated molecular rings

An improved thickness estimate for Earth's continents

The implications of cosmic silence

Flexible batteries power the future of wearable technology

A starburst with the prospect of gravitational waves

Researchers find that imagining an action-consequence relationship can improve memory

Globular proteins found to allow squid eyes to adjust for light distortion

Evidence that Uber, Lyft reduce car ownership

Affordable lead sensor for home, city water lines

Astronomy & Space news

	The implications of cosmic silence The universe is incomprehensibly vast, with billions of other planets circling billions of other stars. The potential for intelligent life to exist somewhere out there should be enormous.
	A starburst with the prospect of gravitational waves In 1887, American astronomer Lewis Swift discovered a glowing cloud, or nebula, that turned out to be a small galaxy about 2.2 billion light years from Earth. Today, it is known as the "starburst" galaxy IC 10, referring to the intense star formation activity occurring there.
	Scientists predict Neptune's chemical make-up Scientists have helped solve the mystery of what lies beneath the surface of Neptune – the most distant planet in our solar system. A new study sheds light on the chemical make-up of the planet, which lies around 4.5 billion kilometres from the sun.
	Messages from the world's smallest space probe The world's smallest space probe, conceived at Menlo Park's visionary Breakthrough Starshot, has phoned home.
	New mission going to the space station to explore mysteries of 'cosmic rain' A new experiment set for an Aug. 14 launch to the International Space Station will provide an unprecedented look at a rain of particles from deep space, called cosmic rays, that constantly showers our planet. The Cosmic Ray Energetics And Mass mission destined for the International Space Station (ISS-CREAM) is designed to measure the highest-energy particles of any detector yet flown in space.
	NASA watches the Sun put a stop to its own eruption On Sept. 30, 2014, multiple NASA observatories watched what appeared to be the beginnings of a solar eruption. A filament—a serpentine structure consisting of dense solar material and often associated with solar eruptions—rose from the surface, gaining energy and speed as it soared. But instead of erupting from the Sun, the filament collapsed, shredded to pieces by invisible magnetic forces.
	Five tips from NASA for photographing the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21 The total solar eclipse crossing America on Aug. 21 will be the first eclipse to march from sea to shining sea in nearly 100 years. This astronomical event is a unique opportunity for scientists studying in the shadow of the Moon, but it's also a perfect opportunity to capture unforgettable images. Whether you're an amateur photographer or a selfie master, try out these tips for photographing the eclipse.
Those maps of eclipse's path? 'Wrong,' experts say—off by up to a half-mile at edge Anyone who has been using online maps to decide where they intend to view the historic Aug. 21 total eclipse of the sun may want to take another look.
	What should you look for during the total solar eclipse? A few out-of-this world highlights With your solar glasses or a special viewer, watch for the partial phases of the eclipse as the moon passes over the sun, a stage that lasts for a few hours. But during those seconds or moments you see the full eclipse, you really want to watch for these highlights:
	An NJIT researcher throws a global ham radio 'party' to study the eclipse When a solar eclipse plunges the country into darkness Aug. 21, Nathaniel Frissell will be stationed directly along the shadow's path, leading one of the largest ionospheric experiments in the history of space science from the back porch of a cabin in Gilbertsville, Kentucky.

Technology news

	De-jargonizing program helps decode science speak Science is fascinating to many, but sentences that are full of expert-level terms and description can scare away even the most passionate readers. Can scientists learn to talk about their research without using too many technical terms? One of the obstacles to avoiding jargon is that scientists suffer from "the curse of knowledge" – they simply do not remember not knowing what they now know as experts.
	Microsoft announces Coco Framework to facilitate businesses looking to adopt blockchain tech (Tech Xplore)—Business watchers are looking to blockchain technology as transformational but easier said than done.
	Google CEO Pichai cancels 'town hall' on gender dispute Google CEO Sundar Pichai has canceled an internal town hall meant to address gender discrimination after employee questions for management began to leak online.
Newspaper woes send Murdoch's News Corp into red US media group News Corp on Thursday reported a loss in the past quarter, hit by declines in advertising and writedowns at its global newspapers.
	For electric cars to take off, they'll need place to charge Around the world, support is growing for electric cars. Automakers are delivering more electric models with longer range and lower prices, such as the Chevrolet Bolt and the Tesla Model 3. China has set aggressive targets for electric vehicle sales to curb pollution; some European countries aim to be all-electric by 2040 or sooner.
Lithuanian court OKs extradition in US phishing case A Lithuanian businessman suspected of tricking more than $100 million out of Google and Facebook in an elaborate cybercrime case should be extradited to the United States, a local court ruled Friday.
	Stick-on patch collects, analyzes and wirelessly transmits a variety of health metrics A new, electronic skin microsystem tracks heart rate, respiration, muscle movement and other health data, and wirelessly transmits it to a smartphone. The electronic skin offers several improvements over existing trackers, including greater flexibility, smaller size, and the ability to stick the self-adhesive patch—which is a very soft silicone about four centimeters (1.5 inches) in diameter—just about anywhere on the body.
	What the Google gender 'manifesto' really says about Silicon Valley Five years ago, Silicon Valley was rocked by a wave of "brogrammer" bad behavior, when overfunded, highly entitled, mostly white and male startup founders did things that were juvenile, out of line and just plain stupid. Most of these activities – such as putting pornography into PowerPoint slides – revolved around the explicit or implied devaluation and harassment of women and the assumption that heterosexual men's privilege could or should define the workplace. The recent "memo" scandal out of Google shows how far we have yet to go.
	Why the withering nuclear power industry threatens US national security These are tough times for nuclear power in the U.S. Power plants under construction are facing serious delays, halts and cost overruns. Utilities in South Carolina abandoned a project to complete construction of two power plants in August, while the cost of the only nuclear plant now under construction has ballooned to US$25 billion.
	Fertility app for parents-to-be Since January 2017 a sensor wristband that, according to the manufacturer, is capable of detecting a woman's fertile days in her cycle with 89 percent certainty has been on the market. Empa helped developing the sensor technology.
	Night vision for bird- and bat-friendly offshore wind power The same technology that enables soldiers to see in the dark can also help protect birds and bats near offshore wind turbines.
HBO offered 'bounty' to hackers: report HBO offered a reward of $250,000 in response to a data breach at the television group that produces "Game of Thrones," according to a report from a leaked memo.
	Report: Amazon looking to sell sports, music tickets and encroach on Ticketmaster Amazon is reportedly in talks with sports and concert venues to sell tickets, a move that could challenge Ticketmaster's dominance in the business.
	How big is too big? Amazon sparks antitrust concerns Amazon.com, America's fifth-largest company by market value, is still growing like an adolescent and planting flags in new markets. That is prompting some policymakers and legal experts to ask: How big is too big?
	Can Facebook get people to tune into shows on the social network? Watching video online is getting more social.
Google CEO to girls: You belong in this industry and we need you Google on Thursday abruptly canceled a town hall meeting to address the fallout from an anti-diversity memo, but CEO Sundar Pichai made his feelings on the matter known Thursday night at an event honoring girl coders from around the world.
	The TV-streaming paradox: Why you may miss the cable bundle The future of TV may well be a mishmash of streaming services that could rival the cost of a $100 cable bundle—but that are way more difficult to use.
	Researchers use machine learning to spot counterfeit consumer products A team of researchers has developed a new mechanism that uses machine-learning algorithms to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit versions of the same product.
	Snap stock hits lowest level since IPO after paltry earnings Shares of Snap Inc. are down sharply after the parent company of Snapchat reported paltry earnings .
	China probes social media platforms for 'obscenity' China has launched probes into three of its largest social networking platforms over the suspected dissemination of violence and obscenity—the latest move aimed at sanitising the country's increasingly closed-off internet.
Decision systems that respect privacy, fairness Increasingly, decisions and actions affecting people's lives are determined by automated systems processing personal data. Excitement about these systems has been accompanied by serious concerns about their opacity and threats they pose to privacy, fairness, and other values. Examples abound in real-world systems: Target's use of predicted pregnancy status for marketing; Google's use of health-related search queries for targeted advertising; race being associated with automated predictions of recidivism; gender affecting displayed job-related ads; race affecting displayed search ads; Boston's Street Bump app focusing pothole repair on affluent neighborhoods; Amazon's same day delivery being unavailable in black neighborhoods; and Facebook showing either "white" or "black" movie trailers based upon "ethnic affiliation."
	Portable nanospectrometer for detecting dangerous compounds Guido Verbeck, UNT associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, patented an algorithm that works with a high-tech tool to detect the location of chemical streams. Now, he's using it in technology that can detect not only chemicals, but biological threats. His newest device, a mobile nano spectrometer, can be used in a moving vehicle to investigate attempts at creating biological warfare, examine environmental concerns, find clandestine laboratory locations, protect military bases and determine the toxicity of HAZMAT spills.
Merkel rival Schulz calls for electric car quotas in Europe Chancellor Angela Merkel's main rival in Germany's upcoming election is calling for a Europe-wide quota for electric cars.
	Gadgets: Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet, prime choice The Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet with Alexa is a great little tablet, especially combined with an Amazon Prime membership.

Medicine & Health news

	Sleep biology discovery could lead to new insomnia treatments that don't target the brain UCLA scientists report the first evidence that a gene outside the brain controls the ability to rebound from sleep deprivation—a surprising discovery that could eventually lead to greatly improved treatments for insomnia and other sleep disorders that do not involve getting a drug into the brain.
	Researchers find that imagining an action-consequence relationship can improve memory The next time you hear about the possibility of rain on the weather forecast, try imagining the umbrella tip being lodged in your home's door lock, blocking you from locking it. This mental exercise could prevent you from leaving home without an umbrella.
	Study describes key RNA epigenetic marker's role in immune system The white blood cells known as T cells regulate our body's response to foreign substances—our adaptive immune response. In a new study, Yale scientists have learned how changes in a recently discovered RNA epigenetic marker regulate T cells and the immune response. Their finding could lead to new approaches to treating autoimmune diseases.
	Deep sleep reinforces the learning of new motor skills The benefits of a good night's sleep have become widely known, and now neuroscientists at UC San Francisco have discovered that the animal brain reinforces motor skills during deep sleep.
	New malaria analysis method reveals disease severity in minutes Left untreated, malaria can progress from being mild to severe—and potentially fatal—in 24 hours. So researchers at the University of British Columbia developed a method to quickly and sensitively assess the progression of the mosquito-borne infectious disease, which remains a leading killer in low-income countries.
	Study finds stark increase in opioid-related admissions, deaths in nation's ICUs Since 2009, hospital intensive care units have witnessed a stark increase in opioid-related admissions and deaths, according to new study led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's (BIDMC) Center for Healthcare Delivery Science. Published online today ahead of print in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society, the study is believed to be the first to quantify the impact of opioid abuse on critical care resources in the United States. The findings reveal that opioid-related demand for acute care services has outstripped the available supply.
250,000 contaminated eggs sold in France since April: minister Nearly 250,000 insecticide-contaminated eggs have been sold in France since April, but the risk for consumers is "very low," French Agriculture Minister Stephane Travert said Friday.
	Dendritic Golgi as key cause of degenerative brain disease A joint research team of DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology) has identified the early neuropathic mechanism of polyglutamine brain disease, one of the representative degenerative brain diseases. They team's findings could accelerate the development of early neuropathy treatment for a variety of degenerative brain diseases, including dementia, Parkinson's disease and Lou Gehrig's disease, which are commonly known to be caused by toxic proteins.
	Researchers find the genes responsible for Tourette's syndrome in children An international research team including Vasiliy Ramensky, a member of the MIPT Life Sciences Center, has unraveled genetic characteristics that increase the risk of developing Tourette's syndrome. Tourette's is a central nervous system disorder that is often inherited. The scientists compared genetic data of thousands of people with Tourette's and healthy people, and found that in people with the condition, there are significant modifications in two genes—NRXN1 and CNTN6. The paper detailing their study was published in the journal Neuron.
New test for screening of Duchenne muscular dystrophy in newborn babies Researchers at Cardiff University and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board have developed a more reliable method of screening for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in newborn babies.
	Almonds may help boost cholesterol clean-up crew Eating almonds on a regular basis may help boost levels of HDL cholesterol while simultaneously improving the way it removes cholesterol from the body, according to researchers. The Almond Board of California supported this study.
	Why some moles become melanoma still a mystery Testing for two gene mutations commonly associated with melanoma would be insufficient to determine whether a mole could turn cancerous, University of Queensland research has found.
Hong Kong, Switzerland, 15 EU states hit by egg scandal: EU Insecticide-tainted eggs from European poultry farms have now been found in Hong Kong and Switzerland as well as 15 EU countries, the European Commission said Friday.
Dutch govt admits 'errors made' in egg scandal The Dutch government has acknowledged that "errors have been made" in managing the growing scandal around eggs contaminated by fipronil but it strongly refuted allegations of negligence.
Improved analysis of kidney cancer Every year, just over 1000 people are diagnosed with kidney cancer in Sweden. The three most common variants are clear cell, papillary and chromophobe renal cancer. Researchers compare the gene expression in tumour cells from a kidney cancer patient with cells from healthy tissue to figure out in which part of the kidney the cancer began and what went wrong in these cells. Now, a research team at Lund University in Sweden has discovered that in the Cancer Genome Atlas database, the gene expression in reference samples from normal tissue varies, depending on where in the kidney the samples happen to have been taken. The analyses can be improved by clarifying which samples correspond to the correct tissue. The study has now been published in Cell Reports.
	Study pinpoints gene's role in pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer is a particularly deadly form of disease, and patients have few options for effective treatment. But a new Yale-led study has identified a gene that is critical to pancreatic cancer cell growth, revealing a fresh target for new therapies.
	Scientists make critical insights into T-cell development Mutations in the gene encoding the enzyme protein tyrosine phosphatase N2 (PTPN2) have been associated with the development of autoimmune disease including Type 1 diabetes, Crohn's Disease and rheumatoid arthritis.
	Why kids knock over drinks and must be careful around cars It is a rare achievement to make it through dinner at our house without someone crying over spilt milk (or water, or any other liquid the kids are drinking). As I mop up the evening mess, I suspect similar scenes are played out at dinner tables around the country.
Blood sugars may be key to optimizing weight loss approaches What if a simple blood test could help you determine the best strategy for weight loss, before you even started? Additional analysis of a study conducted by researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts suggests that a person's fasting glucose levels, also called blood sugar levels, may be useful in figuring out the best type of diet for weight loss. The study focused on a weight-loss program based on the "iDiet," which emphasizes a high-fiber, low-glycemic diet and includes behavioral support.
	How prejudice pushes low-income people onto an unhealthy diet As consumers become increasingly dissatisfied with conventional, large-scale food systems, they are seeking ways to reconnect with their food. For the wealthy, that translates into a turn toward what we call the "alternative food system."
	Technology and children—a parent's survival guide Technology has changed the way children develop and interact with others, and while it seems to change every day, many parents are forced to keep up or get left behind.
	Maternal iodine deficiency can affect child development A low iodine intake among pregnant women may be associated with poor language development, reduced fine motor skills and behavioural problems when the child is three years old. These are findings from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa).
Psoriasis and psychiatric illnesses—what are the links? A new review examines the potential link between psoriasis and mental health conditions.
	Experimental drug trial seeks to improve treatment for lymphoma Patients with a common type of fast-growing cancer are being given fresh hope in a new clinical trial.
	Higher income individuals more physically active, yet more sedentary New research led by American Cancer Society researchers in collaboration with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and Georgia State University used activity monitors to find that higher income individuals are more likely to be "weekend warriors," getting most of their activity on only a few days a week, and also spend more time in sedentary pursuits. The study appears in Preventive Medicine.
Denmark says tainted egg total hits 22 tonnes Two more tonnes of insecticide-contaminated eggs have been discovered in Denmark, bringing the country's total to 22 tonnes, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration said Friday.
	Consumers 'left in lurch' over Europe egg scandal European consumers complained of being "left in the lurch" by food safety authorities as a scandal over insecticide-tainted eggs snowballed Friday, but said they have no intention of removing eggs from their shopping lists completely.
	How safe and effective is your sunscreen? (HealthDay)—It may be easier than ever to find sunscreen with all the right stuff, but be sure to read the label or you could still get burned.
	The positive side of water-cooler gossip (HealthDay)—Psychologists and sociologists call it reputational information sharing, but you know it better as gossip.
	Therapy for kids with autism pays off for moms, dads (HealthDay)—Behavioral therapy for children with autism also benefits their parents, a new study finds.
	Intradermal LMW-HA injection reduces enlarged facial pores (HealthDay)—Intradermal injection of low molecular weight hyaluronic acid (LMW-HA) can significantly improve skin texture, reduce pore size, and enhance skin radiance, according to a study published online Aug. 8 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.
Team offers innovative approach to treat patients with complex temporal bone defects Temple University Hospital is offering an innovative approach to treat patients with complex temporal bone defects, including conditions known as tegmen dehiscence and temporal encephalocele (TE). The temporal bones are a pair of bones that form part of the side of the skull. They perform several key structural functions, including enclosing the middle and inner ear and supporting the temple. In addition, nerves and blood vessels leading to the brain traverse the bones.
	Supportive relationships linked to willingness to pursue opportunities Research on how our social lives affects decision-making has usually focused on negative factors like stress and adversity. Less attention, however, has been paid to the reverse: What makes people more likely to give themselves the chance to succeed?
Dutch organic farmers feel duped in tainted eggs scandal Dutch farmers producing organic eggs, supposedly free from insecticides, joined a chorus of outrage Friday over the growing tainted-egg scandal, claiming they were duped by the suppliers of a reputedly natural pesticide.
	Home remedies: stung by a bee In most cases, bee stings are just annoying, and home treatment is all that's necessary to ease the pain of bee stings. But if you're allergic to bee stings or you get stung numerous times, you may have a more-serious reaction that requires emergency treatment.
	As Zika cases fade, researchers look for clues on how the virus is transmitted, especially in pregnant women Whatever happened to the Zika virus?
FDA investigating deaths of patients who had gastric balloon procedure for obesity The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has alerted physicians and surgeons who treat obesity that it is investigating whether there is a link between gastric balloons - a new-generation weight-loss device - and the deaths of five patients.
Lag in brain donation hampers understanding of dementia in blacks The question came as a shock to Dorothy Reeves: Would she be willing to donate her husband's brain for research?
Tainted eggs scare: what we know Europe and now Asia face a growing scandal over the contamination of millions of eggs with the insecticide fipronil, which can be potentially harmful to humans.
Contaminated eggs scandal spreads from Europe to Asia A scandal involving eggs contaminated with insecticide spread to 15 EU countries, Switzerland and as far away as Hong Kong on Friday as the European Commission called for a special meeting on the growing crisis.
	Fear spreads over tainted eggs despite low risk to consumers Experts say the risk of getting sick from eating an egg tainted with insecticide is low. But that hasn't stopped stores in Germany and the Netherlands from stripping them from supermarket shelves, or prevented other European food safety agencies from issuing warnings.
	Singing may be good medicine for Parkinson's patients (HealthDay)—Singing? To benefit people with Parkinson's disease? It just may help, a researcher says.
	When stress hormone falters, your health may suffer (HealthDay)— Steady daytime levels of the stress hormone cortisol are associated with serious health problems, such as inflammation, obesity and cancer, researchers say.
	Patient profile impacts QOL with radiation Tx in head, neck cancer (HealthDay)—There are patient characteristics and clinical factors independently associated with physical and mental quality of life (QOL) in patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy, according to a study published online Aug. 2 in Head & Neck.
	Reduced eGFR, increased UACR linked to incident A-fib (HealthDay)—Reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and elevated urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) are associated with increased risk of incident atrial fibrillation (AF), according to research published online Aug. 10 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
	Ultrasound findings correlate with inflammatory myopathies (HealthDay)—Ultrasonography findings seem to correlate well with the disease activity of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs), and may be a useful tool for patient evaluation, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
	HTRA1 mutations tied to cerebral small vessel disease (HealthDay)—Heterozygous HTRA1 mutations may play a role in familial cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), according to a study published online Aug. 6 in CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics.
	Subcutaneous exendin treats post-bariatric hypoglycemia (HealthDay)—Subcutaneous exendin (SC Ex-9) appears to be safe and effective in treating post-bariatric hypoglycemia (PBH), according to a study published online Aug. 4 in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.
	Higher pain expression tied to pro-nociceptive state (HealthDay)—Sensory over-responsiveness (SOR) in otherwise healthy subjects is associated with a pro-nociceptive state, according to a study published online Aug. 7 in PAIN Practice.
	CPAP doesn't alter renal function in coexisting OSA, CVD (HealthDay)—For individuals with coexisting obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and cardiovascular disease, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) does not alter renal function, according to a study published online July 25 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Trump declares opioid crisis a 'national emergency' US President Donald Trump said Thursday that the opioid crisis in the United States constitutes a "national emergency" and pledged to step up efforts to fight the epidemic.
EU calls eggs talks as scandal spreads to Asia (Update) The EU on Friday called an emergency meeting to stop "blaming and shaming" over the insecticide-tainted eggs scandal as it emerged for the first time that the crisis had spread to Asia.
	New treatments to fight a rare disorder wreaking havoc in isolated indigenous communities Macquarie University researchers have developed the first zebrafish model of the neurodegenerative Machado-Joseph Disease – and have used this model to test drugs that could potentially be used to treat the disease, which disproportionately affects Indigenous Australians.
CLL evolution under the microscope How do initially benign forms of cancer evolve to become aggressive? In a quest to answer this long-standing question, an EU project has studied the growth and clonal evolution of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL)—a blood and bone marrow cancer that mostly starts asymptomatic but can become very aggressive over time.
A small drop of blood for an ocean of information Patient response to treatment—especially personalised medicine—can be very difficult to predict. To overcome this issue, the CHEMOS project has been advancing a new method for screening thousands of single-cell drug responses from small blood samples.
	Testicular macrophages are guardians of fertility The origin, development, and characteristics of two types of testicular macrophage have been described by a CNRS team at the Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy (CNRS / INSERM / Aix-Marseille University). To elucidate the nature of these immune cells, the researchers used a novel cell tracing method. Their findings were published on August 7, 2017, in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, and are of fundamental importance. They may help understand certain kinds of infertility in men and find new treatments for them.
Europe's tainted food scandals Public confidence in food safety in Europe has again been undermined by a growing insecticide-tainted egg scandal.
Robots offer key advantages in esophageal surgery Based on what is believed to be the largest study of its kind, Allina Health researchers say robotic assisted transhiatal esophagectomy (RATE) is effective and safe for a carefully selected group of patients.

Biology news

	Scientists reveal how goldfish make alcohol to survive without oxygen Scientists at the Universities of Oslo and Liverpool have uncovered the secret behind a goldfish's remarkable ability to produce alcohol as a way of surviving harsh winters beneath frozen lakes.
	Globular proteins found to allow squid eyes to adjust for light distortion (Phys.org)—A team of researchers with the University of Pennsylvania has uncovered the means by which squid eyes are able to adjust to underwater light distortion. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their work analyzing squid eye parts under a microscope, what they found and then offer an explanation of the process involved in squid vision. Tobias Madl with Medical University of Graz in Austria offers an overview of how lenses work in general in a Perspective piece in the same journal issue, and outlines the work done in this new effort.
	Scientists map sex chromosome evolution in pathogenic fungi Biologically speaking, nearly every species on Earth has two opposite sexes, male and female. But with some fungi and other microbes, sex can be a lot more complicated. Some members of Cryptococcus, a family of fungus linked to human disease, can have tens of thousands of different mating types.
	No longer king of the jungle: New fund to aid Africa's lions Senegal's Niokolo-Koba National Park is home to fewer than 50 lions after years of poaching decimated not only them but also their prey. Small patches of lion skin are sold at local fetish markets for $10, and their bones have a thriving market in Asia.
	Scientists on research vessel spot rare whale in Bering Sea Federal researchers studying critically endangered North Pacific right whales sometimes go years without finding their subjects. Over the weekend they got lucky.
	S. Korea stem cell scandal official resigns A top South Korean technology official accused of covering up a notorious stem cell research fraud resigned Friday, a blow to new President Moon Jae-In.
	Jackdaws flap their wings to save energy For the first time, researchers have observed that birds that fly actively and flap their wings save energy. Biologists at Lund University in Sweden have now shown that jackdaws minimise their energy consumption when they lift off and fly, because the feathers on their wing tips create several small vortices instead of a single large one. The discovery could potentially be applied within the aeronautical industry.
	Chemical profile of ants adapts rapidly The bodies of ants and other insects are covered with a thin, wax-like layer that protects them from desiccation and enables them to exchange information, in social insects, for instance, to differentiate between enemies and nestmates. Its double function makes this layer not only essential to survive but also unique to the extent that it can serve as an unambiguous characteristic for the identification of an insect species, similar to a fingerprint. The layer makes it possible to differentiate even between closely related species. This is due to its composition of cuticular hydrocarbons that form a specific chemical profile. Biologists at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) in Germany recently established that ants can adapt their hydrocarbon profile quickly during the course of evolution and rapidly adapt to external selection pressures.
Endangered species petition for bluefin tuna rejected Federal fisheries managers rejected a petition to list Pacific bluefin tuna as endangered this week, concluding that the species is stable, despite its historic low numbers.
Will the Great American Eclipse make animals act strangely? Science says yes It's not just humans who will be affected by the Great American Eclipse coming on Aug. 21 - expect animals to act strangely too.
The conch is mostly gone from Florida. Can the Bahamas save the queen? The queen of the sea, a monster mollusk that inspired its own republic in Florida but now is as likely to be found in a frying pan or a gift shop as the ocean floor, is in trouble.
	Canada orders reduced ship speeds to prevent right whale deaths Canadian officials on Friday ordered boats including cargo and cruise ships to reduce their speed in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in a bid to protect endangered whales.
Plastic films incorporating N-halamines could sanitize food production facilities Specially designed plastic films can prevent bacterial contamination in the food and biomedical industries, according to research published August 11 in Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
	Philippines to cull 200,000 fowl after bird flu outbreak (Update) The Philippines will cull at least 200,000 birds after confirming its first avian flu outbreak, but no animal-to-human transmission has been reported, officials said Friday.
Philippines declares first ever H5 bird flu outbreak The Philippines declared its first ever outbreak of the H5 strain of bird flu on Friday, but said there had been no cases of humans infected.

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