Sunday, May 13, 2018

Science X Newsletter Sunday, May 13

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 13, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Elon Musk says LA-area test tunnel almost complete (Update)

NASA plans to send mini-helicopter to Mars

Time travellers welcome at Hawking's memorial service

Dutch firm ASML perfecting 'microchip shrink' for tech giants

Existential debate in US food industry: What is meat?

Humanoid Atlas gets some air and jogs, jumps over log

Astronomy & Space news

NASA plans to send mini-helicopter to Mars

The US space agency said Friday it plans to launch the first-ever helicopter to Mars in 2020, a miniature, unmanned drone-like chopper that could boost our understanding of the Red Planet.

Technology news

Elon Musk says LA-area test tunnel almost complete (Update)

Billionaire Elon Musk says he's almost completed a tunnel under a Los Angeles suburb to test a novel transportation system that would scoot commuters underground on electric sleds called skates.

Dutch firm ASML perfecting 'microchip shrink' for tech giants

They call it "the shrink"—it's the challenge of how to pack more circuits onto the microchips which power everything from our phones to our computers, even our coffee machines.

Humanoid Atlas gets some air and jogs, jumps over log

Boston Dynamics boasts that its robot Atlas is the world's most dynamic humanoid. To support its boast, the team reminds the world that Atlas uses balance and whole-body skills to achieve its two-handed mobile manipulation. A new video leaves little for argument.

Snapchat dials back redesign that riled users

Snapchat got some of its old look back on Friday in an update to a major redesign that riled users and caused growth to stumble.

Parts shortage halts Mercedes-Benz SUV production in Alabama

The parts shortage that halted production at Ford, General Motors and Fiat-Chrysler factories has now forced Mercedes-Benz to stop building SUVs at its plant in the US state of Alabama, the automaker said Friday.

Parents urged to think twice about buying Amazon Echo Dot for kids

Alexa, hold your horses.

Should you be worried that Google wants to do all your chores?

Google will one day be able to drive a car for you. It can help you compose your e-mails and finish your thoughts now, automatically. And now, in a spooky view of the future, it can even make phone calls on your behalf.

Net neutrality rules have an official end date

The Federal Communications Commission's repeal of net neutrality rules will take effect in a month, it announced Thursday.

We asked Google Assistant, Amazon 's Alexa and Apple's Siri 150 questions. Here's who won.

OK Google, we get it. You are smarter than the other assistants.

China's first home-built aircraft carrier begins sea trials

China's first entirely home-built aircraft carrier began sea trials Sunday in a sign of the growing sophistication of the country's domestic arms industry.

Microchips get under the skin of technophile Swedes

It's the size of a grain of rice but could hold the key to many aspects of your life.

ZTE woes loom as US-China trade tensions rise

With a major Chinese smartphone maker on the rocks following US sanctions, the trade spat between Washington and Beijing appears to be taking a turn for the worse for tech firms in the two global economic powerhouses.

VW 'contests' report boss knew of diesel cheating risk

German carmaker Volkswagen rejected Sunday a report that chief executive Herbert Diess knew of the financial risks from the firm's massive diesel cheating earlier than he has so far acknowledged.

Airbus, Boeing fly into lucrative services market

Airbus and Boeing may have built their global success on the back of the transcontinental airliners but they are now eyeing a lucrative if rather less glamorous side of the aviation sector in their battle to dominate the skies—parts and repairs.

Ukraine computer involved in Tennessee elections attack

Investigators found evidence of a "malicious intrusion" into a Tennessee county's elections website from a computer in Ukraine during a concerted cyberattack, which likely caused the site to crash just as it was reporting vote totals in this month's primary.

Trump pledges to safeguard Chinese telecoms jobs (Update)

US President Donald Trump said Sunday he was working with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to prevent telecom giant ZTE from going out of business after it was hit by an American technology sales ban.

UAE launches $45 bn investment to boost refineries

Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. on Sunday announced a $45-billion ($38-billion-euro) investment to modify an existing facility into one of the world's largest integrated refining and petrochemicals plants.

Medicine & Health news

Sun's UV rays a threat to your eyes, too

(HealthDay)—It's not just your skin that needs protection from ultraviolet rays, health experts warn.

Take it from an Olympian, the healthiest Mother's day gift is self-care

Motherhood. Career. Fitness. For many women, it doesn't always feel like all of these can coexist, much less find balance.

Emotion regulation program cuts risky sex behaviors in youth

(HealthDay)—An emotion regulation intervention reduced sexual risk behaviors among at-risk middle school students, according to a study published online May 10 in Pediatrics.

Primary care providers have mixed views on genetic tests

(HealthDay)—Primary care providers view tests for genetic risks of common diseases as useful, but lack confidence in interpreting results, according to a study published in the May issue of Health Affairs.

Tobacco cessation support lacking in mental health facilities

(HealthDay)—Many patients in mental health and substance abuse treatment facilities are not screened for tobacco use or offered treatments to facilitate tobacco cessation, according to research published in the May 11 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

What you need to know about strokes

(HealthDay)—Stroke is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, but a lack of awareness and resources hinder efforts to change that, the American Stroke Association says.

Researching medical marijuana for veterans faces more White House hurdles

As scientists try to research the medical benefits of marijuana, a simple problem has emerged: How do you research marijuana if no one can produce it under federal law?

Ovarian cancer is hard to detect

Ovarian cancer is estimated to affect more than 22,000 women each year and is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women, according to American Cancer Society.

Experts have new advice on prostate cancer screening. Here's why they put it back on the table

In a shift that puts early detection of prostate cancer back on the agenda of middle-aged men and their doctors, a federal panel of experts is recommending that men ages 55 to 69 weigh the potential harms and benefits of prostate cancer screening and judge whether getting tested feels right to them.

It's not just you, we're all living in the United States of Anxiety

Feeling more anxious these days? You've got plenty of company.

Eyes turn to Vermont as it sees success with health system

A Vermont health care organization working to keep patients healthier while reducing costs is being closely watched because of its rate of success—it was within 1 percent of meeting its financial target in its first year and has now been expanded to cover about 18 percent of the state's population, officials said.

Research leads to medication reduction in aged care facilities

Effective intervention can reduce medication overuse in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF's), the latest University of Tasmania research shows.

Trump unveils plan to reduce US pharmaceutical prices

President Donald Trump outlined plans Friday to reduce soaring US prescription drug prices, among the highest in the world, but opposition Democrats accused him of falling short of his election campaign promises.

WHO chief heads to DR Congo over latest Ebola outbreak

The head of the World Health Organization was due in DR Congo on Saturday to aid preparations for "all scenarios" in combatting the latest Ebola outbreak.

Patients, health care workers call for affordable insulin

Activists are rallying in Massachusetts, demanding more affordable insulin.

Insider Q&A: Insurers look beyond medical bills to cut costs

Health insurers are moving beyond medical claims. They want to know if you have a ride to the doctor's office or if you're eating right too.

Biology news

Existential debate in US food industry: What is meat?

Can a hamburger or steak be labeled "meat" if it is plant-based?

Wolves on a plane: How a sanctuary pulled off rewilding 4 critically endangered pups

It was just before 5 a.m. and four critically endangered wolves were tucked under a seat on a commercial flight from St. Louis to Arizona.

Breeding wolverine heralds comeback in Washington's Cascades

The first breeding female wolverine has been documented south of Interstate 90 in modern times, confirming a comeback for the charismatic carnivore in the Cascades.

Lobster industry fears weaker shells, but evidence is mixed

More people outside the U.S. are enjoying the New England tradition of cracking open a freshly cooked American lobster, and that experience hinges on one thing—the lobster getting there alive.


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