Science X Newsletter Week 37

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for week 37:

	Gravitational waves provide dose of reality about extra dimensions While last year's discovery of gravitational waves from colliding neutron stars was earth-shaking, it won't add extra dimensions to our understanding of the universe—not literal ones, at least.
	Discovered: Optimal magnetic fields for suppressing instabilities in tokamaks Fusion, the power that drives the sun and stars, produces massive amounts of energy. Scientists here on Earth seek to replicate this process, which merges light elements in the form of hot, charged plasma composed of free electrons and atomic nuclei, to create a virtually inexhaustible supply of power to generate electricity in what may be called a "star in a jar."
	New evidence supports the hypothesis that beer may have been motivation to cultivate cereals Stanford University archaeologists are turning the history of beer on its head.
	Graphene enables clock rates in the terahertz range Graphene—an ultrathin material consisting of a single layer of interlinked carbon atoms—is considered a promising candidate for the nanoelectronics of the future. In theory, it should allow clock rates up to a thousand times faster than today's silicon-based electronics. Scientists from the Helmholtz Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE), in cooperation with the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research (MPI-P), have now shown for the first time that graphene can actually convert electronic signals with frequencies in the gigahertz range—which correspond to today's clock rates—extremely efficiently into signals with several times higher frequency. The researchers present their results in the scientific journal Nature.
	Blazes of light reveal how plants signal danger long distances In one video, you can see a hungry caterpillar, first working around a leaf's edges, approaching the base of the leaf and, with one last bite, severing it from the rest of the plant. Within seconds, a blaze of fluorescent light washes over the other leaves, a signal that they should prepare for future attacks by the caterpillar or its kin.
	A single gene mutation may have helped humans become optimal long-distance runners Two to three million years ago, the functional loss of a single gene triggered a series of significant changes in what would eventually become the modern human species, altering everything from fertility rates to increasing cancer risk from eating red meat.
	Breakthrough opens door to $100 ultrasound machine Engineers at the University of British Columbia have developed a new ultrasound transducer, or probe, that could dramatically lower the cost of ultrasound scanners to as little as $100. Their patent-pending innovation—no bigger than a Band-Aid—is portable, wearable and can be powered by a smartphone.
	Scientists discover a 'tuneable' novel quantum state of matter Quantum particles can be difficult to characterize, and almost impossible to control if they strongly interact with each other—until now.
	Just seven photons can act like billions A system made of just a handful of particles acts just like larger systems, allowing scientists to study quantum behaviour more easily.
	Tai chi: an ancient art may work best to prevent falls in old age (HealthDay)—The ancient practice of tai chi may beat strength training and aerobics for preventing falls among seniors, a new trial shows.
	Superbugs jumping frequently between humans and animals MRSA staphylococcus is an example of a superbug. These bacterial strains are resistant to most antibiotics and can cause serious infections.
	Geologists reveal ancient connection between England and France The British mainland was formed from the collision of not two, but three ancient continental land masses, according to new research.
	Hundreds of electricity-generating bacteria found, including pathogenic, probiotic and fermenting bacteria While bacteria that produce electricity have been found in exotic environments like mines and the bottoms of lakes, scientists have missed a source closer to home: the human gut.
	Half-billion-year-old fossils offer new clues to how life exploded on the sea floor Stephen Pates, a researcher from Oxford University's Department of Zoology, has uncovered secrets from the ancient oceans.
	Artificial intelligence helps track down mysterious cosmic radio bursts Artificial intelligence is invading many fields, most recently astronomy and the search for intelligent life in the universe, or SETI.
	New photonic chip promises more robust quantum computers Scientists have developed a topological photonic chip to process quantum information, promising a more robust option for scalable quantum computers.
	Photoelectrode that can harvest 85 percent of visible light Scientists have developed a photoelectrode that can harvest 85 percent of visible light in a 30 nanometers-thin semiconductor layer between gold layers, converting light energy 11 times more efficiently than previous methods.
	Study shows medical cannabis effective in treating a wide range of health conditions Utilizing new mobile application technology, researchers at The University of New Mexico found that medical cannabis provides immediate symptom relief across dozens of health symptoms with relatively minimal negative side effects.
	Gene therapy shown to remove core component of Parkinson's disease An international team led by Rush researcher Jeffrey Kordower, Ph.D., has moved a step closer to developing a treatment to clear brain cells of a protein that is an integral cause of Parkinson's disease. The team published the findings of their study in the Aug. 22 issue of Nature Parkinson's Disease.
	Dairy consumption linked to lower rates of cardiovascular disease and mortality Dairy consumption of around three servings per day is associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease and mortality, compared to lower levels of consumption, according to a global observational study of over 130,000 people in 21 countries, published in The Lancet.

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