ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Thursday, May 31, 2012
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Evolution of birds is result of a drastic change in how dinosaurs developed (May 30, 2012) -- Researchers have found evidence that the evolution of birds is the result of a drastic change in how dinosaurs developed. Scientists have long understood that modern birds descended from dinosaurs. Rather than take years to reach sexual maturity, as many dinosaurs did, birds sped up the clock -- some species take as little as 12 weeks to mature -- allowing them to retain the physical characteristics of baby dinosaurs. ... > full story
New properties of carbon material graphene discovered (May 30, 2012) -- Scientists have shown that graphene has two properties that could have applications in high-speed telecommunications devices and laser technology -- population inversion of electrons and broadband optical gain. ... > full story
The special scent of age: Body odor gives away age (May 30, 2012) -- Humans can identify the age of other humans based on differences in body odor. Much of this ability is based on the capacity to identify odors of elderly individuals, and contrary to popular supposition, the so-called "old-person smell" is rated as less intense and less unpleasant than body odors of middle-aged and young individuals. ... > full story
Female choice key to evolutionary shift to modern family (May 30, 2012) -- How females chose their mates played a critical role in human evolution by leading to monogamous relationships, which laid the foundation for the institution of the modern family. ... > full story
Potentially civilization-ending super-eruptions may have surprisingly short fuses (May 30, 2012) -- Super-eruptions are potentially civilization-ending events and new research suggests that they may have surprisingly short fuses. ... > full story
Could sarcastic computers be in our future? New math model can help computers understand inference (May 30, 2012) -- Researchers have created a mathematical model that helps predict pragmatic reasoning and may eventually lead to the manufacture of machines that can better understand inference, context and social rules. ... > full story
Marriage may make people happier (May 30, 2012) -- Married people may be happier in the long run than those who aren't married, according to new research. ... > full story
Eat healthy -- your kids are watching (May 30, 2012) -- If lower-income mothers want kids with healthy diets, it's best to adopt healthy eating habits themselves and encourage their children to eat good foods rather than use force, rewards or punishments, says a new study. ... > full story
Potential new HIV vaccine/therapy target (May 30, 2012) -- A new discovery may shed light on the mystery of why some people infected with HIV are better able to control the virus, live longer and have fewer associated health problems than others who have been infected as long. It also provides a potential new target for developing therapies or vaccines. ... > full story
Nanodevice manufacturing strategy using DNA 'Building blocks' (May 30, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a method for building complex nanostructures out of interlocking DNA "building blocks" that can be programmed to assemble themselves into precisely designed shapes. With further development, the technology could one day enable the creation of new nanoscale devices that deliver drugs directly to disease sites. ... > full story
Tiny genetic variations led to big changes in the evolving human brain (May 30, 2012) -- Changes to just three genetic letters among billions led to evolution and development of the mammalian motor sensory network, and laid the groundwork for the defining characteristics of the human brain, researchers report. ... > full story
Tomato genome gets fully sequenced -- paves way to healthier fruits, veggies (May 30, 2012) -- For the first time, the genome of the tomato, Solanum lycopersicum, has been decoded, and it becomes an important step toward improving yield, nutrition, disease resistance, taste and color of the tomato and other crops. The full genome sequence, as well as the sequence of a wild relative, is has just been completed. ... > full story
Stellar archeology traces Milky Way's history (May 30, 2012) -- Unfortunately, stars don't have birth certificates. So, astronomers have a tough time figuring out their ages. Knowing a star's age is critical for understanding how our Milky Way galaxy built itself up over billions of years from smaller galaxies. But an astronomer has now found the next best thing to a star's birth certificate. ... > full story
Landslides linked to plate tectonics create the steepest mountain terrain (May 30, 2012) -- New research shows some of the steepest mountain slopes in the world got that way because of the interplay between terrain uplift associated with plate tectonics and powerful streams cutting into hillsides, leading to large landslides. ... > full story
Why Earth is not an ice ball: Possible explanation for faint young sun paradox (May 30, 2012) -- More than 2 billion years ago, a much fainter sun should have left the Earth as an orbiting ice ball. Why we avoided the deep freeze is a question that has puzzled scientists, but one astronomer might have an answer. ... > full story
First epigenome in Europe completed (May 30, 2012) -- Scientists have now completed the first epigenome in Europe. ... > full story
Despite less play, children's use of imagination increases over two decades (May 30, 2012) -- Children today may be busier than ever, but psychologists have found that their imagination hasn't suffered -- in fact, it appears to have increased. ... > full story
Light-induced delivery of nitric oxide eradicates drug-resistant bacteria (May 30, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a novel approach for eradicating drug-resistant bacteria from wounds and skin infections, using light to trigger the controlled release of nitric oxide. Medical researchers developed a photoactive compound that releases nitric oxide when exposed to light, and loaded it into a porous, biocompatible material that could be applied as a sprayable powder. ... > full story
A trained palate: Understanding complexities of taste, smell could lead to improved diet (May 30, 2012) -- Researchers have made some fundamental discoveries about how people taste, smell and detect flavor, and why they love some foods much more than others. The findings could lead to the Holy Grail of nutrition -- helping people learn to really like vegetables. ... > full story
To spread, nervous system viruses sabotage cell, hijack transportation (May 30, 2012) -- Researchers have found that herpes and other viruses that attack the nervous system may thrive by disrupting cell function in order to hijack a neuron's internal transportation network and spread to other cells. ... > full story
Genetic variant increases risk of heart rhythm dysfunction, sudden death (May 30, 2012) -- Cardiovascular researchers have identified a genetic variant in a cardiac protein that can be linked to heart rhythm dysfunction. ... > full story
First prehistoric twins discovered in Iberian Peninsula (May 30, 2012) -- Researchers in Spain have discovered the remains of newborn twin girls in the archaeological site of Olèrdola in Barcelona. They date back to between the middle of the 4th century B.C. to the beginning of the 2nd century B.C. The findings are the first bone remains of twins to be recorded in the Iberian Peninsula. ... > full story
More atomic hydrogen gas lurks in universe: There's more star-stuff out there, but it's not dark matter (May 30, 2012) -- More atomic hydrogen gas -- the ultimate fuel for stars -- is lurking in today's universe than we thought, astronomers have found. This is the first accurate measurement of this gas in galaxies close to our own. ... > full story
Genes predict if medication can help you quit smoking (May 30, 2012) -- A new study shows the same gene variations that make it difficult to stop smoking also increase the likelihood that heavy smokers will respond to nicotine-replacement therapy and drugs that thwart cravings. The finding suggests it may one day be possible to predict which patients are most likely to benefit from drug treatments for nicotine addiction. ... > full story
People know when to move from task to task (May 30, 2012) -- People make decisions all the time and previous studies suggest that while we are good at making low-level perceptual choices, we're not so good when it comes decisions that require higher-level analysis. A new study provides evidence that people are better at decision-making than previously thought, showing that people are good at balancing the time they spend on various tasks, regardless of whether they are high-level or low-level tasks. ... > full story
BioChip may make diagnosis of leukemia and HIV faster, cheaper (May 30, 2012) -- Inexpensive, portable devices that can rapidly screen cells for leukemia or HIV may soon be possible thanks to a chip that can produce three-dimensional focusing of a stream of cells, according to researchers. ... > full story
Got nectar? To hawkmoths, humidity is a cue (May 30, 2012) -- Humidity emanating from a flower's nectar stores tells moths if the flower is worth a visit, entomologists have discovered. The study sheds light onto a previously unknown mechanism used by pollinating insects to assess nectar rewards in blooming plants. ... > full story
Speeding up drug discovery with rapid 3-D mapping of proteins (May 30, 2012) -- A new method for rapidly solving the three-dimensional structures of a special group of proteins, known as integral membrane proteins, may speed drug discovery by providing scientists with precise targets for new therapies. ... > full story
Freecycling has viral effect on community spirit and generosity (May 30, 2012) -- Reinforcing that the best things in life are free, a new study shows that online freebie-exchange communities such as "Freecycle" and "Couchsurfing" foster greater team spirit among their members than do cash-for-goods websites. ... > full story
Exercise and a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables extends life expectancy in women in their 70s (May 30, 2012) -- Women in their seventies who exercise and eat healthy amounts of fruits and vegetables have a longer life expectancy, according to new research. ... > full story
Misuse of over-the-counter pain medication is potential health threat (May 30, 2012) -- A significant number of adults are at risk of unintentionally overdosing on over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication, according to a new study. ... > full story
Arctic bacteria help in the search to find life on Jupiter's moon Europa (May 30, 2012) -- In a fjord in Canada, scientists have found a landscape similar to one of Jupiter's icy moons: Europa. It consists of a frozen and sulfurous environment, where sulfur associated with Arctic bacteria offer clues for the upcoming missions in the search for traces of life on Europa. ... > full story
Pollution deadening contruction: Nanoparticle coating interacts with sunlight to eliminate contaminants (May 30, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a type of coating for construction materials. It is based on nanoparticles that interact with sunlight and trigger a chemical reaction that eliminates certain air pollutants. It is reckoned that the reduction in atmospheric pollution could be 90% of nitrogen oxides, 80% of hydrocarbons, and 75% of carbon monoxides emitted. ... > full story
The environment and pharmaceuticals and personal care products: What are the big questions? (May 30, 2012) -- Researchers are developing a better understand the impacts of chemicals used in pharmaceuticals and in personal care products, such as cosmetics, soaps, perfumes, deodorants and toothpastes (PPCPs), on the natural environment. ... > full story
Microreactors to produce explosive materials (May 30, 2012) -- The larger the reaction vessel, the quicker products can be made – or so you might think. Microreactors show just how wrong that assumption is: in fact, they can be used to produce explosive materials – nitroglycerine, for instance – around ten times faster than in conventional vessels, and much more safely as well. ... > full story
Ketamine improved bipolar depression within minutes, study suggests (May 30, 2012) -- Bipolar disorder is a serious and debilitating condition where individuals experience severe swings in mood between mania and depression. The episodes of low or elevated mood can last days or months, and the risk of suicide is high. ... > full story
Cheaper catalysts with the finest gold dust in the world (May 30, 2012) -- Scientists have found a method to locate single gold atoms on a surface. This should pave the way to better and cheaper catalysts. ... > full story
Hear to see: New method for the treatment of visual field defects (May 30, 2012) -- Patients who are blind in one side of their visual field benefit from presentation of sounds on the affected side. After passively hearing sounds for an hour, their visual detection of light stimuli in the blind half of their visual field improved significantly. Neural pathways that simultaneously process information from different senses are responsible for this effect. ... > full story
Cellular computers? Scientists train cells to perform boolean functions (May 30, 2012) -- Scientists have engineered cells that behave like AND and OR Boolean logic gates, producing an output based on one or more unique inputs. This feat could eventually help researchers create computers that use cells as tiny circuits. ... > full story
New findings on astronaut vision loss (May 30, 2012) -- Could vision changes experienced by astronauts be linked to a vitamin B-12 or folate deficiency? While investigating the vision changes recently identified in astronauts, nutritional assessment data showed similarities to symptoms that occur with vitamin deficiencies, according to a new study. ... > full story
NASA lunar spacecraft complete prime mission ahead of schedule (May 30, 2012) -- A NASA mission to study the moon from crust to core has completed its prime mission earlier than expected. The team of NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission, with twin probes named Ebb and Flow, is now preparing for extended science operations starting Aug. 30 and continuing through Dec. 3, 2012. ... > full story
Iconic New Zealand reptile shows chewing is not just for mammals (May 29, 2012) -- The tuatara, an iconic New Zealand reptile, chews its food in a way unlike any other animal on the planet -- challenging the widespread perception that complex chewing ability is closely linked to high metabolism. ... > full story
21st century bloodletting reduces cardiovascular risk (May 29, 2012) -- It seems that while the practice of bloodletting throughout history had little or no effect on most diseases, and the practice was abandoned in the 19th century, new research demonstrates that blood donation has real benefits for obese people with metabolic syndrome. Two sessions of bloodletting were enough to improve blood pressure and markers of cardiovascular disease. ... > full story
Antioxidant shows promise as treatment for certain features of autism (May 29, 2012) -- A specific antioxidant supplement may be an effective therapy for some features of autism, according to a pilot trial that involved 31 children with the disorder. ... > full story
Mathematicians can conjure matter waves inside an invisible hat (May 29, 2012) -- Mathematicians have devised an amplifier that can boost light, sound or other waves while hiding them inside an invisible container. ... > full story
Copper-nickel nanowires could be perfect fit for printable electronics (May 29, 2012) -- Chemists have mixed some nickel into their recipe for low-cost copper nanowires to prevent them from turning green like old pennies. The flexible, electrically conductive nanowires conduct electricity even under conditions that break down the transfer of electrons in plain silver and copper nanowires. Films made with copper-nickel nanowires are stable and inexpensive, good candidates for printed electronics, electronic paper, smart packaging and interactive clothing, said a chemist. ... > full story
Chemical fingerprinting tracks the travels of little brown bats (May 29, 2012) -- A novel technique using stable hydrogen isotopes —- a chemical fingerprint found in tissues such as hair —- has enabled researchers to determine where hibernating bats originated. Knowing that could help predict and ultimately manage the spread of white-nose syndrome. ... > full story
Facts in scientific drug literature may not be (May 29, 2012) -- A growing concern with fraud and misconduct in published drug studies has led researchers to investigate the extent and reasons for retractions in the research. ... > full story
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