ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines
for Tuesday, June 19, 2012
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Robots get a feel for the world: Touch more sensitve than a human's (June 18, 2012) -- What does a robot feel when it touches something? Little or nothing until now. Specially designed robots can now be equipped with a sense of touch even more sensitive than that of humans. ... > full story
Living alone associated with higher risk of mortality, cardiovascular death (June 18, 2012) -- Living alone was associated with an increased risk of death and cardiovascular death in an international study of stable outpatients at risk of or with arterial vascular disease (such as coronary disease or peripheral vascular disease). ... > full story
Loneliness in older individuals linked to functional decline, death (June 18, 2012) -- Loneliness in individuals over 60 years of age appears associated with increased risk of functional decline and death, according to a new report. ... > full story
Clues to nervous system evolution found in nerve-less sponge (June 18, 2012) -- Scientists have turned to the simple sponge to find clues about the evolution of the complex nervous system and found that, but for a mechanism that coordinates the expression of genes that lead to the formation of neural synapses, sponges and the rest of the animal world may not be so distant after all. ... > full story
Brothers in arms: Commensal bacteria help fight viruses (June 18, 2012) -- Healthy humans harbor an enormous and diverse group of bacteria and other bugs that live within their intestines. These microbial partners provide beneficial aid in multiple ways -- from helping digest food to the development of a healthy immune system. New research shows that commensal bacteria are essential to fight off viral infections. ... > full story
Discovery helps mice beat urinary tract infections (June 18, 2012) -- The bacteria that cause urinary tract infections may take advantage of a cellular waste disposal system that normally helps fight invaders, according to researchers. ... > full story
Highways of the brain: High-cost and high-capacity (June 18, 2012) -- A new study characterizes an influential network within the brain as the "backbone" for global brain communication. A costly network in terms of energy and space consumed, but one with a big pay-off. ... > full story
Chemists use nanopores to detect DNA damage (June 18, 2012) -- Scientists are racing to sequence DNA faster and cheaper than ever by passing strands of the genetic material through molecule-sized pores. Now, scientists have adapted this “nanopore” method to find DNA damage that can lead to mutations and disease. ... > full story
NOAA predicts a near-normal 2012 Atlantic hurricane season (June 18, 2012) -- Conditions in the atmosphere and the ocean favor a near-normal hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin this season. ... > full story
May 2012 global temperatures second warmest on record (June 18, 2012) -- The globally-averaged temperature for May 2012 marked the second warmest May since record keeping began in 1880. May 2012 also marks the 36th consecutive May and 327th consecutive month with a global temperature above the 20th century average. ... > full story
'Facebook for animals' tested on wild great tits (June 18, 2012) -- A new way of analyzing the social networks that link individual animals to each other has been tested on wild great tits. ... > full story
Natural exposure to gamma rays in background radiation linked to childhood leukemia (June 18, 2012) -- New findings demonstrate that there are small effects of radiation even at very low doses. ... > full story
Million-year-old groundwater in Maryland water supply (June 18, 2012) -- A portion of the groundwater in the upper Patapsco aquifer underlying Maryland is over a million years old. A new study suggests that this ancient groundwater, a vital source of freshwater supplies for the region east of Washington, DC and Baltimore, was recharged over periods of time much greater than human timescales. ... > full story
Key part of plants' rapid response system revealed (June 18, 2012) -- Scientists have revealed the workings of a switch that activates plant hormones, tags them for storage or marks them for destruction. ... > full story
Peaches, plums, nectarines give obesity, diabetes slim chance (June 18, 2012) -- Peaches, plums and nectarines have bioactive compounds that can potentially fight-off obesity-related diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to new studies. ... > full story
Carbon is key for getting algae to pump out more oil (June 18, 2012) -- Overturning two long-held misconceptions about oil production in algae, scientists show that ramping up the microbes' overall metabolism by feeding them more carbon increases oil production as the organisms continue to grow. The findings may point to new ways to turn photosynthetic green algae into tiny "green factories" for producing raw materials for alternative fuels. ... > full story
Reflected infrared light unveils never-before-seen details of Renaissance paintings (June 18, 2012) -- When restoring damaged and faded works of art, artists often employ lasers and other sophisticated imaging techniques to study intricate details, analyze pigments, and search for subtle defects not visible to the naked eye. To refine what can be seen during the restoration process even further, a team of Italian researchers has developed a new imaging tool that can capture features not otherwise detectable with the naked eye or current imaging techniques. ... > full story
Particle physics: BaBar data hint at cracks in the Standard Model (June 18, 2012) -- Recently analyzed data from the BaBar experiment may suggest possible flaws in the Standard Model of particle physics, the reigning description of how the universe works on subatomic scales. The data from BaBar, a high-energy physics experiment, show that a particular type of particle decay called "B to D-star-tau-nu" happens more often than the Standard Model says it should. ... > full story
Children, brain development and the criminal law (June 18, 2012) -- The legal system needs to take greater account of new discoveries in neuroscience that show how a difficult childhood can affect the development of a young person's brain which can increase the risk adolescent crimes, according to researchers. ... > full story
Study improves understanding of surface molecules in controlling size of gold nanoparticles (June 18, 2012) -- Researchers have shown that the "bulkiness" of molecules commonly used in the creation of gold nanoparticles actually dictates the size of the nanoparticles – with larger so-called ligands resulting in smaller nanoparticles. The research team also found that each type of ligand produces nanoparticles in a particular array of discrete sizes. ... > full story
Black holes as particle detectors (June 18, 2012) -- Black holes could serve as particle detectors, say scientists. Axions, a hypothetical but not improbable kind of particles, could accumulate around a black hole, creating a "boson cloud". After some time, this boson cloud would collapse, sending out characteristic gravity waves. ... > full story
Yankee Fans keep enemy Red Sox closer (June 18, 2012) -- Fans of the New York Yankees incorrectly perceive Fenway Park, home of the archrival Boston Red Sox, to be closer to New York City than is Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles, psychologists have found. Their research shows how social categorization, collective identification, and identity threat work in concert to shape our representations of the physical world. ... > full story
The weight of nations: An estimation of adult human biomass (June 18, 2012) -- The world population is over seven billion and all of these people need feeding. However, the energy requirement of a species depends not only on numbers but on its average mass. New research has estimated the total mass of the human population, defined its distribution by region, and the proportion of this biomass due to the overweight and obesity. ... > full story
Seeping Arctic methane has serious implications for Florida coastline (June 18, 2012) -- All of the methane escaping into the atmosphere causes more melting ice, oceanographers say, which causes sea levels to rise and could affect coastal real estate values -- sooner rather than later. ... > full story
Wild almond tree oil may combat obesity, diabetes (June 18, 2012) -- A future weapon in the battle against obesity and diabetes could come in the form of an oil derived from the seeds of wild almond trees, according to researchers. ... > full story
Automated pavement crack detection and sealing prototype system developed (June 18, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a prototype automated pavement crack detection and sealing system. In road tests, the system was able to detect cracks smaller than one-eighth-inch wide and efficiently fill cracks from a vehicle moving at a speed of three miles per hour. ... > full story
Antitoxin strategy may help target other pathogens (June 18, 2012) -- “Beads on a string” approach may reduce cost and development time for agents that neutralize and clear pathogenic molecules. ... > full story
Ancient warming greened Antarctica, study finds (June 17, 2012) -- A new study finds ancient Antarctica was much warmer and wetter than previously suspected. The climate was suitable to support substantial vegetation -- including stunted trees -- along the edges of the frozen continent. ... > full story
Sustainability index that looks beyond GDP launched (June 17, 2012) -- The world's fixation on economic growth ignores a rapid and largely irreversible depletion of natural resources that will seriously harm future generations, according to a report which unveils a new indicator aimed at encouraging sustainability -- the Inclusive Wealth Index (IWI). The IWI looks beyond the traditional economic and development yardsticks of GDP and HDI to include a full range of assets such as manufactured, human and natural capital. ... > full story
Expansion of forests in the European Arctic could result in the release of carbon dioxide (June 17, 2012) -- Carbon stored in Arctic tundra could be released into the atmosphere by new trees growing in the warmer region, exacerbating climate change, scientists have revealed. ... > full story
Lariats: How RNA splicing decisions are made (June 17, 2012) -- Lariats are discarded byproducts of RNA splicing, the process by which genetic instructions for making proteins are assembled. A new study has found hundreds more lariats than ever before, yielding new information about how splicing occurs and how it can lead to disease. ... > full story
Controlling hand movements : Manipulation of specific neural circuit buried in complicated brain networks in primates (June 17, 2012) -- Scientists have developed "the double viral vector transfection technique," which can deliver genes to a specific neural circuit by combining two new kinds of gene transfer vectors. With this method, they found that "indirect pathways," which were suspected to have been left behind in the course of evolution, actually plays an important role in the highly developed dexterous hand movements. ... > full story
Ionic liquid improves speed and efficiency of hydrogen-producing catalyst (June 16, 2012) -- The design of a nature-inspired material that can make energy-storing hydrogen gas has gone holistic. Usually, tweaking the design of this particular catalyst -- a work in progress for cheaper, better fuel cells -- results in either faster or more energy efficient production but not both. Now, researchers have found a condition that creates hydrogen faster without a loss in efficiency. ... > full story
Natural antioxidant can protect against cardiovascular disease (June 16, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered an enzyme that, when found at high levels and alongside low levels of HDL (good cholesterol), can dramatically reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. ... > full story
Freud's theory of unconscious conflict linked to anxiety symptoms (June 16, 2012) -- An experiment that Sigmund Freud could never have imagined 100 years ago may help lend scientific support for one of his key theories, and help connect it with current neuroscience. ... > full story
Low-dose vitamin D may not prevent fractures in healthy women –- what about higher doses? (June 16, 2012) -- Vitamin D and calcium are dietary requirements, but it’s unclear how much is best for us. New draft findings conclude that for healthy, postmenopausal women, daily supplementation with low levels of vitamin D — up to 400 international units — combined with 1,000 milligrams of calcium, does not reduce fracture risk. ... > full story
California physicians unprepared for electronic health record regulations (June 16, 2012) -- Electronic health records (EHRs) are used widely by California physicians, but many of their systems are not designed to meet new federal standards aimed at improving the quality of health care, according to a new report. ... > full story
Inexpensive approach to preventing type 2 diabetes shows promise (June 16, 2012) -- A simple, inexpensive method for preventing type 2 diabetes that relies on calling people and educating them on the sort of lifestyle changes they could make to avoid developing the disease has proven effective in a study conducted by researchers. ... > full story
Nanoparticles hold promise to improve blood cancer treatment (June 15, 2012) -- Researchers have engineered nanoparticles that show great promise for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), an incurable cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow. ... > full story
Answer isn't always on the 'tip of the tongue' for older adults (June 15, 2012) -- Has your memory failed you today, such as struggling to recall a word that's "on the tip of your tongue?" If so, you're not alone. ... > full story
Graduated driving laws reduce teen drunk driving (June 15, 2012) -- State laws that limit driving privileges for teens have reduced the incidence of drinking and driving among the nation's youngest licensees, according to a new study. The vast majority of states now have laws that limit teen driving privileges and impose stiff penalties for driving under the influence. ... > full story
Smoking-cessation 'quitlines' could help identify hazardous drinkers (June 15, 2012) -- Few if any smoking-cessation "quitlines" routinely screen and counsel callers about their alcohol use. A new study has examined drinking patterns among smokers calling the New York State Smokers' Quitline. Smokers calling the quitline who reported a hazardous drinking pattern also had lower smoking-cessation rates. Quitlines could potentially identify hazardous drinkers and perhaps provide brief alcohol interventions. ... > full story
Researchers find a strong association between alcohol dependence and chromosome 5q13.2 (June 15, 2012) -- There is a strong genetic influence on the risk of developing alcohol dependence (AD). Copy number variations (CNVs) refer to a class of genetic variation that can delete and duplicate whole genes, leading to powerful genetic effects. A first-of-its-kind study has found a significant association between AD and CNVs on chromosome 5q13.2. ... > full story
Fish shed light on human melanoma (June 15, 2012) -- Zebrafish, a transparent member of the minnow family, are providing insight into human melanoma – a form of skin cancer – that may lead to new or repurposed drug treatments, for skin and other cancers. ... > full story
No Earth impact in 2040: NASA releases workshop data and findings on asteroid 2011 AG5 (June 15, 2012) -- Researchers anticipate that asteroid 2011 AG5, discovered in January 2011, will fly safely past and not impact Earth in 2040. Observations to date indicate there is a slight chance that AG5 could impact Earth in 2040. Experts are now confident that in the next four years, analysis of space and ground-based observations will show the likelihood of 2011 AG5 missing Earth to be greater than 99 percent. ... > full story
Scientists tie DNA repair to key cell signaling network (June 15, 2012) -- Researchers have found a surprising connection between a key DNA-repair process and a cellular signaling network linked to aging, heart disease, cancer and other chronic conditions. ... > full story
Cancer's next magic bullet may be magic shotgun (June 15, 2012) -- A new approach to drug design promises to help identify future drugs to fight cancer and other diseases that will be more effective and have fewer side effects. ... > full story
New surgery may reverse hand paralysis (June 15, 2012) -- A reconstructive neurosurgeon has pioneered a novel technique to restore hand function in patients with spinal cord injury. In a delicate four-hour procedure, he splices together tiny nerve endings, only one millimeter in width, to help restore hand mobility. ... > full story
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