Science X Newsletter Week 45

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for week 45:

	Scientists push back against Harvard 'alien spacecraft' theory A scientific paper led by two researchers at Harvard University made a splash this week by claiming that a cigar-shaped rock zooming through our solar system may have been sent by aliens.
	Autism is associated with zinc deficiency in early development—now a study links the two The emergence of autism in children has not only been linked to genes encoding synaptic proteins—among others—but also environmental insults such as zinc deficiency. Although it is unclear whether zinc deficiency contributes to autism, scientists have now defined in detail a possible mechanistic link. Their research shows how zinc shapes the connections or 'synapses' between brain cells that form during early development, via a complex molecular machinery encoded by autism risk genes. Published in Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, the findings do not directly support zinc supplementation for the prevention of autism—but extend our understanding of its underlying developmental abnormalities, towards an eventual treatment.
	Four base units of measure in the metric system about to be changed Officials with the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) have announced that at a meeting to be held next week, four of the base units used in the metric system will be redefined. The four units under review are the ampere, kilogram, mole and kelvin.
	China unveils new 'Heavenly Palace' space station as ISS days numbered China unveiled on Tuesday a replica of its first permanently crewed space station, which would replace the international community's orbiting laboratory and symbolises the country's major ambitions beyond Earth.
	A faster, cheaper path to fusion energy Scientists are working to dramatically speed up the development of fusion energy in an effort to deliver power to the electric grid soon enough to help mitigate impacts of climate change. The arrival of a breakthrough technology—high-temperature superconductors, which can be used to build magnets that produce stronger magnetic fields than previously possible—could help them achieve this goal. Researchers plan to use this technology to build magnets at the scale required for fusion, followed by construction of what would be the world's first fusion experiment to yield a net energy gain.
	Existing laser technology could be fashioned into Earth's 'porch light' to attract alien astronomers If extraterrestrial intelligence exists somewhere in our galaxy, a new MIT study proposes that laser technology on Earth could, in principle, be fashioned into something of a planetary porch light—a beacon strong enough to attract attention from as far as 20,000 light years away.
	Scientists capture the sound of sunrise on Mars Scientists have created the soundtrack of the 5,000th Mars sunrise captured by the robotic exploration rover, Opportunity, using data sonification techniques to create a two-minute piece of music.
	One step closer to complex quantum teleportation The experimental mastery of complex quantum systems is required for future technologies like quantum computers and quantum encryption. Scientists from the University of Vienna and the Austrian Academy of Sciences have broken new ground. They sought to use more complex quantum systems than two-dimensionally entangled qubits and thus can increase the information capacity with the same number of particles. The developed methods and technologies could in the future enable the teleportation of complex quantum systems. The results of their work, "Experimental Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger entanglement beyond qubits," is published recently in the renowned journal Nature Photonics.
	Graphene on the way to superconductivity Scientists at HZB have found evidence that double layers of graphene have a property that may let them conduct current completely without resistance. They probed the band structure at BESSY II with extremely high resolution ARPES and could identify a flat area at a surprising location. Their research is published in Science Advances.
	Goffin's cockatoos can create and manipulate novel tools Goffin's cockatoos can tear cardboard into long strips as tools to reach food—but fail to adjust strip width to fit through narrow openings, according to a study published November 7, 2018 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by A.M.I. Auersperg from the Medical University of Vienna, Austria, and colleagues.
	Yellowstone streams recovering thanks to wolf reintroduction In the first study of its kind, research by Oregon State University scientists shows that the return of large terrestrial carnivores can lead to improved stream structure and function.
	Silicone breast implant patients face greatly increased risk of autoimmune disease Women with breast implants mostly only had to worry about leaks, but a large-scale Israeli study performed in collaboration with researchers from the University of Alberta confirmed almost one in four implantation patients is at risk of a serious autoimmune disorder.
	Scientist finds elusive star with origins close to Big Bang Astronomers have found what could be one of the universe's oldest stars, a body almost entirely made of materials spewed from the Big Bang.
	Drinking coffee may reduce your chances of developing Alzheimer's, Parkinson's Approximately 500 billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide each year.
	Cancer gets a sting with new discovery Today a paper authored by 44 scientists was published in the scientific journal Nature, reporting a potential new class of immunotherapy drugs to treat some of the most common cancers. The study shows how these molecules work and what they might mean for the future of cancer treatment.
	Air pollution linked to autism: study The study of children in Shanghai, from birth to three years, found that exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) from vehicle exhausts, industrial emissions and other sources of outdoor pollution increased the risk of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by up to 78%. The study included 124 ASD children and 1240 healthy children (as control) in stages over a nine-year period, examining the association between air pollution and ASD.
	Egypt's newly discovered tombs hold mummies, animal statues A top Egyptian antiquities official says local archaeologists have discovered seven Pharaonic Age tombs near the capital Cairo containing dozens of cat mummies along with wooden statues depicting other animals and birds.
	Geoscientists discover an overlooked source for Earth's water Where did Earth's global ocean come from? A team of Arizona State University geoscientists led by Peter Buseck, Regents' Professor in ASU's School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) and School of Molecular Sciences, has found an answer in a previously neglected source. The team has also discovered that our planet contains considerably more hydrogen, a proxy for water, than scientists previously thought.
	DNA of world's oldest natural mummy unlocks secrets of Ice Age tribes in the Americas A legal battle over a 10,600 year old ancient skeleton—called the 'Spirit Cave Mummy' - has ended after advanced DNA sequencing found it was related to a Native American tribe.
	High fat diet has lasting effects on the liver Consuming a high-fat, high-sugar diet causes a harmful accumulation of fat in the liver that may not reverse even after switching to a healthier diet, according to a new study by scientists from Weill Cornell Medicine and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

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