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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 10, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Lunar tunnel engineers excited by boring Moon coloniesAs space agencies prepare to return humans to the Moon, top engineers are racing to design a tunnel boring machine capable of digging underground colonies for the first lunar inhabitants. |
 | New water cycle on Mars discoveredApproximately every two Earth years, when it is summer on the southern hemisphere of Mars, a window opens: Only in this season can water vapor efficiently rise from the lower into the upper Martian atmosphere. There, winds carry the rare gas to the north pole. While part of the water vapor decays and escapes into space, the rest sinks back down near the poles. Researchers from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Germany describe this unusual Martian water cycle in a current issue of the Geophysical Research Letters. Their computer simulations show how water vapor overcomes the barrier of cold air in the middle atmosphere of Mars and reaches higher atmospheric layers. This could explain why Mars, unlike Earth, has lost most of its water. |
 | Rare-Earth metals in the atmosphere of a glowing-hot exoplanetKELT-9 b is the hottest exoplanet known to date. In the summer of 2018, a joint team of astronomers from the universities of Bern and Geneva found signatures of gaseous iron and titanium in its atmosphere. Now these researchers have also been able to detect traces of vaporized sodium, magnesium, chromium, and the rare-Earth metals scandium and yttrium. |
 | Odyssey's three views of Martian moon PhobosFor the first time, NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter has caught the Martian moon Phobos during a full moon phase. Each color in this new image represents a temperature range detected by Odyssey's infrared camera, which has been studying the Martian moon since September of 2017. Looking like a rainbow-colored jawbreaker, these latest observations could help scientists understand what materials make up Phobos, the larger of Mars' two moons. |
 | Suppressed star formation in the early universeMassive clusters of galaxies, some with more mass than a hundred Milky Way galaxies, have been detected from cosmic epochs as early as about three billion years after the big bang. Their ongoing star formation makes them bright enough to be detected at these distances. These kinds of clusters were predicted by simulations of cosmological evolution but their properties are very uncertain. Astronomers piecing together the evolution of stars in the universe are particularly interested in these clusters because of their abundance of stars and activity. |
 | Matter around a young star helps astronomers explore stellar historyAstronomers map the substance aluminum monoxide (AlO) in a cloud around a distant young star—Origin Source I. The finding clarifies some important details about how our solar system, and ultimately we, came to be. The cloud's limited distribution suggests AlO gas rapidly condenses to solid grains, which hints at what an early stage of our solar evolution looked like. |
 | Flame design in space may lead to soot-free fireFor decades, scientists have been able to burn fuels in a flame without creating any soot, and they think they know why. They've crunched the numbers and run experiments in high-tech facilities, but there's only one way to be certain about the fundamental relationship between flames and soot: |
 | Space-tourism dream edges toward reality in New MexicoBritish billionaire Richard Branson and his space-tourism company Virgin Galactic announced new steps Friday toward offering thrill rides into the low reaches of space for paying passengers, with the company immediately starting to move personnel and space vehicles from California to a launch and landing facility in the New Mexico desert. |
 | Elon Musk cracks a lewd joke at Jeff Bezos' new 'Blue Moon' landerThe moon lander introduced Thursday by Blue Origin, the aerospace company run by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, has caught the attention of Elon Musk. |
Luxembourg and US agree to deepen cooperation in spaceThe tiny EU country of Luxembourg and the United States agreed on Friday to work more closely on projects in space, including research and exploration as well as defence and commerce. | |
Technology news
 | A face-following robot arm with emotion detectionResearchers at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) have recently developed a face-following robotic arm with emotion detection inspired by Pixar Animation Studios' Luxo Jr. lamp. This robot was presented by Vernon Stanley Albayeros Duarte, a computer science graduate at UAB, in his final thesis. |
 | How to tell whether machine-learning systems are robust enough for the real worldMIT researchers have devised a method for assessing how robust machine-learning models known as neural networks are for various tasks, by detecting when the models make mistakes they shouldn't. |
 | Your Uber has arrived, on Wall StreetUber's next stop is the stock market, where it hopes to pick up more investors willing to bet on a ride-hailing market brimming with potential and conspicuously lacking in profits. |
 | The revolution of plantoidsRobots are usually inspired by humans and animals. But the next frontier is plantoids, plant robots that move and explore the environment with smart sensors. Researcher Barbara Mazzolai has been developing plantoid technology. |
 | AI develops human-like number sense – taking us a step closer to building machines with general intelligenceNumbers figure pretty high up on the list of what a computer can do well. While humans often struggle to split a restaurant bill, a modern computer can make millions of calculations in a mere second. Humans, however, have an innate and intuitive number sense that helped us, among other things, to build computers in the first place. |
How Uber and other digital platforms could trick us using behavioral science—unless we act fastUber's business model is incredibly simple: It's a platform that facilitates exchanges between people. And Uber's been incredibly successful at it, almost eliminating the transaction costs of doing business in everything from shuttling people around town to delivering food. | |
 | People more likely to trust machines than humans with their private informationNot everyone fears our machine overlords. In fact, according to Penn State researchers, when it comes to private information and access to financial data, people tend to trust machines more than people, which could lead to both positive and negative online behaviors. |
Walmart's robot zips along in tech revolution that's raising big questions for workersWhen an autonomous floor scrubber was rolled out in Walmart's Bonney Lake store last month, shoppers mistook the teal blue scrubber zipping down the aisles for a runaway machine, said manager David Klein. "Some customers are a little freaked out." | |
 | Uber shifts into reverse in disappointing Wall Street debutUber shares skidded Friday in a disappointing Wall Street debut following a massive public offering from the global ride-hailing giant. |
 | News Corp shows third quarter profitRupert Murdoch's mass media and publishing company News Corp posted a third quarter net profit of $23 million Thursday, boosted by its HarperCollins book division. |
 | Why does Facebook fail to fix itself? It's partly humansThe question comes up over and over, with extremist material, hate speech, election meddling and privacy invasions. Why can't Facebook just fix it? |
 | Study questions current regulations on light pollution and calls for paradigm shiftAn international study involving researchers from the University of Granada (UGR), Spain, and the University of Krakow (Poland) has found that Spain's current regulations on light pollution are inadequate, as they fail to take into account all the necessary factors—including the key factor of human vision itself. |
 | As Zuckerberg visits, France threatens new rules on FacebookFrance welcomed Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg on Friday with a threat of sweeping new regulation. |
 | Turkey fines Facebook for failing to protect personal dataTurkey's state-run news agency says the country's data protection agency has fined Facebook 1.650 million Turkish lira ($270,000) for contravening data laws. |
 | Uber begins trading nearly 7% below its IPO priceUber began trading as a public company at $42 per share Friday, nearly 7% below its initial public offering price. |
 | Instagram to start blocking hashtags with vaccine misinformationInstagram will start blocking any hashtags spreading misinformation about vaccines, becoming the latest internet platform to crack down on bad health information. |
 | Review: Motorola Moto G7 is the inexpensive Android phone you've been waiting forI'm a tech reviewer, so I think people expect me to carry the newest iPhone—at least that's what I tell my wife. |
 | Lab builds autopilot software allowing UAVs to soar on thermalsA Navy scientist has re-engineered the software that allows long-endurance drones to powerlessly climb into the sky on bubbles of warm air. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Researchers report non-intrusive way to generate large quantities of stem cells from small amount of bloodA discovery by researchers at Queen's University Belfast and King's College London (KCL) could revolutionise treatment for vascular and diabetes related cardiovascular diseases. |
 | Dietary fats entering the brain may explain link between obesity and depressionObesity and depression have long been linked, with previous clinical studies finding an association between these two conditions. However, until now, the mechanisms of how obesity affects depression and vice versa have not been fully understood. |
 | Newly generated nerve cells in dentate gyrus found to impact older nerve cells in two waysA team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in the U.S. reports that newly generated nerve cells in the brain's dentate gyrus impact older nerve cells in two ways. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their study of neurogenesis in mouse models and what they learned from it. María Llorens-Martín, with Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa has published a Perspectives piece on the study in the same journal issue. |
 | Statins' potential to treat multiple sclerosis unrelated to lowering cholesterolThe widely prescribed statin, simvastatin, can medically help patients with secondary progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS)—for reasons that might be unrelated to the drug's intended cholesterol lowering affects, a UCL study has found. |
 | Limiting oxygen could control symptoms of Friedreich's ataxiaFriedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a rare, inherited disorder that causes progressive damage to the nervous system. This damage leads to ataxia—problems with movement and coordination—that worsens with time. Other symptoms, such as loss of strength and sensation in the arms and legs, muscle stiffness, and impaired speech, hearing, and vision, can also result. New research in cell models and in mice suggests that limited environmental oxygen, known as hypoxia, might one day help FRDA patients, although the safety of doing so is yet unknown. |
 | Nanotubes enable travel of Huntington's proteinA toxic protein linked to Huntington's disease can move from neuron to neuron through a nanotube tunnel whose construction is initiated by a protein called Rhes, say scientists at Scripps Research. |
 | Good sleep quality and good mood lead to good working memory with ageA team of psychologists has found strong associations between working memory—a fundamental building block of a functioning mind—and three health-related factors: sleep, age, and depressed mood. The team also reports that each of these factors is associated with different aspects of working memory. |
 | Study sheds new light on urinary tract infections in postmenopausal womenA UT Southwestern study suggests why urinary tract infections (UTIs) have such a high recurrence rate in postmenopausal women—several species of bacteria can invade the bladder walls. |
 | One in five people in England harmed by others' drinking over past yearOne in five people in England have been harmed in some way by others' drinking over the past year, suggest the results of the largest survey of its kind in the UK, published in the online journal BMJ Open. |
 | Is the county you call home a potential measles hotspot?Could a computer model pinpoint where measles outbreaks are likely to occur? |
 | To cheat or not to cheat? Researchers uncover the moral dilemmas of dopingElite athletes are less likely to take banned substances if they consider the morality of what they are doing, and not just the health consequences of doping, according to a new study led by the University of Birmingham and funded by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). |
Whole body MRI may help to detect spread of cancers more quicklyTrials with people with newly-diagnosed colorectal and non-small cell lung cancer suggest that whole body MRI could reduce the time it takes to diagnose the stage of cancers. The results are from two prospective trials with nearly 500 patients across 16 UK hospitals, published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology and The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journals. | |
 | Unpacking the links: Chronic stress, fertility and the 'hunger hormone'Researchers have uncovered a new link between chronic stress and reproductive problems, in a pre-clinical study that shines the spotlight on a hunger-triggering hormone. |
First case of monkeypox virus detected in SingaporeSingapore has reported its first ever case of monkeypox, brought in by a Nigerian man thought to have contracted the rare virus by eating bushmeat at a wedding. | |
 | Hepatitis A infections soaring: CDC(HealthDay)—The number of Americans infected with hepatitis A has grown nearly 300% in just three years, health officials reported Thursday. |
 | Summer is tough for asthma sufferers(HealthDay)—Summertime can bring asthma sufferers a lot of misery, but lung experts say watching for warning signs of breathing trouble can guard against serious complications. |
 | Take steps to prevent a stroke(HealthDay)—Strokes are common but not inevitable. There are ways you can reduce your risk, starting with your blood pressure. |
 | ACS sets goal to cut cancer mortality 40 percent by 2035(HealthDay)—The American Cancer Society (ACS) has set a goal of a 40 percent reduction in overall cancer mortality by 2035, according to a study published online May 8 in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. |
 | Nut intake in first trimester may benefit child neurodevelopment(HealthDay)—Nut intake during the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with long-term child neuropsychological development, according to a study published online May 7 in the European Journal of Epidemiology. |
 | Generic version of Truvada available in U.S. by September 2020(HealthDay)—A generic version of the HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drug Truvada will be available in the United States by September 2020, a year earlier than expected, according to Gilead Sciences. |
 | 2018 saw more employed physicians than self-employed(HealthDay)—In 2018, employed physicians outnumbered self-employed physicians, according to a report from the American Medical Association (AMA). |
 | CDC: HIV racial disparity measure decreased from 2010 to 2016(HealthDay)—If the incidence rates were the same for black women as for white women, an estimated 93 percent of incident HIV infections among black women would not have occurred in 2016, according to research published in the May 10 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. |
 | Opioid doctor and pharmacy 'shoppers' may also shop at home, study findsAs states crack down on doctor and pharmacy "shopping" by people who misuse opioids, a new study reveals how often those individuals may still be able to find opioids to misuse in their family medicine cabinets. |
 | Cancer screening rates decline when patients see doctors later in dayCompared to patients who see their primary care doctor earlier in the day, cancer screening rates decline significantly as the day goes on, according to a new study from researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine and the Wharton School both of the University of Pennsylvania. The researchers, whose findings were published today in JAMA Network Open, believe these rates of decline may be in part due to "decision fatigue"—which results from the cumulative burden of screening discussions earlier in the day—and doctors falling behind in their busy schedules. |
 | Inflamed monkey guts produce Parkinson's-related proteinsThe intestinal linings of monkeys with inflamed bowels show chemical alterations similar to abnormal protein deposits in the brains of Parkinson's patients, lending support to the idea that inflammation may play a key role in the development of the degenerative neurological disorder. |
Opioid addiction: Michigan counties struggle to meet the need for treatmentMore people now die of drug overdoses than car crashes in the state of Michigan, ranking the state among the top third in the country for drug-related deaths. | |
 | Serotonin boosts neuronal powerplants protecting against stressMitochondria in neurons are the powerhouses that generate energy to execute cellular functions and regulate neuronal survival under conditions of stress. Collaborative research by Prof. Vidita Vaidya and Prof. Ullas Kolthur-Seetharam groups at TIFR, along with Dr. Ashok Vaidya, at the Medical Research Centre, Kasturba Health Society, has demonstrated an unusual function for the neurotransmitter serotonin, in the generation of new mitochondria—a process called mitochondrial biogenesis—in neurons, accompanied by increase in cellular respiration and ATP, the energy currency of the cell. |
 | Managers crucial to stamping out bullying in nursingA new research report from Massey University's Healthy Work Group has outlined the management competencies needed to both prevent and manage workplace bullying in the nursing sector. |
 | Study shows gardening had therapeutic effects for psychiatric patientsIt began as a modest investment of space and money—an unused, raised outdoor planter bed at UCLA's Stewart and Lynda Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital and $350 worth of plants, soil and gardening tools. |
 | Many young women find pleasure in sexually explicit material but it still reinforces gender inequalityPornography is ubiquitous, highly accessible, and vivid. It is increasingly influential in the sex lives and sexual development of consumers around the world. |
 | Promising treatment for periodontitis gum regenerationResearchers have designed a safer, faster and cheaper cell-based regenerative therapy approach for the treatment of one of the most common human dental diseases, namely periodontitis. A destructive and painful condition that is marked by inflammation and subsequent loss of the gums and the supporting structures of the teeth, periodontitis is caused by bacteria that trigger inflammation of the gums that surround teeth. The proposed therapy design promises to address periodontitis without the shortcomings and limitations of regenerative therapies to date. By safely and effectively addressing one of the most common human diseases in both a time- and cost- efficient manner, the novel therapy represents monumental advantages to public health. |
 | Treatment to restore natural heartbeat could be on the horizon for heart failureA new therapy to re-engage the heart's natural electrical pathways—instead of bypassing them—could mean more treatment options for heart failure patients who also suffer from electrical disturbances, such as arrhythmias, according to research led by the University of Chicago Medicine. |
 | Cognitive enhancers to boost abilities at work considered acceptable by the publicThe general public largely views the use of cognitive enhancers such as Adderall as an acceptable practice when used by adults in the workplace, suggests a new study from Penn Medicine neurologists, which published this week in AJOB Neuroscience. The researchers, however, found that acceptability of that use depends on several factors, including framing and who is taking them. |
 | Stem cells provide information about neuron resilience in ALSResearchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have developed a stem cell-based model to study the resilience and vulnerability of neurons in the neurodegenerative disease ALS. The results are published in the journal Stem Cell Reports, and could aid in the identification of new genetic targets for treatments protecting sensitive neurons. |
 | Heart arrhythmia can be acquired by people who are stressed, even with no genetic predispositionWhen encountering a charging predator or participating in a triathlon, the human heart responds by beating faster to increase blood supply to muscles. It is a natural and well-understood reaction to stress. |
Medical emergency trial shows value of live video streamingUsing live video streaming from the scene of accidents and medical emergencies to the dispatch team of a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) has public support and the potential to be rolled out across the UK's ambulance network , according to the team behind a scientific study. | |
 | A cup of Joe and you're good to go (Under six a day and you're A-OK)Latte, cappuccino or short black, a morning coffee is an essential for many people looking to kick start their day. But while the humble coffee may be a vital feature of the daily grind, how much is too much? |
 | Scientists identify how the exosomes of the parasite responsible for Chagas disease affect heart cellsA team of scientists from the University of Granada (UGR) has broken new ground in Chagas disease research. This is a serious parasitic disease that affects more than 8 million people worldwide and for which there is currently no treatment. |
 | Researchers discover the Achilles' heel of an aggressive brain cancerGlioblastoma is the most prevalent and also the most lethal type of brain tumour in adults, with no curative treatment currently available. Glioblastomas cannot be surgically completely excised, as the tumour cells are adept at invading tissues and spreading around the brain. In addition, glioblastoma cells are extremely resistant to existing drug therapies. |
 | Working to the beat: How music can make us more productiveMusic makes us happy. Listening to music produces dopamine—nature's happy pill—in the brain. And music also makes us sad. Listening to Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle," Johnny Cash's version of "Hurt" or just about anything by Hank Williams produces tears. In fact, music can evoke every emotion known to man. |
Post-bypass survival linked to civil status and classCivil status, education, and income are factors shown to be clearly associated with duration of survival after a bypass operation. A postoperative patient aged 60 with a spouse or cohabiting partner, high educational attainment, and high income has a median life expectancy five years longer than a corresponding person with no live-in partner, a low education level, and low income. | |
 | HIV prevention drug can curb the epidemic for high-risk groups in IndiaPre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a combination drug used to prevent HIV infection, has already gained significant traction in the U.S. and Europe. The once-a-day pill, when taken consistently, can reduce the risk of HIV acquisition by over 85 percent. A new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases by an international research team suggests that making PrEP available to men who have sex with men (MSM) and people who inject drugs (PWID) in India may be a cost-effective way of curbing the epidemic there. |
Norwegian woman dies of rabies after rescuing Filipino puppyA 24 year-old Norwegian woman died this week of rabies, after she was bitten by a puppy she rescued while on vacation in the Philippines, her family announced. | |
 | Following DASH diet can reduce heart failure risk in people under 75A diet proven to have beneficial effects on high blood pressure also may reduce the risk of heart failure in people under age 75, according to a study led by researchers at Wake Forest School of Medicine, part of Wake Forest Baptist Health. |
 | How much protein do you need for weight loss and muscle growth?(HealthDay)—Low-carb, vegetarian, Mediterranean—whatever your diet, it's important to get enough protein. |
 | Cover up! Don't soak up those sun rays(HealthDay)—Only half of Americans routinely protect themselves from the sun when outdoors, a recent American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) survey found. |
 | Can medical marijuana help kids with autism?(HealthDay)—Medical marijuana extracts appear to help children with autism, reducing their disruptive behavior while improving their social responsiveness, a new Israeli clinical trial reports. |
 | Doctors aware of patient difficulties affording medical care(HealthDay)—Physicians are aware of patients' difficulty with affording medical care and consider out-of-pocket costs in their decision making, according to an article published in a supplement to the May 7 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. |
 | Prehospital Tx guidelines may improve outcomes in severe TBI(HealthDay)—Implementation of prehospital traumatic brain injury (TBI) guidelines is associated with improvement in survival to hospital discharge for patients with severe TBI, according to a study published online May 8 in JAMA Surgery. |
 | Sharing data with surgeons can reduce overuse of Mohs surgery(HealthDay)—Sharing personalized practice pattern data with physicians that is benchmarked to national data for their peers can reduce overuse of Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) among outliers, according to a study published online May 5 in JAMA Dermatology. |
 | New recommendations developed for breast cancer screening(HealthDay)—New recommendations have been developed for breast cancer screening based on a life-years-gained model; the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) official statement was published online May 3. |
Anal cancer is on the rise, especially in women. Should they be screened?Now that actress Marcia Cross has been in remission from anal cancer for about a year, she has a mission. | |
 | Q&A: What to know about superfungus Candida aurisThe multidrug-resistant fungus Candida auris has disproportionately affected New York health care facilities, raising questions about its origins, whether it's here to stay and which health care facilities have been impacted by it. |
 | Trial remedies racial disparities in treatment for early-stage lung and breast cancer patientsResults from a study published in the Journal of the National Medical Association show that a pragmatic system-based intervention within cancer treatment centers can nearly eliminate existing disparities in treatment and outcomes for black patients with early-stage lung and breast cancer. The treatment completion rates before this intervention were 87.3 percent for white patients versus 79.8 percent for black patients. With the intervention in place, treatment completion climbed to 89.5 percent for white patients and 88.4 percent for black patients. |
 | Study: Some biologic treatments for psoriasis may be safer for patientsA common chronic skin condition affecting 125 million people worldwide, psoriasis is an autoimmune disease, a class of disorders in which the immune system attacks the body's own healthy cells. In recent years, new medications—known as biologics—that inhibit the overactive immune system by targeting specific inflammatory pathways, have revolutionized the treatment of psoriasis and other autoimmune diseases. However, until now, few studies have documented the comparative safety of these various biologics. |
Scrap 'Obamacare'? Maybe not all, Trump administration saysScrap "Obamacare"? Well, maybe not all of it. | |
 | Hospital ship plies turbulent waters of Colombia's Pacific coastAs a white ship chugs through the muddy waters of the San Juan River, pirogues from the jungle glide toward it almost reverently, bringing their sick to healers they liken to angels. |
 | New legal data provide details on 22 years of federal and state income security laws for children with disabilitiesTwo new datasets released today on LawAtlas.org provide details on government programs available to children with disabilities and their families: the federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and the state supplemental payment (SSP) programs. |
 | New research reveals link between mental health and pediatric suicide by firearmA new study by UMass Medical School researchers finds hospitals across the United States are seeing a trend in children and young adults being hospitalized as a result of self-inflicted wounds from guns. The research team found that having any mental health disorder was associated with an almost 12 times higher likelihood of having an admission for suicide attempt by firearm. The findings are published in the Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. |
 | NIH trial evaluates long-acting HIV medication unable to adhere to strict daily regimensA clinical trial to evaluate long-acting antiretroviral therapy (ART) for maintaining HIV suppression in people for whom adhering to conventional daily oral ART has been a challenge has begun at research sites across the United States. The study, called Long-Acting Therapy to Improve Treatment Success in Daily Life, or LATITUDE, will help determine whether a combination of two experimental injectable formulations of ART are superior to conventional oral ART in managing HIV infection in this population. |
 | How anti-fat bias in health care endangers livesWhen Ellen Maud Bennett died a year ago, her obituary published in the local newspaper gained national media attention in Canada, though she wasn't a celebrity. |
The poorest pupils spurn school meals, study findsPupils from the poorest backgrounds are the ones most likely to leave school at lunchtime to buy food, a University of Hertfordshire investigation revealed today—and the choice is often chips together with other items high in fat, sugar and salt. | |
Measuring quality of life after pediatric kidney transplantAfter receiving a kidney transplant, children may experience quality-of-life difficulties that underscore the importance of screening transplant recipients for psychosocial function, according to Children's research presented May 4, 2019, during the 10th Congress of the International Pediatric Transplant Association. | |
 | WHO warns Ebola could spread elsewhere if attacks don't stopThe World Health Organization warned Friday that it may not be possible to contain Ebola to the two affected provinces in eastern Congo if violent attacks on health teams continue. |
 | Homemade mayonnaise made easy(HealthDay)—An immersion blender is one of the handiest tools you can have in the kitchen. Not only does it let you whip up a soup or sauce in seconds, it stores easily in a drawer. |
Video games are a 'great equalizer' for people with disabilitiesGaming has been a huge part of Erin Hawley's life since she started playing Atari as a little girl. | |
 | Effects of surgery on a warming planet: Can anesthesia go green?It was early morning in an operating theater at Providence Hospital in Portland, Ore. A middle-aged woman lay on the operating table, wrapped in blankets. Surgeons were about to cut out a cancerous growth in her stomach. |
 | Washington state limits exemptions for measles vaccineParents in Washington state will no longer be able to claim a personal or philosophical exemption for their children from receiving the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine before attending a day care center or school under a measure signed Friday by Gov. Jay Inslee. |
Biology news
 | A plant hormone that speeds root growth could be a new agricultural toolA molecule sold as a food additive has an underground role, too: helping roots grow faster. |
 | New progress in developing an animal model of hepatitis CSmall differences in a liver cell protein have significant impacts on hepatitis C virus replication in mice and humans, findings that could facilitate the development of a mouse model of the infection. The report, led by researchers at Princeton University, was published today in the journal eLife. |
 | Climate change responsible for severe infectious disease in UK frogsClimate change has already increased the spread and severity of a fatal disease caused by Ranavirus that infects common frogs (Rana temporaria) in the UK, according to research led by ZSL's Institute of Zoology, UCL and Queen Mary University of London published today in Global Change Biology. |
 | Study explores the use of robots and artificial intelligence to understand the deep-seaArtificial intelligence (AI) could help scientists shed new light on the variety of species living on the ocean floor, according to new research led by the University of Plymouth. |
 | Crowdfunding brings life-saving water to Myanmar's deerA herd of endangered deer wait under the shade of one of the sparse trees in this parched central Myanmar landscape, watching as rangers dispatch drinking water—a life-saving resource funded by wellwishers across the country. |
 | Rare Asian black bear spotted in Korean DMZA rare Asiatic black bear has been photographed in the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas, Seoul's environmental ministry said. |
 | Genomics uncovers the mystery of the magic drumstick tree—Moringa oleiferaThe moringa (drumstick) tree has medicinal value and is a rich source of nutrients and minerals. Traditionally, its parts are known to confer multiple benefits, including anti-diabetic (leaves), cardio-protective (roots), anti-fertility (roots), anti-inflammatory (roots), anti-microbial (roots), anti-oxidative (leaves, flowers), anti-obesity (leaves) effects. Additionally, the seeds have been used for water purification and as lubricant oil, among other benefits. |
 | Discovery of the photosensor for yellow-green light-driven photosynthesis in cyanobacteriaCyanobacteria, a type of bacteria that perform photosynthesis, utilize a photosensor that regulates green and red light-harvesting antenna proteins for photosynthesis. A joint research team from Toyohashi University of Technology, the University of Tokyo, and the National Institute for Physiological Science found a new photosensor that regulates yellow-green light-harvesting antenna protein in cyanobacteria. Further analysis of the cyanobacterial genomes revealed that this photosensor emerged about 2.1 billion years ago or more, and evolved through genetic exchange (horizontal gene transfer) between cyanobacteria. |
 | How cytoplasm separates from yolkThe segregation of yolk from the surrounding cytoplasm in the very early fish embryo is a key process for the development of fish larva. To identify its underlying mechanisms, biologists at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) teamed up with their colleagues in theoretical physics. The discovery: Actin dynamics in the bulk of the cell drive phase segregation in zebrafish oocytes. |
 | Invasive species are Australia's number-one extinction threatThis week many people across the world stopped and stared as extreme headlines announced that one eighth of the world's species – more than a million – are threatened with extinction. |
 | Ambient plant illumination could light the way for greener buildingsBuildings of the future may be lit by collections of glowing plants and designed around an infrastructure of sunlight harvesting, water transport, and soil collecting and composting systems. That's the vision behind an interdisciplinary collaboration between an MIT architecture professor and a professor of chemical engineering. |
 | We must rip up our environmental laws to address the extinction crisisHumans are causing the Earth's sixth mass extinction event, with an estimated one million species at risk of extinction. |
 | The grandmother effect suggests that proximity is a factor in family sizeThe human species is one of the very few, along with orcas and pilot whales, where females cease to be fertile after approximately 45 years of age. Since the ultimate goal of any living organism is to spread their genes, the evolution of menopause in women has been quite puzzling for scientists. |
 | How I stumbled on a lost plant just north of AntarcticaSunny interludes punctuate showers of rain, hail and sleet as furious winds sweep clouds across the sky. It's a typical summer day on Macquarie Island, a sliver of ocean floor that rose more than 2.5 km from the depths of the Southern Ocean, halfway between Tasmania and Antarctica, around 12 million years ago. |
 | Many cats and dogs carrying fleas with high levels of bacteria, finds Big Flea ProjectAs many as one in four cats and one in seven dogs are carrying fleas, and about 11 per cent of these fleas are infected with potentially pathogenic bacteria, according to a large-scale analysis of owned animals in the UK. Flea bites can be painful and can cause allergic reactions in cats and dogs which is why the Big Flea Project findings highlight the need to re-educate pet owners on flea prevention. |
 | Japanese man jailed for smuggling insects from EcuadorA Japanese man was sentenced to two years in prison in Ecuador for attempting to smuggle a massive haul of creepy crawlies out of the country, officials said Thursday. |
 | Python patrols stalk Florida swamps to staunch marauding serpentsAlong with the venomous lionfish, the Burmese python is perhaps the least welcome invasive species in Florida: lacking any natural predators, it has happily chomped its way through the state's wildlife. |
 | Wild red deer contribute to the preservation of open landscapesSimilar to farm animals such as cattle or sheep, wild red deer grazing in open landscapes can also contribute to the conservation of protected habitats. This was demonstrated by a research team from the University of Göttingen and the Institute for Wildlife Biology of Göttingen and Dresden. The results were published in the Journal of Applied Ecology. |
 | AgriLife Extension releases new publication on mowing warm-season turfgrassMow high, mow low, mow often … ever wonder what the best recommendations are to ensure a beautiful lawn? Not doing it right can be detrimental to warm-season turfgrass, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist. |
 | New professor brings precision data to the dairy barnThe same technology that alerts a self-driving car that there's a pedestrian in the crosswalk could also warn a dairy farmer that a calf is getting sick—even if that calf is mingled among dozens of healthy ones. |
 | Tunisia seizes illegal red coral worth two million eurosTunisian authorities said Friday they had seized 671 kilogrammes of illegally harvested red coral worth two million euros and arrested 10 people on suspicion of trafficking. |
 | Research spotlights the role of cover crops in slowing herbicide resistanceAn article in the most recent edition of the journal Weed Science shows that cover crops can play an important role in slowing the development of herbicide resistant weeds. |
 | Study shows native plants regenerate on their own after invasive shrubs are removedInvasive shrubs have become increasingly prevalent in the deciduous forests of eastern North America—often creating a dense understory that outcompetes native plants. Many land managers would like to remove the invaders, but worry about what happens afterwards. Will they need to launch a costly remediation program to reestablish native plant communities? |
 | A case of the chimp sniffles or major outbreak? Syndromic surveillance may hold the keyTwo sniffling chimps could be one too many for a wild chimpanzee community susceptible to respiratory disease outbreaks, report Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers at the University of Minnesota. The team's findings were a result of their development of a syndromic surveillance system to noninvasively and preemptively detect a potential outbreak of respiratory disease. The study recently was published in EcoHealth. |
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