Science X Newsletter Friday, Jun 7

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for June 7, 2019:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Infusing machine learning models with inductive biases to capture human behavior

A quantum simulation of Unruh radiation

Researchers spot ridge of radio emissions joining two galaxy clusters

Could climate change make Siberia habitable for humans?

USA lags behind EU, Brazil and China in banning harmful pesticides

Industrial methane emissions are 100 times higher than reported, researchers say

Solved: How tides can trigger earthquakes

NIST infrared frequency comb measures biological signatures

New tool integrates diverse single-cell datasets, aids definition of cell types

NASA's Mars helicopter testing enters final phase

With molecular data storage, cat videos could outlast us all

Proof of sandwiched graphene-membrane superstructure opens up a membrane-specific drug delivery mode

Modelling reveals new insight into the electrical conductivity of ionic liquids

When social interaction helps you choose your food

Potassium hunting on protein factories

Astronomy & Space news

	Researchers spot ridge of radio emissions joining two galaxy clusters An international team of researchers has found evidence of a ridge of radio emissions joining two galaxy clusters. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their find and how it fits into cosmological theory.
	NASA's Mars helicopter testing enters final phase NASA's Mars Helicopter flight demonstration project has passed a number of key tests with flying colors. In 2021, the small, autonomous helicopter will be the first vehicle in history to attempt to establish the viability of heavier-than-air vehicles flying on another planet.
	Detection of powerful winds driven by a supermassive black hole from La Palma The supermassive black holes in the centres of many galaxies seem to have a major influence on their evolution. This happens during a phase in which the black hole is consuming the material of the galaxy in which it resides at a very high rate, growing in mass as it does so. During this phase, the galaxy has an active galactic nucleus (AGN).
	NASA to open International Space Station to tourists from 2020 NASA said Friday it will open up the International Space Station to business ventures including space tourism as it seeks to financially disengage from the orbiting research lab.
	Image: Mature galaxy mesmerizes in new Hubble view This striking image was taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3), a powerful instrument installed on the telescope in 2009. WFC3 is responsible for many of Hubble's most breathtaking and iconic photographs.
	Ariane 6 and Vega C—a new generation of European Launch Vehicles ESA strives for the future of Europe in space and key to this endeavor is maintaining access to space.
	Rockets, evaporating droplets and X-raying metals Years of preparation, and the finale is over in six minutes. This month a sounding rocket will launch two ESA experiments to an altitude of 260 km to provide six minutes of weightlessness as they free-fall back to Earth.
	Ariane 6 development on track Europe's Ariane 6 launch vehicle is set to debut with a commercial mission in 2020—industry is carrying out the final tests and starting production. The Ariane 6 launch zone at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana is near completion.
	Unveiling technologies for future launch vehicles ESA safeguards Europe's guaranteed access to space through its Future Launchers Preparatory Programme, FLPP.
	RAS statement on Starlink satellite constellation The Royal Astronomical Society notes with concern the launch of the new SpaceX Starlink constellation of satellites into low-Earth orbit, and the potential impact of this and other programmes on views of the night sky and on astronomical research.

Technology news

	Infusing machine learning models with inductive biases to capture human behavior Human decision-making is often difficult to predict and delineate theoretically. Nonetheless, in recent decades, several researchers have developed theoretical models aimed at explaining decision-making, as well as machine learning (ML) models that try to predict human behavior. Despite the achievements associated with some of these models, accurately predicting human decisions remains a significant research challenge.
	When smartphone finger taps can lead to side channel attack You type, hacker deciphers, your password is doomed. That is the grim scenario being discussed in a paper that is now on arXiv. "Hearing your touch: A new acoustic side channel on smartphones," is by authors Ilia Shumailov, Laurent Simon, Jeff Yan and Ross Anderson.
	Automakers urge California, US to restart mileage talks Major automobile manufacturers urged the Trump administration and California on Thursday to restart negotiations over vehicle mileage standards to prevent a lengthy legal battle, warning that moving ahead with two sets of standards would create instability in the auto market.
	No-say Nissan had tech that drove Fiat Chrysler-Renault idea Nissan wasn't consulted on the proposed merger between its alliance partner Renault and Fiat Chrysler, but the Japanese automaker's reluctance to go along may have helped bring about the surprise collapse of the talks.
	4 in 10 dark net cybercriminals are selling targeted FTSE 100 or Fortune 500 hacking services Exposing the abundant availability and increased demand for tailored malware, network access and targeted hacking services, Dr. Mike McGuire presents his findings at the InfoSecurity Europe conference in Olympia, London on Thursday 6 June.
	Driverless vehicles may lead to traffic congestion in cities A unique simulation for the city of Zurich shows that driverless taxis would not displace personal transport in cities as long as automated private vehicles are also available. Previous simulations assumed too high a demand for automated taxi services, as they did not take into account user preferences regarding flexibility, costs and waiting times.
	A methodology for enabling forensic analysis using hypervisor vulnerabilities data Hardware/Server Virtualization is a foundational technology in a cloud computing environment and the hypervisor is the key software in that virtualized infrastructure. However, hypervisors are large pieces of software with several thousand lines of code and are therefore known to have vulnerabilities. Hence, a capability to perform forensic analysis to detect, reconstruct and prevent attacks based on vulnerabilities on an ongoing basis is a critical requirement in cloud environments.
	AI technology improves critical crack detection in nuclear reactors, bridges, buildings A tiny crack in a nuclear reactor, skyscraper, bridge or dam can cause catastrophic consequences. The Minneapolis bridge collapse, which killed 13 people in 2007, is just one example of what can happen when structural integrity is compromised.
	Banning Huawei would cost EU telcos up to 55 bn euros: industry body Banning Huawei and fellow Chinese equipment maker ZTE from Europe's roll-out of 5G telecom networks would cost EU mobile operators up to 55 billion euros ($62 billion), according to an industry body's internal assessment seen by AFP Friday.
	Facebook stops Huawei from pre-installing apps on phones Facebook said Friday it has stopped letting its apps come pre-installed on smartphones sold by Huawei in order to comply with U.S. restrictions, a move that deals a fresh blow to the Chinese tech giant.
	Europe shows challenges for US regulators targeting Big Tech As U.S. authorities prepare to investigate Silicon Valley's digital giants, they'll look for inspiration—and warnings—from Europe, where regulators have led global efforts to rein in Big Tech with only mixed results.
	How your phone can interrupt the good vibes of a summer music festival For many communities, summertime is festival season. Festivals allow us to escape our everyday lives. Whether it is time spent listening to music outside with our friends or trying out food trucks on date night, community events are a valued part of social life.
	Legislators: Boeing wanted to wait 3 years to fix Max flaw Two key lawmakers said Friday that Boeing planned to delay fixing a nonworking safety alert on its 737 Max aircraft for three years and sped up the process only after the first of two deadly crashes involving Max planes last October.
	Somebody's watching you: The surveillance of self-driving cars Picture the future, where driving is a thing of the past. You can hop in your car or one from a ride-share, buckle up and tell the car where you want to go. During your ride, you can check your email and look up a few things online through your dashboard. Meanwhile, your whereabouts and other details are being tracked remotely by companies. As self-driving cars develop further, autonomous vehicles will play a much larger role in the digital economy as car companies and others harness personalized customer information through geospatial and navigation technologies, combining it with existing financial consumer profiles, according to a study in Surveillance and Society.
	Walmart one-ups Amazon with deliveries direct to refrigerator Walmart said Friday it was readying a new home delivery service where its employees could come inside and stock up customers' refrigerators.
	Report details how islamic state supporters use Telegram Supporters of the Islamic State (IS) want to use social media to share propaganda and their extremist narrative, but they also want to coordinate operations without being detected by law enforcement and investigative agencies. These two goals are fundamentally in conflict, according to a new report from the George Washington University Program on Extremism.
	Ram pickups recalled because air bags may not work in crash Fiat Chrysler is recalling nearly 343,000 Ram pickup trucks worldwide because the air bags may not inflate in a crash.
	Hedge fund buys struggling book retailer Barnes & Noble Struggling bookseller Barnes & Noble said Friday it was being sold to hedge fund Elliott Management, which already owns British-based book retailer Waterstones.

Medicine & Health news

	Worm study sparks hope for slowing muscle decline Muscle decline caused by ageing and certain diseases could be dramatically slowed by stopping a chain reaction that damages cells, new research shows.
	Algorithm provides customized caffeine strategy for alertness A web-based caffeine optimization tool successfully designs effective strategies to maximize alertness while avoiding excessive caffeine consumption, according to preliminary results from a new study.
	Long exposure to protein inhibitor may be key to more effective chemotherapy for cancer Researchers at SMU's Center for Drug Discovery, Design and Delivery (CD4) have succeeded in lab testing the use of chemotherapy with a specific protein inhibitor so that the chemotherapeutic is better absorbed by drug-resistant cancer cells without harming healthy cells. The approach could pave the way for a more effective way to treat cancers that are resistant to treatment.
	Tissue engineering: The big picture on growing small intestines Babies born prematurely often face intense medical challenges, including intestines that are underdeveloped or diseased. While an intestine transplant can benefit some patients, many babies are simply too small to endure this procedure. Children's Hospital Los Angeles surgeon Tracy Grikscheit, MD, is a leader in the field of tissue engineering—growing intestines from stem cells. In an article published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, Dr. Grikscheit and co-authors highlight how stem cell therapy is poised to become a game-changer for these babies.
	AI tool helps radiologists detect brain aneurysms Doctors could soon get some help from an artificial intelligence tool when diagnosing brain aneurysms—bulges in blood vessels in the brain that can leak or burst open, potentially leading to stroke, brain damage or death.
	New technique will help experts make heads or tails of male fertility A new way of analysing sperm that tracks the movement of the sperm tail could enable substantial improvements to male fertility testing.
NHS-funded private sector hip operations worsening health inequality New research examining the impact of outsourcing NHS hip operations to the private sector concludes that continuing the trend towards private provision and reducing NHS provision is likely to result in risk selection and widening inequalities in the provision of elective hip operations in England.
	High fiber during pregnancy reduces risk of celiac disease in children, research finds High fibre intake during pregnancy is linked with a decreased risk of coeliac disease in children, new research presented today at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) has shown.
	The nicotine in e-cigarettes appears to impair mucus clearance E-cigarette vaping with nicotine appears to hamper mucus clearance from the airways, according to new research published online in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
	Autism linked to less empathy in general population—but that may not be a bad thing Researchers have conclusively shown that people with autistic traits show less empathy and reduced understanding of other people's feelings in a new study out today from the University of Bath and King's College London.
	Costs of care similar or lower at teaching hospitals compared to non-teaching hospitals Total costs of care are similar or somewhat lower among teaching hospitals compared to non-teaching hospitals among Medicare beneficiaries treated for common medical and surgical conditions, according to a new study led by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
	Naloxone access law in Pennsylvania falls short A new study from researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago finds that only one-third of pharmacies in Philadelphia carry naloxone nasal spray, a medication used to rapidly counter the effects of opioid overdose, and that many of the pharmacies that do carry the drug require patients to have a physician's prescription for it.
	Rapidly removing fluid from ICU patients in kidney failure linked to increased death risk The faster fluid is removed using continuous dialysis from patients with failing kidneys, the higher the likelihood they will die in the next several months, according to a study published today in JAMA Network Open by University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers.
	Treating core Rett syndrome symptoms A new study published in Neurology reports the drug trofinetide has proven safe and effective in treating core symptoms of Rett syndrome in female children and adolescents.
	Study sheds light on importance of comprehension when obtaining biobanking consent A study from Vanderbilt's Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society is bringing renewed focus on the concept of comprehension of informed consent for research purposes.
	Parents of depressed teens in treatment may also benefit from counseling Teen depression can affect parents' marital satisfaction, a new Northwestern Medicine study has found. Parents often seek mental health treatment for a child struggling with depression, but the treatment shouldn't stop with the depressed teen, suggests the study.
	A revolution in regenerative medicine Every year in the United States, hundreds of thousands of people learn that the pain in their knee or shoulder is a soft tissue that needs repair or replacement.
	6 months treatment with Herceptin is as good as 12 months for preventing breast cancer return A new study co-led by the University of Warwick Clinical Trials Unit has shown that shortening the duration of a therapy for breast cancer patients does not increase the risk of their cancer returning.
	What the US could learn about vaccination from Nigeria To consider that Nigeria, infamous for anti-vaxx campaigns leading to polio outbreaks, has any lessons for Americans may be shocking.
	Study points to need for care in inappropriate use of stigmatising terms in weight management A large quantitative research study has found using the terms "weight" or "high BMI (body mass index)" to describe excess fatness was rated as less stigmatising and less blaming than commonly used medical terms, such as "fat" or "obese."
	Breakthrough in predicting dengue fever outbreaks Researchers have devised a method to forecast outbreaks of dengue—a sometimes fatal mosquito-borne disease—as much as four months in advance.
	Women experiencing domestic abuse nearly three times as likely to develop mental illness Up until now, there has been confusion whether the mental illness or the abuse came first and very few previous studies have been able to demonstrate the direction of the relationship.
	Study looks at app for parents of premature babies Being a new parent of a newborn admitted to a neonatal unit is stressful and challenging. A mobile health app designed to inform and support parents with babies in neonatal care is the focus of a Massey University clinical psychology student's study.
	New online tool predicts individual risks and benefits of joint replacements An innovative online tool devised by researchers from the University of Sheffield will give patients unique personalised information about the risks and benefits of having a joint replacement for the first time.
	Spiritual science: How a new perspective on consciousness could help us understand ourselves Scientists have long been trying to understand human consciousness—the subjective "stuff" of thoughts and sensations inside our minds. There used to be an assumption that consciousness is produced by our brains, and that in order to understand it, we just need to figure out how the brain works.
	Does hitting the snooze button really help you feel better? To sleep or to snooze? You probably know the answer, but you don't prefer it.
	Intermittent fasting: What's the best method? Intermittent fasting is a method of dieting that restricts the amount of time you are allowed to eat. The appeal of these diets is that you don't need to count calories or eat certain foods. But there are so many versions, it's hard to know which one is best. Here's what the research says.
	The problem with mindfulness Mindfulness, it seems everybody's doing it. You might have even tried it yourself—or have a regular practice. Thanks to the help of an app on your phone that speaks to you in dulcet tones, you are reminded to "let go" and to "observe your breath". From the public education to healthcare, the corporate world to the criminal justice system, parliament to the military, mindfulness is promoted as a cure all for modern ills.
	Can a $12 test for ecstasy pills save lives? Well, it's complicated Can a $12 pill test prevent deaths from ecstasy? Our research, published today, finds pill testing provides no magic answer.
	Children are likely to misread fear in dogs—making a bite more likely The benefits of growing up with a pet are well documented—these days dogs are even used in the classroom. That said, we sometimes forget that dogs can still present a risk.
	Risk factors for adolescent binge eating vary by family socioeconomic status Binge eating is prevalent across socioeconomic status (SES) groups in the United States and is linked to depressed mood, anxiety and obesity. A new study involving the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, recently published in The International Journal of Eating Disorders, is the first to explore the impact of several risk factors for binge eating among youth from different socioeconomic groups.
	Encourage your teen to work out for better learning (HealthDay)—Exercise is important for all kids, because it boosts their overall health and wards off excess weight. But it holds added benefit for teens: According to a study in The Journal of Pediatrics, it improves their attention, which can help them do better in school.
	Online intervention may cut unnecessary primary care visits (HealthDay)—An online intervention may be effective in reducing a mother's intention to bring her child to a primary care clinic for low-risk pediatric respiratory tract infections (RTIs), according to a study published in the May-June issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
	Receipt of breast milk increases with gestational age at birth (HealthDay)—Receipt of any breast milk varies with gestational age, ranging from 71.3 percent of extremely preterm infants to 84.6 percent of term infants, according to research published in the June 7 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
	Gastric bypass tied to higher fracture risk versus gastric band (HealthDay)—There is a 73 percent increased risk for nonvertebral fracture after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) versus adjustable gastric banding (AGB), according to a study published online May 15 in JAMA Surgery.
	Teens sleep longer, are more alert for homework when school starts later Preliminary findings from a new study of middle school and high school students suggest that they got more sleep and were less likely to feel too sleepy to do homework after their district changed to later school start times.
Weight-loss patients at higher risk of death from substance use disorders The death rate from drug- and alcohol-related causes in people who've had Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery is nearly triple that of the general public, according to University of Pittsburgh research published today in Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, the journal of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.
	Hundreds of young kids drown in pools each year—keep yours safe (HealthDay)—Summer at the nation's swimming pools and hot tubs means fun for kids, but danger, too.
	Model explores how statins alter multiple sclerosis outcomes (HealthDay)—Simvastatin's beneficial effects on clinical outcomes and brain atrophy in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) are largely independent of cholesterol levels, according to a post hoc study published in the May 28 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
	Opioid safety initiative can decrease opioid prescriptions (HealthDay)—The Opioid Safety Initiative has been effective for decreasing opioid prescriptions among patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty, according to a study published online May 30 in Anesthesiology.
	Out-of-pocket medical expenditure up for cancer survivors (HealthDay)—Cancer survivors have significantly higher annual out-of-pocket medical expenditures than individuals without a cancer history, according to research published in the June 7 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
	FDA targets vaping 'influencers' for online promotions U.S. regulators moved to discipline vaping companies for inappropriately promoting their flavored nicotine formulas through so-called influencers on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites.
VA study backs use of physician assistants, nurse practitioners in diabetes care Veterans Affairs patients with diabetes have similar health outcomes regardless of whether their primary provider is a physician, nurse practitioner (NP), or physician assistant (PA), according to a Durham VA Health Care System study.
	Researchers see stress and trauma in women's stories about abortion A University at Buffalo-led research team has used public narratives, an increasingly popular form of person-centered advocacy offering a forum for sharing previously untold stories, to study the undue stress experienced by women in relation to abortion.
	High levels of rare gut bacteria may be linked to restless legs syndrome Small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) may be more prevalent among patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS), according to preliminary findings from a small, new study.
Study links sleep-disordered breathing to age acceleration Increasing severity of sleep-disordered breathing and sleep disruption are associated with epigenetic age acceleration, according to preliminary results of a new study.
Disturbed sleep linked to mental health problems in natural disaster survivors Preliminary results from a new study suggest that sleep disturbances are associated with mental health problems among survivors of a natural disaster even two years after the event.
	Trial finds vitamin D does not prevent type 2 diabetes in people at high risk Taking a daily vitamin D supplement does not prevent type 2 diabetes in adults at high risk, according to results from a study funded by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. The Vitamin D and Type 2 Diabetes (D2d) study enrolled 2,423 adults and was conducted at 22 sites across the United States. These findings were published June 7 in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the 79th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association in San Francisco.
	FDA: 'Influencers' promoted vaping without suitable warnings U.S. regulators moved to discipline vaping companies for inappropriately promoting their flavored nicotine formulas through so-called influencers on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites.
	Healthy babies start with healthy moms Athletes invest hours practicing before a big game. Runners train for months leading up to a marathon. A mother-to-be should likewise prepare herself for the mental and physical rigor of pregnancy, labor and caring for a newborn.
	Add a sweet surprise to your veggie juice: chocolate (HealthDay)—Juicing nutrient-rich green vegetables like kale, broccoli and spinach gives you a brew of many vitamins and minerals, all in just one cup.
	Quinn on Nutrition: Online nutrition tools It was a tricky moment. I was sitting in a coffee shop ... pastry shop, actually. In walks a former patient who had come to me for weight management. As she walked to a table with her soda and donut, she pretended not to see me. I did the same. Awkward.
	Scholars investigate how mirror activity works A team of researchers from Germany and Russia, including Vadim Nikulin from the Higher School of Economics, have demonstrated that long contraction of muscles in one hand increases involuntary reaction of the other one. Meanwhile, the time between muscle contractions in both hands decreases. The results of the study have been published in Neuroscience.
	Scientists remind immune cells whose side they should be on International group of scientists in the joint study of the laboratory of the Wistar Institute, University of Pittsburgh, and I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University discovered the change in activity of one of the immune cells types called neutrophils during cancer development: they begin to prevent other immune cells from fighting tumors, and thus decelerate treatment. The scientists found protein causing such changes and demonstrated that suppressing its activity in the cells delays cancer development. The research details are published in Nature.
	Job demands, burnout tied to weight gain (HealthDay)—Employees with heavier workloads or who are burned out are more likely to emotionally eat and exercise less, according to a study published online May 30 in the Journal of Health Psychology.

Biology news

	New tool integrates diverse single-cell datasets, aids definition of cell types Single-cell research reveals minute details about cells that may be overlooked in other analyses. Biologists currently use a range of methods to gather single-cell data on diverse tissues and species. One researcher may use in situ (tissue-based) methods to look at DNA methylation in mouse neurons while another uses droplet methods to examine RNA expression in human neurons.
	When social interaction helps you choose your food How do we choose our food? By studying the neurobiological mechanisms involved in food choices of rodents, neuroscientists at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, have identified the important and lasting influence that peers can have on eating habits. Indeed, sensory stimuli linked to social contacts profoundly modify the neural connections of the networks involved in food choice, highlighting the social transmission of a food preference. In addition, these studies, published in the journal Science, highlight the role of social connection in the interpretation of sensory stimuli and in the ability to adapt to the environment. This mechanism, which appears to be deficient in people with autistic disorders, may partly explain their social difficulties.
	CRISPR-associated transposons able to insert custom genes into DNA without cutting it A team of researchers affiliated with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, MIT and the National Institutes of Health has found that CRISPR-associated transposons can be used to insert custom genes into DNA without cutting it. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their new gene-editing technique and how well it worked when tested in a bacterial genome.
	Behavioural correlations of the domestication syndrome are decoupled in modern dog breeds Scientists since Darwin have been intrigued by the simultaneous alteration of multiple morphological, physiological and behavioural traits across a wide range of domesticated animals, such as horses, pigs and dogs. For instance, reduced brain size, floppy ears, increased docility and hormonal changes are commonly seen in domesticated animals but not their wild ancestors. This phenomenon is known as the domestication syndrome, and the traits within this syndrome are assumed to change together in a correlated fashion during domestication. But surprisingly, whether or not any of these traits are in fact correlated has never been formally tested.
	Four new species of plume moths discovered in Bahamas Deborah Matthews hunts for plume moths in darkness, waiting for the halo of her headlamp to catch a brief flicker. About the size of mosquitoes, the delicate, feathery moths fly only a few feet at a time. Matthews must watch for that short flight while keeping clear of poisonwood, cracks in the limestone and sinkholes, common hazards of fieldwork in the Bahamas.
	Phoenix Zoo flying high over 3-week-old baby pygmy owls Conservation specialists at the Phoenix Zoo say they are flying high over the arrival of four big-eyed baby pygmy owls.
	Study reveals potential new disease threats for wild snow leopards The first study to investigate disease threats to wild snow leopards has detected that exposure to infections may pose a threat to this highly vulnerable species, as well as local people and their livestock.
	Keeping food safe from bacteria NUS food scientists have found that a combination of lactic acid with food grade sodium hypochlorite is an effective sanitizer to process fresh organic vegetables.
	New Irish research reveals the secret lives of tiger sharks A team of scientists led by experts from Trinity and a US-based NGO have just returned from the Bahamas where they learned all about the secret lives of the region's tiger sharks.
	This centuries-old river red gum is a local legend worth fighting for In Dr. Seuss's The Lorax, the Lorax famously said: "I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues."
	France to step up wolf culls as population surges Wolf populations in the wild jumped in France last year, a faster-than-expected increase that will prompt the government to increase hunting quotas and take other measures to protect livestock herds, officials said Friday.
	Diabetes can be detected in gut of cats The cat is the only animal, aside from humans and primates, which spontaneously develops type 2 diabetes. Therefore, researchers are interested in studying how diabetes develops in cats in order to learn more about the disease in general.
	14 lions on the loose in South Africa, with nowhere to go A pride of 14 lions is on the loose near a mining community bordering South Africa's Kruger National Park, officials said Friday, and warned members of the public to be alert.
	How brassinosteroid signaling makes roots grow longer under nitrogen deficiency As sessile organisms, plants rely on their ability to adapt the development and growth of their roots in response to changing nutrient conditions. One such response, known to be displayed by plants grown in low nitrogen conditions, is the elongation of primary and lateral roots to explore the surrounding soil. This adaption to the lack of the essential element nitrogen is of particular interest, as it reflects a "foraging strategy," by which the root system can exploit nutrients from a larger soil volume. Until recently, this was the least understood nitrogen-dependent root response. Scientists from the IPK in Gatersleben have now identified the hormone pathway regulating root foraging under low nitrogen conditions and a signalling component that modulates the intensity of this response. These findings open up the possibility of breeding crops with root systems enabling more efficient nitrogen uptake.
	Three elephants found poisoned in Malaysia Three elephants were poisoned to death near a palm oil plantation in Malaysia, officials said Friday, in the latest case of the endangered creatures being killed near human settlements.
	How to develop affordable sensors using slime mold Physarum polycephalum, which literally means "many-headed slime," is a slime mold that inhabits damp and dark habitats, such as decaying wood. Thanks to its ability to respond to stimuli such as light, chemicals and vibrations, this single-celled, self-growing organism has attracted the attention of scientists in recent years. With its behavioral pattern of forming a network of protoplasmic tubes to move towards its food source along the shortest paths, slime mold has been useful for computer science where path planning is a frequently studied topic.

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