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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for July 4, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Deep-CEE: The AI deep learning tool helping astronomers explore deep spaceGalaxy clusters are some of the most massive structures in the cosmos, but despite being millions of lightyears across, they can still be hard to spot. Researchers at Lancaster University have turned to artificial intelligence for assistance, developing "Deep-CEE" (Deep Learning for Galaxy Cluster Extraction and Evaluation), a novel deep learning technique to speed up the process of finding them. Matthew Chan, a Ph.D. student at Lancaster University, is presenting this work at the Royal Astronomical Society's National Astronomy meeting on 4 July at 3:45pm in the Machine Learning in Astrophysics session. |
 | The mission of a lifetime: a drone on Titan in 2034Elizabeth Tuttle was overjoyed when, on June 26, she received a call from NASA: her project to send a drone copter to Titan, Saturn's largest moon, was given the green light and a budget of nearly a billion dollars. |
 | Collision course: Amateur astronomers play a part in efforts to keep space safeHeavy traffic is commonplace on Earth but now congestion is becoming an increasing problem in space. With over 22,000 artificial satellites in orbit it is essential to keep track of their positions in order to avoid unexpected collisions. Amateur astronomers from the Basingstoke Astronomical Society have been helping the Ministry of Defence explore what is possible using high-end consumer equipment to track objects in space. |
 | Asteroid Vesta originates from a cosmic 'hit-and-run' collisionThe asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter preserves the processes of planetary formation, frozen in time. Vesta, the second largest asteroid in this belt, provides an outstanding opportunity for scientists to investigate the origin and formation of planets. In particular, Vesta has kept its crust, mantle and metallic core, much like Earth. Careful mapping of Vesta by NASA's Dawn mission showed that the crust at the south pole of Vesta is unusually thick. |
 | Flying on Saturn's moon Titan: What we could discover with NASA's new Dragonfly missionFlying on other worlds is the next leap in the exploration of our solar system. The Mars Helicopter will piggyback on the NASA Mars 2020 rover mission to demonstrate the technology. But this is only the start. The real prize will be the Dragonfly mission in 2026, sending a drone to Saturn's largest moon, Titan – as just announced by NASA. |
Technology news
 | Do passengers prefer autonomous vehicles driven like machines or like humans?Passenger and pedestrian confidence and acceptance will be key to the future and development of autonomous vehicles so researchers at WMG at the University of Warwick have just conducted and reported an experiment to see which autonomous vehicles driving style engendered the highest levels of confidence among autonomous vehicles passengers—driving with full machine efficiency, or driving in a way that emulates average human driving. The surprising result was that neither was optimal but that a blend of both might be best. |
 | Canon sees crowdfunding opportunity for little clippable cameraCanon has turned to crowdfunding for a camera. The camera, said the campaign page, is feature-packed: 13.0 Megapixel 1/3-inch CMOS sensor, full HD video shooting at 1080p up to 60fps, Bluetooth and wireless connectivity. |
 | Facebook services back online after worldwide outageFacebook said it was "back at 100 percent" Wednesday evening after an outage on all of its services affected users in various parts of the world. |
 | French lawmakers approve 3% tax on online giantsFrance's lower house of parliament approved Thursday a small, pioneering tax on internet giants like Google, Amazon and Facebook—and the French government hopes other countries will follow suit. |
 | Sharing control with robots may make manufacturing safer, more efficientHulking robots common to assembly line manufacturing tend to be loners. They often cut, bend and weld metal inside cages and behind barriers meant to safely separate them from human workers. |
 | Are self-driving cars really the answer for older drivers?With more of us living longer, driving is becoming increasingly important in later life, helping us to stay independent, socially connected and mobile. |
 | Wimbledon reworks AI tech to reduce bias in game highlightsEfforts to make artificial intelligence fairer now extend to Wimbledon's courts. |
 | We subscribe to movies and music, why not transport?Many mainstays in our lives—phones, personal music libraries and movies—began as pay-as-you-go services. But subscription services are starting to rule, from iTunes shifting to Apple Music, and "all-you-can-watch" subscriptions to the Netflix catalogue. |
 | New technologies are gearing up to find fugitive methane leaksA suite of new technologies may soon be patrolling for fugitive —invisible but harmful —natural gas leaks from the oil and gas sector. Our recent study suggests that drones, aircraft, trucks, fixed sensors and even satellites may be poised to help find gas leaks quickly, preventing damage to the environment and human health. |
 | New Zealand slams Google over murder case gaffeGoogle was accused of "giving the middle finger" by New Zealand's Justice Minister Thursday, after the US tech giant refused to tighten publication standards after breaching court suppression orders in a high-profile murder case. |
 | Making wireless communication more energy efficientOmer Tanovic, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, joined the Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems (LIDS) because he loves studying theory and turning research questions into solvable math problems. But Omer says that his engineering background—before coming to MIT he received undergraduate and master's degrees in electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina—has taught him never to lose sight of the intended applications of his work, or the practical parameters for implementation. |
 | French MPs back giving online platforms 24 hours to remove hate speechFrench MPs on Thursday backed a proposal to give online platforms just 24 hours to remove hate speech or face hefty fines, the latest initiative in Europe to tackle online racism, anti-Semitism, sexism and homophobia. |
 | Instagram's new group chats sticker for Stories lets your followers request to joinInstagram is making it easier to get in touch with your circle of friends. |
 | If you're traveling July 4th, be careful with free Wi-Fi and protect your dataYou can protect yourself during the holiday weekend if you change your passwords twice, subscribe to a VPN app, encrypt your data and avoid using public Wi-Fi in a hotel, restaurant or airport, says security expert Ted Harrington. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Tiny change has big effects, reverses prediabetes in miceA small chemical change—shifting the position of two hydrogen atoms—makes the difference between mice that are healthy and mice with insulin resistance and fatty liver, major risk factors for diabetes and heart disease. Making the change prevented the onset of these symptoms in mice fed a high-fat diet and reversed prediabetes in obese mice. |
 | Simpler name for cancer genetic syndrome could save livesAs medical science links certain genetic mutations with a greater variety of cancers, the names for these risk syndromes are falling out of step. |
 | Sports playbook helps doctors predict cancer patient outcomesIn this season of global soccer competitions and hotly contested political primaries, bookies and pundits are scouring every evolving scrap of information and sifting through mountains of data in an effort to predict the outcome of the next game or election. These predictions can change on a dime, however, based on a player's poor pass or a candidate's stellar debate performance. |
 | Genes could play a role in tooth decay and gum diseaseTooth decay and gum disease impact on illness and healthcare spending, yet the role of genetics in dental problems is largely unknown. New research led by an international team, including researchers at the University of Bristol, suggests hereditary traits and factors such as obesity, education and personality could play a role in tooth decay and gum disease. |
 | Ignoring cues for alcohol and fast food is hard—but is it out of our control?A UNSW psychology experiment has shown why it can be so hard to direct our attention away from cues that might lead to behavior we'd like to avoid, like drinking alcohol and eating unhealthy food. |
 | Genes, yes, but obesity pandemic mostly down to diet: studyA three-fold jump since 1975 in the percentage of adults worldwide who are obese has been driven mainly by a shift in diet and lack of exercise, but genes do play a role as well, according a large-scale study published Thursday. |
One in 10 UK hospital inpatients is alcohol dependentA new review of evidence from the UK has found high levels of alcohol dependence among hospital inpatients. The researchers estimate one in five patients in the UK hospital system uses alcohol harmfully, and one in ten is alcohol dependent. | |
 | Scientists discover autoimmune disease associated with testicular cancerUsing advanced technology, scientists at Chan Zuckerberg (CZ) Biohub, Mayo Clinic and University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), have discovered an autoimmune disease that appears to affect men with testicular cancer. |
Incarceration and economic hardship strongly associated with drug-related deaths in the USGrowing rates of incarceration in the USA since the mid-1970s may be linked with a rise in drug-related mortality, and may exacerbate the harmful health effects of economic hardship, according to an observational study involving 2,640 US counties between 1983 and 2014, published in The Lancet Public Health journal. | |
 | Further insight needed into potential development delays in preterm childrenExecutive functioning delays—such as difficulties with attention, concentration and self-control—which frequently occur in preterm children actually persist beyond early infancy, through to school-entry age, new research has found. |
 | They're cutting opioid prescriptions by stopping pain before it startsDoctors today are reducing their patients' need for strong opioid medications after surgery by pre-treating patients with other pain relievers before they even enter the operating room. |
 | Reducing opioids in tandem with education could lower addiction rates among post-operative patientsResearchers at Emory University School of Medicine have found that giving patients fewer opioid tablets after surgery and educating them about baseline pain relief options may help lower the chances of patients developing post-operative narcotic addiction. |
 | Learning diabetes skills on the inside helps ex-inmates stay out – of hospitalTraining prisoners with diabetes how to manage their disease could prevent hospitalizations and diabetes-related medical crises after they are released, a team of researchers from UConn and the Connecticut Department of Corrections reported last month at the 79th annual scientific meeting of the American Diabetes Association. |
 | New drug to remove blood-thinning medication post-surgery step closerResearchers at the University of York have developed a new way to safely remove a blood-thinning drug used during surgery that can lead to harmful side-effects in recovering patients. |
Potential harm from medical instruments not made clear in studiesThe potential harm from medical instruments is not made clear in academic studies, according to research by the University of York. | |
 | Using virtual reality could make you a better person in real lifeIf you've ever participated in a virtual reality (VR) experience, you might have found yourself navigating the virtual world as an avatar. If you haven't, you probably recognise the experience from its portrayal in film and on television. |
 | DNA testing can share all your family secrets. Are you ready for that?DNA testing is all about unlocking secrets. But sometimes surrendering your saliva may also mean surrendering a bit of privacy—yours or someone else's. |
 | DOJ asks congress to permanently classify fentanyl-like drugs(HealthDay)—A temporary order classifying fentanyl-like drugs as controlled substances should be enacted into law, the U.S. Department of Justice is telling Congress. |
 | It's mosquito season: here's how to protect yourself(HealthDay)—Summer is synonymous with mosquitoes, and that means possible exposure to the West Nile and Zika viruses. Both are spread mainly through mosquito bites. |
 | Don't drink and drive on The Fourth(HealthDay)—The Fourth of July holiday is one of the most deadly times on America's roads, so Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is urging everyone to avoid drinking and driving. |
 | Don't let fireworks deafen you(HealthDay)—Fireworks are a beautiful sight to behold, but they can damage your hearing if you're not careful. |
Early days, but we've found a way to lift the IQ and resilience of Australia's most vulnerable childrenWhat happens in our first three years profoundly influences the rest of our lives. | |
 | New research suggests three profiles of communication delays in early childhoodParenting books, magazines and apps are filled with tools to help parents keep track of their child's developmental milestones. Parents are often particularly concerned about their child's language and communication skills. But what does it mean if your child doesn't meet these early milestones? |
How rehab helps heavy drug and alcohol users think differentlyAround 16,700 Australians stay in residential rehabilitation centres each year, most commonly for problems with alcohol, amphetamines and opiates. | |
 | Four surprising ways to get a sunburn, and six ways to treat itWhen University of Alberta dermatologist Robert Gniadecki was growing up in Denmark, getting a sunburn was part of every family holiday. |
 | Harvard researcher: New meat alternatives mainstream veganismSome Burger Kings recently introduced a new version of the iconic Whopper with its signature flame-broiled beef patty swapped for a meatless replica that the company claims is virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. |
 | Drugs on a coil free patients from the burden of taking pills for treating infectious diseasesOne of the universal truths of health care is drugs don't work if people don't take them. But there are new devices in development that may help patients take their medications as required for up to several months. |
 | Secrets to a great-tasting July 4 turkey burger(HealthDay)—Craving a burger but seeking a break from red meat? For a meal that looks decadent but is healthy, too, a juicy turkey burger is the answer. |
Biology news
 | Creation of big data tool leads to new ideas on form and function of insect eggsSometimes disproving an old hypothesis is as important as proving a new one. In a new paper in Nature, Cassandra G. Extavour manages to do both, while helping create a tool that will enable similar big-data studies moving forward. |
 | Scientists invent fast method for 'directed evolution' of moleculesUNC School of Medicine scientists created a powerful new "directed evolution" technique for the rapid development of scientific tools and new treatments for many diseases. |
 | How comb jellies adapted to life in the deep seaWashed up on a beach, a comb jelly or ctenophore (pronounced "teen-oh-four") might look like a little transparent grape. But ctenophores are extremely diverse, living from the equator to the poles and from the ocean surface to more than 7,000 meters, or more than four miles, down. MBARI researchers and their collaborators are developing computer models that compare the genetic material of many species of ctenophores to learn how their body chemistry has evolved to life in different environments. |
 | Some green ash trees show some resistance to emerald ash borersGenes in green ash trees that may confer some resistance to attacks by the emerald ash borer express themselves only once the tree detects the invasive beetle's feeding, according to Penn State researchers. |
 | Why the 'molecular scissors' metaphor for understanding CRISPR is misleadingLast week I read an article about CRISPR, the latest tool scientists are using to edit DNA. It was a great piece—well researched, beautifully written, factually accurate. It covered some of the amazing projects scientist are working on using CRISPR, like bringing animals back from extinction and curing diseases. It also gave me the heebies, but not for the reason you might expect. |
 | Daylight robbery: how human-built structures leave coastal ecosystems in the shadowsAbout half of the coastline of Europe, the United States and Australasia is modified by artificial structures. In newly published research, we identified a new effect of marine urbanisation that has so far gone unrecognised. |
 | No-take marine areas help fishers (and fish) far more than we thoughtOne hectare of ocean in which fishing is not allowed (a marine protected area) produces at least five times the amount of fish as an equivalent unprotected hectare, according to new research published today. |
 | The real Tinkerbell: don't mess with these tiny fairy waspsHave you ever seen a fairy? They exist, and may very well be in your garden. But you would need a high-powered microscope to spot the dainty creatures. |
 | Four steps to make your lawn a wildlife haven – from green desert to miniature rainforestIf you could ask British insects about the habitats they prefer, they'd probably tell you that you can't improve on grassland that's rich with wildflowers. For farmers, though, grassland is said to be "improved" if it has been treated with fertiliser and sown with fast growing grasses. |
 | Chinese official: Pig fever outbreak 'complicated and grim'The death toll from a disease outbreak in China's pig herds that has pushed up global pork prices has risen to 1.2 million animals, but its spread has "significantly slowed," a deputy agriculture minister said Thursday. |
 | Creams, massage and police escort: how Russian whales were freedWhales were massaged and lathered in special balm as they rode toward the ocean in a motorcade as part of their release from a "jail" in the Russian far east, the institute overseeing the operation said Thursday. |
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