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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for November 29, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Ultraluminous X-ray source UGC 6456 ULX investigated in detailRussian astronomers have performed a detailed study of one of the ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) in the galaxy UGC 6456. Results of the research, presented in a paper published November 20 on arXiv.org, suggest that this source, designated UGC 6456 ULX, is one of the brightest known ULXs in the optical range. |
 | Mapping our galaxy's magnetic fieldAstronomers from CSIRO and Curtin University have used pulsars to probe the Milky Way's magnetic field. Working with colleagues in Europe, Canada, and South Africa, they have published the most precise catalogue of measurements towards mapping our Galaxy's magnetic field in 3-D. |
 | A surprisingly big black hole might have swallowed a star from the inside out, and scientists are baffledAbout 15,000 light years away, in a distant spiral arm of the Milky Way, there is a black hole about 70 times as heavy as the Sun. |
 | Cleaning the dishesLarge antennas are our only current way of communicating through space across vast distances, and every now and then they need to be spruced up to ensure we can keep in touch with our deep-space exploration spacecraft. |
 | Searching for star prints in space and storiesStars don't shine forever. Eventually, even the brightest stars run out of fuel and collapse in a massive explosion, called a supernova. |
Technology news
 | Flexoskeleton printing: Fabricating flexible exoskeletons for insect-inspired robotsInsects typically have a variety of complex exoskeleton structures, which support them in their movements and everyday activities. Fabricating artificial exoskeletons for insect-inspired robots that match the complexity of these naturally-occurring structures is a key challenge in the field of robotics. |
 | Team makes materials that water, heat, or mechanical forces can alter into new shapesConsider the range of possibilities from 4-D printed materials that transform underwater, or fibers that snap into a particular shape when they are cut out of a flat panel, or coaxing shifting sands in the ocean into building artificial islands, and you will have some idea of the breadth of research that Skylar Tibbits, MIT associate professor of design research in the Department of Architecture, pursues. |
 | Robots are optimized for tedious, repetitive tasks. Can they be automated for more complex workspaces?Researchers at the USC Viterbi Center for Advanced Manufacturing identify an algorithm to optimize robots to provide short, collision-free solutions in complex manufacturing spaces. |
 | New device enables battery-free computer input at the tip of your fingerComputer scientists at the University of Waterloo have created a device for wearable computer input suitable for many situations, just by touching your fingertips together in different ways. |
 | ACLU to police using robots: Tell us morePolice are using robot dogs. Everyone seems interested but not everyone seems amused. The American Civil Liberties Union has asked Massachusetts State Police to explain how and where it is using robot dogs, said news reports. |
 | BMW to build electric Mini in ChinaLuxury German carmaker BMW on Friday said it would build fully electric models of its Mini cars at a new plant in China, as it kicked off a joint venture with Chinese partner Great Wall Motor. |
 | Black Friday frenzy goes global—and not everyone's happyPeople don't celebrate Thanksgiving in France, or Russia, or South Africa - but they do shop on Black Friday. |
 | More pain for German car industry as Daimler axes 10,000 jobsLuxury automaker Daimler said Friday it would scrap at least 10,000 jobs worldwide, the latest in a wave of layoffs to hit the stuttering German car industry as it battles with a costly switch to electric. |
Huawei plans legal challenge to latest US pressure: reportChinese telecoms giant Huawei is preparing a legal counterpunch against new moves by American regulators to bar the company from accessing $8.5 billion in US federal funds for services and equipment, a report said Friday. | |
 | 'Magic crystals' to enable the future of electric carsCSIRO and Monash University's Matthew Hill will receive the Solomon Award tonight for developing "magic crystals" with dozens of applications from cleaning gases and liquids to mining and drug production. |
 | How smartphones can verify your identityAnyone who wants to open a bank account or buy a mobile phone plan has to identify themselves to the respective service provider. The ETH spin-off PXL Vision has a simpler solution: just use an ID scan and a selfie video. Several companies are already using the new technology. |
 | Tim Berners-Lee: web inventor's plan to save the internet is admirable, but doomed to failTim Berners-Lee is credited with inventing the world wide web and now he's calling on us to save it. The British engineer and computer scientist recently released a Contract for the Web – a list of commitments for governments, businesses and individuals to make in order to tackle fake news and privacy violations online. |
 | Drone project aims to put floating Lagos slum on mapJohn Eromosele records the coordinates of a bustling canal on his smartphone from aboard a dug-out canoe navigating the floating slum of Makoko in Nigerian megacity Lagos. |
 | Dyson picks Singapore former nightlife hub as HQElectric appliance pioneer Dyson said Friday its new global headquarters will be in a sprawling, colonial-era Singapore building originally constructed as a power station and until recently used as a nightlife complex. |
 | Singapore tells Facebook to correct post under disinformation lawSingapore authorities Friday ordered Facebook to correct an article on a fringe news site containing "scurrilous accusations" of election rigging, ramping up their use of a controversial law against misinformation. |
UK online supermarket Ocado strikes AI deal in JapanUK online supermarket Ocado is venturing further outside its main market, announcing Friday a deal to provide artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to Japanese retail giant Aeon. | |
 | Virtual reality becomes more realScientists from the Skoltech ADASE (Advanced Data Analytics in Science and Engineering) lab have found a way to enhance depth map resolution, which should make virtual reality and computer graphics more realistic. They presented their research results at the prestigious International Conference on Computer Vision 2019 in Korea. |
 | You want to cut the cord and still get CNN?You've heard about the cost benefits of cutting the cord and saving lots of money from your cable bill, are ready to do it, but there's one big concern. |
Medicine & Health news
 | The biological basis of economic behavior: How the brain perceives value and rewardHoliday shopping season is in full force and consumers who are on the lookout for deals in stores or online may be surprised to learn that a considerable amount of research is underway to elucidate the neuroscience underlying economic behavior. |
 | Portable photoacoustic breast imaging system shows promise during initial lab testsA new, portable breast imaging system under development in Buffalo has the potential to better identify breast cancer in women with dense breast tissue. |
 | High-fat diet proven to fuel prostate cancer progression by imitating a key cancer alterationWhat molecular event happens for prostate cancer to progress faster and to be deadlier when patients eat a high-fat diet? This is the question Dr. David P. Labbé, a scientist at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), and his colleagues recently elucidated. In a study published in Nature Communications, they showed that saturated fat intake induces a cellular reprogramming that is associated with prostate cancer progression and lethality. These findings could have a clinical utility in identifying patients at higher risk of a more aggressive, lethal disease. In addition, they suggest that dietary intervention involving the reduction of animal fat, and specifically saturated fat consumption in men with early-stage prostate cancer, could possibly diminish or delay the risk of disease progression. |
 | Epilepsy drug inhibits brain tumor developmentMedication prescribed for a certain type of epilepsy may offer a new method for treating malignant infantile brain tumors. A specific mTOR inhibitor has the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier to both reach and attack the tumor at source. This has been demonstrated by researchers from Uppsala University, in collaboration with US and UK colleagues, whose research has now been published in the scientific journal Cell Stem Cell. |
 | Activation by breakdown: Identifying molecular mechanisms that underlie immune responseLMU researchers report that a central component of the innate immune response is activated by two short RNAs which are produced by site-specific cleavage of a precursor RNA molecule—and both derivatives are generated by the same enzyme. |
 | Identified: Hub in the brainstem of mice that evaluates, processes and memorizes negative experiencesA team of researchers with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Semmelweis University has found that a hub in the brainstem of mice regulates their ability to evaluate, process and memorize negative experiences. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes multiple neuronal stimulation experiments they carried out with mice and what they learned from them. Satoshi Ikemoto with the National Institutes of Health, in the U.S. has published a Perspective piece outlining the history of research surrounding how the mammalian brain responds to threats and other negative experiences and outlines the work by the team in Hungary. |
 | Gut microbiome fermentation determines of the efficacy of exercise for prediabeticsA team of researchers affiliated with multiple institutions in China has found that the makeup of the gut microbiome can be a determiner for the efficacy of exercise with prediabetics. In their paper published in the journal Cell Metabolism, the group describes their study of prediabetic volunteers and exercise and what they found. |
 | Even in small doses, air pollution harms older americans(HealthDay)— Even a little exposure to the fine particles of air pollution can translate into higher hospitalization rates for a number of common conditions among older Americans, a new study suggests. |
 | Home urine test for prostate cancer could revolutionize diagnosisA simple urine test under development for prostate cancer detection can now use urine samples collected at home—according to new research from University of East Anglia and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. |
 | Complacency a concern as AIDS treatment improves in AfricaAIDS has no cure. HIV is still here. But some people are forgetting that. |
 | HIV is no longer a death sentence, but living with the stigma can still inflict significant harmWe still need to do more to reduce stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV, says UNSW Research Fellow Timothy Broady. |
 | Concussion recovery not clear cut for childrenSleep problems, fatigue and attention difficulties in the weeks after a child's concussion injury could be a sign of reduced brain function and decreased grey matter. |
 | New research reveals why people say things they later regretPeople are more likely to disclose information that they are usually careful about concealing when they are more awake and alert, according to a new University of Melbourne study. |
 | Uncontrolled online marketing of e-cigarettes putting youth at risk, study findsOnly 10 percent of New Zealand websites selling vaping products require proof of age before purchase, researchers from the University of Otago, Wellington, have found. |
 | Are 'vaping' and 'e-cigarettes' the same, and should all these products be avoided?As concerns over vaping continue to grow, researchers and public health officials are investigating the causes of more than 40 deaths and 2,000 illnesses. It's confusing even for experts. |
 | Tai Chi brings benefits for people with dementiaBournemouth University research has found that Tai Chi brings positive health benefits to older people with dementia. |
 | Why it seems like your friends have more to be thankful forHave you ever felt like everyone else has so much more to be thankful for? Check your Facebook or Instagram feed: Your friends seem to dine at finer restaurants, take more exotic vacations and have more accomplished children. They even have cuter pets! |
 | TB could be conquered by common painkillers, research revealsAspirin could be used to treat the world's deadliest infectious disease, according to new research conducted by Dr. Elinor Hortle at the Centenary Institute in Sydney. |
 | Computer simulations help develop medical treatment for skin conditionsComputer simulations created by researchers at the University of St Andrews could be used to create more effective treatments for tackling medical issues such as skin conditions. |
 | Suicide prevention apps may prove vital for reducing Australia's suicide ratesA newly published review by the Black Dog Institute has found digital tools containing content related to suicidal ideation and/or behaviour shows stronger effects for reducing suicidal thoughts than those targeting depression. |
 | Innovative approach to lighting set to improve sleep qualityNew Australian research by the Cooperative Research Centre for Alertness, Safety and Productivity (Alertness CRC) reveals blue light may be even more important than previously thought. The work points to the amount of blue light at night having an extremely powerful effect on our internal clocks that control our sleep and alertness. |
 | Even infants at low risk of peanut allergy should eat peanut earlyChildren who do not consume peanut during their first year of life are more likely to be allergic to peanut at age three, according to new findings from the CHILD Cohort Study. |
 | Looking for cancer clues in pooIt's a substance most people try not to think about. But it could be a vital tool when it comes to detecting bowel cancer early. |
 | There are plenty of female superstars in football, but very few women coaches – here's whyFootball has long been considered a man's world in the UK—but this is changing. Not only did the semi-final match of the 2019 Women's World Cup attract more than 11.7 million viewers, 2018 also saw the establishment of the first top-tier professional women's football league ever. And, for the first time since the Women's Super League (WSL) was founded in 2010, women coaches actually outnumbered men by two to one in the 2019-2020 season. |
Accessing healthcare is challenging for Deaf people – but the best solution isn't 'one-size-fits-all'For many of us, a visit to the doctor's office can be wrought with anxiety. A persistent cough that won't go away or an ailment we hope is nothing serious can make GP visits emotionally difficult. Now imagine that you can't phone the doctor to make an appointment, you don't understand what your doctor just said, or you don't know what the medication you've been prescribed is for. These are all situations that many Deaf people face when accessing healthcare services. | |
 | Leg pain could spell peripheral artery disease for someLeg pain while walking or doing other activities could be a sign of peripheral artery disease, an expert says. |
New Zealand increases Samoa measles aid as epidemic worsensNew Zealand announced extra aid for Samoa Friday as the Pacific nation's measles epidemic raced past 3,000 cases and experts warned the number could double before the crisis was over. | |
 | Study examines the effects of weight loss surgery between pregnanciesDuring 2002–2014, there was a 13-fold increase in weight loss surgeries among women aged 15–44 years in New South Wales, Australia, and undergoing such surgery between a first and second pregnancy was associated with lower risks of hypertension, preterm birth, and other outcomes in the second pregnancy. |
Biology news
 | Sounds of the past give new hope for coral reef restorationYoung fish can be drawn to degraded coral reefs by loudspeakers playing the sounds of healthy reefs, according to new research published today in Nature Communications. |
 | Fine-tuning gene expression during stress recoveryScientists have discovered non-coding RNA has a novel role to fine-tune gene expressions during stress recovery, getting closer to uncovering a 30-year-old nuclear mystery. |
 | Faster modeling of interactions between ligands and proteinsA computational method for simulating the interaction between small molecules and proteins has been enhanced by an all-RIKEN team. This improvement promises to boost the speed and accuracy of designing new drugs. |
 | Slow and steady hope for near-extinct Bangladesh tortoisesNewly-hatched tortoises take their first steps at a Bangladesh conservation park, their feet barely visible under hard shells that carry the weight of the species on their backs. |
 | Genetic capabilities cut time for potential Texas wheat lines to make field appearanceWhen new pests, diseases or environmental issues are identified in Texas wheat, expertise in doubled haploid development can help find solutions in less than half the time of traditional breeding practices. |
 | Trauma and disease ravage South East Queensland koalasIt's well known that South East Queensland koalas are doing it tough, and a University of Queensland study sheds new light on the multiple issues afflicting them. |
 | Svalbard reindeer populations rebounding from centuries of huntingAs reindeer go, the animals living on the Norwegian arctic archipelago of Svalbard might not be Santa's first choice. They're a smaller subspecies of their common mainland relatives, and to save energy they basically never run. But because they were nearly exterminated from Svalbard around 1900—and were then protected in 1925—the animals provide unique insights into how conservation can help species thrive. |
 | Kelp farming on Sweden's west coast: Environmentally friendly aquacultureThere is a growing interest of the cultivation of macro algae. A new dissertation studies the best conditions for sustainable cultivation of the brown algae sugar kelp. |
 | The tone of voice varies when cells communicateHow cells communicate is the focus of a new thesis from the University of Gothenburg. |
 | Popular fish in China would increase in value if caught with larger meshesFish that are highly valued by Chinese consumers, such as largehead hairtail, would grow in value and in the amounts that are caught if industrial fisheries increased the mesh size of their nets. |
 | Shell shock: Giant invasive mussels eradicated from US pondsMost Americans know mussels as thumb-sized shellfish that occasionally adorn restaurant dinner plates. |
 | The case of the pirated blueberries: courts flex new muscle to protect plant breeders' intellectual propertyA few weeks ago, the Federal Court of Australia ordered a farmer in New South Wales to pay A$290,000 to a blueberry-producing company because he had grown and sold a proprietary variety of the fruit without permission. |
 | Virtual reality won't make cows happier, but it might help us see them differentlyEarlier this week, Russian farmers announced they are testing virtual reality (VR) for dairy cows. |
 | Are 'dog years' for real? An explanation of calculating canine ageIf your dog has been alive and kicking its paws about for a decade, the widely held belief is that it has aged as much as a human would have done by the grand old age of 70. This conversion factor—each year of a dog's life accounting for seven human years—comes from dividing human life expectancy of around 77 by the canine life expectancy of around 11. |
 | Indian authorities may have exaggerated claims of rising tiger numbersThe Indian government claims that the national tiger population has more than doubled since 2006, but independent scientists have found this highly unlikely. It is almost impossible for the tiger population to grow with such speed in such an inexplicable manner, according to the scientists. |
 | Biologists examine sperm quality on the basis of their metabolismEvery tenth couple worldwide is affected by infertility. The reasons for this are manifold, but mostly well researched. Nevertheless, about fifteen percent of cases remain unexplained. A team of biologists at TU Dresden has now gained new insights into the metabolic properties that make up a good sperm cell. |
 | Rescued tigers get Spanish safe havenFive of nine tigers that narrowly survived a gruelling journey across Europe will be moved to a new home at an animal refuge in Spain after spending weeks recovering at zoos in Poland. |
 | When all life counts in conservationSpecies counts drive conservation science and policy, and provides the basis for major public announcements on the state of the Earth. Yet a major component of biodiversity is excluded from conservation data: nonnative species. A University of Technology Sydney led study focused on Australia's nonnative vertebrates who were brought in and out of Australia by humans. The international team of conservation biologists asked the question "What would the world look like when all wildlife were included in conservation data?" |
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