ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Dust's warming counters half of its cooling effect
• Cassini Halloween treat: Titan glows in the dark
• Folding funnels key to biomimicry
• New study shows effects of prehistoric nocturnal life on mammalian vision
• Potential way to repair brain damage in multiple sclerosis
• Synthetic magnetism used to control light: Opens door to nanoscale applications that use light instead of electricity
• Sleep duration affects hunger differently in men and women
• Dawn sees 'young' surface on giant asteroid Vesta
• New inhibitors of elusive enzymes promise to be valuable scientific tools
• Causation warps our perception of time
• Exhaustive family tree for birds shows recent, rapid diversification
• First ever family tree for all living birds reveals evolution and diversification
• Unexpected factor contributes to melanoma risk in red-haired, fair-skinned individuals
• Tabletop fault model reveals why some earthquakes result in faster shaking
• New self-assembling particles offer great promise for optical materials and ceramics
• Global genome effort seeks genetic roots of disease
• 1092 human genomes sequenced to determine standard range of human genetic variation
• Single protein targeted as root biological cause of several childhood psychiatric disorders
• Testosterone regulates solo song of tropical birds
• Aphid resistance in black raspberries
• Social factors trump genetic forces in forging friendships, study finds
• How and why herpes viruses reactivate to cause disease
• Fat molecule ceramide may factor in muscle loss in older adults
• Scientists build the first all-carbon solar cell
• Microscopic packets of stem cell factors could be key to preventing lung disease in babies
• Guidelines developed for extremely premature infants shown to be life-changing
• Biofuel breakthrough: Quick cook method turns algae into oil
• One step closer to rollable, foldable e-Devices
• How the brain controls our habits: Neuroscientists identify a brain region that can switch between new and old habits
• Stars ancient and modern?
• Dark clouds, young stars, and a dash of Hollywood: New results from space telescope's explorations of stellar birthplaces
• Too much risk associated with SSRI usage and pregnancy, research suggests
• Diversity and abundance of some insect fauna in Krau Wildlife Reserve Forest, Malaysia
• Metabolic syndrome makes a difference in hormone therapy risk, analysis suggests

Dust's warming counters half of its cooling effect Posted: 31 Oct 2012 06:42 PM PDT Dust that routinely rises above the world's deserts causes a more significant localized warming effect than previously thought, a new study based on NASA field research shows.

Cassini Halloween treat: Titan glows in the dark Posted: 31 Oct 2012 06:33 PM PDT A literal shot in the dark by imaging cameras on NASA's Cassini spacecraft has yielded an image of a visible glow from Titan, emanating not just from the top of Titan's atmosphere, but also -- surprisingly -- from deep in the atmosphere through the moon's haze. A person in a balloon in Titan's haze layer wouldn't see the glow because it's too faint -- something like a millionth of a watt. Scientists were able to detect it with Cassini because the spacecraft's cameras are able to take long-exposure images.

Folding funnels key to biomimicry Posted: 31 Oct 2012 01:10 PM PDT Researchers have shown that a concept widely accepted as describing the folding of a single individual protein is also applicable to the self-assembly of multiple proteins. Their findings provide important guidelines for future biomimicry efforts, particularly for device fabrication and nanoscale synthesis.

New study shows effects of prehistoric nocturnal life on mammalian vision Posted: 31 Oct 2012 01:10 PM PDT Since the age of dinosaurs, most species of day-active mammals have retained the imprint of nocturnal life in their eye structures. Humans and other anthropoid primates, such as monkeys and apes, are the only groups that deviate from this pattern, according to a new study. The findings are the first to provide a large-scale body of evidence for the "nocturnal bottleneck theory," which suggests that mammalian sensory traits have been profoundly influenced by an extended period of adaptation to nocturnality during the Mesozoic Era.

Potential way to repair brain damage in multiple sclerosis Posted: 31 Oct 2012 12:16 PM PDT Blocking a certain enzyme in the brain can help repair the brain damage associated with multiple sclerosis and a range of other neurological disorders.

Synthetic magnetism used to control light: Opens door to nanoscale applications that use light instead of electricity Posted: 31 Oct 2012 12:16 PM PDT Physics and engineering researchers have demonstrated a device that produces a synthetic magnetism to exert virtual force on photons similar to the effect of magnets on electrons. The advance could yield a new class of nanoscale applications that use light instead of electricity.

Sleep duration affects hunger differently in men and women Posted: 31 Oct 2012 12:16 PM PDT A new study suggests that increasing the amount of sleep that adults get could lead to reduced food intake, but the hormonal process differs between men and women.

Dawn sees 'young' surface on giant asteroid Vesta Posted: 31 Oct 2012 11:43 AM PDT Like a Hollywood starlet constantly retouching her makeup, the giant asteroid Vesta is constantly stirring its outermost layer to present a young face. Data from NASA's Dawn mission show that a form of weathering that occurs on the moon and other airless bodies we've visited in the inner solar system does not alter Vesta's outermost layer in the same way. Carbon-rich asteroids have also been splattering dark material on Vesta's surface over a long span of the body's history.

New inhibitors of elusive enzymes promise to be valuable scientific tools Posted: 31 Oct 2012 11:20 AM PDT Scientists have discovered the first selective inhibitors of an important set of enzymes. The new inhibitors, and chemical probes based on them, now can be used to study the functions of enzymes known as diacylglycerol lipases, their products, and the pathways they regulate.

Causation warps our perception of time Posted: 31 Oct 2012 11:20 AM PDT Events that occur close to one another in time and space are sometimes "bound" together and we perceive them as meaningful episodes, a phenomenon that philosophers and psychological scientists call "temporal binding." New research suggests that our ability to understand causal relations plays an important role in temporal binding, revealing important insights into how we experience time.

Exhaustive family tree for birds shows recent, rapid diversification Posted: 31 Oct 2012 11:19 AM PDT The most comprehensive family tree for birds to date has just been completed, connecting all living bird species -- nearly 10,000 in total -- and revealing surprising new details about their evolutionary history and its geographic context.

First ever family tree for all living birds reveals evolution and diversification Posted: 31 Oct 2012 11:19 AM PDT The world's first family tree linking all living bids and revealing when and where they evolved and diversified since dinosaurs walked the earth has been created.

Unexpected factor contributes to melanoma risk in red-haired, fair-skinned individuals Posted: 31 Oct 2012 11:18 AM PDT The established elevated risk of melanoma among people with red hair and fair skin may be caused by more than just a lack of natural protection against ultraviolet radiation. Researchers report finding that the type of skin pigment predominantly found in red-haired, fair-skinned individuals may itself contribute to the development of melanoma.

Tabletop fault model reveals why some earthquakes result in faster shaking Posted: 31 Oct 2012 11:18 AM PDT A new study reveals that the more time an earthquake fault has to heal, the faster the shake it will produce when it finally ruptures. Because the rapidity and strength of the shaking are what causes damage to major structures, the new findings could help engineers better assess the vulnerabilities of buildings, bridges and roads. They also showed that a lab model of a fault can provide important information for natural faults.

New self-assembling particles offer great promise for optical materials and ceramics Posted: 31 Oct 2012 11:17 AM PDT Scientists have created new kinds of particles, 1/100th the diameter of a human hair, that spontaneously assemble themselves into structures resembling molecules made from atoms. These new particles come together, or "self-assemble," to form structures in patterns that were previously impossible to make and hold promise for manufacturing advanced optical materials and ceramics.

Global genome effort seeks genetic roots of disease Posted: 31 Oct 2012 11:17 AM PDT By decoding the genomes of more than 1,000 people whose homelands stretch from Africa and Asia to Europe and the Americas, scientists have compiled the largest and most detailed catalog yet of human genetic variation. The massive resource will help medical researchers find the genetic roots of rare and common diseases in populations worldwide.

1092 human genomes sequenced to determine standard range of human genetic variation Posted: 31 Oct 2012 11:17 AM PDT Completing the second phase of the 1000 Genomes Project, a multinational team of scientists reports that they have sampled a total of 1092 individuals from 14 different populations and sequenced their full genomes. The researchers described the feat as a collegial effort to equip biologists and physicians with information that can be used to understand the normal range of human genetic variants so that a patient's disease genome can be interpreted in a broader context.

Single protein targeted as root biological cause of several childhood psychiatric disorders Posted: 31 Oct 2012 10:27 AM PDT New research may revolutionize the biological understanding of some childhood psychiatric disorders. Scientists found that if the protein, SRGAP3, is malformed, it causes problems in brain functioning of mice, creating symptoms similar to mental health and neurological disorders in children. This protein functions similarly in humans, possibly representing a "missing link" for several disorders, while offering a new target for treatments to correct the biological cause rather than treat the symptoms.

Testosterone regulates solo song of tropical birds Posted: 31 Oct 2012 10:27 AM PDT An experiment in females uncovers male hormonal mechanism.

Aphid resistance in black raspberries Posted: 31 Oct 2012 09:55 AM PDT There's good news for fans of black raspberries: scientists have found black raspberries that have resistance to a disease-spreading aphid.

Social factors trump genetic forces in forging friendships, study finds Posted: 31 Oct 2012 09:55 AM PDT Genetic similarities may help to explain why human birds of a feather flock together, but the full story of why people become friends is contingent upon the social environment in which individuals interact with one another.

How and why herpes viruses reactivate to cause disease Posted: 31 Oct 2012 09:55 AM PDT The word "herpes" conjures negative stereotypes, but most people are infected with some form of the virus. After a flare-up, the virus usually remains latent until the right circumstances to return. Now, research sheds some light on what triggers the virus to reactivate. It shows that the immune system may actually lose control over the virus when facing new microbial threats, such as fending off other viruses or bacteria.

Fat molecule ceramide may factor in muscle loss in older adults Posted: 31 Oct 2012 09:50 AM PDT A small study of older and younger men suggests that a build-up of a fat molecule known as ceramide might play a leading role in muscle deterioration in older adults.

Scientists build the first all-carbon solar cell Posted: 31 Oct 2012 09:50 AM PDT Scientists have built the first solar cell made entirely of carbon, a promising alternative to the expensive materials used in photovoltaic devices today.

Microscopic packets of stem cell factors could be key to preventing lung disease in babies Posted: 31 Oct 2012 09:50 AM PDT Researchers have found that microscopic particles containing proteins and nucleic acids called exosomes could potentially protect the fragile lungs of premature babies from serious lung diseases and chronic lung injury caused by inflammation.

Guidelines developed for extremely premature infants shown to be life-changing Posted: 31 Oct 2012 09:35 AM PDT For the last decade, prematurity has been the leading cause of infant mortality in the United States. As a result of prematurity many infants enter this world too early with a small chance of survival. In order to help treat these extremely premature infants, physicians have developed a set of guidelines tailored to meet the needs of these tiny infants, some born up to four months early. Now, a new study shows that these guidelines are not only improving survival rates for extremely premature infants, but also improving their quality of life.

Biofuel breakthrough: Quick cook method turns algae into oil Posted: 31 Oct 2012 09:35 AM PDT It looks like Mother Nature was wasting her time with a multimillion-year process to produce crude oil. Engineering researchers can "pressure-cook" algae for as little as a minute and transform an unprecedented 65 percent of the green slime into biocrude.

One step closer to rollable, foldable e-Devices Posted: 31 Oct 2012 08:16 AM PDT New research brings industry and consumers closer to several improvements in e-Readers and tablets, including a simpler and more colorful way to make rollable and foldable devices. Some day, you may be able to fold up your iPad and put it in your pocket.

How the brain controls our habits: Neuroscientists identify a brain region that can switch between new and old habits Posted: 31 Oct 2012 08:14 AM PDT Neuroscientists have found that a small region of the brain's prefrontal cortex, where most thought and planning occurs, is responsible for moment-by-moment control of which habits are switched on at a given time.

Stars ancient and modern? Posted: 31 Oct 2012 05:15 AM PDT A colorful new view of the globular star cluster NGC 6362 was captured by the Wide Field Imager attached to the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at the European Southern Observatory's La Silla Observatory in Chile. This new picture, along with a new image of the central region from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, provide the best view of this little-known cluster ever obtained. Globular clusters are mainly composed of tens of thousands of very ancient stars, but they also contain some stars that look suspiciously young.

Dark clouds, young stars, and a dash of Hollywood: New results from space telescope's explorations of stellar birthplaces Posted: 31 Oct 2012 05:15 AM PDT An astronomical project has examined the earliest stages of star formation in unprecedented depth: Using techniques more commonly encountered in Hollywood blockbuster computer graphics than in astronomy, the researchers produced a three-dimensional map of the molecular cloud B68, a possible future birthplace for a low-mass star. Turning their attention to much more massive molecular clouds, the researchers also managed to identify a previously unobserved class of object that is likely the earliest known precursor of the birth of massive stars.

Too much risk associated with SSRI usage and pregnancy, research suggests Posted: 31 Oct 2012 05:12 AM PDT Elevated risk of miscarriage, preterm birth, neonatal health complications and possible longer term neurobehavioral abnormalities, including autism, suggest that a class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) should only be prescribed with great caution and with full counseling for women experiencing depression and attempting to get pregnant, say researchers.

Diversity and abundance of some insect fauna in Krau Wildlife Reserve Forest, Malaysia Posted: 31 Oct 2012 05:09 AM PDT Concerned about habitat changes due to logging and rapid development, researchers in Malaysia recently conducted a study on the diversity of the important Hymenoptera group, which includes bees, wasps and ants. Their results will be useful in forest conservation programs.

Metabolic syndrome makes a difference in hormone therapy risk, analysis suggests Posted: 30 Oct 2012 06:05 PM PDT A new analysis of the Women's Health Initiative trials show that women who had metabolic syndrome before they started hormone therapy had a greatly increased risk of heart attack or dying of heart disease. Women who didn't have metabolic syndrome beforehand showed no increased risk.

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