ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Insect pests more plentiful in hotter parts of city than in cooler areas
• Diverse bacteria on fresh fruits, vegetables vary with produce type, farming practices
• Poultry probiotic cuts its coat to beat bad bacteria
• Memories of near death experiences: More real than reality?
• Saturn is like an antiques shop, Cassini suggests; Moons and rings date back to solar system's birth
• How does innovation take hold in a community? Math modeling can provide clues
• New bone survey method could aid long-term survival of Arctic caribou
• Cancer biologists find DNA-damaging toxins in common plant-based foods
• Pinning down the pain: Schwann cell protein plays major role in neuropathic pain
• Certain breast cancers have a trait that could be attacked by new therapies
• How microbes survive at bare minimum: Archaea eat protein
• Genetics might determine which smokers get hooked
• Microscale medical sensors inserted under skin powered wirelessly by external handheld receiver
• Materials: Magnetic mystery solved
• Semiconductors: Touching moments with a radiant outcome
• Manufacturing: Plasma treatments on a roll
• Computer chips: Building upward safely
• New evidence ancient asteroid caused global firestorm on Earth
• Do intellectual property rights on existing technologies hinder subsequent innovation?
• Just 'weight' until menopause: How estrogen deficiency affects women's fat absorption
• Quantum computing? Physicists' new technique for cooling molecules may be a stepping stone to quantum computing
• Scientists image deep magma beneath Pacific seafloor volcano
• New way to lose weight? Changing microbes in guts of mice resulted in rapid weight loss
• Imaging methodology reveals nano details not seen before: Understanding nanoparticles at atomic scale in 3-D could improve materials
• Carbon cycle: Four cells turn seabed microbiology upside down
• Sun block for the 'Big Dog': Astronomers detect titanium oxide and titanium dioxide around the giant star VY Canis Majoris
• Summer melt season getting longer on Antarctic Peninsula
• Stressful life events may increase stillbirth risk, study finds
• Engineers enable 'bulk' silicon to emit visible light for the first time
• New fossil species from a fish-eat-fish world when limbed animals evolved
• Pesticide combination affects bees' ability to learn
• Five genetic variations increase risk of ovarian cancer
• 'Fountain of youth' telomerase: Scientists successfully map enzyme that has rejuvenating effect on cells
• Link between faster 'biological' aging and risk of developing age-related diseases
• Genetic 'spelling mistakes' that increase risk of common cancers determined
• New insights into how genes turn on and off
• How hard is it to 'de-anonymize' cellphone data?
• New type of solar structure cools buildings in full sunlight
• Tarsiers' bulging eyes shed light on evolution of human vision
• Scientists discover driving force behind prostate cancer
• Early prehistoric marine reptiles: Evidence of a placodont that originated in Europe
• NASA turns up the heat on construction of the Space Launch System
• NASA provides a super-speed look at Webb Telescope progress
• Neurodegenerative diseases: Transmission routes of spreading protein particles
• Dusting for prints from a fossil fish to understand evolutionary change
• Magnetic fingerprints of interface defects in silicon solar cells detected
• Telling tales can be a good thing: Personal stories help children develop emotional skills
• Lunar cycle determines hunting behavior of nocturnal gulls
• Fewer children mean longer life?
• Controversial worm keeps its position as progenitor of humankind
• More fat, less protein improves canine olfactory abilities
• Virtual games help the blind navigate unknown territory
• Mountain pine beetle genome decoded
• Scientists discover how drug prevents aging and cancer progression
• Young, hot and blue: Stars in the cluster NGC 2547
• Better-educated parents feed children fewer fats and less sugar
• New DNA test identifies ingredients in foods
• Blowing in the wind: How accurate is thermography of horses' legs?
• How to build a very large star

Insect pests more plentiful in hotter parts of city than in cooler areas Posted: 27 Mar 2013 04:05 PM PDT Higher temperatures in cities can be a key driver of insect pest outbreaks on trees in urban areas, according to new research.

Diverse bacteria on fresh fruits, vegetables vary with produce type, farming practices Posted: 27 Mar 2013 04:05 PM PDT Fresh fruit and vegetables carry an abundance of bacteria on their surfaces, not all of which cause disease. In the first study to assess the variety of these non-pathogenic bacteria, scientists report that these surface bacteria vary depending on the type of produce and cultivation practices.

Poultry probiotic cuts its coat to beat bad bacteria Posted: 27 Mar 2013 04:05 PM PDT A strain of probiotic bacteria that can fight harmful bacterial infections in poultry has the ability to change its coat, according to new findings. The probiotic is currently being taken forward through farm-scale trials to evaluate how well it combats Clostridium perfringens.

Memories of near death experiences: More real than reality? Posted: 27 Mar 2013 04:03 PM PDT Researchers have demonstrated that the physiological mechanisms triggered during near death experiences (NDE) lead to a more vivid perception not only of imagined events in the history of an individual but also of real events which have taken place in their lives. These surprising results – obtained using an original method -- now require further investigation.

Saturn is like an antiques shop, Cassini suggests; Moons and rings date back to solar system's birth Posted: 27 Mar 2013 02:01 PM PDT A new analysis of data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft suggests that Saturn's moons and rings are gently worn vintage goods from around the time of our solar system's birth. Though they are tinted on the surface from recent "pollution," these bodies date back more than 4 billion years. They are from around the time that the planetary bodies in our neighborhood began to form out of the protoplanetary nebula, the cloud of material still orbiting the sun after its ignition as a star.

How does innovation take hold in a community? Math modeling can provide clues Posted: 27 Mar 2013 01:35 PM PDT Mathematical models can be used to study the spread of technological innovations among individuals connected to each other by a network of peer-to-peer influences, such as in a physical community or neighborhood.

New bone survey method could aid long-term survival of Arctic caribou Posted: 27 Mar 2013 01:33 PM PDT A study adds critical new data for understanding caribou calving grounds in an area under consideration for oil exploration in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Cancer biologists find DNA-damaging toxins in common plant-based foods Posted: 27 Mar 2013 01:33 PM PDT In a laboratory study pairing food chemistry and cancer biology, scientists tested the potentially harmful effect of foods and flavorings on the DNA of cells. They found that liquid smoke flavoring, black and green teas and coffee activated the highest levels of a well-known, cancer-linked gene called p53.

Pinning down the pain: Schwann cell protein plays major role in neuropathic pain Posted: 27 Mar 2013 01:33 PM PDT Scientists say a key protein in Schwann cells performs a critical, perhaps overarching, role in regulating the recovery of peripheral nerves after injury. The discovery has implications for improving the treatment of neuropathic pain, a complex and largely mysterious form of chronic pain that afflicts over 100 million Americans.

Certain breast cancers have a trait that could be attacked by new therapies Posted: 27 Mar 2013 01:32 PM PDT The odds of developing breast cancer increase for women taking hormone replacement therapy to avoid the effects of menopause. New research may lead to treatments for breast cancers associated with taking these synthetic hormones. Scientists found that hormone-therapy-related breast cancer cells have a physical feature that could be attacked by therapies.

How microbes survive at bare minimum: Archaea eat protein Posted: 27 Mar 2013 01:32 PM PDT Beneath the ocean floor is a desolate place with no oxygen and sunlight. Yet microbes have thrived in this environment for millions of years. Scientists have puzzled over how these microbes survive, but today there are more answers.

Genetics might determine which smokers get hooked Posted: 27 Mar 2013 01:32 PM PDT Researchers have identified genetic risk factors that may accelerate a teen's progression to becoming a lifelong heavy smoker.

Microscale medical sensors inserted under skin powered wirelessly by external handheld receiver Posted: 27 Mar 2013 01:24 PM PDT Implantable electronic devices potentially offer a rapid and accurate way for doctors to monitor patients with particular medical conditions. Yet powering such devices remains a fundamental challenge: batteries are bulky and eventually need recharging or replacing. Scientists are now developing an alternative approach that eliminates the need for a battery. Their miniature devices are based on wireless power-transfer technology.

Materials: Magnetic mystery solved Posted: 27 Mar 2013 01:24 PM PDT Defects in metal–organic frameworks induce low-temperature ferromagnetism and could yield novel materials for industry.

Semiconductors: Touching moments with a radiant outcome Posted: 27 Mar 2013 01:24 PM PDT Microstructures made of adjoining semiconductor disks could lead to powerful nanoscale sensors.

Manufacturing: Plasma treatments on a roll Posted: 27 Mar 2013 01:24 PM PDT A revolutionary atmospheric-pressure plasma boosts adhesion of polymer films for roll-to-roll solar-cell production has been developed.

Computer chips: Building upward safely Posted: 27 Mar 2013 01:23 PM PDT A computer model provides important clues for the production of tightly packed electronic components.

New evidence ancient asteroid caused global firestorm on Earth Posted: 27 Mar 2013 11:42 AM PDT A new look at conditions after a Manhattan-sized asteroid slammed into a region of Mexico in the dinosaur days indicates the event could have triggered a global firestorm that would have burned every twig, bush and tree on Earth and led to the extinction of 80 percent of all Earth's species, says a new study.

Do intellectual property rights on existing technologies hinder subsequent innovation? Posted: 27 Mar 2013 11:41 AM PDT A recent study suggests that some types of intellectual property rights discourage subsequent scientific research.

Just 'weight' until menopause: How estrogen deficiency affects women's fat absorption Posted: 27 Mar 2013 11:41 AM PDT Women tend to carry excess fat in their hips and thighs, while men tend to carry it on their stomachs. But after menopause, things start to change: many women's fat storage patterns start to resemble those of men. This indicates that there's a link between estrogen and body fat storage. This connection is well documented, but the underlying mechanisms remained poorly understood until now.

Quantum computing? Physicists' new technique for cooling molecules may be a stepping stone to quantum computing Posted: 27 Mar 2013 11:41 AM PDT At the heart of next-generation computers may be a collection of ultracold molecules held at temperatures a mere fraction of a degree above absolute zero. By combining two traditional atomic cooling technologies, physicists have pioneered a new technique for bringing normally springy molecules to a frozen standstill. Their results may be an important stepping stone towards future quantum computing.

Scientists image deep magma beneath Pacific seafloor volcano Posted: 27 Mar 2013 11:41 AM PDT Since the plate tectonics revolution of the 1960s, scientists have known that new seafloor is created throughout the major ocean basins at linear chains of volcanoes known as mid-ocean ridges. But where exactly does the erupted magma come from? Researchers now have a better idea after capturing a unique image of a site deep in the earth where magma is generated.

New way to lose weight? Changing microbes in guts of mice resulted in rapid weight loss Posted: 27 Mar 2013 11:41 AM PDT New research has found that the gut microbes of mice underwent drastic changes following gastric bypass surgery. The transfer of these microbes into sterile mice resulted in rapid weight loss.

Imaging methodology reveals nano details not seen before: Understanding nanoparticles at atomic scale in 3-D could improve materials Posted: 27 Mar 2013 11:41 AM PDT Scientists have produced 3-D images and videos of a tiny platinum nanoparticle at atomic resolution that reveal new details of defects in nanomaterials that have not been seen before.

Carbon cycle: Four cells turn seabed microbiology upside down Posted: 27 Mar 2013 11:41 AM PDT With DNA from just four cells, researchers reveal how some of the world's most abundant organisms play a key role in carbon cycling in the seabed.

Sun block for the 'Big Dog': Astronomers detect titanium oxide and titanium dioxide around the giant star VY Canis Majoris Posted: 27 Mar 2013 11:38 AM PDT Astronomers have successfully identified two titanium oxides in the extended atmosphere around a giant star. The object VY Canis Major is one of the largest stars in the known universe and close to the end of its life. The star ejects large quantities of material which forms a dusty nebula.

Summer melt season getting longer on Antarctic Peninsula Posted: 27 Mar 2013 10:37 AM PDT New research from the Antarctic Peninsula shows that the summer melt season has been getting longer over the last 60 years. Increased summer melting has been linked to the rapid break-up of ice shelves in the area and rising sea level.

Stressful life events may increase stillbirth risk, study finds Posted: 27 Mar 2013 10:37 AM PDT Pregnant women who experienced financial, emotional, or other personal stress in the year before their delivery had an increased chance of having a stillbirth, say researchers.

Engineers enable 'bulk' silicon to emit visible light for the first time Posted: 27 Mar 2013 10:35 AM PDT Electronic computing speeds are brushing up against limits imposed by the laws of physics. Photonic computing, where photons replace comparatively slow electrons in representing information, could surpass those limitations, but the components of such computers require semiconductors that can emit light. Now, new research has enabled "bulk" silicon to emit broad-spectrum, visible light for the first time, opening the possibility of using the element in devices that have both electronic and photonic components.

New fossil species from a fish-eat-fish world when limbed animals evolved Posted: 27 Mar 2013 10:35 AM PDT Scientists who famously discovered the lobe-finned fish fossil Tiktaalik roseae, a species with some of the clearest evidence of the evolutionary transition from fish to limbed animals, have described another new species of predatory fossil lobe-finned fish fish from the same time and place. By describing more Devonian species, they're gaining a greater understanding of the "fish-eat-fish world" that drove the evolution of limbed vertebrates.

Pesticide combination affects bees' ability to learn Posted: 27 Mar 2013 10:33 AM PDT Two new studies have highlighted a negative impact on bees' ability to learn following exposure to a combination of pesticides commonly used in agriculture. The researchers found that the pesticides, used in the research at levels shown to occur in the wild, could interfere with the learning circuits in the bee's brain.

Five genetic variations increase risk of ovarian cancer Posted: 27 Mar 2013 10:33 AM PDT Scientists have found five new regions of the human genome that are linked to increased risks for developing ovarian cancer. Researchers analyzed genetic information from more than 40,000 women.

'Fountain of youth' telomerase: Scientists successfully map enzyme that has rejuvenating effect on cells Posted: 27 Mar 2013 10:33 AM PDT Scientists have for the first time mapped telomerase, an enzyme which has a kind of rejuvenating effect on normal cell aging. The findings are a step forward in the fight against cancer.

Link between faster 'biological' aging and risk of developing age-related diseases Posted: 27 Mar 2013 10:33 AM PDT Scientists have found new evidence that links faster "biological" aging to the risk of developing several age-related diseases -- including heart disease, multiple sclerosis and various cancers.

Genetic 'spelling mistakes' that increase risk of common cancers determined Posted: 27 Mar 2013 10:25 AM PDT More than 80 genetic 'spelling mistakes' that can increase the risk of breast, prostate and ovarian cancer have been found in a large, international research study. For the first time, the researchers also have a relatively clear picture of the total number of genetic alterations that can be linked to these cancers.

New insights into how genes turn on and off Posted: 27 Mar 2013 10:25 AM PDT Researchers have shed new light on methylation, a critical process that helps control how genes are expressed. Working with placentas, the team discovered that 37 percent of the placental genome has regions of lower methylation, called partially methylated domains, in which gene expression is turned off.

How hard is it to 'de-anonymize' cellphone data? Posted: 27 Mar 2013 10:25 AM PDT Scientists analyzed data on 1.5 million cellphone users in a small European country over a span of 15 months and found that just four points of reference, with fairly low spatial and temporal resolution, was enough to uniquely identify 95 percent of them. This means that to extract the complete location information for a single person from an "anonymized" data set of more than a million people, all you would need to do is place him or her within a couple of hundred yards of a cellphone transmitter, sometime over the course of an hour, four times in one year. A few Twitter posts would probably provide all the information you needed, if they contained specific information about the person's whereabouts.

New type of solar structure cools buildings in full sunlight Posted: 27 Mar 2013 10:25 AM PDT Scientists have designed an entirely new form of cooling panel that works even when the sun is shining. Such a panel could vastly improve the daylight cooling of buildings, cars and other structures by radiating sunlight back into the chilly vacuum of space.

Tarsiers' bulging eyes shed light on evolution of human vision Posted: 27 Mar 2013 10:25 AM PDT After eons of wandering in the dark, primates developed highly acute, three-color vision that permitted them to shift to daytime living, a new study suggests.

Scientists discover driving force behind prostate cancer Posted: 27 Mar 2013 10:24 AM PDT Scientists have discovered the driving force behind the development of prostate cancer. Their research reveals the existence of a cancer inducing DNA re-alignment in stem cells taken from human prostate cancers.

Early prehistoric marine reptiles: Evidence of a placodont that originated in Europe Posted: 27 Mar 2013 10:24 AM PDT Placodonts were among the first marine reptiles. With their trademark crushing teeth, they fed on shellfish and crustaceans. However, when and where these highly specialized marine reptiles originated remained unclear until now. A 246-million-year-old skull of a juvenile placodont was recently discovered in the Netherlands. Paleontologists have now demonstrated that it is one of the earliest examples of these saurians and that it originated in Europe.

NASA turns up the heat on construction of the Space Launch System Posted: 27 Mar 2013 08:41 AM PDT Welding engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., have had an extremely busy winter assembling adapters that will connect the Orion spacecraft to a Delta IV rocket for the initial test flight of Orion in 2014. The adapter later will attach Orion to NASA's Space Launch System (SLS), a new heavy-lift rocket managed and in development at the Marshall Center that will enable missions farther into space than ever before. The 2014 Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) will provide engineers with important data about the adapter's performance before it is flown on SLS beginning in 2017.

NASA provides a super-speed look at Webb Telescope progress Posted: 27 Mar 2013 08:39 AM PDT NASA released a new sped-up, 32-second video that shows engineers working on some of the James Webb Space Telescope's flight components to integrate them together to ensure they will work perfectly together in space.

Neurodegenerative diseases: Transmission routes of spreading protein particles Posted: 27 Mar 2013 07:41 AM PDT A new study on cell cultures gives insights into the mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases.

Dusting for prints from a fossil fish to understand evolutionary change Posted: 27 Mar 2013 07:41 AM PDT In 370-million-year-old red sandstone deposits in a highway roadcut, scientists have discovered a new species of armored fish in north central Pennsylvania. Studying and describing this fish's anatomy, they took advantage of a technique that may look like it was stolen from crime scene investigators.

Magnetic fingerprints of interface defects in silicon solar cells detected Posted: 27 Mar 2013 07:41 AM PDT Using a highly sensitive method of measurement, physicists have managed to localize defects in amorphous/crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cells. Now, for the first time ever, using computer simulations, the scientists were able to determine the defects' exact locations and assign them to certain structures within the interface between the amorphous and crystalline phases.

Telling tales can be a good thing: Personal stories help children develop emotional skills Posted: 27 Mar 2013 07:30 AM PDT A new study finds mothers tell better, more emotional stories about past experiences which help children develop their emotional skills. The act of talking is not an area where ability is usually considered along gender lines. However, a new study has found subtle differences between the sexes in their story-relating ability and specifically the act of reminiscing.

Lunar cycle determines hunting behavior of nocturnal gulls Posted: 27 Mar 2013 07:30 AM PDT Zooplankton, small fish and squid spend hardly any time at the surface when there's a full moon. To protect themselves from their natural enemies, they hide deeper down in the water on bright nights, coming up to the surface under cover of darkness when there's a new moon instead. Scientists discovered that this also influences the behavior of swallow-tailed gulls, a unique nocturnal species of gull from the Galapagos Islands.

Fewer children mean longer life? Posted: 27 Mar 2013 07:30 AM PDT New research into aging processes, based on modern genetic techniques, confirms theoretical expectations about the correlation between reproduction and lifespan. Studies of birds reveal that those that have offspring later in life and have fewer broods live longer. And the decisive factor is telomeres, shows new research.

Controversial worm keeps its position as progenitor of humankind Posted: 27 Mar 2013 07:30 AM PDT Researchers are arguing about whether or not the Xenoturbella bocki worm is the progenitor of humankind. But new studies indicate that this is actually the case.

More fat, less protein improves canine olfactory abilities Posted: 27 Mar 2013 07:26 AM PDT From sniffing out bombs and weapons to uncovering criminal evidence, dogs can help save lives and keep the peace. Now, researchers have uncovered how to improve dogs' smelling skills through diet, by cutting protein and adding fats.

Virtual games help the blind navigate unknown territory Posted: 27 Mar 2013 07:26 AM PDT Scientists have developed a virtual gaming environment to help blind individuals improve navigation skills and develop a cognitive spatial map of unfamiliar buildings and public locations.

Mountain pine beetle genome decoded Posted: 27 Mar 2013 06:36 AM PDT The genome of the mountain pine beetle -- the insect that has devastated British Columbia's lodgepole pine forests -- has now been decoded.

Scientists discover how drug prevents aging and cancer progression Posted: 27 Mar 2013 06:36 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a novel molecular mechanism that can potentially slows the aging process and may prevent the progression of some cancers.

Young, hot and blue: Stars in the cluster NGC 2547 Posted: 27 Mar 2013 06:27 AM PDT The Universe is an old neighborhood -- roughly 13.8 billion years old. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is also ancient -- some of its stars are more than 13 billion years old (eso0425). Nevertheless, there is still a lot of action: new objects form and others are destroyed. In a new image, you can see some of the newcomers, the young stars forming the cluster NGC 2547.

Better-educated parents feed children fewer fats and less sugar Posted: 27 Mar 2013 06:27 AM PDT Almost 15,000 children aged between two and nine years old took part in the study. The level of education of parents has an influence on the frequency with which their children eat foods linked to obesity. The children of parents with low and medium levels of education eat fewer vegetables and fruit and more processed products and sweet drinks.

New DNA test identifies ingredients in foods Posted: 27 Mar 2013 06:27 AM PDT Almost all foodstuffs contain the genetic material of those animal and plant species that were used in their preparation. Scientists have developed a novel screening procedure that provides for highly sensitive, quantifiable analysis of animal, plant, and microbial substances present in foodstuffs. For this, the researchers have adapted the latest techniques of DNA sequencing, which are otherwise currently employed in human genetics to unravel the genetic information of thousands of patients.

Blowing in the wind: How accurate is thermography of horses' legs? Posted: 27 Mar 2013 06:25 AM PDT Since its introduction fifty or so years ago, thermography has been increasingly used by vets to pinpoint the cause of lameness in horses.  The method is fast and safe and is based on a simple idea.  The horse's body surface emits infrared radiation that can be detected by an infrared camera, which is both easy and inexpensive to use.  The camera produces a coloured image that shows the variation in surface temperature across the area investigated.  The temperature is directly related to the presence of blood vessels near the skin, so the method can detect local inflammatory lesions or regions of modified blood flow and thus help localize the origin of lameness.

How to build a very large star Posted: 27 Mar 2013 06:23 AM PDT Stars ten times as massive as the Sun, or more, should not exist: as they grow, they tend to push away the gas they feed on, starving their own growth. Scientists have been struggling to figure out how some stars overcome this hurdle. Now, a group of researchers suggests that baby stars may grow to great mass if they happen to be born within a corral of older stars.

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