Τετάρτη 30 Απριλίου 2014

ScienceDaily: Top Science News

ScienceDaily: Top Science News


The intergalactic medium unveiled

Posted: 29 Apr 2014 03:50 PM PDT

Astronomers have taken unprecedented images of the intergalactic medium -- the diffuse gas that connects galaxies throughout the universe -- with the Cosmic Web Imager. Until now, the structure of the IGM has mostly been a matter for theoretical speculation. However, with observations from the Cosmic Web Imager, deployed on the Hale 200-inch telescope at Palomar Observatory, astronomers are obtaining our first three-dimensional pictures of the IGM.

Herschel discovers mature galaxies in the young Universe

Posted: 29 Apr 2014 03:36 PM PDT

New Herschel results have given us a remarkable insight into the internal dynamics of two young galaxies. Surprisingly, they have shown that just a few billion years after the Big Bang, some galaxies were rotating in a mature way, seemingly having completed the accumulation of their gas reservoirs.

Prehistoric caribou hunting structure discovered beneath Lake Huron

Posted: 29 Apr 2014 10:38 AM PDT

Underwater archaeologists have discovered evidence of prehistoric caribou hunts that provide unprecedented insight into the social and seasonal organization of early peoples in the Great Lakes region. The main feature, called Drop 45 Drive Lane, is the most complex hunting structure found to date beneath the Great Lakes.

People rely on what they hear themselves say to know what they're saying

Posted: 29 Apr 2014 09:57 AM PDT

You know what you're going to say before you say it, right? Not necessarily, research suggests. A new study shows that auditory feedback plays an important role in helping us determine what we're saying as we speak. Theories about how we produce speech often assume that we start with a clear, preverbal idea of what to say that goes through different levels of encoding to finally become an utterance. But the findings from this study support an alternative model.

Mother's diet affects the 'silencing' of her child's genes

Posted: 29 Apr 2014 09:57 AM PDT

A unique 'experiment of nature' that took place in The Gambia has now revealed that a mother's diet before she conceives has a permanent effect on her offspring's genetics. This is the first time the effect has been seen in humans, and is regarded as a major contribution to the field of 'epigenetics.'

Depression detectable in the blood: Platelet serotonin transporter function

Posted: 29 Apr 2014 07:50 AM PDT

The possibility of using a blood test to detect depression has been demonstrated by researchers. While blood tests for mental illnesses have until recently been regarded as impossible, a recent study clearly indicates that, in principle, depression can in fact be diagnosed in this way and this could become reality in the not too distant future.

Girls make higher grades than boys in all school subjects, analysis finds

Posted: 29 Apr 2014 07:49 AM PDT

Despite the stereotype that boys do better in math and science, girls have made higher grades than boys throughout their school years for nearly a century, according to a new analysis. "School marks reflect learning in the larger social context of the classroom and require effort and persistence over long periods of time, whereas standardized tests assess basic or specialized academic abilities and aptitudes at one point in time without social influences," said lead study author.

Simply being called 'fat' makes young girls more likely to become obese: Trying to be thin is like trying to be tall

Posted: 28 Apr 2014 01:41 PM PDT

Girls who are told by a parent, sibling, friend, classmate or teacher that they are too fat at age 10 are more likely to be obese at age 19, a new study by psychologists shows.

Multilayer, microscale solar cells enable ultrahigh efficiency power generation

Posted: 28 Apr 2014 09:11 AM PDT

A printing approach allows manipulation of ultrathin, small semiconductor elements that can be stacked on top of one another to yield an unusual type of solar cell capable of operating across the entire solar spectrum at exceptionally high efficiency.

Gulf War illness: New report lauds treatment research, confirms toxic causes

Posted: 28 Apr 2014 09:11 AM PDT

Progress has been made toward understanding the physiological mechanisms that underlie Gulf War illness and identifying possible treatments, says a new report on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses, a condition that affects as many as 250,000 veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf War. Gulf War illness refers to the chronic symptoms that affect veterans of that conflict at markedly elevated rates, compared to other veterans' groups and to the U.S. population as a whole. Symptoms can vary from person to person, but typically include some combination of widespread pain, headache, persistent problems with memory and thinking, fatigue, breathing problems, stomach and intestinal symptoms, and skin abnormalities.

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