ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Face cream ingredient found to mimic life-extending effects of a calorie restriction diet
• Women less likely to hold academic medical leadership roles than men with mustaches
• Speeding up the hydrogen highway
• Climate change rapidly warming world's lakes
• Compound found to trigger innate immunity against viruses
• Will grassland soil weather a change?
• Fewer landslides than expected after 2015 Nepal earthquake
• Red palm weevils can fly 50 kilometers in 24 hours
• Number of severe algal blooms in Lake Erie to double, forecast says
• Exploring the mind of a cyberterrorist
• Catastrophic medieval earthquakes in Nepal
• How brain architecture leads to abstract thought
• Composting food waste remains your best option, study finds
• Research offers recommendations for use of aspirin to prevent preeclampsia
• Researchers discover six new African frog species, uncover far more diversity
• When rejection comes from within
• New species of 'sail-backed' dinosaur found in Spain
• Penguin cam captures hunt for prey
• Enemy odors help flies protect their offspring
• Natural or humanmade earthquakes? New technique can tell the difference
• Diamonds may be the key to future NMR/MRI technologies
• Big moves in protein structure prediction and design
• Researchers tailor power source for wearable electronics
• Solar cells that can face almost any direction and keep themselves clean
• How to see a mass extinction if it's right in front of you
• Devising an inexpensive, quick tuberculosis test for developing areas
• Hubble captures first-ever predicted exploding star
• Toward roads that de-ice themselves
• Recent shift in relationship among species that prevailed for more than 300 million years
• Greenland Ice Sheet during the 20th Century -- a missing link in IPCC's climate report
• Three new fishing snake species fished out of the Andean slopes in South America
• Understanding body language of mice
• A field research network to address looming grain failures
• Antibiotics alone can be a safe, effective treatment for children with appendicitis
• Steeping temperature and time may affect antioxidants in tea
• Ten Cool Things the Kitchen of the Future Will Do
• Drug use trends remain stable or decline among teens
• Monster planet is 'dancing with the stars'
• Plants use a molecular clock to predict when they'll be infected
• Nearby star hosts closest alien planet in the 'habitable zone'
• Weight loss through diet changes can improve sleep at any body weight, study finds
• Activating beige fat in humans could combat obesity
• Scientists find new vessel for detecting autism
• Female spider that cannibalizes her male suitors just testing their worth, study finds
• Quasar outburst revises understanding of universe, quasars
• Surgery is more effective than drug in hyperparathyroidism post-kidney transplantation
• Physics for the mechanism of slow change in microscopic magnetic structures revealed
• Researchers find out cause of mutations that are not in genetic material
• Research reveals promising novel strategy to target cancer-causing protein
• The eyes have it: Mutual gaze potentially a vital component in social interactions
• West coast marine mammals respond to shifting conditions, new research shows
• Geologists focus on extraterrestrial mineral for clues to beginning of biological life on Earth
• Beyond early adversity: A multidimensional approach linking early experiences to successful aging
• A molecular light switch? Just add water
• Males and under 30 at greatest risk of hospital admission for drug related poisonings
• When trees die, water slows
• Giant planets carving paths around four young stars, observations suggest
• 'Never was so much owed by so many to so few': Could phrases like this hold clues about universal grammar?
• Narcissism, the seed of violence from children towards their parents
• Time-resolved measurement of the anomalous velocity

Face cream ingredient found to mimic life-extending effects of a calorie restriction diet Posted: 16 Dec 2015 08:12 PM PST A commonly used skin care ingredient is one of several newly identified compounds that can mimic the life-extending effect of a starvation diet, new research has revealed.

Women less likely to hold academic medical leadership roles than men with mustaches Posted: 16 Dec 2015 03:43 PM PST Thirteen percent of department leader positions at top academic medical institutions in the United States are held by women, while nearly 20 percent are held by men with mustaches. The findings of the tongue-in-cheek study, an analysis of more than 1,000 headshots of department leaders at top National Institutes of Health-funded academic medical institutions, provide a new context for examining gender disparities in the field.

Speeding up the hydrogen highway Posted: 16 Dec 2015 02:46 PM PST Drivers are seeing more hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles on the road, but refueling stations for those vehicles are still few and far between. This is about to change. One reason is the Hydrogen Station Equipment Performance device, or HyStEP, which will greatly accelerate station commissioning.

Climate change rapidly warming world's lakes Posted: 16 Dec 2015 02:45 PM PST Climate change is rapidly warming lakes around the world, threatening freshwater supplies and ecosystems, according to a study spanning six continents. The study is the largest of its kind and the first to use a combination of satellite temperature data and long-term ground measurements. A total of 235 lakes, representing more than half of the world's freshwater supply, were monitored for at least 25 years.

Compound found to trigger innate immunity against viruses Posted: 16 Dec 2015 02:38 PM PST A drug-like molecule can activate innate immunity and induce genes to control infection in a range of RNA viruses, including West Nile, dengue, hepatitis C, influenza A, respiratory syncytial, Nipah, Lassa and Ebola, according to new research.

Will grassland soil weather a change? Posted: 16 Dec 2015 01:22 PM PST There's more to an ecosystem than the visible plants and animals. The soil underneath is alive with vital microbes. They make sure nutrients from dead plant and animal material are broken down and made useable by other plants. This completes the process of nutrient cycling and carbon storage. Scientists are learning more about how important these microbes are. But how do changes in temperature and precipitation levels affect microbes? And will that affect carbon storage?

Fewer landslides than expected after 2015 Nepal earthquake Posted: 16 Dec 2015 01:22 PM PST Fewer landslides resulted from the devastating 2015 Nepal earthquake than expected. In addition, no large floods from overflowing glacial lakes occurred after the magnitude 7.8 quake, which struck near the town of Gorkha, Nepal on April 25, 2015. The pattern of where the landslides occurred was unexpected.

Red palm weevils can fly 50 kilometers in 24 hours Posted: 16 Dec 2015 01:22 PM PST Scientists from California and Saudi Arabia have observed red palm weevils flying as far as 50 kilometers in 24 hours in flight mill studies.

Number of severe algal blooms in Lake Erie to double, forecast says Posted: 16 Dec 2015 12:31 PM PST By the latter half of this century, toxic algal blooms like the one that cut off drinking water to the city of Toledo in 2014 will no longer be the exception, but the norm, a study suggests. The findings hold implications for hundreds of coastal regions around the world where nutrient runoff and climate change intersect to make toxic algae a problem.

Exploring the mind of a cyberterrorist Posted: 16 Dec 2015 12:19 PM PST A new study is delving into an aspect of cybersecurity rarely explored before now: the human component.

Catastrophic medieval earthquakes in Nepal Posted: 16 Dec 2015 12:17 PM PST Three quakes, in 1100, 1255 and 1344, with magnitudes of around Mw 8 triggered large-scale collapses, mass wasting and initiated the redistribution of material by catastrophic debris flows on the mountain range.

How brain architecture leads to abstract thought Posted: 16 Dec 2015 12:17 PM PST Using 20 years of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from tens of thousands of brain imaging experiments, computational neuroscientists have created a geometry-based method for massive data analysis to reach a new understanding of how thought arises from brain structure.

Composting food waste remains your best option, study finds Posted: 16 Dec 2015 12:17 PM PST A new study confirms that composting food scraps is better than throwing them away, and also calculates the environmental benefits associated with keeping these organic materials out of landfills.

Research offers recommendations for use of aspirin to prevent preeclampsia Posted: 16 Dec 2015 12:16 PM PST To prevent preeclampsia, new research suggests that low-dose aspirin should be given prophylactically to all women at high risk (those with diabetes or chronic hypertension) and any woman with two or more moderate risk factors (including obesity, multiple gestation and advanced maternal age).

Researchers discover six new African frog species, uncover far more diversity Posted: 16 Dec 2015 12:16 PM PST Researchers have discovered half a dozen new species of the African clawed frog, and added back another to the list of known species, in the process uncovering striking new characteristics of one of the most widely studied amphibians in the world.

When rejection comes from within Posted: 16 Dec 2015 12:16 PM PST A new cellular structure responsible for previously unexplained rejection of organ transplants has been identified. This discovery could one day revolutionize transplantation practice by modifying risk assessment of rejection in people who receive heart, lung, kidney, or liver transplants.

New species of 'sail-backed' dinosaur found in Spain Posted: 16 Dec 2015 12:16 PM PST In a new study, scientists describe a 'sail-backed' dinosaur species named Morelladon beltrani, which inhabited the Iberian landmass approximately 125 million years ago.

Penguin cam captures hunt for prey Posted: 16 Dec 2015 12:16 PM PST Little penguins were more likely to work together to hunt schooling prey than solitary prey, according to observations made using animal-borne cameras.

Enemy odors help flies protect their offspring Posted: 16 Dec 2015 12:16 PM PST In nature, up to 80 percent of Drosophila melanogaster larvae are parasitized by Leptopilina wasps. However, an innate early warning system alerts female flies when wasps are near -- they can then avoid laying eggs near wasps. Researchers have now identified that chemical odorant compounds produced by the wasps (including their sex pheromone) trigger avoidance behavior in these flies.

Natural or humanmade earthquakes? New technique can tell the difference Posted: 16 Dec 2015 11:05 AM PST Geophysicists have shown that earthquakes resulting from wastewater injection follow several indicative patterns that are starkly different from natural causes.

Diamonds may be the key to future NMR/MRI technologies Posted: 16 Dec 2015 11:05 AM PST Researchers have demonstrated that diamonds may hold the key to the future for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologies. NMR/MRI signals were significantly strengthened through the hyperpolarization of carbon-13 nuclei in diamond using microwaves.

Big moves in protein structure prediction and design Posted: 16 Dec 2015 11:05 AM PST New reports on the modular construction of certain types of protein molecules are the latest in a series of advances in protein structure prediction and design. Because naturally occurring proteins act as nanomachines to carry out essential functions in living things, researchers are eager to custom-design and synthesize protein molecules that can perform critical tasks in medical, environmental and industrial arenas.

Researchers tailor power source for wearable electronics Posted: 16 Dec 2015 10:59 AM PST Researchers have developed flexible wire-shaped microsupercapacitors that can be woven into a jacket, shirt or dress.

Solar cells that can face almost any direction and keep themselves clean Posted: 16 Dec 2015 10:59 AM PST In recent years, a complicated discussion over which direction solar cells should face -- south or west -- has likely left customers uncertain about the best way to orient their panels. Now researchers are attempting to resolve this issue by developing solar cells that can harvest light from almost any angle, and the panels self-clean to boot.

How to see a mass extinction if it's right in front of you Posted: 16 Dec 2015 10:59 AM PST A new study urges scientists to move their focus from species extinction to species rarity in order to recognize, and avoid, a mass extinction in the modern world.

Devising an inexpensive, quick tuberculosis test for developing areas Posted: 16 Dec 2015 10:58 AM PST Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly infectious disease and a major global health problem, especially in countries with developing health care systems. Because there is no fast, easy way to detect TB, the deadly infection can spread quickly through communities. Now, scientists report on the development of a rapid, sensitive and low-cost method for detecting the disease in resource-limited areas.

Hubble captures first-ever predicted exploding star Posted: 16 Dec 2015 10:58 AM PST The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured the image of the first-ever predicted supernova explosion. The reappearance of the Refsdal supernova was calculated from different models of the galaxy cluster whose immense gravity is warping the supernova's light.

Toward roads that de-ice themselves Posted: 16 Dec 2015 10:58 AM PST As winter approaches, stores, cities and homeowners are stocking up on salt, gravel and sand in anticipation of slippery roads. But this annual ritual in colder climates could soon become unnecessary. Researchers report on a new road material that could de-ice itself.

Recent shift in relationship among species that prevailed for more than 300 million years Posted: 16 Dec 2015 10:58 AM PST A new study finds a surprising and very recent shift away from the steady relationship among species that prevailed for more than 300 million years. The study offers the first long-term view of how species associated with each other for half of the existence of multicellular life on Earth.

Greenland Ice Sheet during the 20th Century -- a missing link in IPCC's climate report Posted: 16 Dec 2015 10:44 AM PST For the first time, climate an international team of researchers has published their direct observations of the reduction and melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet during the latest 110 years. The observation-based results close a gap in IPCC's estimate of global sea level budget.

Three new fishing snake species fished out of the Andean slopes in South America Posted: 16 Dec 2015 10:44 AM PST Commonly known as fishing snakes, the Synophis genus has been expanded with as many as three new species following a research in the Andean cloud forests of Amazonian Ecuador and Peru. Not only is the discovery remarkable due to the rarity of new snake species being discovered, but also because this is the first time this mysterious and now eight-member genus is recorded from Peru.

Understanding body language of mice Posted: 16 Dec 2015 10:44 AM PST Mouse behavior naturally divides into movement motifs lasting less than a second. These 'behavioral syllables' can be reused by the brain to achieve specific goals.

A field research network to address looming grain failures Posted: 16 Dec 2015 10:44 AM PST The effects of climate change will continue to alter growing conditions in the Midwest United States, requiring urgent action by researchers to help farmers and other stakeholders adapt their practices. To preserve food security and more efficiently develop climate-change mitigation and adaptation strategies for a major bread basket, researchers propose a large-scale field research network in the Midwest.

Antibiotics alone can be a safe, effective treatment for children with appendicitis Posted: 16 Dec 2015 10:44 AM PST Using antibiotics alone to treat children with uncomplicated acute appendicitis is a reasonable alternative to surgery when chosen by the family. A new study has found that three out of four children with uncomplicated appendicitis have been successfully treated with antibiotics alone at one year follow-up. Compared to urgent appendectomy, non-operative management was associated with less recovery time, lower health costs and no difference in the rate of complications at one year.

Steeping temperature and time may affect antioxidants in tea Posted: 16 Dec 2015 09:01 AM PST Tea is the most highly consumed beverage in the world next to water. The methods of preparing the beverage varies throughout the world and also depends on the type of tea. Researchers found that the temperature and length of time tea leaves are steeped affects their antioxidant properties and differs across types of tea.

Ten Cool Things the Kitchen of the Future Will Do Posted: 16 Dec 2015 09:01 AM PST When the next generation of home cooks go to their kitchens, they'll be entering a world of interconnected smart appliances, 3-D printers, and touchscreen controls that will simplify food preparation, create customized meal solutions, and produce far less waste.

Drug use trends remain stable or decline among teens Posted: 16 Dec 2015 08:58 AM PST A new American survey shows decreasing use of a number of substances, including cigarettes, alcohol, prescription opioid pain relievers, and synthetic cannabinoids ('synthetic marijuana'). Other drug use remains stable, including marijuana, with continued high rates of daily use reported among 12th graders, and ongoing declines in perception of its harms.

Monster planet is 'dancing with the stars' Posted: 16 Dec 2015 08:57 AM PST A team of scientists has discovered a highly unusual planetary system comprised of a sun-like star, a dwarf star, and an enormous planet sandwiched in between.

Plants use a molecular clock to predict when they'll be infected Posted: 16 Dec 2015 08:57 AM PST Plants are able to predict when infections are more likely to occur and regulate their immune response accordingly, new research has found. Researchers discovered that a plants' molecular clock is connected to their immune system to increase levels of resistance to infection at dawn -- the time at which fungal infections appear most likely to occur, with plants unable to maintain the highest level of resistance at all times of day.

Nearby star hosts closest alien planet in the 'habitable zone' Posted: 16 Dec 2015 08:57 AM PST Australian astronomers have discovered the closest potentially habitable planet found outside our solar system so far, orbiting a star just 14 light years away. The planet, more than four times the mass of the Earth, is one of three that the team detected around a red dwarf star called Wolf 1061.

Weight loss through diet changes can improve sleep at any body weight, study finds Posted: 16 Dec 2015 08:02 AM PST Weight loss due to dietary changes can improve sleepiness at any weight, according to a new. The findings offer new insights into how weight fluctuations impact numerous aspects of sleep independent of body weight.

Activating beige fat in humans could combat obesity Posted: 16 Dec 2015 07:57 AM PST The body's ability to harness heat production by converting white fat cells, which store calories, into beige fat cells, which burn energy, could help fight obesity, according to researchers.

Scientists find new vessel for detecting autism Posted: 16 Dec 2015 07:57 AM PST Evidence of autism may be found in the composition and malfunction of the brain's blood vessels, a team of scientists has found. Their research sheds new light on the causes of autism, which previously had pointed to neurological make-up rather than to the vascular system, and identifies a new target for potential therapeutic intervention.

Female spider that cannibalizes her male suitors just testing their worth, study finds Posted: 16 Dec 2015 07:53 AM PST The female raft spider -- often accused of indiscriminate aggression for cannibalizing her potential suitors -- is actually testing the worth of her mates, a new study suggests.

Quasar outburst revises understanding of universe, quasars Posted: 16 Dec 2015 07:53 AM PST An outburst from a distant quasar known as PKS 1441+25 in April of this year gave astronomers at the gamma-ray telescope VERITAS an opportunity to measure the density of the optical 'fog' that lies between the quasar and Earth and to deduce the surprising separation of the high-energy emission from the black hole that drives it.

Surgery is more effective than drug in hyperparathyroidism post-kidney transplantation Posted: 16 Dec 2015 07:53 AM PST A new study compared the results of surgery with drug therapy in patients with tertiary hyperparathyroidism, i.e., after a kidney transplant.

Physics for the mechanism of slow change in microscopic magnetic structures revealed Posted: 16 Dec 2015 07:53 AM PST A slow change of microscopic magnetic structures in metallic wires induced by external driving forces, commonly called 'creep' motion, has been studied by a group of researchers. This has allowed them to clarify the physics of how the driving forces, magnetic fields or electric currents, act on the magnetic structure.

Researchers find out cause of mutations that are not in genetic material Posted: 16 Dec 2015 07:53 AM PST Proteins are like bricks that form our cells and they are built by the orders given by our genetic material, DNA. In human diseases, eventually DNA alterations modify proteins and they don't do their normal function, either by excess or defect. But recently scientists have started to find alterations of proteins without an obvious damage of the gene that produces them.

Research reveals promising novel strategy to target cancer-causing protein Posted: 16 Dec 2015 07:51 AM PST The mechanism by which tumor cells elevate levels of MDM4, a protein that is highly expressed in cancer cells but not in normal adult tissues, has been revealed by researchers. The team has also found that the mechanism can be interfered with antisense oligonucleotides to suppress cancer growth.

The eyes have it: Mutual gaze potentially a vital component in social interactions Posted: 16 Dec 2015 07:51 AM PST Eye contact synchronizes brain activation to establish connection between individuals; without this, shared attention cannot be attained, new research confirms.

West coast marine mammals respond to shifting conditions, new research shows Posted: 16 Dec 2015 07:51 AM PST Humpback whales off the West Coast consume thousands of pounds of krill, plankton and small fish each day. Research shows that humpback diets reflect their surroundings, with the truck-sized whales filter-feeding on vast amounts of krill when cold upwelling waters prevail, but switching to schooling fish such as anchovies when warmer waters take over and the fish grow abundant.

Geologists focus on extraterrestrial mineral for clues to beginning of biological life on Earth Posted: 16 Dec 2015 07:51 AM PST New research has found that in Earth's beginning, meteorites striking the planet to provide light may have carried within them an extraterrestrial mineral that, as it corroded in water on Earth, could have provided the essential chemical spark leading to the birth of biological life.

Beyond early adversity: A multidimensional approach linking early experiences to successful aging Posted: 16 Dec 2015 07:51 AM PST Adverse childhood experiences such as poverty, abuse and neglect have been linked to poor mental and physical health outcomes in adulthood, new research shows.

A molecular light switch? Just add water Posted: 16 Dec 2015 07:51 AM PST Researchers uncovered a way to use water molecules to control ultraviolet light emitted from the inside of a complex oxide material. This discovery means the material could find use in chemical sensors, computing and information storage devices.

Males and under 30 at greatest risk of hospital admission for drug related poisonings Posted: 16 Dec 2015 07:51 AM PST Poisonings from recreational drug and alcohol use account for 9 percent of all poisoning-related hospital admissions, says a new Australian study revealing that males and people under 30 are at greatest risk.

When trees die, water slows Posted: 16 Dec 2015 05:29 AM PST Mountain pine beetle populations have exploded over the past decade, and these insects have infected and killed thousands of acres of western pine forests. Researchers predicted that as trees died, streamflow would increase, but a new study disproved this hypothesis.

Giant planets carving paths around four young stars, observations suggest Posted: 16 Dec 2015 05:29 AM PST Astronomers have found the clearest evidence yet that giant planets have recently formed around four young stars. These new worlds, each presumably several times more massive than Jupiter, were inferred by the telltale structures they produced in the disks of gas and dust that surround the stars.

'Never was so much owed by so many to so few': Could phrases like this hold clues about universal grammar? Posted: 16 Dec 2015 05:28 AM PST A new research project is looking for evidence of "universal grammar" – the notion that humans are hard-wired to understand language from birth.

Narcissism, the seed of violence from children towards their parents Posted: 16 Dec 2015 05:25 AM PST The mirror becomes an object that they cannot live without. They fall in love with their own reflection and believe that they deserve special treatment, becoming aggressive if they don't receive it. For the first time, a Spanish study carried out on 591 adolescents and their parents demonstrates that exposure to violence in the home, a lack of affectionate and positive communication between parents and children, and a permissive upbringing all create narcissistic adolescents who physically or verbally assault their parents.

Time-resolved measurement of the anomalous velocity Posted: 16 Dec 2015 05:25 AM PST Movement of charge carriers perpendicular to an electric driving field in a solid state system detected for the first time with sub-picosecond time resolution, scientists have observed through a new study.

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