Welcome to the Saturday edition of “Hawaii Science Digest.”  This Hawaii Island blog focuses on science, technology, medicine, health, cyber security, and artificial intelligence (AI).  Views expressed in this science news summary are those of National Public Radio (NPR), its reporters and contributors.  Today’s post cites articles published by National Public Radio, 19 January 2019.

Accessed on 19 January 2019, 2055 UTC.

Source: https://www.npr.org/sections/science/

Please click the link or scroll down to read your selections.

 

Brett Flashnick/The Washington Post/Getty Images

THE SALT

Is The Power Of The Flour Really The Secret To Baking The Perfect Biscuit?

January 19, 2019 • While some bakers believe that soft wheat flour, found primarily in the American South, is the best for making light, flaky biscuits, others say the key to better biscuits comes down to technique.

 

Jae C. Hong/AP

Back-To-Back Storms And No Pay For Federal Weather Forecasters

January 18, 2019 • Despite the shutdown, the National Weather Service is putting out forecasts and helping local officials prepare for dangerous weather, even as employees worry about making ends meet at home.

Back-To-Back Storms And No Pay For Federal Weather Forecasters

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Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images

SPACE

Heads-Up For Sunday, A Super ‘Blood Moon’ Is On The Way

January 17, 2019 • Not only will the moon be particularly close to Earth, but it will also be bathed in a reddish light just before midnight Eastern time.

• On Tumblr: explore the beauty of science
• On Youtube: feed your curiosity with video adventures
• On Twitter: get bite-sized science facts

 

Mitch Blunt/Getty Images/Ikon Images

HIDDEN BRAIN

Playing The Gender Card: Overlooking And Overthrowing Sexist Stereotypes

January 17, 2019 • This week on the Hidden Brain radio show, we tell the stories of two people who defy gender stereotypes in their jobs.

Playing The Gender Card: Overlooking And Overthrowing Sexist Stereotypes

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Courtesy of Alex Weber

ENVIRONMENT

Teenage Diver Finds Tons Of Golf Balls Rotting Off California

January 17, 2019 • Alex Weber discovered more than 50,000 balls in the ocean near coastal California golf courses. When golf balls degrade, as these were doing, they release plastic particles and toxic chemicals.

Teenage Diver Finds Tons Of Golf Balls Rotting Off California

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Mark Wright/Missile Defense Agency

NATIONAL SECURITY

Trump Unveils Ambitious Missile Defense Plans

January 17, 2019 • The strategy, reminiscent of the Cold War-era Star Wars program, calls for new sensors in space, updated missile interceptors and advanced weapons, including lasers.

Trump Unveils Ambitious Missile Defense Plans

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NASA, ESA, A. Simon (GSFC) and the OPAL Team, and J. DePasquale (STScI)

SPACE

You Don’t Look A Day Over 100 Million, Rings Of Saturn

January 17, 2019 • A new study shows that Saturn’s rings are only 10 million to 100 million years old, much younger than the planet itself.

 

Sally Anscombe/Getty Images

SHOTS – HEALTH NEWS

Scientists Find Brain Cells That Make Pain Hurt

January 17, 2019 • Researchers have pinpointed the neurons that give pain its unpleasant edge. By turning these neurons off in mice, the scientists relieved the unpleasantness of pain without numbing sensation.

 

BSIP/UIG/Getty Images

SHOTS – HEALTH NEWS

Daily Movement — Even Household Chores — May Boost Brain Health In Elderly

January 16, 2019 • Whether it’s exercise or housework, older Americans who move their bodies regularly may preserve more of their memory and thinking skills, even if they have brain lesions and other signs of dementia.

Daily Movement — Even Household Chores — May Boost Brain Health In Elderly

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Steve Gschmeissner/Science Source

GOATS AND SODA

Bacteria In Worms Make A Mosquito Repellent That Might Beat DEET

January 16, 2019 • An insect-killing bacteria that lives inside a parasitic worm might hold the key to developing a powerful new repellent.

 

Tina Radel/AP

NATIONAL

Watch: Massive, Moving Ice Disk Takes Center Stage, Mesmerizing Maine

January 16, 2019 • Whether reminiscent of the moon’s surface or “a big duck-go-round,” a circle of ice entrances as it bobs and spins on a river in Maine.

 

China National Space Administration/Xinhua News Agency/AP

SPACE

Cotton Seed Sprouts In China’s Lunar Lander

January 15, 2019 • A mini biosphere was sent up in China’s Chang’e-4, which landed on the far side of the moon in early January. Photos show the small, green shoot of a cotton plant in a container aboard the spacecraft.

 

Flashpop/Getty Images

HIDDEN BRAIN

The Best Medicine: Decoding The Hidden Meanings Of Laughter

January 14, 2019 • If you listen closely to giggles, guffaws, and polite chuckles, you can discern a huge amount of information about people and their relationships with each other. This week, we talk with neuroscientist Sophie Scott about the many shades of laughter, from cackles of delight among close friends to the “canned” mirth of TV laugh tracks. You can find more about the research discussed in this episode here: https://n.pr/2RORlDs

The Best Medicine: Decoding The Hidden Meanings Of Laughter

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shapecharge/Getty Images

SHOTS – HEALTH NEWS

A Surgeon Reflects On Death, Life And The ‘Incredible Gift’ Of Organ Transplant

FRESH AIR

January 14, 2019 • Joshua Mezrich has performed hundreds of kidney, liver and pancreas transplants. He shares stories from the operating room in his book, When Death Becomes Life.

A Surgeon Reflects On Death, Life And The ‘Incredible Gift’ Of Organ Transplant

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Spencer Platt/Getty Images

RESEARCH NEWS

Report: Americans Are Now More Likely To Die Of An Opioid Overdose Than On The Road

January 14, 2019 • Americans now have a 1 in 96 chance of dying from an opioid overdose, according to new analysis from the National Safety Council.

 

Matt Hartman/AP

SPACE

SpaceX To Lay Off 10 Percent Of Its Workforce

January 11, 2019 • A spokesman said the reduction would not be necessary except for “extraordinarily difficult challenges ahead.”

 

Alison Stimpert/NMFS PERMIT 808-1735

JOE’S BIG IDEA

With Key Government Agencies Shut Down, Science Sputters

January 10, 2019 • Government, academic and industry researchers often depend on each others’ work and funding. The partial shutdown is getting in the way of some of that collaboration and research.

 

Oliver Brachat/for NPR

THE SALT

Should Hyping Edible Bugs Focus On The Experience Instead Of The Environment?

January 10, 2019 • A new study shows that when ads made hedonistic marketing claims, such as “exotic” or “delicious,” rather than targeting environmental interests, more people were willing to try eating insects.

 

Christina Warinner/Science Advances

SHOTS – HEALTH NEWS

A Blue Clue In Medieval Teeth May Bespeak A Woman’s Artistry Circa A.D. 1000

January 9, 2019 • Analysis of fossilized dental tartar of a medieval woman buried in a German monastery reveals specks of blue to be lapis lazuli — a luxurious pigment used to create gorgeous illuminated manuscripts.

A Blue Clue In Medieval Teeth May Bespeak A Woman’s Artistry Circa A.D. 1000

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