Welcome to the Sunday evening update from “Hawaii Science Digest”. This Hawaii Island blog focuses on science, technology, medicine, health, the environment, cyber security, and artificial intelligence (AI). Views expressed in this science news summary are those of the reporters and correspondents. Topics cited in this post are taken from the current edition of “Spotlight Science News”–a publication of https://phys.org and the Science X Network.
Accessed on 21 January 2019, 0355 UTC.
Source: https://phys.org
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Spotlight Science News
Amazon’s safety wearable is for human-robot workspace
7 hours ago in 
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New technologies enable better-than-ever details on genetically modified plants
Salk researchers have mapped the genomes and epigenomes of genetically modified plant lines with the highest resolution ever to reveal exactly what happens at a molecular level when a piece of foreign DNA is inserted. Their …
Xiaomi has been working on improvements for in-display fingerprint scanning
Fingerprint sensors—modern tools of convenience or awkwardly placed tools that are just plain difficult for instant use?
Scientists ID another possible threat to orcas: pink salmon
Over the years, scientists have identified dams, pollution and vessel noise as causes of the troubling decline of the Pacific Northwest’s resident killer whales. Now, they may have found a new and more surprising culprit: …
Targeting ‘hidden pocket’ for treatment of stroke and seizure
The ideal drug is one that only affects the exact cells and neurons it is designed to treat, without unwanted side effects. This concept is especially important when treating the delicate and complex human brain. Now, scientists …
Technology near for real-time TV political fact checks
A Duke University team expects to have a product available for election year that will allow television networks to offer real-time fact checks onscreen when a politician makes a questionable claim during a speech or debate.
Waves in Saturn’s rings give precise measurement of planet’s rotation rate
Saturn’s distinctive rings were observed in unprecedented detail by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, and scientists have now used those observations to probe the interior of the giant planet and obtain the first precise determination …
Researchers find cooling effect of aerosols in cumulus and MSC clouds twice as high as thought
An international team of researchers has found evidence that suggests the cooling effect of aerosols in cumulus and MSC clouds is twice as high as thought. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes …
Making stars when the universe was half its age
The universe is about 13.8 billion years old, and its stars are arguably its most momentous handiwork. Astronomers studying the intricacies of star formation across cosmic time are trying to understand whether stars and the …
Biologists discover deep-sea fish living where there is virtually no oxygen
Oxygen—it’s a basic necessity for animal life. But marine biologists recently discovered large schools of fishes living in the dark depths of the Gulf of California where there is virtually no oxygen. Using an underwater …
Researchers come face to face with huge great white shark
Two shark researchers who came face to face with what could be one of the largest great whites ever recorded are using their encounter as an opportunity to push for legislation that would protect sharks in Hawaii.
Researchers discover synaptic logic for connections between two brain hemispheres
Researchers at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience have developed a new combination of technologies that allows them to identify the functional properties of individual synapses that link the two hemispheres …
A new smartphone user authentication system based on gait analysis
A team of researchers at the University of Pretoria and City University of Hong Kong has recently developed a continuous smartphone user authentication system based on gait analysis. This system, outlined in a paper presented …
Movie violence doesn’t make kids violent, study finds
Parents often worry that violent movies can trigger violence in their kids, but a new study suggests PG-13-rated movies won’t turn your kids into criminals.
Classic double-slit experiment in a new light
An international research team led by physicists from the University of Cologne has implemented a new variant of the basic double-slit experiment using resonant inelastic X-ray scattering at the European Synchrotron ESRF …
Common food additives may promote anxiety-related behavior and reduce social behavior in mice, research shows
Food additives known as dietary emulsifiers, commonly found in processed foods to improve texture and extend shelf life, may adversely affect anxiety-related and social behaviors in mice, Georgia State researchers have found.
New study shows physician-targeted marketing is associated with increase in opioid overdose deaths
Many individuals cite prescription opioids as their gateway to illicit opioid use. However, while prescription opioids are involved in more than one-third of all opioid overdose deaths in the U.S., examining any correlation …
How connected vehicles’ windshield wipers could prevent flooding
One of your car’s oldest features has been put to a new, high-tech use by University of Michigan researchers.
Fighting deadly drug resistant bacteria in intestines with new antibiotic
A new antibiotic developed by a Flinders University researcher is being heralded as a breakthrough in the war against a drug resistant superbug.
Placentas adapt when mothers have poor diets or low oxygen during pregnancy
Cambridge researchers have discovered the placenta regulates how much oxygen and nutrients it transports to babies during challenging pregnancies in a study using mice to model conditions in the womb.
Mangrove patches deserve greater recognition no matter the size
Governments must provide stronger protection for crucial small mangrove patches, is the call led by scientists at international conservation charity ZSL (Zoological Society of London), which hosts the IUCN SSC Mangrove Specialist …
Does being bilingual make children more focused? Study says no
Bilingual children do not have more advantages than monolingual children when it comes to executive function, which includes remembering instructions, controlling responses, and shifting swiftly between tasks, according to …
Taking medicine for a cold? Be mindful of your heart
Flu has so far infected more than 6 million Americans this season, and winter colds are making their rounds. If you’ve been hit by either, you may be thinking about heading to your local pharmacy to relieve your aches, pains …
Living like a caveman won’t make you thin—but it might make you healthy
If you vowed to exercise more in an effort to lose weight this year, the cards are stacked against you.
Researchers find short bouts of stairclimbing throughout the day can boost health
It just got harder to avoid exercise. A few minutes of stair climbing, at short intervals throughout the day, can improve cardiovascular health, according to new research from kinesiologists at McMaster University and UBC …
Liver cancer patients can be treated for Hep C infection
A large, multi-center study refutes earlier suggestions that antiviral drugs for treating hepatitis C may lead to a higher recurrence of liver cancer.
Enhanced NMR reveals chemical structures in a fraction of the time
MIT researchers have developed a way to dramatically enhance the sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), a technique used to study the structure and composition of many kinds of molecules, including …
Ten of the most innovative robotics developments of the past year
Researchers examine how musicians communicate non-verbally during performance
A team of researchers from McMaster University has discovered a new technique to examine how musicians intuitively coordinate with one another during a performance, silently predicting how each will express the music.
Researchers develop smart micro-robots that can adapt to their surroundings
One day, hospital patients might be able to ingest tiny robots that deliver drugs directly to diseased tissue, thanks to research being carried out at EPFL and ETH Zurich.
