Welcome to the “Science News” update from Hawaii Science Digest.
Views expressed in this science and technology news summary are those of the reporters and correspondents.
Content provided by “Science News”–an official publication of the Society for Science & the Public.
Accessed on 10 March 2019, 1654 UTC.
Source: https://www.sciencenews.org
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NEWS IN BRIEF
Scientists have chilled tiny electronics to a record low temperature
In a first, electronic chip temperatures dip below a thousandth of a degree kelvin.
SCIENCE VISUALIZED
How droplets of oil or water can glow vibrant colors
Viewed from various angles, tiny droplets of water or oil glow different colors under white light.
SPONSOR MESSAGE
MYSTERY SOLVED
Microwaved grapes make fireballs, and scientists now know why
Electromagnetic waves bounce back and forth inside a grape, creating plasma.
FEATURE
Nanosponges sop up toxins and help repair tissues
Nanoparticles coated with blood cell membranes can move through the body to clean up toxins or heal tissues — without instigating an immune reaction.
REVIEWS & PREVIEWS
‘Skeleton Keys’ unlocks the history and mysteries of bones
From fish to dinosaurs to King Richard III, ‘Skeleton Keys’ surveys the scientific and cultural history of bones.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Merging magnetic blobs fuel the sun’s huge plasma eruptions
Solar eruptions called coronal mass ejections grow from a series of smaller events, observations show.
NEWS
Human encroachment threatens chimpanzee culture
Human activity is affecting chimps’ behavioral repertoire, a new study suggests. Creating chimp cultural heritage sites might save unique behaviors.
NEWS
How helpful gut microbes send signals that they are friends, not foes
Some beneficial gut bacteria use unique form of communication to let immune cells know that they’re friendly.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Japan puts plans for the world’s next big particle collider on hold
The jury is still out on whether Japan will host the world’s first “Higgs factory” — the International Linear Collider.
NEWS IN BRIEF
FDA has approved the first ketamine-based antidepressant
A nasal spray with a ketamine-based drug promises faster relief from depression for some people.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Hominids may have hunted rabbits as far back as 400,000 years ago
Stone Age groups in Europe put small game on the menu surprisingly early.
FEATURE
Extreme elements push the boundaries of the periodic table
The hunt for the next elements on the periodic table might turn up superheavy atoms that flaunt the rules of chemistry.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Tiny bits of iron may explain why some icebergs are green
Scientists originally thought the green hue of some icebergs came from carbon particles. Instead, iron oxides may color the ice.
NEWS IN BRIEF
This spider slingshots itself at extreme speeds to catch prey
By winding up its web like a slingshot, the slingshot spider achieves an acceleration rate far faster than a cheetah’s.
FEATURE
With its burning grip, shingles can do lasting damage
Varicella zoster virus, which causes chickenpox and shingles, may instigate several other problems.
NEWS IN BRIEF
The first planet Kepler spotted has finally been confirmed 10 years later
Astronomers had dismissed the first exoplanet candidate spotted by the Kepler space telescope as a false alarm.
NEWS
A CRISPR spin-off causes unintended typos in DNA
One type of CRISPR gene editor makes frequent and widespread mistakes, studies in mice and rice reveal.
NEWS
A second HIV patient has gone into remission after a stem cell transplant
A second person with HIV has gone into remission after receiving blood stem cells from a donor unable to make a protein needed by the virus.
NEWS
Ripples race in the brain as memories are recalled
A fast brain wave called a ripple often came before a person’s correct answer on a memory test.
THE –EST
A 2,000-year-old tattoo tool is the oldest in western North America
The artifact is made of two pigment-stained cactus spines, and has been sitting in storage since its discovery in 1972.
NEWS
Hidden ancient neutrinos may shape the patterns of galaxies
The gravitational pull of subatomic particles born in the universe’s first second seem to influence how galaxies cluster into rings.
NEWS
Welfare reforms may have hurt some single moms’ teenage kids
Welfare reform was meant to help the next generation, but making moms work and capping aid has led to more harm than gain, says a new study.
NEWS
Bears that eat ‘junk food’ may hibernate less and age faster
Wild black bears snacking on leftovers of sugary, highly processed foods in Colorado show possible signs of faster cellular wear.
NEWS
Eating a lot of fiber could improve some cancer treatments
A high-fiber diet, which boosts the diversity of gut microbes, may make an immune therapy against skin cancer more effective.