Welcome to the “Phys.org” update from Hawaii Science Digest.
Views expressed in this science and technology news summary are those of the reporters and correspondents.
Content provided by Phys.org. An official publication of the Science X Network.
Accessed on 03 April 2019, 0410 UTC.
Source: https://phys.org
Please click link or scroll down to read your selections.
VLA makes first direct image of key feature of powerful radio galaxies
Astronomers used the National Science Foundation’s Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) to make the first direct image of a dusty, doughnut-shaped feature surrounding the supermassive black hole at the core of one of the …
ASTRONOMY
9 HOURS AGO
23
103
Methane oxidation on the plus side – A selective industrial route to methanesulfonic acid
Methane is a major component in natural gas and one of the most difficult molecules for controlled activation, since most of the product results in carbon dioxide. The industrial conversion of methane to alcohol derivatives …
Evidence found of Denisovans interbreeding with humans in Southeast Asia more recently than thought
An international team of researchers has found evidence of Denisovans interbreeding with modern humans in Southeast Asia more recently than thought. The group gave a presentation at this year’s meeting of the American Association …
A global motion-planning approach based on local experiences
While humans can execute motions naturally and instantaneously, robots require advanced motion planning strategies in order to navigate their surroundings. Motion planning is thus a key area of robotics research, aimed at …
Researchers tune material’s color and thermal properties separately
The color of a material can often tell you something about how it handles heat. Think of wearing a black shirt on a sweltering summer’s day—the darker the pigment, the warmer you’re likely to feel. Likewise, the more transparent …
MATERIALS SCIENCE
9 HOURS AGO
0
41
Which came first, the lizard or the egg?
In a world first, researchers at the University of Sydney have observed a normally live-bearing Australian lizard lay three eggs and then weeks later, give birth to a live baby from the same pregnancy. This is the first time …
PLANTS & ANIMALS
4 HOURS AGO
5
68
After the Moon in 2024, NASA wants to reach Mars by 2033
NASA has made it clear they want astronauts back on the Moon in 2024, and now, they are zeroing in on the Red Planet—the US space agency confirmed that it wants humans to reach Mars by 2033.
SPACE EXPLORATION
9 HOURS AGO
4
217
Scientists prove that binary stars reflect light from one another
UNSW astronomers have shown that binary stars – two stars locked in orbit around each other – reflect light as well as radiating it, revealing new ways for their detection.
ASTRONOMY
16 HOURS AGO
0
525
Instant Access to Over 600 Multiphysics Papers and Presentations
Browse this collection of multiphysics simulation papers and presentations featuring ground-breaking applications from research, engineering, and industry.
Be an ACS Industry Insider: Be a step ahead in your industry
Stay on top of cutting edge discoveries with free access to the most exciting articles in electronics.
Medical Xpress
How the brain finds meaning in metaphor
Alzheimer’s diagnosis, management improved by brain scans
Dopamine conducts prefrontal cortex ensembles
Research unlocks biomechanic mystery behind deadly blood clots
Searching for better treatments for irritated tendons
Defining obesity in children should be based on health issues, not just BMI
Study: Families spend half of their evening meal distracted by technology, tasks
Reduction in autism diagnoses observed with DSM-5
Tech Xplore
Selecting the best features for phishing attack detection algorithms
New ‘blue-green’ solution for recycling world’s batteries
British startup looking to build 18-seat bioelectric hybrid airplane
In a first, electric cars outsell traditional ones in Norway
No AI in humor: R2-D2 walks into a bar, doesn’t get the joke
Apple pulls plug on AirPower wireless charging mat
New approach could boost energy capacity of lithium batteries
Defining blameworthiness to help make AI moral
Teaching computers to intelligently design ‘billions’ of possible materials
Discovering how atoms—such as a single layer of carbon atoms found in graphene, one of the world’s strongest materials—work to create a solid material is currently a major research topic in the field of materials science, …
MATERIALS SCIENCE
11 HOURS AGO
0
150
Natural climate processes overshadow recent human-induced Walker circulation trends
A new study, published this week in the journal Nature Climate Change, shows that the recent intensification of the equatorial Pacific wind system, known as Walker Circulation, is unrelated to human influences and can be …
EARTH SCIENCES
16 HOURS AGO
6
48
Online romance is local, but not all locales are the same: study
When searching for love on the Internet, most people end up connecting with the girl [or boy] next door, according to an analysis of messaging patterns across a major online dating platform.
SOCIAL SCIENCES
11 HOURS AGO
0
19
‘Molecular surgery’ reshapes living tissue with electricity but no incisions
Traditional surgery to reshape a nose or ear entails cutting and suturing, sometimes followed by long recovery times and scars. But now, researchers have developed a “molecular surgery” process that uses tiny needles, electric …
BIOCHEMISTRY
13 HOURS AGO
2
522
Insects in freezing regions have a protein that acts like antifreeze
The power to align water molecules is usually held by ice, which affects nearby water and encourages it to join the ice layer—to freeze too. But in the case of organisms living in freezing habitats, a particularly powerful …
BIOCHEMISTRY
11 HOURS AGO
0
23
3-D-printed transparent skull provides a window to the brain
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a unique 3-D-printed transparent skull implant for mice that provides an opportunity to watch activity of the entire brain surface in real time. The device allows …
NEUROSCIENCE
10 HOURS AGO
1
323
Low-bandwidth radar technology provides improved detection of objects
Radar technologies were originally designed to identify and track airborne military targets. Today they’re more often used to detect motor vehicles, weather formations and geological terrain.
OPTICS & PHOTONICS
11 HOURS AGO
0
28
A slippery slope: How climate change is reshaping the Arctic landscape
Increasing ground temperatures in the Arctic are indicators of global climate change, but until recently, areas of cold permafrost were thought to be relatively immune to severe impacts. A new study by Antoni Lewkowicz, a …
ENVIRONMENT
11 HOURS AGO
1
70
Subaru telescope helps determine that dark matter is not made up of tiny primordial black holes
An international team of researchers has put a theory speculated by the late Stephen Hawking to its most rigorous test to date, and their results based on the observations using the Subaru Telescope have ruled out the possibility …
ASTRONOMY
16 HOURS AGO
2
233
Transplanted bone marrow endothelial progenitor cells delay ALS disease progression
Transplantation of human bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) into mice mimicking symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) helped more motor neurons survive and slowed disease progression by repairing …
MEDICAL RESEARCH
10 HOURS AGO
0
169
Walmart partners with Google on grocery shopping via voice
Walmart will now allow its shoppers to order their groceries by voice through Google’s smart home assistant, its latest attempt to challenge Amazon’s growing dominance.
Ten years before the detection of gravitational waves, two KITP postdocs at UC Santa Barbara had a novel idea
The history of science is filled with stories of enthusiastic researchers slowly winning over skeptical colleagues to their point of view. Astrophysicist Scott Hughes can relate to these tales.
Facebook CEO visits Ireland to discuss reform pledge
Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg met Irish lawmakers on Tuesday after calling for more action from governments to regulate social media.
Twitter says action taken against pro-Netanyahu bot network
Twitter says it has “taken action” after an Israeli watchdog exposed an alleged bot network spreading propaganda in support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and smearing his opponents.
Scam ads promoting fake tax breaks prosper on Facebook
Hundreds of ads on Facebook promised U.S. homeowners that they were eligible for huge state tax breaks if they installed new solar-energy panels. There was just one catch: None of it was true.
Streaming helps boost 2018 music industry sales
Worldwide music sales rose by nearly 10 percent in 2018, a fourth consecutive year of growth fuelled by online streaming, according to figures released on Tuesday by an industry body.
Water flows on California dam’s spillway after 2017 crisis
Officials at the nation’s tallest dam unleashed water down a rebuilt spillway Tuesday for the first time since it crumbled two years ago and drove hundreds of thousands of California residents from their homes over fears …
Germany finds truckers cheating to hide emissions
German authorities have identified hundreds of trucks “manipulated” to save their operators money by shutting off exhaust treatment systems, saying many more cheating vehicles could be at large on Europe’s roads.
Outgoing Airbus CEO poised for 37 mln euro payout: report
The chief executive of European aerospace giant Airbus stands to receive a 37 million euro ($41 million) severance package when he steps down next week, according to calculations by an investor advisory firm released Tuesday.
Gun that Van Gogh killed himself with goes up for sale
The revolver with which Vincent Van Gogh is believed to have shot himself is to go under the hammer, a Paris auction house said Tuesday.
Permian volcanism contributed to atmospheric greenhouse gas content in Antarctica
The Choiyoi magmatic Province, with an estimated volume of ~1.3 million square kilometers, represents a voluminous Permian subduction-related volcanic episode that has thus far been described only from South America. In their …
Nature versus nurture: Environment exerts greater influence on corn health than genetics
Corn is one of the most important staple crops in the world—over 1 billion metric tons of corn are harvested each year, comprising 37 percent of the global cereal production. Corn production occupies an estimated 188 million …
Food for thought: Why did we ever start farming?
The reason that humans shifted away from hunting and gathering, and to agriculture—a much more labor-intensive process—has always been a riddle. It is only more confusing because the shift happened independently in about …
Springer Nature proposes five essential factors to accelerate data sharing
Five Essential Factors for Data Sharing, published by Springer Nature today, translates findings about researcher attitudes and behaviours into concrete measures that will accelerate data sharing. The white paper builds on …
Purdue startup wins Army’s xTechSearch for newest technology to meet modernization needs
Adranos Inc., a Purdue University-affiliated company developing a high-performance, solid propellant for long-range missile and space launch systems, has won the Army’s inaugural xTechSearch competition, besting more than …
New study demonstrates radio signal benefits from decades-old theory
Engineering researchers have demonstrated that a longstanding theoretical method called direct antenna modulation (DAM) has real-world utility for boosting the quality of radio signals when transmitting at high data rates. …
ENGINEERING
11 HOURS AGO
1
21
Fatal chirps: Nocturnal flight calls increase building collisions among migrating birds
Birds that produce faint chirps called flight calls during nighttime migration collide with illuminated buildings much more often than closely related species that don’t produce such calls, according to a new analysis of …
ECOLOGY
4 HOURS AGO
0
81
Scientists capture live, atomic-level detail of nanoparticle formation
Scientists at the Sensitive Instrument Facility of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory achieved real-time atom rearrangement monitoring using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy during …
NANOMATERIALS
14 HOURS AGO
1
1372
Gut microbiome directs the immune system to fight cancer
The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors—which “release the brakes” of the body’s immune system to launch an efficient tumor attack—are a major breakthrough in cancer immunotherapy. However, these treatments don’t work …
CANCER
13 HOURS AGO
0
971
New alternatives may ease demand for scarce rare-earth permanent magnets
From computer hard discs and smart phones to earbuds and electric motors, magnets are at the forefront of today’s technology. Magnets containing rare-earth elements are among the most powerful available, allowing many everyday …
MATERIALS SCIENCE
13 HOURS AGO
0
39
Restore natural forests to meet global climate goals
International plans to restore forests to combat global warming are flawed and will fall far short of meeting 1.5C climate targets, according to new research by UCL and University of Edinburgh scientists.
ENVIRONMENT
13 HOURS AGO
0
427
Hands spread flame retardants, plasticizers throughout homes
Hundreds of everyday items, from furniture to cell phones to floor wax, contain organophosphate ester (OPE) flame retardants and plasticizers. Some of these semi-volatile compounds make their way into the air, onto surfaces …
ENVIRONMENT
13 HOURS AGO
1
65
Circadian clock plays unexpected role in neurodegenerative diseases
While your body might bemoan the many uncomfortable effects of jet lag, your brain may be thanking you for that cross-time zone travel.
NEUROSCIENCE
12 HOURS AGO
0
105
How the brain finds meaning in metaphor
You can grasp a hand. You can also grasp a concept. One is literal. One is metaphorical. Our brains know the difference, but would we be able to understand the latter without the former?
NEUROSCIENCE
13 HOURS AGO
0
186
Hybrid species could hold secret to protect Darwin’s finches against invasive parasite
A hybrid bird species on the Galapagos Islands could help scientists find a way to stop an invasive fly which is killing off the hatchlings of famous Darwin’s finches at an alarming rate, according to new research.
PLANTS & ANIMALS
4 HOURS AGO
0
29
Optimizing proton beam therapy with mathematical models
Particle beam therapy is increasingly being used to treat many types of cancer. It consists in subjecting tumours to beams of high-energy charged particles such as protons. Although more targeted than conventional radiotherapy …
Turbulences theory closer high-energy physics than previously thought
Many scientists have been disappointed that no new elementary particles have been discovered at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider since the Higgs Boson in 2012. The failure to detect particles that had previously been predicted …
Understanding stock market returns: Which models fits best?
Understanding stock market returns hinges on understanding their volatility. Two simple but competing models have been dominant for decades: the Heston model, introduced in 1993, and the multiplicative model, which dates …
Intelligent metamaterials behave like electrostatic chameleons
A chameleon can flexibly change its colour to match its surroundings. And a similar phenomenon can now be seen in a new class of smart materials called metamaterials. The trouble is that these metamaterials lack the ability …
SwRI to conduct largest-ever Hubble survey of the Kuiper Belt
NASA’s Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) recently awarded Southwest Research Institute the largest Hubble Space Telescope (HST) solar system program ever, with 206 of Hubble’s orbits around the Earth allocated to …
Scientists measure extent of recovery for critically endangered black abalone
One critically endangered species of smooth-shelled abalone is making a comeback in certain parts of its range along the California coast. To better understand the extent of black abalone recovery, a collaborative team led …
Impacts of how non-native species are assessed
Millions of the world’s most vulnerable people face problems with invasive weeds, insects and plant diseases, which are out of control and have a major impact on global prosperity, communities and the environment. Developing …
Minimizing fuel explosions and fires from accidents and terrorist acts with polymers
When an act of terrorism or a vehicle or industrial accident ignites fuel, the resulting fire or explosion can be devastating. Today, scientists will describe how lengthy but microscopic chains of polymers could be added …
What does Uranus sound like?
Sometimes kids ask really simple questions – and parents have no idea what the answers are. When one of our colleagues was asked what it sounds like on the planet Uranus, she was stumped. And so were we! So we asked an …
The decline of salmon adds to the struggle of Puget Sound’s orcas
The crew of the Bell M. Shimada hauled in the net, long as a football field and teeming with life. Scientists, off the coast of Washington for a week on this June research trip, crowded in for a look.
US, China leading race for 5G wireless: Survey
The United States and China are in a virtual deadlock in the race for 5G, or fifth-generation wireless networks expected to unlock new services, an industry survey showed Tuesday.
Plastics in the sea costing society billions of dollars
In the first study of its kind, researchers from the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, the University of Surrey, the University of Stirling and the Arctic University of Norway investigated the social and economic impact of plastics …
Germany reports first greenhouse emissions fall in five years
Germany said Tuesday it had reduced emissions of greenhouse gases signficantly for the first time in five years in 2018, although it has already abandoned self-imposed targets for the end of this decade.
Brain scan evidence in criminal sentencing: A blessing and a curse
Brain evidence is playing an increasing role in criminal trials in the United States. An analysis indicates that brain evidence such as MRI or CAT scans – meant to provide proof of abnormalities, brain damage or disorder …
More than 113 mn people suffer ‘acute hunger’: UN
More than 113 million people across 53 countries experienced “acute hunger” last year because of wars and climate disasters, with Africa the worst-hit region, the UN said Tuesday.