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.
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Accessed on 29 July 2019, 1530 UTC.
Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/
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FEATURE
Positive attitudes about aging may pay off in better health
Research into the mind-body connection shows that attitude is everything when it comes to healthy aging.
GROWTH CURVE
2 WEEKS AGO
SCIENCE VISUALIZED
Mapping how the ‘immortal’ hydra regrows cells may demystify regeneration
In the continually regenerating hydra, fluorescent markers help researchers track stem cells on the way to their cellular fate.
SPONSOR MESSAGE
TEASER
Giving cats food with an antibody may help people with cat allergies
Research by pet-food maker Purina aims to disable the major allergen carried in cat saliva, a protein called Fel d1.
SOAPBOX
Climate change could raise the risk of deadly fungal infections in humans
The rise of Candida auris, a deadly fungus spurring outbreaks in the United States and worldwide, may have been aided by climate change.
NEWS
Immune system defects seem to contribute to obesity in mice
Subtle defects affecting T cells altered the animals’ microbiome and fat absorption, providing hints of what might also be going on in people.
50 YEARS AGO
50 years ago, a drug that crippled a generation found new life as a leprosy treatment
In 1969, a drug that crippled a generation found new life as a treatment for leprosy.
SCIENCE VISUALIZED
NASA’s Chandra X-ray telescope celebrates 20 years in space
The U.S. space agency has released new images for the Chandra X-ray Observatory’s 20th birthday.
NEWS
Dark matter particles won’t kill you. If they could, they would have already
The fact that no one has been killed by shots of dark matter suggests the mysterious substance is relatively small and light.
NEWS
How today’s global warming is unlike the last 2,000 years of climate shifts
Temperatures at the end of the 20th century were hotter almost everywhere on the planet than in the previous two millennia.
FIRST
This is the first fungus known to host complex algae inside its cells
In the lab, an alga and a fungus teamed up to exchange food, similar to lichens. But instead of staying outside, the alga moved into the fungal cells.
NEWS
A frog study may point to where parenting begins in the brain
Two brain regions, including one active in mammal parents, lit up with activity in both male and female poison frogs when caring for their tadpoles.
REVIEWS & PREVIEWS
‘Fruit from the Sands’ explores the Silk Road origins of apples, tea and more
A new book explains how many of today’s popular foods got started on Central Asia’s ancient Silk Road trade networks.
NEWS IN BRIEF
U.S. wells are pumping up groundwater from increasing depths
Around the United States, groundwater wells are getting deeper in search of new sources of freshwater, a new study shows.
NEWS
Boosting a gut bacterium helps mice fight an ALS-like disease
Gut bacteria may alter ALS symptoms for good or ill.
NEWS
Droplets of these simple molecules may have helped kick-start life on Earth
Simple molecules called alpha hydroxy acids form cell-sized structures in conditions mimicking early Earth chemistry.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Increased control over ions’ motions may help improve quantum computers
Scientists precisely manipulated the ion’s oscillations and energy levels, a key step toward building better quantum computers.
NEWS IN BRIEF
India’s first lunar lander is on its way to the moon
India’s Chandrayaan 2 mission just launched, hoping to become the first Indian spacecraft to land on the moon.
NEWS
Botox may relieve persistent pelvic pain caused by endometriosis
The wrinkle-smoothing treatment Botox may relieve pain from muscle spasms in the pelvic floor of women with endometriosis.
NEWS
Longer gaps between births can halve infant deaths in developing nations
Leaving more time between successive pregnancies matters for infant survival, but only in less-developed countries.
NEWS
Permanent liquid magnets have now been created in the lab
Magnets that generate persistent magnetic fields are usually solid. But new little bar magnets have the mechanical properties of liquids.
NEWS
A flexible bone that helps mammals chew dates back to the Jurassic Period
A flexible bone that helps with chewing may have helped give rise to the Age of Mammals, a new fossil shows.
NEWS
Manipulating nerve cells makes mice ‘see’ something that’s not there
Using optogenetics to stimulate about 20 nerve cells causes mice to perceive nonexistent vertical or horizontal lines.
50 YEARS AGO
50 years ago, lambs survived but didn’t thrive inside artificial wombs
Artificial wombs to support preemie babies are closer to reality.
NEWS IN BRIEF
A deadly fungus gives ‘zombie’ ants a case of lockjaw
Clues left on infected ant jaws may reveal how the ‘zombie-ant-fungus’ contracts ant muscles to make their death grip.