Welcome to the “Phys.org” update from Hawaii Science Digest.
Top Story: DNA lego bricks enable fast rewritable data storage.
Views expressed in this science and technology news summary are those of the reporters and correspondents.
Content supplied by “Pyhs.org”–a publication of the Space X Network.
Accessed on 08 April 2020, 0410 UTC.
Source:
Please click link or scroll down to read your selections.
DNA Lego bricks enable fast rewritable data storage
DNA data storage may become easier to read and write than before, according to researchers at the University of Cambridge Cavendish Laboratory in the U.K. They report on a technique that can also store encrypted data, as …
16 HOURS AGO
0
238
What makes Saturn’s atmosphere so hot
The upper layers in the atmospheres of gas giants—Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune—are hot, just like Earth’s. But unlike Earth, the Sun is too far from these outer planets to account for the high temperatures. Their …
20 HOURS AGO
16
509
NASA study adds a pinch of salt to El Niño models
When modeling the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) ocean-climate cycle, adding satellite sea surface salinity—or saltiness—data significantly …
EARTH SCIENCES
8 HOURS AGO
0
43
X-ray source 3XMM J000511.8+634018 is a polar, study suggests
Astronomers from Germany and France have investigated a newly discovered variable X-ray source known as 3XMM J000511.8+634018. Results of the new study …
Chemists ‘program’ liquid crystalline elastomers to replicate complex twisting action simply with the use of light
The twisting and bending capabilities of the human muscle system enable a varied and dynamic range of motion, from walking and running to reaching and …
MATERIALS SCIENCE
8 HOURS AGO
0
44
Personalized microrobots swim through biological barriers, deliver drugs to cells
Tiny biohybrid robots on the micrometer scale can swim through the body and deliver drugs to tumors or provide other cargo-carrying functions. The natural environmental sensing tendencies of bacteria mean they can navigate …
BIO & MEDICINE
8 HOURS AGO
0
131
The evolution of color: Team shows how butterfly wings can shift in hue
A selective mating experiment by a curious butterfly breeder has led scientists to a deeper understanding of how butterfly wing color is created and evolves. The study, led by scientists at University of California, Berkeley, …
EVOLUTION
8 HOURS AGO
1
109
Bubble dynamics reveal how to empty bottles faster
Bottle emptying is a phenomenon most of us have observed while pouring a beverage. Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee discovered how to make bottles empty faster, which has wide-ranging implications …
GENERAL PHYSICS
12 HOURS AGO
4
38
First-ever photo proof of powerful jet emerging from colliding galaxies
A team of Clemson University College of Science researchers, in collaboration with international colleagues, has reported the first definitive detection of a relativistic jet emerging from two colliding galaxies—in essence, …
ASTRONOMY
11 HOURS AGO
2
244
Are gamma-ray bursts powered by a star’s collapsing magnetic fields?
When a massive star in a distant galaxy collapses, forming a black hole, two giant jets of light-emitting plasma shoot from its core. These extremely bright gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the most powerful explosions in the …
ASTRONOMY
12 HOURS AGO
4
385
Intel to unveil 10-core 5.3GHz processor
Two comets are headed our way later this month: One is the celestial kind, C/2019 Y4, expected to provide a spectacular nighttime light show as it comes closest to Earth late in May.
Common protein in skin can ‘turn on’ allergic itch
A commonly expressed protein in skin—periostin—can directly activate itch-associated neurons in the skin, according to new research from North Carolina State University. The researchers found that blocking periostin receptors …
NEUROSCIENCE
8 HOURS AGO
0
76
Evolutionary study links subtle modifications in the morphology of the bipedal knee to osteoarthritis later in life
The human knee is a triumph of design. The joint, which evolved fairly rapidly from our common ancestor with the chimpanzee to accommodate our bipedalism, likely contributed to our success as a species. However, as modern …
GENETICS
8 HOURS AGO
0
114
Multiphysics Simulation Case Studies
Get a firsthand look at how simulation is being used to transform product design in new and innovative ways in this free eBook.
Be an ACS Industry Insider
Sign-up and get free, monthly access to articles that cover exciting, cutting edge discoveries in Energy, Environmental Science and Agriculture.
Medical Xpress
Common protein in skin can ‘turn on’ allergic itch
Babies retain even detailed events during a nap
Celiac disease linked to increased risk of premature death
School closures play only a marginal role in containing COVID-19, new study says
Young children find a parent’s hug more calming than a stranger’s
Seeking COVID cures: Scientists find promising first step in antiviral treatment
Successful MERS vaccine in mice may hold promise for COVID-19 vaccine
Coronavirus patients can benefit from blood of the recovered, new study shows
Researchers devise treatment that relieved depression in 90% of participants in small study
Filtration engineers offer advice on do-it-yourself face masks
Students who listened to Beethoven during lecture—and in dreamland—did better on test
Cancer scientists aim to use protein power to stop tumor growth
Red wine component mimics oestrogen to support healthy ageing
Pancreatic cancer blocked by disrupting cellular pH balance
Interstate transmission of COVID-19 is now most urgent threat
Pilot study suggests promise of new approach to treat adults with autism and depression
Lymphoma’s different route revealed
How at-risk are you of getting a virus on an airplane?
Artificial intelligence enables COVID-19 lung imaging analysis
China’s virus pandemic epicenter Wuhan ends 76-day lockdown
Study demonstrates the need for immediate ICU care for severe COVID-19 pneumonia
Germany enlists Fitbits and smartwatches in virus battle
NYC virus deaths exceed 3,200, topping toll for 9/11 attacks
Tech Xplore
Intel to unveil 10-core 5.3GHz processor
Microsoft exec says coronavirus could spark big shift for AI in health care
Researchers devise a way to perform legal functions with blockchain technology
Hacker brings video to audio cassette tape
Pollen-based ‘paper’ holds promise for new generation of natural components
AI techniques used to improve battery health and safety
Bushfires damaged Australian rainforest that is home to Earth’s only living specimens of ancient species
Recent wildfires in Australia torched more than 48,000 square miles of land (for context, Pennsylvania is about 46,000 square miles). The fires impacted ecologically sensitive regions, including an area called the Gondwana …
ENVIRONMENT
15 HOURS AGO
6
144
Something is lurking in the heart of Quasar 3C 279
One year ago, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration published the first image of a black hole in the nearby radio galaxy M 87. Now the collaboration has extracted new information from the EHT data on the distant …
ASTRONOMY
12 HOURS AGO
1
80
COVID-19: On average, only 6% of actual infections detected worldwide
The number of confirmed cases for the novel coronavirus disease COVID-19 officially issued by countries and widely reported by national and international media outlets dramatically understates the true number of infections, …
MEDICAL RESEARCH
16 HOURS AGO
2
2810
Unusual ozone hole opens over the Arctic
Scientists using data from the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite have noticed a strong reduction of ozone concentrations over the Arctic. Unusual atmospheric conditions, including freezing temperatures in the stratosphere, …
EARTH SCIENCES
16 HOURS AGO
2
500
AI system that predicts movement of glass molecules transitioning between liquid and solid states
A team of researchers at Google’s DeepMind has developed an AI system that is able to predict the movement of glass molecules as the material transitions between liquid and solid states. They have published a paper outlining …
Aquatic ancestors of terrestrial millipedes characterized for the first time
Insects, spiders and millipedes make up the majority of all animals on land. While today not many of them live in the water, their ancestors were once aquatic.
ARCHAEOLOGY & FOSSILS
12 HOURS AGO
0
54
How wallflowers evolved a complementary pair of plant defenses
A pair of chemicals used by wallflowers and their kin to ward off predators have evolved to complement each other, with one targeting generalist herbivores and the other targeting specialised herbivores that have become resistant …
PLANTS & ANIMALS
11 HOURS AGO
0
24
Babies retain even detailed events during a nap
The brain is permanently exposed to new impressions. Even when sleeping, it does not rest and processes recent experiences. In very early childhood, it has been thought that sleep primarily promotes semantic memory. This …
NEUROSCIENCE
11 HOURS AGO
0
90
Coqui fossil from Puerto Rico takes title of oldest Caribbean frog
The bright chirp of the coquí frog, the national symbol of Puerto Rico, has likely resounded through Caribbean forests for at least 29 million years.
ARCHAEOLOGY & FOSSILS
4 HOURS AGO
0
237
Study redefines exi’STING’ dogma of inflammatory mechanism
The protein STING (Stimulator of Interferon Genes) is a critical component of the body’s innate immune defence system, but can also contribute to chronic autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases.
IMMUNOLOGY
11 HOURS AGO
0
79
Researchers use big data to identify biodiversity hotspots
Often considered desolate, remote, unalterable places, the high seas are, in fact, hotbeds of activity for both people and wildlife. Technology has enabled more human activity in areas once difficult to reach, and that in …
NASA finds Tropical Cyclone Harold between Vanuatu and Fiji
Tropical Cyclone Harold brought heavy rains and hurricane-force winds to Vanuatu and was moving toward Fiji when NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite provided forecasters with an image of the storm.
Evaluating embryos by detecting secreted proteins using microfluidic droplets and multicolor fluorescence
Infertility is estimated to affect 9% of reproductive-aged couples globally, and many couples consequently turn to assisted reproductive technology (ART). Selecting embryos with maximum development potential plays a pivotal …
Making a connection: Two ways that fault segments may overcome their separation
In complex fault zones, multiple seemingly disconnected faults can potentially rupture at once, increasing the chance of a large damaging earthquake. Recent earthquakes including the 1992 Landers, 1999 Hector Mine and 2019 …
Wild tomato resistance to bacterial canker has implications for commercial tomato industry
Bacterial canker of tomato is a disease that leads to wilt, cankers, and eventually death. The disease was first discovered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1909, but annual outbreaks now affect tomato production areas worldwide. …
Disagreements help team perception, study finds
Team disagreements might be the key to helping soldiers identify objects in battle, researchers say. While studies on combat identification typically focus on how technology can help identify enemy forces, researchers sought …
Researcher discovers early, complex brain surgery in ancient Greece
New research from Adelphi University has revealed the first forensically-assessed archeological discovery of remains of a group of domineering mounted archer-lancers and their kin of the Eastern Roman Empire from the turbulent …
Marketing researchers identify the three most powerful drivers of effective crowdfunding
While the concept of crowdfunding is still in its early phases of development, a group of marketing researchers have conducted a study that reveals the most powerful drivers behind effective crowdfunding campaigns. According …
Atomic force microscopy reveals high heterogeneity in bacterial membrane vesicles
One aspect of bacterial activity is the production of so-called extracellular membrane vesicles (MVs): biological ‘packages’ wrapped in a lipid-bilayer membrane, carrying for example genetic material. Apart from having specific …
Better plant edits by enhancing DNA repair
A new genome editing system enhances the efficiency of an error-free DNA repair pathway, which could help improve agronomic traits in multiple crops.
Distinct processing of lncRNAs contributes to non-conserved functions in stem cells
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are longer than 200 nucleotides in length and lack protein coding potential, are pervasively transcribed in eukaryotic genomes. It is well established that lncRNAs play important roles …
Air quality and health impact from the 2018 Saddleworth Moor Fire in Northern England
In June 2018, large wildfires broke out on Saddleworth Moor and Winter Hill Saddleworth Moor in the northwest of England. The fires burned for roughly three weeks, 100 firefighters and the army attended and smoke from the …
Simulations show extreme opinions can lead to polarized groups
In recent years, chaos theory and other forms of computational modeling have sought to leverage findings in the social sciences to better describe—and maybe one day predict—how groups of people behave. One approach looks …
GENERAL PHYSICS
12 HOURS AGO
0
35
The link between virus spillover, wildlife extinction and the environment
As COVID-19 spreads across the globe, a common question is, can infectious diseases be connected to environmental change? Yes, indicates a study published today from the University of California, Davis’ One Health Institute.
ECOLOGY
4 HOURS AGO
1
294
Researchers reveal new understandings of synthetic gene circuits
Recent discoveries by two research teams in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University are advancing the field of synthetic biology.
BIOCHEMISTRY
13 HOURS AGO
0
34
Bethe strings experimentally observed
Ninety years ago, the physicist Hans Bethe postulated that unusual patterns, so-called Bethe strings, appear in certain magnetic solids. Now, an international team has succeeded in experimentally detecting such Bethe strings …
GENERAL PHYSICS
16 HOURS AGO
0
190
Celiac disease linked to increased risk of premature death
People with celiac disease have increased risk of dying prematurely, despite increased awareness of the disease in recent years and better access to gluten-free food. This is according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet …
MEDICAL RESEARCH
12 HOURS AGO
0
89
School closures play only a marginal role in containing COVID-19, new study says
School closures do not appear to have a significant effect on the spread of infections during coronavirus outbreaks such as COVID-19 but will be crucial to how we restart society after lockdown, according to a new study led …
DISEASES, CONDITIONS, SYNDROMES
13 HOURS AGO
0
236
Researchers discover new method to generate nanobubbles in water
Researchers at University College Dublin (UCD) have discovered a new energy-efficient method to generate and release substantial volumes of metastable, nano-scale gas bubbles in water, in excess of natural solubility levels. …
NANOPHYSICS
14 HOURS AGO
0
28
Young children find a parent’s hug more calming than a stranger’s
For infants as young as four months, a hug from a parent makes all the difference. A study appearing April 7 in the journal iScience examined heart rate responses in infants less than one year old during a hug and found that …
PSYCHOLOGY & PSYCHIATRY
12 HOURS AGO
0
450
Bending microwaves and forbidding frequencies with simulated metamaterials
Using plasma to control microwaves for beaming direct energy toward a specific point is explored for their durability in high-energy electric fields and their reconfigurable structure. High power microwave beams, similar …
PLASMA PHYSICS
13 HOURS AGO
0
83
Mochizuki’s inter-universal Teichmüller proof has been published (Update)
After eight years of debate, Japanese mathematician Shinichi Mochizuki has found a publisher for his mammoth undertaking—the inter-universal Teichmüller theory (IUT). As part of the 600-page proof, Mochizuki claims that …
MATHEMATICS
15 HOURS AGO
1
Thanks for joining us today.
Until next time,
Russ Roberts