182 articles from TUESDAY 10.9.2019

What the cranium of oldest human ancestor would have looked like

Despite having lived about 300,000 years ago, the oldest ancestor of all members of Homo sapiens had a surprisingly modern skull, as suggested by a model created by CNRS researcher Aurélien Mounier of the Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique laboratory (CNRS / Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle) and Cambridge University professor Marta Mirazón Lahr. After comparing the virtually...

Do animals control earth's oxygen level?

For the first time, researchers have measured how the production of algae and the Earth's oxygen level affect each other -- what you might call 'Earth's heartbeat'. Studies of 540 million-year-old limestone indicate that it is not just the oxygen level that affects animals, but that animals can indeed regulate the oxygen level.

Colorful microreactors utilize sunlight

The sun is the most sustainable energy source available on our planet and could be used to power photochemical reactions. Scientists now present a widely applicable, cost-effective photomicroreactor. It is based on ''Luminescent Solar Concentrators'', which harvest, convert, and make photons available for chemical reactions. Thus, the researchers were able to synthesize various substances,...

How Bullying May Shape Adolescent Brains

In recent years, a steadily increasing volume of data has demonstrated that peer victimization — the clinical term for bullying — impacts hundreds of millions of children and adolescents, with the effects sometimes lasting years and, possibly, decades. The problem is even recognized as a global health challenge by the World Health Organization and the United Nations. And yet,...

Global trade of tree seeds can introduce harmful pests

The trade of forest tree seeds is, on a global scale, not as safe as previously believed. Researchers from CABI and, among other institutions, the Swiss Federal Institute WSL, revealed that insect pests and fungal pathogens associated with seeds pose a great risk to trees and forest ecosystems worldwide.

New report reveals 'epidemic' levels of crime in shops

A hard-hitting new report calls on action to stem the rising number of crimes against shop workers, which has hit a five-year high, and highlights workers suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder, more commonly seen in the armed forces.

Optical vacuum cleaner can manipulate nanoparticles

Scientists at Tomsk Polytechnic University jointly with Russian and international colleagues developed the concept for constructing an "optical vacuum cleaner." Due to its optical properties, it can trap nanoparticles from the environment. Currently, there are no effective devices for this task. The research results were published in Scientific Reports. In the future, such "vacuum cleaners" can be...

Raising a glass to grapes' surprising genetic diversity

Here's a discovery well worth toasting: A research team led by Professor Brandon Gaut with the University of California, Irvine and Professor Dario Cantu with the University of California, Davis has deciphered the genome of the Chardonnay grape. By doing so, they have uncovered something fascinating: grapes inherit different numbers of genes from their mothers and fathers. Their paper has just...

Making biopsies less invasive and more informative

A team of researchers has developed a novel technology that could sensitively and accurately detect and classify cancer cells, as well as determine the disease aggressiveness from the least invasive biopsies. With this new technology called STAMP (Sequence-Topology Assembly for Multiplexed Profiling), comprehensive disease information can be obtained faster, at a much earlier stage of the clinical...

Are black holes made of dark energy?

Two University of Hawaii at Manoa researchers have identified and corrected a subtle error that was made when applying Einstein's equations to model the growth of the universe.

Science and Star Wars

Might popular culture, such as the Star Wars science fiction franchise be used to boost skills among those involved in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics)? Writing in the International Journal of Social Media and Interactive Learning Environments, Stephan Längle of the Danube University Krems in Austria discusses the possibility.

Study explores role of mediator protein complex in transcription and gene expression

Did you know that the DNA in any cell of the human body—or any organism for that matter—contains the genetic information required to develop every possible type of cell within that organism? Yet cell types differ markedly from each other both structurally and functionally. This is manifest through the production of different proteins encoded in the genetic information of the cell.

Researchers unveil new volcanic eruption forecasting technique

Volcanic eruptions and their ash clouds pose a significant hazard to population centers and air travel, especially those that show few to no signs of unrest beforehand. Geologists are now using a technique traditionally used in weather and climate forecasting to develop new eruption forecasting models. By testing if the models are able to capture the likelihood of past eruptions, the researchers...