98 articles from WEDNESDAY 2.10.2019

Top NOAA Weather Scientist Who Tracked Ocean Conditions Drowns in Rough Seas

(DUCK, N.C.) — A top weather forecasting official, who oversaw the government’s prediction centers that track ocean, hurricane and even space conditions, has died in rough seas on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. William Lapenta, 58, died Monday after lifeguards pulled him from the surf off the coastal town of Duck, local officials said. The National Weather Service had issued a...

US sizzles in rare autumn heat wave

A freakish heat wave is making early autumn feel like the dog days of summer in much of the southern and eastern US, with forecasters predicting Wednesday that temperatures could get close to triple digits.

Tunable optical chip paves way for new quantum devices

Researchers have created a silicon carbide (SiC) photonic integrated chip that can be thermally tuned by applying an electric signal. The approach could one day be used to create a large range of reconfigurable devices such as phase-shifters and tunable optical couplers needed for networking applications and quantum information processing.

Study: Carbon emissions soar as tourism reaches new heights

A researcher at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is examining how the flight routes people take to get to tourist destinations impact the amount of pollution in the air in a newly published study he coauthored in the Annals of Tourism Research.

Microscopic evidence sheds light on the disappearance of the world's largest mammals

Understanding the causes and consequences of Late Quaternary megafaunal extinctions is increasingly important in a world of growing human populations and climate change. A new review, led by scholars at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum and the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, highlights the role that cutting-edge scientific methods can play in broadening the discussions about...

Researchers identify mechanism controlling DNA repair

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), is the macromolecule that holds all hereditary and genetic information. Continuously under assault, alterations and damage to DNA can lead to many different health issues, including cancer. DNA is highly regulated within cells, where multiple mechanisms are at play to repair and protect its integrity. Scientists are still investigating these mechanisms to fully...

Novel material with strong action against fungi and tumors developed

A new material with antifungal and antitumor properties has been developed by researchers at the Center for Development of Functional Materials (CDMF), one of the Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers (RIDCs) supported by São Paulo Research Foundation—FAPESP. CDMF is hosted by the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) in São Paulo State, Brazil.

Fossil fish provides new insights into the evolution

An international research team led by Giuseppe Marramà from the Institute of Paleontology at the University of Vienna discovered a new and well-preserved fossil stingray with an exceptional anatomy, which greatly differs from living species. The find provides new insights into the evolution of these animals and sheds light on the recovery of marine ecosystems after the mass extinction occurred 66...

Why some greens turn brown in historical paintings

Enticed by the brilliant green hues of copper acetate and copper resinate, some painters in the Renaissance period incorporated these pigments into their masterpieces. However, by the 18th century, most artists had abandoned the colors because of their tendency to darken with time. Now, researchers reporting in ACS' journal Inorganic Chemistry have uncovered the chemistry behind the copper...

North American seismic networks can contribute to nuclear security

The International Monitoring System is the top global seismic network for monitoring nuclear weapon tests around the world. To expand the system's detection capabilities, however, international monitors should seek out the data, methods and expertise of smaller regional seismic networks.

Reaffirming the value of international collaborations

Scientific collaborations across the globe are an important part of modern research. However, political and economic strife between governments, such as current tensions between the U.S. and China, can threaten these vital connections, according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society.

French citizens' panel to advise on climate crisis strategies

Body of 150 non-experts to explore ways, over four months, of cutting carbon emissions by 40% before 2030A group of 150 citizens, selected as a sample of non-working people in France, including pensioners and factory workers, will this week begin advising Emmanuel Macron on how the country can cut carbon emissions to tackle the climate crisis.The panel was chosen by selecting people, aged from 16...