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Categories: Chemistry: Thermodynamics, Offbeat: Earth and Climate
Published Cheetahs' unrivalled speed explained by their 'sweet spot' size, finds Imperial study



A new study has answered a long-held question about why medium-sized land animals like cheetahs tend to be fastest.
Published Preventing magnet meltdowns before they can start



High-temperature superconductor magnets have the potential to lower the costs of operating particle accelerators and enable powerful new technologies like fusion reactors. But quenches -- the sudden, destructive events wherein a part of the material loses superconductivity -- are a major barrier to their deployment. Scientists have developed an approach to prevent quenches altogether, rather than simply trying to manage them after they occur.
Published Interstellar signal linked to aliens was actually just a truck



Sound waves thought to be from a 2014 meteor fireball north of Papua New Guinea were almost certainly vibrations from a truck rumbling along a nearby road, new research shows. The findings raise doubts that materials pulled last year from the ocean are alien materials from that meteor, as was widely reported.
Published New deep-sea worm discovered at methane seep off Costa Rica



Marine biologists have discovered a new species of deep-sea worm living near a methane seep some 50 kilometers (30 miles) off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.
Published Do some electric fish sense the world through comrades' auras?



It would be a game-changer if all members of a basketball team could see out of each other's eyes in addition to their own. Biologists have found evidence that this kind of collective sensing occurs in close-knit groups of African weakly electric fish, also known as elephantnose fish. This instantaneous sharing of sensory intelligence could help the fish locate food, friends and foes.
Published Tiny worms tolerate Chornobyl radiation



A new study finds that exposure to chronic radiation from Chornobyl has not damaged the genomes of microscopic worms living there today -- which doesn't mean that the region is safe, the scientists caution, but suggests that these worms are exceptionally resilient.
Published Dung beetles show their love by sharing the load



Dung beetles share the load when it comes to showing their affection for each-other, when transporting a 'brood ball'.
Published Building bionic jellyfish for ocean exploration



Researchers show how biohybrid robots based on jellyfish could be used to gather climate science data from deep in the Earth's oceans.
Published The West is best to spot UFOs



Researchers identified environmental factors that explain why reports of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) are more common in certain regions of the country. Most sightings occur in the American West where proximity to public lands, dark skies and military installations afford more opportunities to see strange objects in the air. Understanding the environmental context of these sightings will make it easier to find explanations for their occurrence and help identify truly anomalous objects that may be a legitimate threat.
Published Creepy crawlies protect apples when flowers are planted on farms



Bugs including hoverflies, lacewings and ladybirds play an important role in keeping Britain's apples healthy, a new study has shown.
Published Microbial comics: RNA as a common language, presented in extracellular speech-bubbles



Decoding the conversations between microbes of hypersaline environments reveals deep insights into the origins of complex life.
Published Predatory fish use rapid color changes to coordinate attacks



Striped marlin are some of the fastest animals on the planet and one of the ocean's top predators. When hunting in groups, individual marlin will take turns attacking schools of prey fish one at a time. Now a new study helps to explain how they might coordinate this turn-taking style of attack on their prey to avoid injuring each other. The key, according to the new work, is rapid color changes.
Published Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats has long been in flux



It has been long assumed that Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats was formed as its ancient namesake lake dried up 13,000 years ago. But new research has gutted that narrative, determining these crusts did not form until several thousand years after Lake Bonneville disappeared, which could have important implications for managing this feature that has been shrinking for decades to the dismay of the racing community and others who revere the saline pan 100 miles west of Salt Lake City. Relying on radiocarbon analysis of pollen found in salt cores, the study concludes the salt began accumulating between 5,400 and 3,500 years ago, demonstrating how this geological feature is not a permanent fixture on the landscape.
Published Science fiction meets reality: New technique to overcome obstructed views



Using a single photograph, researchers created an algorithm that computes highly accurate, full-color three-dimensional reconstructions of areas behind obstacles -- a concept that can not only help prevent car crashes, but help law enforcement experts in hostage situations, search-and-rescue and strategic military efforts.
Published Giant new snake species identified in the Amazon



A team of scientists on location with a film crew in the remote Amazon has uncovered a previously undocumented species of giant anaconda.
Published Physicists develop more efficient solar cell



Physicists have used complex computer simulations to develop a new design for significantly more efficient solar cells than previously available. A thin layer of organic material, known as tetracene, is responsible for the increase in efficiency.
Published Giant Antarctic sea spiders reproductive mystery solved



Instead of carrying the babies until they hatched, as in most species of sea spiders, one parent (likely the father) spent two days attaching the eggs to the rocky bottom where they developed for several months before hatching as tiny larvae.
Published By growing animal cells in rice grains, scientists dish up hybrid food



From lab-grown chicken to cricket-derived protein, these innovative alternatives offer hope for a planet struggling with the environmental and ethical impacts of industrial agriculture. Now, scientists add a new recipe to the list -- cultured beef rice -- by growing animal muscle and fat cells inside rice grains. The method results in a nutritious and flavorful hybrid food that, once commercialized, could offer a more affordable protein alternative with a smaller carbon footprint.
Published Benefits of heat pumps



Millions of U.S. households would benefit from heat pumps, but the cost of installing the technology needs to come down to make their use a more attractive proposition.
Published Desert ants: The magnetic field calibrates the navigation system



Desert ants find their way during an early learning phase with the help of the Earth's magnetic field. The associated learning process leaves clear traces in their nervous system.