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Categories: Engineering: Graphene, Paleontology: Fossils
Published Electrons become fractions of themselves in graphene



Physicists have observed fractional quantum Hall effect in simple pentalayer graphene. The finding could make it easier to develop more robust quantum computers.
Published Panama Canal expansion rewrites history of world's most ecologically diverse bats



In a new study, paleontologists describe the oldest-known leaf-nosed bat fossils, which were found along the banks of the Panama Canal. They're also the oldest bat fossils from Central America, preserved 20-million years ago when Panama and the rest of North America were separated from southern landmass by a seaway at least 120 miles wide.
Published New non-toxic method for producing high-quality graphene oxide



Researchers have found a new way to synthesize graphene oxide which has significantly fewer defects compared to materials produced by most common method. Similarly good graphene oxide could be synthesized previously only using rather dangerous method involving extremely toxic fuming nitric acid.
Published Fresh meat: New biosensor accurately and efficiently determines meat freshness



Despite the technological advances keeping meat fresh for as long as possible, certain aging processes are unavoidable. Adenosine triphosphate is a molecule produced by breathing and responsible for providing energy to cells. When an animal stops breathing, ATP synthesis also stops, and the existing molecules decompose into acid, diminishing first flavor and then safety. Hypoxanthine and xanthine are intermediate steps in this transition. Assessing their prevalence in meat indicates its freshness.
Published Ancient DNA reveals Down syndrome in past human societies



By analysing ancient DNA, an international team of researchers have uncovered cases of chromosomal disorders, including what could be the first case of Edwards syndrome ever identified from prehistoric remains.
Published Why two prehistoric sharks found in Ohio got new names



Until recently, Orthacanthus gracilis could have been considered the 'John Smith' of prehistoric shark names, given how common it was. Three different species of sharks from the late Paleozoic Era -- about 310 million years ago -- were mistakenly given that same name, causing lots of grief to paleontologists who studied and wrote about the sharks through the years and had trouble keeping them apart. But now a professor has finished the arduous task of renaming two of the three sharks -- and in the process rediscovered a wealth of fossil fishes that had been stored at a museum for years but had been largely forgotten.
Published Mystery solved: The oldest fossil reptile from the alps is an historical forgery



Palaeontological analysis shows that a renowned fossil thought to show soft tissue preservation is in fact just paint. The fossil discovered in 1931 was thought to be an important specimen for understanding early reptile evolution. While not all of the celebrated fossil is a forgery, scientists urge caution in how the fossil is utilized in future.
Published First human trial shows 'wonder' material can be developed safely



A revolutionary nanomaterial with huge potential to tackle multiple global challenges could be developed further without acute risk to human health, research suggests.
Published Searching for clues in the history book of the ocean



New research has shown that the tropical subsurface ocean gained oxygen during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (commonly referred to as PETM). During this short-lived interval of time in Earth s history that occurred 56 million years ago the average temperatures rose by up to six degrees within a few thousand years.
Published Two-dimensional waveguides discovered



Scientists announce the discovery of slab waveguides based on the two-dimensional material hexagonal boron nitride.
Published A lighthouse in the Gobi desert



A new study explores the weight great fossil sites have on our understanding of evolutionary relationships between fossil groups and quantified the power these sites have on our understanding of evolutionary history. Surprisingly, the authors discovered that the wind-swept sand deposits of the Late Cretaceous Gobi Desert's extraordinarily diverse and well-preserved fossil lizard record shapes our understanding of their evolutionary history more than any other site on the planet.
Published The hidden rule for flight feathers -- and how it could reveal which dinosaurs could fly



Scientists examined hundreds of birds in museum collections and discovered a suite of feather characteristics that all flying birds have in common. These 'rules' provide clues as to how the dinosaur ancestors of modern birds first evolved the ability to fly, and which dinosaurs were capable of flight.
Published Surprisingly vibrant color of 12-million-year-old snail shells



Snail shells are often colorful and strikingly patterned. This is due to pigments that are produced in special cells of the snail and stored in the shell in varying concentrations. Fossil shells, on the other hand, are usually pale and inconspicuous because the pigments are very sensitive and have already decomposed. Residues of ancient color patterns are therefore very rare. This makes a new discovery all the more astonishing: researchers found pigments in twelve-million-year-old fossilized snail shells.
Published Sensors made from 'frozen smoke' can detect toxic formaldehyde in homes and offices



Researchers have developed a sensor made from 'frozen smoke' that uses artificial intelligence techniques to detect formaldehyde in real time at concentrations as low as eight parts per billion, far beyond the sensitivity of most indoor air quality sensors.
Published New adhesive tape picks up and sticks down 2D materials as easily as child's play



A research team has developed a tape that can be used to stick two-dimensional (2D) materials to many different surfaces, in an easy and user-friendly way. Their finding will aid research into and boost production of 2D materials for next-generation devices.
Published New fossil site of worldwide importance uncovered in southern France



Nearly 400 exceptionally well-preserved fossils dating back 470 million years have been discovered in the south of France by two amateur paleontologists. The discovery provides unprecedented information on the polar ecosystems of the Ordovician period.
Published Ancient Australian air-breathing fish from 380 million years ago



The rivers of Australia, which once flowed across its now dry interior, used to host a range of bizarre animals -- including a sleek predatory lobe-finned fish with large fangs and bony scales. The newly described fossil fish discovered in remote fossil fields west of Alice Springs has been named Harajicadectes zhumini by palaeontologists.
Published Ultra-sensitive lead detector could significantly improve water quality monitoring



Engineers have developed an ultra-sensitive sensor made with graphene that can detect extraordinarily low concentrations of lead ions in water. The device achieves a record limit of detection of lead down to the femtomolar range, which is one million times more sensitive than previous technologies.
Published Rare 3D fossils show that some early trees had forms unlike any you've ever seen



In the fossil record, trees typically are preserved with only their trunks. They don't usually include any leaves to show what their canopies and overall forms may have looked like. In a new study, researchers describe fossilized trees from New Brunswick, Canada with a surprising and unique three-dimensional crown shape.
Published Key dynamics of 2D nanomaterials: View to larger-scale production



A team of researchers mapped out how flecks of 2D materials move in liquid -- knowledge that could help scientists assemble macroscopic-scale materials with the same useful properties as their 2D counterparts.