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Categories: Biology: Zoology, Chemistry: General
Published Research sheds light on new strategy to treat infertility
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research describes the science behind a promising technique to treat infertility by turning a skin cell into an egg that is capable of producing viable embryos. The technique could be used by women of advanced maternal age or for those who are unable to produce viable eggs due to previous treatment for cancer or other causes. It also raises the possibility of men in same-sex relationships having children who are genetically related to both parents.
Published How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials. Through a combination of experimental observations and simulations, the team demonstrated that roughness interferes with the separation process, causing the materials to detach in minute, abrupt movements, which release parts of the adhesive bond incrementally. The findings will make it possible to specifically control the adhesion properties of soft materials through surface roughness and will allow new and improved applications to be developed in soft robotics or production technology in the future.
Published Tiny wireless light bulbs for biomedical applications
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The combination of OLEDs and acoustic antennas creates a light source that could be used for minimally invasive treatment methods.
Published Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For the first time, scientists have developed artificial nucleotides, the building blocks of DNA, with several additional properties in the laboratory.
Published A better handle on the emissions budget for the Paris climate targets
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have found a new way to calculate the total carbon emissions consistent with the Paris climate targets of 1.5 degrees Celsius and 2 degrees Celsius of global warming.
Published Balancing training data and human knowledge makes AI act more like a scientist
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When you teach a child how to solve puzzles, you can either let them figure it out through trial and error, or you can guide them with some basic rules and tips. Similarly, incorporating rules and tips into AI training -- such as the laws of physics --could make them more efficient and more reflective of the real world. However, helping the AI assess the value of different rules can be a tricky task.
Published Reptile roadkill reveals new threat to endangered lizard species
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The chance sighting of a dead snake beside a sandy track in remote Western Australia, and the investigation of its stomach contents, has led researchers to record the first known instance of a spotted mulga snake consuming a pygmy spiny-tailed skink, raising concerns for a similar-looking, endangered lizard species.
Published New study reveals insight into which animals are most vulnerable to extinction due to climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a new study, researchers have used the fossil record to better understand what factors make animals more vulnerable to extinction from climate change. The results could help to identify species most at risk today from human-driven climate change.
Published How does a virus hijack insect sperm to control disease vectors and pests?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A widespread bacteria called Wolbachia and a virus that it carries can cause sterility in male insects by hijacking their sperm, preventing them from fertilizing eggs of females that do not have the same combination of bacteria and virus. A new study has uncovered how this microbial combination manipulates sperm, which could lead to refined techniques to control populations of agricultural pests and insects that carry diseases like Zika and dengue to humans.
Published Pinging pipes could help to identify lead water lines without excavation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A recent study showed that it is possible to discern the composition of a buried pipe by striking an accessible portion of it and monitoring the sound waves that reach the surface. This method could help water utility companies verify the location of lead water lines without having to break ground.
Published Scientists raise the alarm: Too many harbour porpoises die each year in fishing nets
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In order to keep the population of harbour porpoises in Danish coastal waters stable, only 24 can perish in fishing nets each year. However, over 900 die each year.
Published Researchers develop new machine learning method for modeling of chemical reactions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have used machine learning to create a model that simulates reactive processes in organic materials and conditions.
Published The sweet stuff: How insects tell sugars apart
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Whereas humans have one receptor on their tongues that can detect all sorts of sweet things, from real sugar to artificial sweeteners like aspartame, insects have many receptors that each detect specific types of sugars. Researchers have now uncovered one way insect receptors are able to be so selective, an insight they say will help us understand how animals decipher the chemical world and how we might mimic that ability in the future.
Published Early life adversity leaves long-term signatures in baboon DNA
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Early experiences in an animal's life can have a significant impact on its capacity to thrive, even years or decades later, and DNA methylation may help record their effects. In a study of 256 wild baboons, researchers found that resource limitation during early life was associated with many differences in DNA methylation, a small chemical mark on the DNA sequence that can affect gene activity.
Published Viscose manufactured solely from recycled materials
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source At present, viscose textiles are made of biomass from the forest, and there is no such thing as fully recycled viscose. Researchers have now succeeded in making new viscose -- from worn-out cotton sheets.
Published Global warming is affecting bats' hibernation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Global change is altering the physiology of the hibernation and behavior of bats, according to a study carried out over a twenty year period. Given the milder winters we are having, bats are accumulating less fat reserves in autumn, they shorten their hibernation periods and they leave their winter shelter sooner. These changes could alter the migration pattern of bats and the phenology of their seasonal displacements.
Published Scientists CT scanned thousands of natural history specimens, which you can access for free
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Natural history museums have entered a new stage of scientific discovery and accessibility with the completion of openVertebrate (oVert), a five-year collaborative project among 18 institutions to create 3D reconstructions of vertebrate specimens and make them freely available online.
Published Breakthrough research enables high-density hydrogen storage for future energy systems
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team has reported a groundbreaking development in efficient hydrogen storage.
Published Bee-2-Bee influencing: Bees master complex tasks through social interaction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Bumblebees successfully learned a two-step puzzle box task through social observation. This task was too complex for individual bees to learn on their own. Observing trained demonstrator bees performing the first unrewarded step was crucial for successful social learning. Individual bees failed to solve the puzzle without previous demonstration, despite extensive exposure.
Published Do some electric fish sense the world through comrades' auras?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source 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.