Fwd: Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Aug 15

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From: Newsletter Science X <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Thu, Aug 16, 2018 at 12:54 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Aug 15
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,
New Multiphysics Simulation Magazine Now Available >> https://goo.gl/59GRnp
Explore how engineers in different industries around the world are using multiphysics simulation to innovate in this free eBook.

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 15, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Remote sensing techniques could improve electrification planning in Zambia

Revealing the retina: Graphene corneal contact lens provides robust, irritation-free topographic electroretinography

Scientists discover chemical which can kill glioblastoma cells

Robots have power to significantly influence children's opinions

Water use for fracking has risen by up to 770 percent since 2011

Dating the ancient Minoan eruption of Thera using tree rings

Unusual doughnut-shaped jet observed in the galaxy NGC 6109

Maze runners and square dancers: Cytosolic diffusion of nanosized objects in mammalian cells

Protein droplets keep neurons at the ready and immune system in balance

New pesticide may harm bees as much as those to be replaced

Common WiFi can detect weapons, bombs and chemicals in bags

App that will extend your smartphone battery life

Researchers link animosity in couples to inflammation, bacteria in bloodstream

Parental life span predicts daughters living to 90 without chronic disease or disability

When viruses infect phytoplankton, it can change the clouds

Nanotechnology news

	Revealing the retina: Graphene corneal contact lens provides robust, irritation-free topographic electroretinography Our vision can be damaged or lost by damage to the retina—a sensory membrane lining the back of the eye that senses light, converting the image formed into electrochemical neuronal signals—resulting from two classes of medical conditions: a number of inherited degenerative conditions—including retinitis pigmentosa, Leber's congenital amaurosis, cone dystrophy, and Usher Syndrome—as well as diabetic retinopathy, central retinal vein occlusion, sickle cell retinopathy, toxic an autoimmune retinopathies, retinal detachment, and other ocular disorders. To be properly diagnosed and treated (especially when a cataract compromises ophthalmoscopy, 2-D fundus photography, 3-D optical coherence tomography, and other retinal imagery tools), such medical conditions rely on electroretinography—a sensitive technique that detects and measures electrical potential changes at the eye's corneal surface produced in response to a light stimulus by neuronal and non-neuronal retinal cells. Nevertheless, electroretinography has historically faced challenges in the ocular interface electrodes needed to detect an electroretinogram (ERG), these being patient discomfort due to hard electrodes, limited types of electroretinograms with a single type of electrode, reduced signal amplitudes and stability, and excessive eye movement. Recently, however, scientists at Peking University, Beijing, have demonstrated soft, transparent GRAphene Contact lens Electrodes (GRACEs) for conformal full-cornea electroretinogram signal recording in rabbits and cynomolgus monkeys, showing that their soft graphene contact lens electrodes address these limitations.
	Light-emitting nanoparticles could provide a safer way to image living cells A research team has demonstrated how light-emitting nanoparticles, developed at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), can be used to see deep in living tissue.
	Nanoparticle-based solution pulls last drops of oil from well water Oil and water tend to separate, but they mix well enough to form stable oil-in-water emulsions in produced water from oil reservoirs to become a problem. Rice University scientists have developed a nanoparticle-based solution that reliably removes more than 99 percent of the emulsified oil that remains after other processing is done.
	Chips, light and coding moves the front line in beating bacteria The never-ending fight against bacteria has taken a turn in humanity's favor with the announcement of a tool that could give the upper hand in drug research.

Physics news

	Researchers suggest phonons may have mass and perhaps negative gravity A trio of physicists with Columbia University is making waves with a new theory about phonons—they suggest they might have negative mass, and because of that, have negative gravity. Angelo Esposito, Rafael Krichevsky and Alberto Nicolis have written a paper to support their theory, including the math, and have uploaded it to the xrXiv preprint server.
	Neutron stars may hold an answer to neutron puzzle on Earth According to University of Illinois physicist Douglas H. Beck, "Neutrons play some unusual roles in our world. Free neutrons decay in about 900 s but, bound in nuclei, they are stable and make up somewhat more than half the mass of the visible universe."
	Magnetic antiparticles offer new horizons for information technologies Nanosized magnetic particles called skyrmions are considered highly promising candidates for new data storage and information technologies. Now, physicists have revealed new behavior involving the antiparticle equivalent of skyrmions in a ferromagnetic material. The researchers demonstrated their findings using advanced computer simulations that can accurately model magnetic properties of nanometer-thick materials. The results, which were obtained by scientists at Uppsala University in Sweden, at Kiel University and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany, and at Université Paris-Saclay in France, were recently published in Nature Electronics.
	Hole-based artificial atoms could be key to spin-based qubit A UNSW study published this week resolves key challenges in creation of hole-based artificial atoms, with excellent potential for more-stable, faster, more scalable quantum computing.
	Quantum material is promising 'ion conductor' for research, new technologies Researchers have shown how to shuttle lithium ions back and forth into the crystal structure of a quantum material, representing a new avenue for research and potential applications in batteries, "smart windows" and brain-inspired computers containing artificial synapses.
	What do physicists mean when they talk about nothing? Philosophers have debated the nature of "nothing" for thousands of years, but what has modern science got to say about it? In an interview with The Conversation, Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal and Emeritus Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics at the University of Cambridge, explains that when physicists talk about nothing, they mean empty space (vacuum). This may sound straightforward, but experiments show that empty space isn't really empty – there's a mysterious energy latent in it which can tell us something about the fate of the universe.

Earth news

	Water use for fracking has risen by up to 770 percent since 2011 The amount of water used per well for hydraulic fracturing surged by up to 770 percent between 2011 and 2016 in all major U.S. shale gas and oil production regions, a new Duke University study finds.
	Dating the ancient Minoan eruption of Thera using tree rings New analyses that use tree rings could settle the long-standing debate about when the volcano Thera erupted by resolving discrepancies between archeological and radiocarbon methods of dating the eruption, according to new University of Arizona-led research.
	When viruses infect phytoplankton, it can change the clouds Microscopic plant-like organisms called phytoplankton are known to support the diversity of life in the ocean. Scientists in Israel now report that one species, Emiliania huxleyi, and a virus closely associated with it, might be responsible for changes in cloud properties as well. When infected, E. huxleyi releases its chalky shell into the air, where it acts as an aerosol reflecting sunlight and even affecting cloud creation and movement. The research appears August 15 in the journal iScience.
	Climate change sea level rises could increase risk for more devastating tsunamis worldwide As sea levels rise due to climate change, so do the global hazards and potential devastating damages from tsunamis, according to a new study by a partnership that included Virginia Tech.
	Study shows forest conservation is a powerful tool to improve nutrition in developing nations A first-of-its-kind global study shows that children in 27 developing countries have better nutrition—when they live near forests.
	New research reveals corals could be trained to survive environmental stress Scientists have discovered the first molecular evidence that corals and anemones can optimize their gene expression when exposed to environmental stress, enabling them to acclimatize to extreme conditions such as those experienced during climate change.
	New research predicts landslide boundaries two weeks before they happen University of Melbourne researchers have developed a software tool that uses applied mathematics and big data analytics to predict the boundary of where a landslide will occur, two weeks in advance.
	Glacier depth affects plankton blooms off Greenland The unusual timing of highly productive summer plankton blooms off Greenland indicates a connection between increasing amounts of meltwater and nutrients in these coastal waters. In a new study published today in the international journal Nature Communications, an international group of researchers led by the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel shows that this connection exists, but is much more complex than widely supposed. Whether increasing meltwater has a positive or negative effect on summertime phytoplankton depends on the depth at which a glacier sits in the ocean.
	Logging permit fraud threatens timber species in Brazilian Amazon Timber harvested illegally under fraudulent permits is undercutting conservation efforts in the Brazilian Amazon, new research by an international collaboration shows.
	Climate change multiplies harmful marine heatwaves (Update) The number of days marked by potentially destructive ocean heatwaves has doubled in 35 years, and will multiply another five-fold at current rates of climate change, scientists warned Wednesday.
Model way to protect trees Oak processionary moth and ash dieback are among the most notorious tree pests and diseases intro-duced into the UK. And many exotic pests and diseases are suspected of having been introduced, or are known to have been introduced, through the import of commercial tree planting material.
	Climate models predict the world will be 'anomalously warm' until 2022 The next four years are going to be anomalously warm – even on top of regular climate change. That's according to new research my colleague Sybren Drijfhout and I have just published.
	U.S. $23 trillion will be lost if temperatures rise four degrees by 2100 Imagine something similar to the Great Depression of 1929 hitting the world, but this time it never ends.
	Scientists are developing greener plastics – the bigger challenge is moving them from lab to market Synthetic plastics have made many aspect of modern life cheaper, safer and more convenient. However, we have failed to figure out how to get rid of them after we use them.
	Wood density of European trees decreasing continuously since 1870 Trees are growing more rapidly due to climate change. This may sound like good news—after all, this means that trees are storing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in their wood, and hence modulating a key ingredient in global warming. But is it that simple? A team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) analyzed wood samples from the oldest existing experimental areas spanning a period of 150 years, and reached a surprising conclusion.
	In Ivory Coast, global rubber glut erases profits "We're not earning anything from it any more, we have nothing," says a rubber farmer in Ivory Coast, Africa's top producer, where revenues from natural rubber have been slashed by global oversupply.
	Kenyan farmers toast growing demand European demand for avocados It may be loved and derided as the go-to millennial brunch, but avocado toast is proving a boon for Kenyan farmers as they cash in on the seemingly ever-growing enthusiasm.
	Alert level raised for tiny volcanic isle in southern Japan Japan raised alert levels on a small southern volcanic island on Wednesday, urging its 105 residents to prepare for an evacuation amid growing risks of an eruption.
	Floods close airport in Indian tourist hotspot of Kerala Flights in and out of the Indian tourist hotspot of Kerala were cancelled for three days Wednesday as severe monsoon flooding ravaged the region.
	Carbon monoxide from California wildfires drifts east California is being plagued by massive wildfires, and the effects on air quality from those fires can extend far beyond the state's borders. In addition to ash and smoke, fires release carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. Carbon monoxide is a pollutant that can persist in the atmosphere for about a month and can be transported great distances.
	Six things to know about Florida red tide Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency due to Florida red tide in seven counties, including Charlotte, Collier, Lee, Manatee, Monroe, Pinellas and Sarasota counties. Florida red tide blooms have struck the state's west coast, leaving discolored, smelly water and dead wildlife in its wake. The governor's actions mobilize available funding and resources to address the impacts of the harmful algal bloom.
	Three reasons companies are being proactive about climate change For business leaders, climate change is not uncertain or in the future, but part of their everyday decision making in the here and now, says Professor Daniel Vermeer.
	Warmer ocean, warmer winter Eurasian climate A vigorous and continuous rise in sea surface temperature (SST) and land surface temperature has been caused by increasing greenhouse gas concentrations during the last century. Several studies have suggested that the direct response of land temperature to radiative forcing is much smaller than the response to SST anomalies induced by radiative forcing. The importance of oceanic warming in climate change research under a CO2-enriched atmosphere cannot be ignored. But what role does global oceanic warming play in winter Eurasian climate?
	NASA catches formation of fifth Atlantic depression The fifth tropical cyclone of the North Atlantic Ocean season formed on Aug. 15, as NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite flew overhead.
	NASA satellite image Tropical Depression Hector elongating, weakening Tropical Depression Hector is being torn apart in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. On Aug. 15, when NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite flew overhead it captured a visible image of the storm as the final bulletin on the system was issued by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
	NASA sees 14th Eastern Pacific Tropical Depression form Tropical Depression 14E formed far from land and poses no threat to land areas. On Aug. 14, NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite flew over developing Tropical Depression 14E in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
	NASA catches Tropical Depression Leepi nearing landfall Tropical Depression Leepi was nearing landfall in southern South Korea on Aug. 15, when NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite flew overhead.
	NASA sees Tropical Storm Bebinca still near Hainan Island Tropical Storm Bebinca continues to rain on Hainan Island, China and has been doing so for days. On Aug. 15, when NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite flew overhead it captured a visible image of the storm.
	NASA satellite sees Tropical Depression Rumbia form Tropical Depression Rumbia, the twenty-first tropical cyclone of the Northwestern Pacific Ocean season formed on Aug. 15, as NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite flew overhead.
	Firefighting mars the earth. California crews are fixing it Jack Hattendorf steers his road grader back and forth across a dirt path cutting through blackened earth.
	Canada's westernmost province declares wildfires emergency British Columbia declared a province-wide state of emergency Wednesday as Canada's military joined firefighters in trying to douse 556 wildfires burning across the craggy region.

Astronomy & Space news

	Unusual doughnut-shaped jet observed in the galaxy NGC 6109 Astronomers from the University of Bristol, U.K., have uncovered an unusual doughnut-shaped jet in the radio galaxy NGC 6109. It is the first time that such a jet morphology has been observed in a low-power radio galaxy. The finding is detailed in a paper published August 6 on the arXiv pre-print repository.
	Study of material surrounding distant stars shows Earth's ingredients 'pretty normal' The Earth's building blocks seem to be built from 'pretty normal' ingredients, according to researchers working with the world's most powerful telescopes. Scientists have measured the compositions of 18 different planetary systems from up to 456 light years away and compared them to ours, and found that many elements are present in similar proportions to those found on Earth.
	Iron and titanium in the atmosphere of an exoplanet Exoplanets, planets in other solar systems, can orbit very close to their host stars. When the host star is much hotter than the sun, the exoplanet becomes as hot as a star. The hottest "ultra-hot" planet was discovered last year by American astronomers. Today, an international team led by researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), who collaborated with theoreticians from the University of Bern (UNIBE), Switzerland, discovered the presence of iron and titanium vapours in the atmosphere of this planet. The detection of these heavy metals was made possible by the surface temperature of the planet, which reaches more than 4000 degrees. This discovery is published in the journal Nature.
	Modi says India will send manned flight into space by 2022 India will send a manned flight into space by 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Wednesday as part of India's independence day celebrations.
	Video: NASA's NICER does the space station twist This time-lapse video, obtained June 8, 2018, shows the precise choreography of NASA's Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) as it studies pulsars and other X-ray sources from its perch aboard the International Space Station. NICER observes and tracks numerous sources each day, ranging from the star closest to the sun, Proxima Centauri, to X-ray sources in other galaxies. Movement in the movie, which represents a little more than one 90-minute orbit, is sped up by 100 times.
	Mapping the universe in 3-D In 1998, scientists discovered that the universe's expansion is accelerating. Physicists don't know how or why the universe is accelerating outward, but they gave the mysterious force behind this phenomenon a name: dark energy.
	Scientists discover organic acid in a protoplanetary disk An international team of scientists from Russia, Germany, Italy, the U.S. and France has discovered a relatively high concentration of formic acid in a protoplanetary disk. This is the first organic molecule found in protoplanetary disks containing two oxygen atoms.
	Hyperspectral imager leaves a legacy of contributions to coastal research Images of Earth from space are not only beautiful and inspirational, they also provide valuable information for science and commerce that cannot be obtained any other way.
	Spacewalkers fling satellites, install bird trackers Spacewalking cosmonauts flung tiny satellites into orbit Wednesday and set up an antenna for tracking birds on Earth.

Technology news

	Remote sensing techniques could improve electrification planning in Zambia Researchers at the Reiner Lemoine Institut in Berlin have effectively used remote sensing techniques to detect a sample of Zambian villages that are without electricity. Their study, recently published on Springer's Proceedings in Energy book series, highlights the potential of machine learning strategies to improve electrification planning in less developed parts of the world.
	Robots have power to significantly influence children's opinions Young children are significantly more likely than adults to have their opinions and decisions influenced by robots, according to new research.
	Common WiFi can detect weapons, bombs and chemicals in bags Ordinary WiFi can easily detect weapons, bombs and explosive chemicals in bags at museums, stadiums, theme parks, schools and other public venues, according to a Rutgers University-New Brunswick-led study.
	App that will extend your smartphone battery life New research out of the University of Waterloo has found a novel method to extend the battery life of smartphones for up to an hour each day.
	Robots will never replace teachers but can boost children's education Robots can play an important role in the education of young people but will never fully replace teachers, a new study suggests.
	Security gaps identified in internet protocol IPsec In collaboration with colleagues from Opole University in Poland, researchers at Horst Görtz Institute for IT Security (HGI) at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) have demonstrated that the internet protocol IPsec is vulnerable to attacks. The internet key exchange protocol IKEv1, which is part of the protocol family, has vulnerabilities that enable potential attackers to interfere with the communication process and intercept specific information.
	New water-splitting technology brings clean hydrogen fuel one step closer In the quest for clean alternative energy sources, hydrogen is a favorite. It releases a lot of energy when burned—with a bonus: The major byproduct of burning hydrogen is pure water.
	Battery breakthrough: Doubling performance with lithium metal that doesn't catch fire A rechargeable battery technology developed at the University of Michigan could double the output of today's lithium ion cells—drastically extending electric vehicle ranges and time between cell phone charges—without taking up any added space.
	DefCon presenters explore programmer de-anonymization, stylistic fingerprints One of the nicer things about higher education: Gaining awareness of the signature styles of authors, painters, musicians even before we are told their names. Well, signature styles are not just confined to the arts.
Podcasts take growing role in shifting media landscape As radio fades in the new world of digital media, podcasting has become hot.
	New interactive machine learning tool makes car designs more aerodynamic When engineers or designers want to test the aerodynamic properties of the newly designed shape of a car, airplane, or other object, they would normally model the flow of air around the object by having a computer solve a complex set of equations—a procedure that usually takes hours, or even an entire day. Nobuyuki Umetani from Autodesk research (now at the University of Tokyo) and Bernd Bickel from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) have now significantly sped up this process, making streamlines and parameters available in real time. Their method, which is the first to use machine learning to model flow around continuously editable 3-D objects, will be presented at this year's prestigious SIGGRAPH conference in Vancouver, where IST Austria researchers are involved in a total of five presentations.
	Equifax data breach—consumers heard about it but took little action When the Equifax data breach impacting nearly 147 million people occurred just over a year ago most consumers took little to no action to protect themselves despite the risk of identity theft, University of Michigan researchers found.
	Password managers vulnerable to insider hacking A new study shows that communication channels between different parts and pieces of computer software are prone to security breaches. Anyone with access to a shared computer – co-workers, family members, or guests – can attack or involuntarily subject it to security breaches.
	Indonesia earthquake—how scrap tyres could stop buildings collapsing At the time of writing, 436 people have died following an earthquake in the Indonesian island of Lombok. A further 2,500 people have been hospitalised with serious injuries and over 270,000 people have been displaced.
	Can radar replace stethoscopes? Along with a white coat, a stethoscope is the hallmark of doctors everywhere. Stethoscopes are used to diagnose the noises produced by the heart and lungs. Used in the conventional way, vibrations from the surface of the body are transmitted to a membrane in the chest-piece and then to the user's eardrum where they are perceived as sounds. Acoustic stethoscopes are comparatively inexpensive and have been used reliably for several decades, but they have one drawback. The diagnosis of heart murmurs, such as the assessment of heart valve function, is carried out subjectively and is directly dependent on the experience of the doctor conducting the examination.
	Uber narrows 2Q loss as company polishes tarnished image Uber is still struggling to make money while the ride-hailing service's CEO deals with the headaches left behind by his predecessor.
	'Monster Hunter' on hold as China hits pause on new video games China appears to have halted approvals of new online game licences, with reports Wednesday that a government shake-up was causing paralysis in the world's biggest gaming market.
	Smart consumption management system for energy-efficient industrial companies Energy use in industrial buildings continues to skyrocket, contributing to the negative impact on global warming and Earth's natural resources. An EU initiative introduced a disruptive system that's able to reduce electricity consumption in the industrial sector.
	State-of-the-art solar panel recycling plant The German engineering company Geltz Umwelt-Technologie has successfully developed an advanced recycling plant for obsolete or ageing solar panels.
	Tesla shares fall on reports of SEC subpoena Shares of Tesla tumbled Wednesday following reports US securities regulators have subpoenaed the electric car maker's Chief Executive Elon Musk over his statements about taking the company private.
Best Buy to buy a provider of health devices for the aging Consumer electronics retailer Best Buy is pushing more into the health field, acquiring a company that provides emergency response devices for the aging.

Chemistry news

	A near-infrared fluorescent dye for long term bioimaging A group of chemists at the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM), Nagoya University, has developed a new near infrared (NIR) emitting photostable fluorescent dye PREX 710 (photo-resistant xanthene dye which can be excited at 710 nanometers) to have uses ranging from long term single molecule imaging to in vivo deep imaging, according to a study reported in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition.
	Scientists discover compound which targets cancer cells that lack the protective p53 'guardian gene' A new chemical compound with the potential to destroy hard-to-treat cancer cells has been developed and tested by scientists at the University of Huddersfield.
	Molecular switch detects metals in the environment An international team led by researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, has designed a family of molecules capable of binding to metal ions present in the surrounding environment and providing an easily detectable light signal during binding. This new type of sensor forms a 3-D structure whose molecules are chiral, that is to say, structurally identical but not superimposable, like the left and right hands. These molecules consist of a ring and two luminescent arms that emit a particular type of light in a process called Circular Polarized Luminescence (CPL), and selectively detect ions such as sodium. This research has been published in Chemical Science.
	World's oldest cheese found in Egyptian tomb Aging usually improves the flavor of cheese, but that's not why some very old cheese discovered in an Egyptian tomb is drawing attention. Instead, it's thought to be the most ancient solid cheese ever found, according to a study published in ACS' journal Analytical Chemistry.
New method makes spinning collagen microfibres quicker, cheaper, and easier Scientists in Norfolk, VA have developed a new method of making collagen microfibres, which could have applications in research, medical devices and clinical treatments ranging from ligament damage to skin burns.
Researchers assemble library of sugars Sugar structures called GAGs are present in almost all tissues in the human body, and have important functions in various diseases. The understanding of these sugar structures is limited, because tools to study them have been lacking. Now, researchers from University of Copenhagen have assembled such a tool—a cellular library of sugars.
	Cultivating microtissues to replace animal testing For the replacement of animal testing with alternatives in medical research, complex microtissues need to be cultivated. Researchers from Empa have developed a special polymer scaffold for three-dimensional cell cultures. Light beams act as signposts for the cells.
	The origin of off-taste in onions Chopping onions is usually associated with watery and stinging eyes. But after the onions are diced and the tears are dried, the vegetable pieces can sometimes develop an unpleasant bitter taste. Now, one group reports in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that they have identified previously unknown compounds causing this off-taste.

Biology news

	Maze runners and square dancers: Cytosolic diffusion of nanosized objects in mammalian cells Cells are complex, multi-compartmentalized entities of matter enclosed with a variety of membrane-bound organelles ranging from the microscale (µm) down to the nanoscale (nm) in diameter. These structures intermingle in a crowded aqueous phase known as the cytoplasm, within which diffusion deviates from Brownian motion. Understanding the concept of "cell crowding" and the impact on intracellular mobility can enable controlled diffusion within cells for improved drug delivery and other medical applications. The eukaryotic cytoplasm is a biphasic poroelastic (fluid and solid interaction) medium, containing a fluid phase (cytosol with water and soluble proteins) and a solid phase (cytoskeleton and other organelles).
	New pesticide may harm bees as much as those to be replaced A new class of pesticides positioned to replace neonicotinoids may be just as harmful to crop-pollinating bees, researchers cautioned Wednesday.
	Structure of ion channel reveals how insects smell their way around the world The mosquito, sworn enemy of exposed ankles and elbows, locates each bloody meal using a finely tuned sense of smell. Yet, not all insects can sniff out vulnerable flesh. Butterflies, for example, feed not on necks but on nectar, and accordingly excel at smelling flowers. Each insect olfactory system is, in fact, tailored to a species' particular habitat and needs. And a new study from a group of Rockefeller scientists suggests that this versatility is facilitated by the unique structure of odorant-gated ion channels.
	How gene hunting changed the culture of science Years after the end of the Human Genome Project (HGP), which mapped the human genetic blueprint, its contributions to science and scientific culture are still unfolding. Ioannis Pavlidis, Eckhard Pfeiffer Professor of Computational Physiology at the University of Houston, UH doctoral student Dinesh Majeti and Alexander Petersen, professor of management at the University of California Merced, report in Science Advances that HGP scientists not only laid the groundwork for scientific breakthroughs for decades to come, but—because they worked together—brought to the mainstream a collaboration model that changed science's cultural norms.
	The secret behind cell revival revealed Scientists from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), have identified 85 genes essential for fission yeast cells at rest, under nutritionally limited environmental conditions, to maintain their ability to return to the dividing mode. The study sheds light on the genetic network required for resting cells like cancer stem cells to reactivate, and has potential applications in developing new therapies to treat cancer. The study has been published in the journal Science Advances.
	Study shows competitive swimmer bodies consistent in morphology across race event lengths A trio of researchers with Hunter College of the City University of New York has found that despite swimming in vastly different events, competitive swimmers tend to have the same body mass index (BMI). In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Christian Gagnon, Michael Steiper and Herman Pontzer describe their study of elite swimmer morphology and how it compared to elite runner morphology.
	Old species learn new tricks... very slowly A quick look at the fossil record shows that no species lasts forever. On average, most species exist for around a million years, although some species persist for much longer. A new study published in Scientific Reports from paleontologists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama shows that young species can take advantage of new opportunities more easily than older species: a hint that perhaps older species are bound to an established way of life.
Arctic seabird populations respond to climate change Seabirds such as gulls can be key indicators of environmental change as their populations respond to shifts in their ocean habitat over time. A new study from The Auk: Ornithological Advances investigates how several species have responded to changing environmental conditions in the Arctic over the last four decades. The authors find that a warming ocean is directly and indirectly affecting seabird populations in Alaska.
	Substances associated with bee ferocity reported Brazilian researchers may have discovered why Africanized honeybees are so aggressive. The scientists detected higher levels of certain chemical substances in the brains of Africanized honeybees than in gentler strains of honeybees bred by beekeepers.
	How to conserve half the planet without going hungry ,Every day there are roughly 386,000 new mouths to feed, and in that same 24 hours, scientists estimate between one and 100 species will go extinct. That's it. Lost forever.
	Why we're watching the giant Australian cuttlefish Australia is home to the world's only known site where cuttlefish gather to mate en masse.
	Why there's been a boom in discovering new species despite a biodiversity crisis Something of a boom in the discovery of new species is taking place right now. It is so significant that some say it is similar to the period of the 18th and 19th centuries when European naturalists ventured into newly discovered lands and brought back an astonishing number of exotic new plants and animals. But how can this be so when species worldwide are disappearing at unprecedented rates?
	A molecular switch may serve as new target point for cancer and diabetes therapies If certain signaling cascades are misregulated, diseases like cancer, obesity and diabetes may occur. A mechanism recently discovered by scientists at the Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP) in Berlin and at the University of Geneva has a crucial influence on such signaling cascades and may be an important key for the future development of therapies against these diseases. The results of the study have just been published in the prestigious scientific journal Molecular Cell.
	Newly discovered cytoskeleton helps cancer cells survive Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have discovered a cytoskeleton which provides the structure for mitochondria, the cell's energy producers. The skeleton is necessary for the function of the mitochondria, but the researchers also found that cancer cells utilise the skeleton to maintain their cellular respiratory ability – and thereby to survive.
	Fishing quotas upended by nuclear DNA analysis For decades, mitochondrial DNA analysis has been the dominant method used to make decisions about fishing quotas, culling, hunting quotas, or translocating animals from one population of a threatened species to another.
	Study of greater Yellowstone pronghorn finds highway crossing structures a conservation success A recently published study by scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Oregon State University has confirmed that efforts to protect migrating pronghorn by installing wildlife crossing structures over highways have succeeded, in terms of the increased success rate of pronghorn crossings over time.
	Frequent fires make droughts harder for young trees, even in wet eastern forests Forests in the eastern United States may have had it easy compared to their western counterparts, with the intense, prolonged droughts and wildfires that have become typical out west in recent years. But as the climate changes over time, eastern forests are also likely to experience longer droughts. And although wildfires are comparatively rare, prescriptive fires are increasingly used in the east. How will these forests fare in the future? A new study from the University of Illinois provides answers.
	'Devastating' dolphin loss in Florida red tide disaster A state of emergency has been declared in Florida as the worst red tide in a decade blackens the ocean water, killing dolphins, sea turtles and fish at a relentless pace.
	Canada to phase out pesticides linked to bee and water bug deaths Canada announced plans Wednesday to phase out two pesticides widely applied to canola, corn and soybean crops in this country and linked to bee and now also aquatic insect deaths.
Danes to fence German border to stop boars with swine fever Denmark is to erect a 70-kilometer (43.4-mile) fence along the German border to keep out wild boars, in the hope of preventing the spread of African swine fever, which can jeopardize the country's valuable pork industry.
	European aquaculture to benefit from a better quality of live feed The aquaculture sector is growing, with fish farming being a key way to ensure Europe gets the quality food it needs without exploiting marine resources further. One key problem the industry faces is how to get the immature fish though their first few months – one EU project may be about to smooth the way.
	Baby elephant joins herd at San Diego Zoo Safari Park The newest elephant at San Diego Zoo Safari Park has joined the rest of the herd.

Medicine & Health news

	Scientists discover chemical which can kill glioblastoma cells Aggressive brain tumour cells taken from patients self-destructed after being exposed to a chemical in laboratory tests, researchers have shown.
	Protein droplets keep neurons at the ready and immune system in balance Inside cells, where DNA is packed tightly in the nucleus and rigid proteins keep intricate transport systems on track, some molecules have a simpler way of establishing order. They can self-organize, find one another in crowded spaces, and quickly coalesce into droplets—like oil in water.
	Researchers link animosity in couples to inflammation, bacteria in bloodstream Married people who fight nastily are more likely to suffer from leaky guts—a problem that unleashes bacteria into the blood and can drive up disease-causing inflammation, new research suggests.
	Parental life span predicts daughters living to 90 without chronic disease or disability Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine report that women whose mothers lived to at least age 90 were more likely to also live to 90, free of serious diseases and disabilities.
	Researchers reverse congenital blindness in mice Researchers funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI) have reversed congenital blindness in mice by changing supportive cells in the retina called Müller glia into rod photoreceptors. The findings advance efforts toward regenerative therapies for blinding diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. A report of the findings appears online today in Nature. NEI is part of the National Institutes of Health.
	Anticancer drug offers potential alternative to transplant for patients with liver failure Patients suffering sudden liver failure could in the future benefit from a new treatment that could reduce the need for transplants, research published today shows.
	Weight gain after smoking cessation linked to increased short-term diabetes risk People who gain weight after they quit smoking may face a temporary increase in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, with the risk directly proportional to the weight gain, according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. But regardless of weight gain, quitters can reap significant health benefits, including lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and early death.
	New approach to treating chronic itch Researchers at the University of Zurich have discovered a new approach to suppressing itch by targeting two receptors in the spinal cord with the right experimental drug. In a series of experiments in mice and dogs, they successfully alleviated different forms of acute as well as chronic itch. For the chronic itch, current treatment options are very limited.
	New research suggests it's all about the bass When we listen to music, we often tap our feet or bob our head along to the beat – but why do we do it? New research led by Western Sydney University's MARCS Institute suggests the reason could be related to the way our brain processes low-frequency sounds.
	Genomic autopsy can help solve unexplained cardiac death Molecular autopsies can reveal genetic risk factors in young people who unexpectedly die, but proper interpretation of the results can be challenging, according to a recent study published in Circulation.
	Three scientists share $500,000 prize for work on cancer therapy Tumors once considered untreatable have disappeared and people previously given months to live are surviving for decades thanks to new therapies emerging from the work of three scientists chosen to receive a $500,000 medical prize.
	Self-control develops gradually in adolescent brain Different parts of the brain mature at different times, which may help to explain impulsive behaviors in adolescence, suggest researchers from Penn State and the University of Pittsburgh.
	Research reveals that what we see is not always what we get Researchers are helping to explain why some people anticipate and react to fast-moving objects much quicker than others.
	Research shows it's possible to reverse damage caused by aging cells What's the secret to aging well? University of Minnesota Medical School researchers have answered it- on a cellular level.
	Researchers show that category learning can be influenced by where an object is in our field of vision We humans are pros at category learning—the process by which we classify things, whether objects, concepts or events, into groups that share certain features that are relevant to us. We do it when we distinguish friends from strangers, decide whether or not to eat that wild berry, and even when we scan letters as we read an article about visual learning.
	First-of-its-kind Parkinson's biomarker guidelines invigorates drive for treatments Parkinson's disease affects more than 4 million people worldwide, with numbers projected to double in the next few decades. With no known cure, there is a race for treatments to slow or stop the progression of the disease. Key to the research and discovery of treatments for Parkinson's is the identification of biomarkers—a measureable biological indicator, such as proteins found in blood, which can help diagnose disease.
	This matrix delivers healing stem cells to injured elderly muscles A car accident leaves an aging patient with severe muscle injuries that won't heal. Treatment with muscle stem cells from a donor might restore damaged tissue, but doctors are unable to deliver them effectively. A new method may help change this.
	Overall stroke death rates decline in Europe but level off or increase in some countries New research, published in the European Heart Journal today, has shown deaths from conditions that affect the blood supply to the brain, such as stroke, are declining overall in Europe but that in some countries the decline is levelling off or death rates are even increasing.
Secondhand smoke increases risk of children developing arthritis later in life A new study in the journal Rheumatology indicates that being exposed to secondhand smoke in childhood could increase the risk of someone developing arthritis as an adult.
	Shivering in the cold? Exercise may protect against muscle fatigue New research published in The Journal of Physiology highlights how exercise could help people exposed to extreme temperatures protect themselves from the cold. This could be useful for people who live and work in very cold conditions.
	Potent psychedelic DMT mimics near-death experience in the brain A powerful psychedelic compound found in ayahuasca can model near-death experiences in the brain, a study has found.
	Eating breakfast burns more carbs during exercise and accelerates metabolism for next meal Eating breakfast before exercise may "prime" the body to burn carbohydrates during exercise and more rapidly digest food after working out, University of Bath researchers have found.
Restoring blood flow may be best option to save your life and limb Treatments that restore blood flow to the lower limbs of people with a serious circulation condition may be cheaper and associated with longer survival, than amputation according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association
Tongue microbiome research underscores importance of dental health Elderly individuals with fewer teeth, poor dental hygiene, and more cavities constantly ingest more dysbiotic microbiota, which could be harmful to their respiratory health, according to new research published in the journal mSphere. The findings come from a large, population-based study that identified variations in the tongue microbiota among community-dwelling elderly adults in Japan.
	Unwanted or unplanned babies likely have more troubled close relationships Findings appearing in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships show people who believe they resulted from unwanted or unplanned pregnancies tend to have more insecure relationship styles as adults.
	DRC may provide model for containing future Ebola outbreaks When the Ebola virus struck West Africa in 2014, it resisted early attempts at control. It took more than two years to overcome, claiming more than 11,000 lives. Volunteers from the West who were infected were flown home and treated with experimental therapies, while those on the ground in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea were treated in camps set up to deal with the disease.
	New information to understand regulation of muscle function in muscular dystrophy patients Scientists from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, and from University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, have found new functions and structural details of muscle attachment structures. The research is important for the basic understanding of regulation of muscle function, for instance, in muscular dystrophy patients and for muscle adaptation in physical activity and sports.
	RUNX proteins act as regulators in DNA repair, study finds A study by researchers from the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore) at the National University of Singapore has revealed that RUNX proteins are integral to efficient DNA repair via the Fanconi Anemia (FA) pathway.
	In choosing care, HIV patients in Zambia prefer kindness over convenience As a healthcare patient, what would you sacrifice for a provider with a nice—rather than rude—attitude? For HIV patients in Zambia, the answer may surprise you.
	Diets high in vegetables and fish may lower risk of multiple sclerosis People who consume a diet high in vegetables and fish may have a reduced risk of multiple sclerosis, new research led by Curtin University has found.
	Can sleeping too much lead to an early death? A recent study in the Journal of the American Heart Association has led to headlines that will make you rethink your Saturday morning sleep in.
	Genetic link discovered between circadian rhythms and mood disorders Circadian rhythms are regular 24-hour variations in behaviour and activity that control many aspects of our lives, from hormone levels to sleeping and eating habits.
	Fifty percent of cardiovascular patients suffer from multiple diseases New research led by The University of Western Australia has revealed that one in two patients admitted to hospital with a cardiovascular disease is suffering from multiple chronic medical conditions which required complex treatment. The rate was significantly higher among Aboriginal people, affecting three in four patients.
	Male tobacco smokers have brain-wide reduction of CB1 receptors Chronic, frequent tobacco smokers have a decreased number of cannabinoid CB1 receptors, the "pot receptor", when compared with non-smokers, reports a study in Biological Psychiatry.
	Ovarian cancer cells hoard iron to fuel growth An unexpected link between iron and fatty acids may be juicing the metabolism of ovarian cancer cells, report UConn Health researchers in the July 1 issue of OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology. The findings could suggest new avenues of research for cancer treatments.
	Resistance training and exercise motivation go hand-in-hand A recent study conducted in the University of Jyväskylä suggests that resistance training improves exercise motivation and contributes to making exercise planning among older adults. Exercise motivation and exercise self-efficacy are key factors in continuing resistance training.
	Why is anaemia still affecting women? Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world, affecting both low- and high-income countries. Although it is an easy problem to fix, it remains unfixed.
	Wearing an ill-fitting bra isn't just uncomfortable, it's bad for your health Wearing the wrong size bra is not only uncomfortable, it can cause a range of health problems. Research has shown that a lack of breast support often leads to breast pain, which is reported by 50% of women. An ill-fitting bra that doesn't give the right support can also lead to breast skin damage – usually seen as stretch marks, caused by stretching the skin beyond its recovery point.
	Addressing vaccination myths during prenatal visits During pregnancy, expectant parents spend countless hours sifting through online resources to make the "right" medical choices for their baby. In addition to decorating a nursery and playing baby shower games, pregnant women often are glued to their smartphones, seeking advice from friends and strangers.
	Rural residents lack workplace supports to juggle work and caregiving In the U.S., more than 43 million family members or friends provide unpaid care to an ailing adult or child. A new University of Minnesota School of Public Health study shows the situation could be particularly difficult for informal caregivers in rural areas, who often lack the workplace flexibility and support they need to juggle their many responsibilities.
Emergency hospital visits more common among most deprived bowel cancer patients Bowel cancer patients living in the most deprived areas have up to 13% higher proportions of emergency hospital admissions before a diagnosis than patients living in the least deprived areas, according to a study funded by Cancer Research UK.
	Rehydration: How much is too much? (HealthDay)—Staying hydrated is a mantra not only when exercising, but throughout the day for optimal health.
	AMA adopts new policy on housing for homeless (HealthDay)—The American Medical Association (AMA) calls for stable, affordable housing, without mandated therapy or service compliance, in order to improve housing stability and quality of life among individuals who are chronically homeless.
	Zika, West Nile cases reported in Alabama (HealthDay)—Multiple reports of Zika virus and West Nile virus are being investigated by Alabama health officials.
	Most postmenopausal bleeding not associated with cancer (HealthDay)—Most women with postmenopausal bleeding (PMB) will not be diagnosed with endometrial cancer, according to a review published online Aug. 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
	Mizzou program significantly reduces delay in autism diagnosis When Katie New first suspected her son had autism, she had to wait 18 months for a diagnosis. She also had to travel nearly 100 miles from her hometown of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, to see an autism specialist in Cape Girardeau. When she had similar concerns regarding her younger child, she was able to get the diagnosis in less than one month thanks to ECHO Autism, a University of Missouri program. A new study on the effectiveness of ECHO Autism shows that the program significantly reduces diagnostic wait times for young children at highest risk for autism and saved families an average of 172.7 miles in travel for diagnosis.
	Better statistical methods to understand gene interactions leading to cancer development Research led by Hui-Yi Lin, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biostatistics at LSU Health New Orleans School of Public Health, has developed another novel statistical method for evaluating gene-to-gene interactions associated with cancer and other complex diseases. The Additive-Additive 9 Interaction (AA9int) method is described in a paper published in Bioinformatics.
	Optimizing airport flight patterns take a toll on human health Health costs associated with noise from changing flight patterns over populated urban landscapes far outweigh the benefits of reduced flight times, according to a new study conducted at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and Queens Quiet Skies. The researchers used flights from LaGuardia airport that have historically flown over Flushing Meadows and the U.S. Tennis Center in Queens—known as the TNNIS route—as a case study to explore the trade-offs between more efficient flight routes and suffering on the ground. The findings appear in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
	Cosmetic procedures boost well-being, poll shows (HealthDay)—People who choose minimally invasive cosmetic procedures do so because they want to feel good, not just look good, a new survey finds.
	Wildfire smoke threatens health of those near and far More than 100 wildfires are blazing through parts of the western United States, including one in California that has grown to become the largest fire in the state's history.
	Trends in HIV/AIDS have worsened in African-Americans (HealthDay)—Recommendations have been developed for addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the African-American community; the recommendations are presented in an article published in the June issue of the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities.
	Many Americans not being assessed for depression (HealthDay)—Many Americans aged 35 and older are not being assessed for depression, according to a study recently published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.
	Marijuana may improve quality of life in head and neck cancer (HealthDay)—For patients with newly diagnosed head and neck cancer (HNC), quality of life may improve with marijuana use, according to a study published online Aug. 2 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
	Labetalol use up for patients with preeclampsia and asthma (HealthDay)—Higher rates of β-blocker use are seen among women with preeclampsia and asthma, according to a study published in the July issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Primary care provider burnout rate low in small practices (HealthDay)—Provider-reported rates of burnout may be lower in small independent primary care practices than in larger practices, according to a study published in the July-August issue of the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.
	Integration of opioid, infectious disease treatment needed (HealthDay)—Steps should be taken to integrate treatment at the intersection of opioid use disorder (OUD) and related HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infectious disease epidemics, according to an Ideas and Opinion piece published online July 13 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The article was published to coincide with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) expert panel's recommendations for treating opioid abuse and its related infectious epidemics.
	Rate of pediatric emergencies in ambulatory practices identified (HealthDay)—The rate of pediatric emergency medical services (EMS) transports from ambulatory practices is 42 per 100,000 children per year, according to a study published in the August issue of Pediatrics.
	cfDNA screening first for trisomy 21 doesn't cut miscarriage rate (HealthDay)—Offering cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening followed by invasive testing in the case of positive results does not result in a significant reduction in miscarriage among women with pregnancies at high risk of trisomy 21, according to a study published in the Aug. 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	New clues into how 'trash bag of the cell' traps and seals off waste The mechanics behind how an important process within the cell traps material before recycling it has puzzled scientists for years. But Penn State researchers have gained new insight into how this process seals off waste, much like a trash bag.
	Neonatal pig hearts can heal from heart attack While pigs still cannot fly, researchers have discovered that the hearts of newborn piglets do have one remarkable ability. They can almost completely heal themselves after experimental heart attacks.
	Evening preference, lack of sleep associated with higher BMI in people with prediabetes People with prediabetes who go to bed later, eat meals later and are more active and alert later in the day—those who have an "evening preference"—have higher body mass indices compared with people with prediabetes who do things earlier in the day, or exhibit morning preference. The higher BMI among people with evening preference is related to their lack of sufficient sleep, according to a University of Illinois at Chicago-led study.
	How many American cities protect the rights of employed breastfeeding mothers? Of the 151 largest cities across the United States, only Philadelphia and New York City have legislation that protects a nursing mother who returns to work outside the home and who wants to continue breastfeeding, according to research from the University of Pennsylvania and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) published in Breastfeeding Medicine.
	Widespread declines in life expectancy across high income countries coincide with rising young adult, midlife mortality The ongoing opioid epidemic in the United States is a key contributor to the most recent declines in life expectancy, suggests a study published by The BMJ today.
	PARP inhibitor improves progression-free survival in patients with advanced breast cancers In a randomized, Phase III trial led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the PARP inhibitor talazoparib extended progression-free survival (PFS) and improved quality-of-life measures over available chemotherapies for patients with metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer and mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes.
	New HIV therapy reduces virus, boosts immunity in drug-resistant patients In a study, a new HIV drug reduced viral replication and increased immune cells in individuals with advanced, drug-resistant HIV infection. Used in combination with existing HIV medications, the drug is a promising strategy for patients who have run out of effective treatment options, the researchers said.
	Should all babies have their genomes sequenced? As the cost of genome sequencing decreases, researchers and clinicians are debating whether all newborns should be sequenced at birth, facilitating a lifetime of personalized medical care. But while sequencing the genomes of some infants may be appropriate in specific contexts, genome-wide sequencing of all newborns should not be pursued at this time, and health professionals should recommend against parents using direct-to-consumer genetic sequencing to diagnose or screen their newborns, states the lead article in The Ethics of Sequencing Newborns: Recommendations and Reflections, a new special report of the Hastings Center Report.
	Virtual Brain joins flagship neuroscience initiative in Europe The Virtual Brain (TVB), an international brain-mapping platform co-developed by Baycrest researchers, has become part of one of the largest European research enterprises to advance neuroscience, medicine and computing.
	Sexist barriers block women's choice to be sterilized Women in Canada and the United States face extraordinary difficulties in seeking the birth control method of sterilization. When going to medical professionals to ask about the procedure, they often hear something like, "You'll regret it" or "Get your husband to do it."
	How to find the right words to talk about pregnancy loss Pregnancy loss can be an isolating experience for women and their families. The grief experienced may be intense, but the feelings of the bereaved may not be recognised – even by close friends and relatives – because pregnancy loss is not widely discussed.
	Team develops novel self-fitting scaffold for bone regeneration Researchers from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have designed and fabricated a high-performing, self-fitting bone scaffold by combining a shape memory foam and hydroxyapatite, the principal mineral component of bone tissue. It can be safely and conveniently implanted into bone defects and induce bone regeneration, thus enhancing the recovery of bone injuries and fractures.
	Long-term efficacy of AAV5-based gene therapy to treat day blind sheep with achromatopsia A study of a large animal model of achromatopsia caused by a mutation in the CNGA3 gene that was treated with a single injection of CNGA3 gene therapy delivered using an AAV5 vector revealed findings reported long-term follow-up findings that show promise for the efficacy and safety of this therapeutic approach. The results demonstrated significant improvement in cone function and no abnormalities in the treated eyes for up to six years following delivery of the CNGA3 transgene, as reported in an article published in Human Gene Therapy.
Cholera kills scores in DR Congo, Niger A cholera epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 127 people since February, while a further 22 have died in Niger, officials said on Wednesday.

Other Sciences news

	Why war is a man's game No sex differences in attitudes or abilities are needed to explain the near absence of women from the battlefield in ancient societies and throughout history, it could ultimately all be down to chance, say researchers at the University of St Andrews.
	Study of ancient forefoot joints reveals bipedalism in hominins emerged early The feet of primates function as grasping organs. But the adoption of bipedal locomotion – which reduces the ability to grasp – was a critical step in human evolution.
	Evidence suggests global warming might have a negative impact on some government workers A team of researchers affiliated with MIT and Harvard University has found evidence suggesting that as the planet heats up, the performance of some government workers might be negatively impacted. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nick Obradovich, Dustin Tingley and Iyad Rahwan describe their study of data related to police officer and food inspector performance during hot weather, and what they found.
	Researchers unearth remarkable horse 'shoes' Alex Meyer continues to be in awe of the treasure trove that is Vindolanda.
	Inexpensive test can lead to higher college graduation rates Students who pass one or more College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests in high school or college are more likely to earn a postsecondary degree, according to research published as a Georgia State University W.J. Usery Workplace Research Group working paper.
	Why war evolved to be a man's game – and why that's only now changing One pattern characterises every war that's ever been fought. Frontline fighting in warfare is primarily and often almost exclusively a male activity. From a numbers perspective, bigger armies obviously have greater chances of success in battles. Why then, are half of a community's potential warriors (the women) usually absent from the battlefield?
	How to cut queues at immigration – with maths When going on holiday to a foreign country, there's one part of the journey that everybody dreads: border control. Everyone has to have their passport checked by an immigration official when entering a new country – and even when leaving some – so queues are almost inevitable.
	Maya rituals unearthed Deep in the untamed lowlands, we search for artifacts buried under hundreds of years of sediment. We are excavating two ancient Maya sites nestled in the sacred landscape of Cara Blanca in central Belize. Both date to A.D. 800-900, when prolonged and severe droughts struck this region, disrupting the daily life of the Maya.
	Hard work could be detrimental to your well-being and your career The old saying that "hard work pays off" may be a thing of the past following evidence from a new study that reveals working too hard not just predicts poor well-being, but also poor career-related outcomes.
	Forget the bling: High status-signaling deters new friendships When it comes to making new friends, status symbols actually repel people from making friends with us, according to new research published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.
	Stern of World War II US destroyer discovered off remote Alaskan island (Update) For almost 75 years, the stern of the destroyer USS Abner Read lay somewhere below the dark surface of the Bering Sea off the Aleutian island of Kiska, where it sank after being torn off by an explosion while conducting an anti-submarine patrol. Seventy-one U.S. Navy Sailors were lost in the aftermath of the blast, during a brutal and largely overlooked early campaign of World War II.
	Funny bone: Survey finds 99 percent of science students appreciate instructor humor There's nothing like a good laugh to lighten a mood, especially when the atmosphere is serious—like it can be in a science classroom.
	Students' social skills flourish best in groups with similar skill levels Research shows that the behavior of the people you most spend time with can affect your own behavior, for better or worse. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri have found that children who need assistance improving their social skills might benefit more when grouped with peers who have similar social skill levels, rather than with peers who have a similar disability or disorder.

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