Fwd: Science X Newsletter Tue, Feb 20

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Od: Newsletter Science X <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: śr., 21 lut 2024, 02:03
Subject: Science X Newsletter Tue, Feb 20
To: Andrzej Antoni Czerwinski <andrzej.czerwinski22@gmail.com>

Dear Andrzej Antoni Czerwinski,

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for February 20, 2024:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Junk DNA in birds may hold key to safe, efficient gene therapy

New model identifies drugs that shouldn't be taken together

An architecture for sub-picowatt logic computing based on self-biased molybdenum disulfide transistors

New ultra-short-period exoplanet discovered

Network analysis highlights the key role of plasticity in the transition from depression to mental health

Oriental pied hornbills found to have object permanence levels comparable to apes

Use of decimal point is 1.5 centuries older than historians thought

Fasting-like diet lowers risk factors for disease, reduces biological age in humans: Study

Can a single brain region encode familiarity and recollection?

Ancient genomes reveal Down syndrome in past societies

Astronomers observe the Radcliffe Wave oscillating

Oocytes outsmart toxic proteins to preserve long-term female fertility

Large, diverse genetic study of glaucoma implicates vascular and cancer-related genes

AI-assisted robot lab develops new catalysts to synthesize methanol from CO₂

Converting rainforest to plantation impacts food webs and biodiversity, study finds

Nanotechnology news

	Researchers assemble patterns of micro- and nanoparticles without using solvents Researchers from the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Riga Technical University and the MESA+ Institute at the University of Twente have succeeded in arranging very small particles (10 µm to 500 nm, 10 to 100 times thinner than a human hair) in a thin layer without using solvents. This is a hugely important first step towards developing a new generation of sensors and electronics for a wide range of applications.
	Nanoparticles containing natural substance treat visceral leishmaniasis with scant side effects A novel therapeutic strategy developed by researchers at São Paulo State University (UNESP) could revolutionize the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease (NTD) transmitted by sandflies. Some 12 million people suffer from the disease worldwide, and 700,000 to 1 million new cases of occur annually, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
	Research team introduces new non-toxic method for producing high-quality graphene oxide Researchers from Umeå University in Sweden have found a new way to synthesize graphene oxide, which has significantly fewer defects compared to materials produced by the most common method. Similarly good graphene oxide could be synthesized previously only by using a rather dangerous method involving extremely toxic fuming nitric acid.

Physics news

	Researchers achieve breakthrough in silicon-compatible magnetic whirls Researchers from Oxford University's Department of Physics have made a breakthrough in creating and designing magnetic whirls in membranes that can be seamlessly integrated with silicon. These hurricane-like magnetic whirls, thought to move at incredible speeds of up to kilometers per second could be used as information carriers in a new generation of green and super-fast computing platforms.
	Spintronics research finds magnetic state of certain materials can be switched using surface induced strain Electronics are based on electrical charges being transported from one place to another. Electrons move, current flows, and signals are transmitted by applying an electrical voltage. However, there is also another way to manipulate electronic currents and signals: using the properties of the spin—the intrinsic magnetic moment of the electron. This is called "spintronics," and it has become an increasingly important field in contemporary electronic research.
	Physicists develop new solar cell design for better efficiency Physicists at Paderborn University 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. The results have now been published in Physical Review Letters.
	Developing doubly sustainable quantum computers In the future, the use of quantum computers could make a significant contribution to promoting greater sustainability in global developments. This was shown in a white paper, which was recently presented at the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai and included contributions from the HPCQS consortium.
	Throwing lithography a curve: Research introduces mask wafer co-optimization method At the heart of advancing semiconductor chip technology lies a critical challenge: creating smaller, more efficient electronic components. This challenge is particularly evident in the field of lithography, the process used to create intricate patterns on semiconductor materials (called wafers) for the production of chips.

Earth news

	High methane concentrations in tidal salt marsh soils: Researchers seek to discover where it goes Tidal salt marshes are fairly common across the Mid-Atlantic. These coastal ecosystems provide habitat for plants, birds and fish. Existing at the intersection of land and sea, tidal salt marshes act as armor against hurricanes and shoreline erosion.
	Researchers use AI to predict how agricultural land suitability may change by 2050 By 2050, scientists predict that global demand for food will increase by 110%, while today about 40% of croplands and pastures are under threat due to the increasing average temperature on the planet, high concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and many other factors.
	Study reveals UK offshore emissions through used vehicle exports A new study published today in Nature Climate Change, found that exported used vehicles generate at least 13%–53% more emissions per mile than those that are scrapped or on the road in Great Britain.
	A device for cleaning the water is being tested in Huntington Beach For the past few weeks, a futuristic-looking contraption has been cruising around, scooping up trash in Huntington Harbor, keeping especially busy as heaps of debris washes down with recent rain storms.
	Lack of rain leaves Italy gasping A blanket of smog covers Milan, empty reservoirs bake in Sicily and wine production is down in Piedmont as a lack of rain across Italy exacerbates pollution and sparks droughts.

Astronomy and Space news

	New ultra-short-period exoplanet discovered Using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), astronomers have detected a new ultra-short-period exoplanet. The newly found alien world is nearly two times larger than the Earth and orbits its host star in less than one day. The finding was reported in a paper published February 12 on the preprint server arXiv.
	Astronomers observe the Radcliffe Wave oscillating A few years ago, astronomers uncovered one of the Milky Way's greatest secrets: An enormous, wave-shaped chain of gaseous clouds in our sun's backyard, giving birth to clusters of stars along the spiral arm of the galaxy we call home.
	NASA's New Horizons detects dusty hints of extended Kuiper Belt New observations from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft hint that the Kuiper Belt—the vast, distant outer zone of our solar system populated by hundreds of thousands of icy, rocky planetary building blocks—might stretch much farther out than we thought.
	The brightest object in the universe is a black hole that eats a star a day Scientists have now reported evidence of the true conditions in Hell, perhaps because no one has ever returned to tell the tale. Hell has been imagined as a supremely uncomfortable place, hot and hostile to bodily forms of human life.
	Capturing a comet's tail to keep Earth safe from the sun A comet is set to pass by Earth this spring, and it may be missing its tail.

Technology news

	An architecture for sub-picowatt logic computing based on self-biased molybdenum disulfide transistors The continuous improvement of circuits and electronic components is vital for the development of new technologies with enhanced capabilities and unique characteristics. In recent years, most electronics engineers have been specifically focusing on reducing the size of transistors, while retaining a low power consumption.
	Engineers develop promising calcium-based battery that's rechargeable and operates at room temperature A multi-institutional team of Chinese engineers has developed a proof-of-concept calcium-based battery that withstands 700 charge cycles at room temperature. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes the challenges they addressed in developing the battery and what they have learned about the possible use of calcium-based batteries in consumer products in the future.
	Science fiction meets reality as researchers develop techniques to overcome obstructed views After a recent car crash, John Murray-Bruce wished he could have seen the other car coming. The crash reaffirmed the USF assistant professor of computer science and engineering's mission to create a technology that could do just that: See around obstacles and ultimately expand one's line of vision.
	The YouTube algorithm isn't radicalizing people, says bots study About a quarter of Americans get their news on YouTube. With its billions of users and hours upon hours of content, YouTube is one the largest online media platforms in the world.
	Improving traffic signal timing with a handful of connected vehicles With GPS data from as little as 6% of vehicles on the road, University of Michigan researchers can recalibrate traffic signals to reduce congestion and delays at intersections significantly.
	Adaptive smart glove can teach new physical skills You've likely met someone who identifies as a visual or auditory learner, but others absorb knowledge through a different modality: touch. Being able to understand tactile interactions is especially important for tasks such as learning delicate surgeries and playing musical instruments, but unlike video and audio, touch is difficult to record and transfer.
	Wind-powered Dutch ship sets sail for greener future The world's first chemical tanker ship fitted with massive rigid aluminum "sails" has left Rotterdam, its owner hoping to plot a route to bringing down the shipping industry's huge carbon footprint.
	Senior Czechs refine Wikipedia as retirement hobby A frail 80-year-old retiree does not fit everyone's idea of a tech-savvy Wikipedia writer, but Jirina Kadnerova is a devoted contributor to the online encyclopedia.
	Edible electronics are being developed to assist rescue operations and go inside hospital patients Professor Dario Floreano is a Swiss-Italian roboticist and engineer engaged in a bold research venture: the creation of edible robots and digestible electronics.
	Apple set to face near €500 million EU fine in Spotify row Apple Inc. will face a European Union fine close to €500 million ($539 million) over the regulator's investigation into allegations it silenced music-streaming rivals, including Spotify Technology SA, on its platforms.
	What is Sora? A new generative AI tool could transform video production and amplify disinformation risks Late last week, OpenAI announced a new generative AI system named Sora, which produces short videos from text prompts. While Sora is not yet available to the public, the high quality of the sample outputs published so far has provoked both excited and concerned reactions.
	Distributed energy resource cybersecurity framework tool shines in solar cybersecurity assessment As the world pushes for sustainable energy, the spotlight turns to distributed energy resources (DERs), with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at the forefront. In the quest for decarbonization, a shining star emerges—the Distributed Energy Resource Cybersecurity Framework (DER-CF).
	Regulatory tech costs can have benefits, too RegTech might be one of the biggest new industries you've never heard of. The term most often refers to technology that helps companies comply with government regulations. In 2028, businesses are projected to spend $208 billion on RegTech, according to Juniper Research. That's up from $30 billion in 2020.
	Asymmetric fire-retardant electrolytes could ensure safety and stability in lithium metal batteries New research published in Energy Material Advances holds significant implications for the future of high-energy-density batteries.
	Researchers take next step toward better performing batteries using less critical raw materials Marnix Wagemaker and Alexandros Vasileiadis in collaboration with researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have published a paper in Nature Sustainability on fast-charging sodium-ion batteries and improvements made to the negative electrode. These can be made from organic materials. This reduces the dependence on rare materials that do not come from Europe.
	Studying flight paths and neighborhoods could lead to more considerate aviation When aerospace engineer Matthew Clarke overlayed flight paths in urban environments over maps showing social stratification, he noticed something significant. The flights went directly overhead low-income neighborhoods.
	Orbital angular momentum-mediated machine learning for high-accuracy mode-feature encoding As a derivative product of artificial neural networks, ChatGPT became extremely popular in 2023, breaking the shortest time record for technology product users to exceed 100 million. It is a large-scale language model based on machine learning (deep learning), in which learning of language rules from massive input texts plays an important role.
	Cobalt-free electrodes achieved with nickel ions Many electric vehicles are powered by lithium-ion batteries that rely on cobalt—a scarce, expensive metal with high environmental and social costs. A team of researchers from Japanese and French universities has now developed a practical nickel-based electrode material that opens new avenues to cobalt-free batteries for electric vehicles.
	Made-in-China airliner shown overseas at Singapore Airshow China's first domestically produced passenger jet will be presented to potential buyers in an international debut at Asia's biggest airshow, which opens in Singapore on Tuesday.
	Capital One to buy Discover for $35.3 bn US banking giant Capital One announced Monday it will acquire financial services company Discover in a $35.3 billion all-stock deal combining two of America's major credit card firms.
	Singapore Airshow features aerial displays and the international debut of China's C919 The Singapore Airshow—Asia's largest—kicked off Tuesday with an array of aerial displays including some by China's COMAC C919 narrow-body airliner.
	Walmart to acquire smart TV maker Vizio for $2.3 billion in bid to boost its advertising business Walmart is buying the smart TV maker Vizio for $2.3 billion as it attempts to expand its rapidly growing advertising business to compete with Amazon.
	Stuck in cyberattack nightmare? Call the negotiators Criminals have overtaken your computer network, they are threatening to leak your most sensitive secrets and your share price is tumbling. It's time to call in the negotiators.
	Global operation smashes 'most harmful cyber crime group' An international operation led by UK and US law enforcement has severely disrupted "the world's most harmful cybercrime group", the Russian-linked ransomware specialist LockBit, officials announced Tuesday.
	Energy Strategy 2050: The potential of millions of Swiss rooftops Five million rooftops in Switzerland—more than half of the nationwide total—are suitable for generating power. A review of two solar photovoltaic development strategies has shown that combining the two approaches could cause over two-thirds of Swiss towns and cities to become energy self-sufficient.

Chemistry news

	AI-assisted robot lab develops new catalysts to synthesize methanol from CO₂ Artificial intelligence and automated laboratory infrastructure are massively accelerating the development of new chemical catalysts. With these tools, researchers at ETH Zurich are developing catalysts for efficiently and cost-effectively synthesizing the energy source methanol from CO2.
	Scientists show positively charged hydrogels promote the survival and growth of neural stem cells Researchers from Bochum and Dortmund have created an artificial cell environment that could promote the regeneration of nerves. Usually, injuries to the brain or spinal cord don't heal easily due to the formation of fluid-filled cavities and scars that prevent tissue regeneration.
	Magnetic effects at the origin of life? It's the spin that makes the difference Biomolecules such as amino acids and sugars occur in two mirror-image forms—in all living organisms, however, only one is ever found. Why this is the case is still unclear. Researchers at Empa and Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany have now found evidence that the interplay between electric and magnetic fields could be at the origin of this phenomenon.
	Plastic recycling: Peptide with a cobalt complex oxidizes polystyrene microparticles Polystyrene is a widespread plastic that is essentially not recyclable when mixed with other materials and is not biodegradable. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, a German research team has introduced a biohybrid catalyst that oxidizes polystyrene microparticles to facilitate their subsequent degradation. The catalyst consists of a specially constructed "anchor peptide" that adheres to polystyrene surfaces and a cobalt complex that oxidizes polystyrene.
	Research team develops universal and accurate method to calculate how proteins interact with drugs A research team from the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences / IOCB Prague has developed a novel computational method that can accurately describe how proteins interact with molecules of potential drugs and can do so in a mere tens of minutes. This new quantum-mechanical scoring function can thus markedly expedite the search for new drugs. The research has been published in the journal Nature Communications.
	Researchers synthesize a new manganese-fluorine catalyst with exceptional oxidizing power A research team, affiliated with UNIST has unveiled a cutting-edge catalyst with exceptional oxidizing power, capable of extracting electrons from compounds. Anticipated to revolutionize various fields, including the development of metal catalysts and synthetic chemistry, this catalyst marks a significant breakthrough in catalytic research.
	Accelerating the discovery of single-molecule magnets with deep learning Synthesizing or studying certain materials in a laboratory setting often poses challenges due to safety concerns, impractical experimental conditions, or cost constraints. In response, scientists are increasingly turning to deep learning methods that involve developing and training machine learning models to recognize patterns and relationships in data that include information about material properties, compositions, and behaviors.
	Using metabolomics for assessing safety of chemicals may reduce the use of lab rats Scientists have discovered a more robust way of grouping chemicals and using read-across for toxicological data to meet regulatory requirements, which could greatly reduce animal testing.
	Coordination polymer crystals show promise as new generation of light sources for industry, medicine New forms of the light-emitting materials called phosphors, with enhanced versatility relative to existing options, are being developed by researchers at the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) in Japan, with colleagues at Tokyo University of Science and Hokkaido University. Their work is published in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials.
	Researchers conduct comprehensive review on preparation of MOF-based flame retardants via coordination bond cleavage Since the first report of metal-organic framework (MOF)-based flame retardants in 2017, this research area has exploded. However, improving the flame-retardant efficiency of MOFs and expanding their application areas remain critical challenges. The physicochemical properties of MOFs are closely dependent on their topology, pore characteristics, and chemical composition, which can be modulated by targeted design.

Biology news

	Junk DNA in birds may hold key to safe, efficient gene therapy The recent approval of a CRISPR-Cas9 therapy for sickle cell disease demonstrates that gene editing tools can do a superb job of knocking out genes to cure hereditary disease. But it's still not possible to insert whole genes into the human genome to substitute for defective or deleterious genes.
	Oriental pied hornbills found to have object permanence levels comparable to apes A pair of animal behaviorists at the National University of Singapore, has found, via testing, that Oriental pied hornbills have object permanence levels comparable to apes. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, Ruitong Yao and Elias Garcia-Pelegrin, describe how they tested object permanence levels in several captive Oriental pied hornbills.
	Oocytes outsmart toxic proteins to preserve long-term female fertility Oocytes are immature egg cells that develop in almost all female mammals before birth. The propagation of future generations depends on this finite reserve of cells surviving for many years without incurring damage. In mice, this can be a period of up to 18 months, while in humans it can last almost half a century, the average time between birth and menopause. How the cells accomplish this remarkable feat of longevity has been a longstanding question.
	Converting rainforest to plantation impacts food webs and biodiversity, study finds The conversion of rainforest into plantations erodes and restructures food webs and fundamentally changes the way these ecosystems function, according to a new study published in Nature. The findings provide the first insights into the processing of energy across soil and canopy animal communities in mega-biodiverse tropical ecosystems.
	Even very low levels of pesticide exposure can affect fish for generations, study finds Fish exposed to some pesticides at extremely low concentrations for a brief period of time can demonstrate lasting behavioral changes, with the impact extending to offspring that were never exposed firsthand, a recent study found.
	Little African duckbill dinosaurs provide evidence of an unlikely ocean crossing Fossils of pony-sized duckbill dinosaurs from Morocco have been discovered by an international team of scientists. Their analysis reveals a surprising connection between the dinosaurs of Europe and Africa.
	First-ever nesting report of incredibly rare giant softshell turtle Knowledge from local communities has resulted in the first-ever nesting evidence and discovery of a breeding population of an incredibly rare turtle in India. The Cantor's giant softshell turtle (Pelochelys cantorii) is native to the rivers of South and Southeast Asia. Known for its rarity and secretive nature, this species has long been a subject of fascination and concern among conservationists.
	Researchers discover Paleocene origin of symbiotic relationships in leaf beetles Brightly colored beetles that feed on a wide range of plants possess robust metabolic capabilities, thanks to bacteria residing in specialized organs in their digestive tract. The bacterium Stammera provides essential enzymes enabling Cassidinae beetles to digest plant cell wall components efficiently.
	A better peanut on your plate? New findings reveal potential for peanut crop improvement Global population growth has led to rapidly increasing food demand. A new international study, published in Nature Genetics, has found a way to accelerate crop improvements, specifically in peanuts.
	Early natural selection in vertebrates: Bitterling embryos perform somersault to secure hold on mussel host Even embryos can become embroiled in an evolutionary arms race with another species. Leiden biologists demonstrate this with larvae of the rosy bitterling that parasitize the gills of freshwater mussels. They published their research on February 19 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
	New mechanism for regulating cell division in the bacterial pathogen Klebsiella uncovered Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the most common and most dangerous bacterial pathogens impacting humans, causing infections of the gastrointestinal tract, pneumonia, wound infections, and even blood poisoning.
	New toolkit helps scientists study natural cell death New research from the Weeks Lab in the Department of Biochemistry opens the door for scientists to explore cell death, a critical biochemical process, with greater ease.
	Panama Canal expansion rewrites history of world's most ecologically diverse bats Most bats patrol the night sky in search of insects. New World leaf-nosed bats take a different approach. Among the more than 200 species of leaf-nosed bats, there are those that hunt insects; drink nectar; eat fruit; munch pollen; suck blood; and prey on frogs, birds, lizards and even other bats. They're among the world's most ecologically diverse mammals, and until recently, it was thought they originated in South America.
	First known photos of 'lost bird' captured by scientists For the first time, scientists have captured photos of a bird long thought lost. Known as the Yellow-crested Helmetshrike, or Prionops alberti, the species is listed as a 'lost bird' by the American Bird Conservancy because it had not seen in nearly two decades.
	Unlocking the energetic secrets of collective animal movement: How group behavior reduces energy costs in fish Many animals, including apex predators, move in groups. We know this collective behavior is fundamental to the animal's ability to move in complex environments, but less is known about what drives the behavior because many factors underlie its evolution. Scientists wonder, though, if all these animals share a fundamental drive, such as for mating, safety, or perhaps even to save energy.
	Bat 'nightclubs' may be the key to solving the next pandemic Bats carry some of the deadliest zoonotic diseases that can infect both humans and animals, such as Ebola and COVID-19. In a recently-published article in the journal Cell Genomics, a Texas A&M research team has revealed that some species of bats are protected against the viruses they carry because they commonly exchange immune genes during seasonal mating swarms.
	Scientists may have cracked the 'aging process' in species New research from the University of Kansas might resolve a mystery in the "aging process" in species—or, how a species' risk of going extinct changes after that species appears on the scene.