ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Starving orangutans might help to better understand obesity and eating disorders in humans
• NASA developing comet harpoon for sample return
• Preparing for future human exploration, RAD measures radiation on journey to Mars
• Small reactors could figure into US energy future
• Was Darwin wrong about emotions?
• New path to flex and stretch electronics: Artificial electronic skin device capable of detecting and responding to touch
• Most common causes, risk factors for stillbirth
• Tycho's star shines in gamma rays, NASA's Fermi shows
• First electronic optical fibers with hydrogenated amorphous silicon are developed
• Reprogramming brain cells important first step for new Parkinson's therapy
• Nanoparticles help researcher deliver steroids to retina
• High-energy physicists set record for network data transfer
• Trillion-frame-per-second video: Researchers have created an imaging system that makes light look slow
• In third-degree burn treatment, hydrogel helps grow new, scar-free skin
• Inspired by insect cuticle, scientists develop material that's tough and strong
• Possible hints of Higgs boson remain in latest analyses, physicists say
• Alzheimer's/Parkinson's: Unexpected signaling role for foul-smelling hydrogen sulfide in cell response to protein misfolding
• Findings on biochar, greenhouse gas emissions and ethylene
• Elephant seal travels 18,000 miles
• Mothers' weight before and during pregnancy affects baby's weight
• Microneedle sensors may allow real-time monitoring of body chemistry
• Largest ever gas mix caught in ultra-freeze trap
• Precise detection by the nose: Researchers decipher interaction of fragrances and olfactory receptors
• Visualization of DNA synthesis in vivo
• Widespread brain atrophy detected in Parkinson's disease with newly developed structural pattern
• Tiny protein helps bacteria 'talk' and triggers defensive response in plants
• Spring's rising soil temperatures see hormones wake seeds from their winter slumber
• Some plant-based food supplements contain high levels of cancer causing agents, study suggests
• The Internet Protocol IPv6: A universal language
• Seabirds: Climate differences have less impact on transmission of blood parasites than expected
• Tree species maps for European forests

Starving orangutans might help to better understand obesity and eating disorders in humans Posted: 13 Dec 2011 05:33 PM PST New research examining how endangered Indonesian orangutans – considered a close relative to humans -- survive during times of extreme food scarcity might help scientists better understand eating disorders and obesity in humans.

NASA developing comet harpoon for sample return Posted: 13 Dec 2011 04:02 PM PST The best way to grab a sample of a rotating comet that is racing through the inner solar system at up to 150,000 miles per hour while spewing chunks of ice, rock and dust may be to avoid the risky business of landing on it. Instead, researchers want to send a spacecraft to rendezvous with a comet, then fire a harpoon to rapidly acquire samples from specific locations with surgical precision while hovering above the target. Using this "standoff" technique would allow samples to be collected even from areas that are much too rugged or dangerous to permit the landing and safe operation of a spacecraft.

Preparing for future human exploration, RAD measures radiation on journey to Mars Posted: 13 Dec 2011 04:02 PM PST The Radiation Assessment Detector, the first instrument on NASA's next rover mission to Mars to begin science operations, was powered up and began collecting data Dec. 6, almost 2 weeks ahead of schedule. RAD is the only instrument scheduled to collect science data on the journey to Mars. The instrument is measuring the energetic particles inside the spacecraft to characterize the radiation environment an astronaut would experience on a future human mission to the Red Planet.

Small reactors could figure into US energy future Posted: 13 Dec 2011 04:01 PM PST A new study concludes that small modular reactors may hold the key to the future of U.S. nuclear power generation.

Was Darwin wrong about emotions? Posted: 13 Dec 2011 04:00 PM PST Contrary to what many psychological scientists think, people do not all have the same set of biologically "basic" emotions, and those emotions are not automatically expressed on the faces of those around us, according to the author of a new article. This means a recent move to train security workers to recognize "basic" emotions from expressions might be misguided.

New path to flex and stretch electronics: Artificial electronic skin device capable of detecting and responding to touch Posted: 13 Dec 2011 04:00 PM PST Researchers have developed a promising new inexpensive technique for fabricating large-scale flexible and stretchable backplanes using semiconductor-enriched carbon nanotube solutions. To demonstrate the utility of their carbon nanotube backplanes, the researchers constructed an artificial electronic skin device capable of detecting and responding to touch.

Most common causes, risk factors for stillbirth Posted: 13 Dec 2011 03:56 PM PST Two studies by the Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network have identified the most common causes and risk factors for stillbirth, including causes such as preterm labor and risk factors that include diabetes and excess weight.

Tycho's star shines in gamma rays, NASA's Fermi shows Posted: 13 Dec 2011 01:47 PM PST In early November 1572, observers on Earth witnessed the appearance of a "new star" in the constellation Cassiopeia, an event now recognized as the brightest naked-eye supernova in more than 400 years. It's often called "Tycho's supernova" after the great Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, who gained renown for his extensive study of the object. Now, years of data collected by NASA's Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope reveal that the shattered star's remains shine in high-energy gamma rays.

First electronic optical fibers with hydrogenated amorphous silicon are developed Posted: 13 Dec 2011 11:47 AM PST A new chemical technique for depositing a non-crystalline form of silicon into the long, ultra-thin pores of optical fibers is the first of its kind to use high-pressure chemistry for making well-developed films and wires of this particular kind of silicon semiconductor. The research will help scientists to make more-efficient and more-flexible optical fibers.

Reprogramming brain cells important first step for new Parkinson's therapy Posted: 13 Dec 2011 11:47 AM PST In efforts to find new treatments for Parkinson's Disease (PD), researchers have directly reprogrammed astrocytes, the most plentiful cell type in the central nervous system, into dopamine-producing neurons. PD is marked by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain.

Nanoparticles help researcher deliver steroids to retina Posted: 13 Dec 2011 11:47 AM PST Hitching a ride into the retina on nanoparticles called dendrimers offers a new way to treat age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.

High-energy physicists set record for network data transfer Posted: 13 Dec 2011 11:47 AM PST Researchers have set a new world record for data transfer, helping to usher in the next generation of high-speed network technology. They transferred data in opposite directions at a combined rate of 186 gigabits per second (Gbps) in a wide-area network circuit. The rate is equivalent to moving two million gigabytes per day, fast enough to transfer nearly 100,000 full Blu-ray disks -- each with a complete movie and all the extras -- in a day.

Trillion-frame-per-second video: Researchers have created an imaging system that makes light look slow Posted: 13 Dec 2011 10:34 AM PST Researchers have created a new imaging system that can acquire visual data at a rate of one trillion exposures per second. That's fast enough to produce a slow-motion video of a burst of light traveling the length of a one-liter bottle, bouncing off the cap and reflecting back to the bottle's bottom.

In third-degree burn treatment, hydrogel helps grow new, scar-free skin Posted: 13 Dec 2011 10:19 AM PST Johns Hopkins researchers have developed a jelly-like material and wound treatment method that, in early experiments on skin damaged by severe burns, appeared to regenerate healthy, scar-free tissue.

Inspired by insect cuticle, scientists develop material that's tough and strong Posted: 13 Dec 2011 09:26 AM PST Researchers have developed "Shrilk," a new material that replicates the exceptional strength, toughness, and versatility of one of nature's more extraordinary substances -- insect cuticle.

Possible hints of Higgs boson remain in latest analyses, physicists say Posted: 13 Dec 2011 08:49 AM PST Two experiments at the Large Hadron Collider have nearly eliminated the space in which the Higgs boson could dwell, scientists announced in a seminar held at CERN Dec. 13. However, the ATLAS and CMS experiments see modest excesses in their data that could soon uncover the famous missing piece of the physics puzzle. Theorists have predicted that some subatomic particles gain mass by interacting with other particles called Higgs bosons. The Higgs boson is the only undiscovered part of the Standard Model of physics, which describes the basic building blocks of matter and their interactions.

Alzheimer's/Parkinson's: Unexpected signaling role for foul-smelling hydrogen sulfide in cell response to protein misfolding Posted: 13 Dec 2011 08:47 AM PST CSHL scientists have discovered hydrogen sulfide -- the flammable, toxic gas associated with the smell of rotten eggs in landfills -- helps regulate a signaling pathway implicated in biological malfunctions linked to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, among others.

Findings on biochar, greenhouse gas emissions and ethylene Posted: 13 Dec 2011 08:47 AM PST Adding a charred biomass material called biochar to glacial soils can help reduce emissions of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, according to scientists.

Elephant seal travels 18,000 miles Posted: 13 Dec 2011 08:05 AM PST Scientists tracked a southern elephant seal for an astonishing 18,000 miles -- the equivalent of New York to Sydney and back again.

Mothers' weight before and during pregnancy affects baby's weight Posted: 13 Dec 2011 08:05 AM PST Both pre-pregnant weight (body mass index) and weight gain in pregnancy are important predictors of babies' birthweight. This is important since high birthweight may also predict adult overweight.

Microneedle sensors may allow real-time monitoring of body chemistry Posted: 13 Dec 2011 08:02 AM PST Researchers have developed new technology that uses microneedles to allow doctors to detect real-time chemical changes in the body -- and to continuously do so for an extended period of time.

Largest ever gas mix caught in ultra-freeze trap Posted: 13 Dec 2011 06:20 AM PST A team of scientists have made it easier to study atomic or subatomic-scale properties of the building blocks of matter (which also include protons, neutrons and electrons) known as fermions by slowing down the movement of a large quantity of gaseous atoms at ultra-low temperature.

Precise detection by the nose: Researchers decipher interaction of fragrances and olfactory receptors Posted: 13 Dec 2011 06:18 AM PST Banana, mango or apricot -- telling these smells apart is no problem for the human nose. How the olfactory organ distinguishes such similar smells has been uncovered by an interdisciplinary team of researchers. The scientists were the first to shed light on the dynamics of the three-dimensional structure of the binding site of an olfactory receptor. In so doing, they also found a characteristic pattern of hydrogen bonds between odorant and receptor, which accounts for the specificity of the olfactory sensors. Using computer simulations, the team was able to predict whether odorant molecules activate a certain receptor or not.

Visualization of DNA synthesis in vivo Posted: 13 Dec 2011 06:18 AM PST Researchers have discovered a new substance for labeling and visualization of DNA synthesis in whole animals. Applications for this technique include identifying the sites of virus infections and cancer growth, due to the abundance of DNA replication in these tissues. This approach should therefore lead to new strategies in drug development.

Widespread brain atrophy detected in Parkinson's disease with newly developed structural pattern Posted: 12 Dec 2011 07:10 PM PST Atrophy in the hippocampus, the region of the brain known for memory formation and storage, is evident in Parkinson's disease patients with cognitive impairment, including early decline known as mild cognitive impairment, according to a new study.

Tiny protein helps bacteria 'talk' and triggers defensive response in plants Posted: 12 Dec 2011 07:09 PM PST Scientists have discovered a new signal that helps invading bacteria communicate but also helps targeted rice plants coordinate defensive attacks on the disease-causing invaders, a finding that could lead to new methods of combating infection not just in plants, but in humans.

Spring's rising soil temperatures see hormones wake seeds from their winter slumber Posted: 12 Dec 2011 09:45 AM PST Dormant seeds in the soil detect and respond to seasonal changes in soil temperature by changing their sensitivity to plant hormones, new research has found.

Some plant-based food supplements contain high levels of cancer causing agents, study suggests Posted: 12 Dec 2011 09:36 AM PST While many consumers equal 'natural' with 'safe', botanicals and botanical preparations such as plant-based food supplements may contain compounds, like the so called alkenylbenzenes, that are of concern for human health. A new study reveals there are plant-based food supplements on the market that contain alkenylbenzenes at levels comparable to those causing tumors in laboratory animals.

The Internet Protocol IPv6: A universal language Posted: 12 Dec 2011 06:27 AM PST We are at the dawn of the age of IPv6, the Internet protocol that will succeed version 4, experts say. With 340 undecillion available addresses, IPv6 ensures that the Internet can continue growing and offers advantages in terms of stability, flexibility, and simplicity in network administration.

Seabirds: Climate differences have less impact on transmission of blood parasites than expected Posted: 12 Dec 2011 06:26 AM PST Seabirds often live in large colonies in very confined spaces. Parasites, such as fleas and ticks, take advantage of this ideal habitat with its rich supply of nutrition. As a result, they can transmit blood parasites like avian malaria to the birds. Scientists have investigated whether this affects all seabirds equally, and whether climate conditions, the habitat or particular living conditions influence infection with avian malaria. They discovered that most seabirds are free of malaria parasites; however, some groups, especially frigatebirds, are particularly common hosts to malaria parasites.

Tree species maps for European forests Posted: 12 Dec 2011 06:26 AM PST Researchers have released a set of 1x1 km tree species maps showing the distribution of 20 tree species over Europe.

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