ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Milky Way image reveals detail of a billion stars
• New more-sensitive blood test catches recurring breast cancer a year earlier
• Standard test may miss food ingredients that cause milk allergy
• Two-in-one device uses sewage as fuel to make electricity and clean the sewage
• Key mechanism involved in Type 2 diabetes identified
• Health impact, interplay of diet soft drinks and overall diet unravelled
• With you in the room, bacteria counts spike -- by about 37 million bacteria per hour
• US cancer death rates continue to decline
• Toward a test strip for detecting TNT and other explosives in water
• Meditation improves emotional behaviors in teachers
• New layer of genetic information helps determine how fast proteins are produced
• Ripping electrons from their cores: Physicists mix two lasers to create light at many frequencies
• Danger of grill brushes identified
• Novel compound halts tumor spread, improves brain cancer treatment in animal studies
• 'Lucy' lived among close cousins: Discovery of foot fossil confirms two human ancestor species co-existed
• Fossil raindrop impressions imply greenhouse gases loaded early atmosphere
• Protein 'jailbreak' helps breast cancer cells live
• Making the most of colostrum
• Circle hooks lower catch rate for offshore anglers, impacting recreational fishing
• How will widespread use of electric cars impact the power grid?
• Locating solid, experimental data about protein interactions
• Viral disease -- particularly from herpes -- gaining interest as possible cause of coral decline
• Solar storm seen from inside and outside Earth's magnetosphere
• Many billions of rocky planets in habitable zones around red dwarfs in Milky Way
• Stopping statin therapy increases risk of death for rheumatoid arthritis patients
• Powerhouse in the Crab Nebula: MAGIC telescopes observe pulsar at highest energies yet and strongly challenge current theories
• Building lightweight trains
• Wave character of individual molecules revealed
• How to save Europe's most threatened butterflies
• Exploding dinosaur hypothesis implodes
• Odd lipid out may illuminate evolution
• Writing graphene circuitry with ion 'pens'
• Wind turbines that learn like humans
• DNA traces cattle back to a small herd domesticated around 10,500 years ago

Milky Way image reveals detail of a billion stars Posted: 28 Mar 2012 05:37 PM PDT More than one billion stars in the Milky Way can be seen together in detail for the first time in a new image. Large structures of the Milky Way galaxy, such as gas and dust clouds where stars have formed and died, can be seen in the image.

New more-sensitive blood test catches recurring breast cancer a year earlier Posted: 28 Mar 2012 05:36 PM PDT A new blood test is twice as sensitive and can detect breast cancer recurrence a full year earlier than current blood tests, according to new research.

Standard test may miss food ingredients that cause milk allergy Posted: 28 Mar 2012 05:36 PM PDT The standard test used to detect milk-protein residues in processed foods may not work as well as previously believed in all applications, sometimes missing ingredients that can cause milk allergy, the most common childhood food allergy, which affects millions of children under age 3, a scientist has reported.

Two-in-one device uses sewage as fuel to make electricity and clean the sewage Posted: 28 Mar 2012 05:36 PM PDT Scientists have described a new and more efficient version of an innovative device the size of a washing machine that uses bacteria growing in municipal sewage to make electricity and clean up the sewage at the same time. Commercial versions of the two-in-one device could be a boon for the developing world and water-short parts of the U.S.

Key mechanism involved in Type 2 diabetes identified Posted: 28 Mar 2012 02:22 PM PDT Scientists have discovered a key protein that regulates insulin resistance -- the diminished ability of cells to respond to the action of insulin and which sets the stage for the development of the most common form of diabetes. This breakthrough points to a new way to potentially treat or forestall Type 2 diabetes, a rapidly growing global health problem.

Health impact, interplay of diet soft drinks and overall diet unravelled Posted: 28 Mar 2012 02:22 PM PDT Are diet sodas good or bad for you? The jury is still out, but a new study sheds light on the impact that zero-calorie beverages may have on health, especially in the context of a person's overall dietary habits.

With you in the room, bacteria counts spike -- by about 37 million bacteria per hour Posted: 28 Mar 2012 02:22 PM PDT A person's mere presence in a room can add 37 million bacteria to the air every hour -- material largely left behind by previous occupants and stirred up from the floor -- according to new research.

US cancer death rates continue to decline Posted: 28 Mar 2012 02:21 PM PDT A report from the nation's leading cancer organizations shows rates of death in the United States from all cancers for men and women continued to decline between 2004 and 2008.

Toward a test strip for detecting TNT and other explosives in water Posted: 28 Mar 2012 12:44 PM PDT Scientists have developed a new explosives detector that can sense small amounts of TNT and other common explosives in liquids instantly with a sensitivity that rivals bomb-sniffing dogs, the current gold standard in protecting the public from terrorist bombs.

Meditation improves emotional behaviors in teachers Posted: 28 Mar 2012 11:28 AM PDT Schoolteachers who underwent a short but intensive program of meditation were less depressed, anxious or stressed -- and more compassionate and aware of others' feelings. The novel project blended ancient meditation practices with the most current scientific methods for regulating emotions.

New layer of genetic information helps determine how fast proteins are produced Posted: 28 Mar 2012 11:28 AM PDT A hidden and never before recognized layer of information in the genetic code has been uncovered by a team of scientists, thanks to a new technique called ribosome profiling, which enables the measurement of gene activity inside living cells.

Ripping electrons from their cores: Physicists mix two lasers to create light at many frequencies Posted: 28 Mar 2012 11:28 AM PDT Physicists have seen the light, and it comes in many different colors. By aiming high- and low-frequency laser beams at a semiconductor, the researchers caused electrons to be ripped from their cores, accelerated, and then smashed back into the cores they left behind. This recollision produced multiple frequencies of light simultaneously.

Danger of grill brushes identified Posted: 28 Mar 2012 11:28 AM PDT Physicians have identified a number of cases of accidental ingestion of wire grill brush bristles that required endoscopic or surgical removal.

Novel compound halts tumor spread, improves brain cancer treatment in animal studies Posted: 28 Mar 2012 11:27 AM PDT By stopping the spread of cancer cells into normal brain tissue in animal models, researchers have developed a new strategy for treating brain cancer that could improve clinical outcomes. The researchers treated animals possessing an invasive tumor with a novel molecule called imipramine blue, followed by conventional doxorubicin chemotherapy. The tumors ceased their invasion of healthy tissue and the animals survived longer than animals treated with chemotherapy alone.

'Lucy' lived among close cousins: Discovery of foot fossil confirms two human ancestor species co-existed Posted: 28 Mar 2012 10:59 AM PDT Scientists have found a 3.4 million-year-old partial foot fossil in the Afar region of Ethiopia, showing that "Lucy," Australopithecus afarensis, and a much different-looking early hominin lived in the area at the same time.

Fossil raindrop impressions imply greenhouse gases loaded early atmosphere Posted: 28 Mar 2012 10:59 AM PDT Evidence from fossilized raindrop impressions from 2.7 billion years ago indicates that an abundance of greenhouse gases most likely caused the warm temperatures on ancient Earth.

Protein 'jailbreak' helps breast cancer cells live Posted: 28 Mar 2012 09:29 AM PDT Researchers have traced the molecular interactions that allow the protein survivin to escape the nucleus of a breast cancer cell and prolong the cell's life. The study may help in the development of better therapies and prognostics.

Making the most of colostrum Posted: 28 Mar 2012 09:28 AM PDT Acquisition of sufficient immunoglobulins from colostrum immediately after birth is the single most important factor in ensuring the health and productivity of the calf.

Circle hooks lower catch rate for offshore anglers, impacting recreational fishing Posted: 28 Mar 2012 08:33 AM PDT Anglers are required to use circle hooks in some fishing tournaments because they are less likely to cause lethal injuries in billfish, such as marlin. However, new research shows that broadening circle hook requirements could adversely impact charter and recreational fishing, since they make it more difficult to catch non-billfish.

How will widespread use of electric cars impact the power grid? Posted: 28 Mar 2012 08:32 AM PDT A resource to estimate the impact that greater use of electric vehicles will have on the national grid has been developed by a team of experts.

Locating solid, experimental data about protein interactions Posted: 28 Mar 2012 07:43 AM PDT A new service makes it simple to find solid, experimental data about protein interactions. A new non-redundant experimental dataset will make it much easier for researchers to understand the complex set of protein interactions in cells.

Viral disease -- particularly from herpes -- gaining interest as possible cause of coral decline Posted: 28 Mar 2012 06:09 AM PDT As corals continue to decline in abundance around the world, researchers are turning their attention to a possible cause that's almost totally unexplored -- viral disease. It appears that corals harbor many different viruses -- particularly herpes. They also are home to the adenoviruses and other viral families that can cause human colds and gastrointestinal disease.

Solar storm seen from inside and outside Earth's magnetosphere Posted: 28 Mar 2012 06:09 AM PDT For the first time, instrumentation aboard two NASA missions operating from complementary vantage points watched as a powerful solar storm spewed a two million-mile-per-hour stream of charged particles and interacted with the invisible magnetic field surrounding Earth.

Many billions of rocky planets in habitable zones around red dwarfs in Milky Way Posted: 28 Mar 2012 06:09 AM PDT Rocky planets not much bigger than Earth are very common in the habitable zones around faint red stars, according to new research. The astronomers estimate that there are tens of billions of such planets in the Milky Way galaxy alone, and probably about one hundred in the Sun's immediate neighborhood. This is the first direct measurement of the frequency of super-Earths around red dwarfs, which account for 80 percent of the stars in the Milky Way.

Stopping statin therapy increases risk of death for rheumatoid arthritis patients Posted: 28 Mar 2012 06:08 AM PDT Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who discontinue use of statin therapy are at increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease and other causes.

Powerhouse in the Crab Nebula: MAGIC telescopes observe pulsar at highest energies yet and strongly challenge current theories Posted: 28 Mar 2012 06:08 AM PDT The pulsar at the center of the famous Crab Nebula is a veritable bundle of energy. Astronomers observed the pulsar in the area of very high energy gamma radiation from 25 up to 400 gigaelectronvolts (GeV), a region that was previously difficult to access with high energy instruments, and discovered that it actually emits pulses with the maximum energy of up to 400 GeV -- 50 to 100 times higher than theorists thought possible. These latest observations are difficult for astrophysicists to explain.

Building lightweight trains Posted: 28 Mar 2012 06:08 AM PDT The less trains weigh, the more economical they are to run. A new material capable of withstanding even extreme stresses has now been developed. It is suitable for a variety of applications, not least diesel engine housings on trains -- and it makes these components over 35 percent lighter than their steel and aluminum counterparts.

Wave character of individual molecules revealed Posted: 28 Mar 2012 06:08 AM PDT Quantum theory describes the world of atoms very precisely. Still, it defies our macroscopic conception of the everyday world due to its many anti-intuitive predictions. The wave-particle dualism probably is the best known example and means that matter may spread and interfere like waves. Now, scientists have recorded the interference process of individual molecules. "Seeing how the interference pattern develops with every light spot, molecule after molecule, and how a basic principle of quantum mechanics is visualized enhances our understanding of the atomic world," explains one of the researchers.

How to save Europe's most threatened butterflies Posted: 28 Mar 2012 06:08 AM PDT New guidelines on how to save some of Europe's most threatened butterfly species have now been published. The report covers 29 threatened species. The new report will provide crucial information on how to achieve this goal and meet their international biodiversity targets.

Exploding dinosaur hypothesis implodes Posted: 28 Mar 2012 06:08 AM PDT A pregnant ichthyosaur female that perished 182 million years ago puzzled researchers for quite some time: The skeleton of the extinct marine reptile is almost immaculately preserved and the fossilized bones of the mother animal lie largely in their anatomical position. The bones of the ichthyosaur embryos, however, are a different story: For the most part, they lie scattered outside the body of the mother. Such peculiar bone arrangements are repeatedly found in ichthyosaur skeletons. According to the broadly accepted scientific doctrine, this is the result of exploding carcasses: Putrefaction gases produced during the decomposition process cause the carcass to swell and burst. However, sedimentologists, paleontologists and forensic scientists have now managed to dispel the myth of exploding dinosaur carcasses.

Odd lipid out may illuminate evolution Posted: 28 Mar 2012 06:06 AM PDT Spectroscopic evidence for the unusual handedness of a mammalian lipid may advance our understanding of evolution.

Writing graphene circuitry with ion 'pens' Posted: 27 Mar 2012 12:29 PM PDT Researchers coax graphene to grow in previously defined patterns, offering a promising new tool in the quest to develop graphene-based electronic devices.

Wind turbines that learn like humans Posted: 27 Mar 2012 12:29 PM PDT A control algorithm inspired by human memory may increase wind turbine efficiency while requiring less computational power than other control methods.

DNA traces cattle back to a small herd domesticated around 10,500 years ago Posted: 27 Mar 2012 09:42 AM PDT All cattle are descended from as few as 80 animals that were domesticated from wild ox in the Near East some 10,500 years ago, according to a new genetic study.

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