ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Breakthrough for IVF? Selecting the most promising embryos
• World's smallest liquid droplets ever made in the lab, experiment suggests
• Topography of Eastern Seaboard muddles ancient sea level changes
• Stacking 2-D materials produces surprising results
• How should geophysics contribute to disaster planning?
• NASA's asteroid sample return mission moves into development
• Team wins Cubesat berth to gather Earth energy imbalance measurements
• Galaxy's 'burning ring of fire' is frenetic region of star formation
• New method proposed for detecting gravitational waves from ends of universe
• Change in cycle track policy needed to boost ridership, public health
• Brain makes call on which ear is used for cell phone
• Bach to the blues, our emotions match music to colors
• Research into carbon storage in Arctic tundra reveals unexpected insight into ecosystem resiliency
• Gene involved in neurodegeneration keeps clock running: Scientists identify another gene important to morning wake-up call
• Can math models of gaming strategies be used to detect terrorism networks?
• Artificial forest for solar water-splitting: First fully integrated artificial photosynthesis nanosystem
• Researchers shocked by new statistics on head injuries among people who are homeless
• World's biggest ice sheets likely more stable than previously believed
• World's melting glaciers making large contribution to sea rise
• Returning genetic incidental findings without patient consent violates basic rights, experts say
• Accelerated aging in children: Promising treatment for progeria within reach
• Asian lady beetles use biological weapons against their European relatives
• Scientific insurgents say 'Journal Impact Factors' distort science
• Beautiful 'flowers' self-assemble in a beaker
• DNA-guided assembly yields novel ribbon-like nanostructures
• Security risks found in sensors for heart devices, consumer electronics
• Invasive 'crazy ants' are displacing fire ants in areas throughout southeastern U.S.
• Fishing for memories: How long-term memories are processed to guide behavior
• Fast and painless way to better mental arithmetic? Yes, there might actually be a way
• Faulty energy production in brain cells leads to disorders ranging from Parkinson's to intellectual disability
• Low-grade cotton offers more ecologically-friendly way to clean oil spills
• Coral reef fishes prove invaluable in the study of evolutionary ecology
• Stem-cell-based strategy boosts immune system in mice
• Engineers monitor heart health using paper-thin flexible 'skin'
• Light cast on lifestyle and diet of first New Zealanders
• New insights into how materials transfer heat could lead to improved electronics
• Weather on the outer planets only goes so deep
• Moth-inspired nanostructures take the color out of thin films
• 3-D modeling technology offers groundbreaking solution for engineers
• Carbon in a twirl: The science behind a self-assembled nano-carbon helix
• Most math being taught in kindergarten is old news to students
• Asteroid 1998 QE2 to sail past Earth is nine times larger than cruise ship
• Natural 'keystone molecules' punch over their weight in ecosystems
• Resistance to visceral Leishmaniasis: New mechanisms involved
• Who's your daddy? Infidelity and paternity in reed warblers
• Vitamin C does not lower uric acid levels in gout patients, study finds

Breakthrough for IVF? Selecting the most promising embryos Posted: 16 May 2013 06:54 PM PDT A recent study on 5-day old human blastocysts shows that those with an abnormal chromosomal composition can be identified by the rate at which they have developed to blastocysts, thereby classifying the risk of genetic abnormality without a biopsy. Now, researchers have undertaken a retrospective study, using their predictive model to assess the likelihood of any embryo transferred resulting in a successful pregnancy, with very encouraging outcomes.

World's smallest liquid droplets ever made in the lab, experiment suggests Posted: 16 May 2013 05:06 PM PDT Physicists may have created the smallest drops of liquid ever made in the lab. That possibility has been raised by the results of a recent experiment at the Large Hadron Collider, the world's largest and most powerful particle collider located at the European Laboratory for Nuclear and Particle Physics (CERN) in Switzerland. Evidence of the minuscule droplets was extracted from the results of colliding protons with lead ions at velocities approaching the speed of light.

Topography of Eastern Seaboard muddles ancient sea level changes Posted: 16 May 2013 03:20 PM PDT The distortion of the ancient shoreline and flooding surface of the US Atlantic Coastal Plain are the direct result of fluctuations in topography in the region and could have implications on understanding long-term climate change, according to a new study.

Stacking 2-D materials produces surprising results Posted: 16 May 2013 03:20 PM PDT New experiments reveal previously unseen effects, could lead to new kinds of electronics and optical devices.

How should geophysics contribute to disaster planning? Posted: 16 May 2013 03:20 PM PDT Earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters often showcase the worst in human suffering – especially when those disasters strike populations who live in rapidly growing communities in the developing world with poorly enforced or non-existent building codes. Scientists now illustrate how nearly identical natural disasters can play out very differently depending on where they strike.

NASA's asteroid sample return mission moves into development Posted: 16 May 2013 01:59 PM PDT NASA's first mission to sample an asteroid is moving ahead into development and testing in preparation for its launch in 2016.

Team wins Cubesat berth to gather Earth energy imbalance measurements Posted: 16 May 2013 01:57 PM PDT A team of scientists has won a berth on a tiny satellite to explore one of NASA's most important frontiers in climate studies: the imbalance in Earth's energy budget and the extent to which fast-changing phenomena, like clouds, contribute to that imbalance.

Galaxy's 'burning ring of fire' is frenetic region of star formation Posted: 16 May 2013 01:53 PM PDT Johnny Cash may have preferred this galaxy's burning ring of fire to the one he sang about falling into in his popular song. The "starburst ring" seen at center of a new image in red and yellow hues is not the product of love, as in the song, but is instead a frenetic region of star formation. The galaxy, a spiral beauty called Messier 94, is located about 17 million light-years away.

New method proposed for detecting gravitational waves from ends of universe Posted: 16 May 2013 01:17 PM PDT A new window into the nature of the universe may be possible with a device proposed by scientists that would detect elusive gravity waves from the other end of the cosmos.

Change in cycle track policy needed to boost ridership, public health Posted: 16 May 2013 01:16 PM PDT Bicycle engineering guidelines often used by state regulators to design bicycle facilities need to be overhauled to reflect current cyclists' preferences and safety data, according to a new study. They say that US guidelines should be expanded to offer cyclists more riding options and call for endorsing cycle tracks -- physically separated, bicycle-exclusive paths adjacent to sidewalks -- to encourage more people of all ages to ride bicycles.

Brain makes call on which ear is used for cell phone Posted: 16 May 2013 01:16 PM PDT If you're a left-brain thinker, chances are you use your right hand to hold your cell phone up to your right ear, according to a newly published study. The study shows a strong correlation between brain dominance and the ear used to listen to a cell phone.

Bach to the blues, our emotions match music to colors Posted: 16 May 2013 12:12 PM PDT Whether we're listening to Bach or the blues, our brains are wired to make music-color connections depending on how the melodies make us feel, according to new research. For instance, Mozart's jaunty Flute Concerto No. 1 in G major is most often associated with bright yellow and orange, whereas his dour Requiem in D minor is more likely to be linked to dark, bluish gray.

Research into carbon storage in Arctic tundra reveals unexpected insight into ecosystem resiliency Posted: 16 May 2013 11:27 AM PDT When a doctoral student and her advisor went north not long ago to study how long-term warming in the Arctic affects carbon storage, they had made certain assumptions.

Gene involved in neurodegeneration keeps clock running: Scientists identify another gene important to morning wake-up call Posted: 16 May 2013 11:26 AM PDT Scientists have shown a gene involved in neurodegenerative disease also plays a critical role in the proper function of the circadian clock. In a study of the common fruit fly, the researchers found the gene, called Ataxin-2, keeps the clock responsible for sleeping and waking on a 24-hour rhythm. Without the gene, the rhythm of the fruit fly's sleep-wake cycle is disturbed, making waking up on a regular schedule difficult for the fly.

Can math models of gaming strategies be used to detect terrorism networks? Posted: 16 May 2013 11:26 AM PDT Mathematicians have developed a mathematical model to disrupt the flow of information in a complex real-world network, such as a terrorist organization, using minimal resources.

Artificial forest for solar water-splitting: First fully integrated artificial photosynthesis nanosystem Posted: 16 May 2013 11:26 AM PDT Researchers have created the first fully integrated artificial photosynthesis nanosystem. While "artificial leaf" is the popular term for such a system, the key to this success was an "artificial forest."

Researchers shocked by new statistics on head injuries among people who are homeless Posted: 16 May 2013 11:26 AM PDT Men who are heavy drinkers and homeless for long periods of time have 400 times the number of head injuries as the general population, according to a new study by researchers who said they were shocked by their findings.

World's biggest ice sheets likely more stable than previously believed Posted: 16 May 2013 11:25 AM PDT A new study suggests that the previous connections scientists made between ancient shoreline height and ice volumes are erroneous and that perhaps our ice sheets were more stable in the past than we originally thought. The study found that the Earth's hot mantle pushed up segments of ancient shorelines over millions of years, making them appear higher now than they originally were millions of years ago.

World's melting glaciers making large contribution to sea rise Posted: 16 May 2013 11:25 AM PDT While 99 percent of Earth's land ice is locked up in the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, the remaining ice in the world's glaciers contributed just as much to sea rise as the two ice sheets combined from 2003 to 2009, says a new study.

Returning genetic incidental findings without patient consent violates basic rights, experts say Posted: 16 May 2013 11:25 AM PDT Scientists push back against recent American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics recommendations, and offer compelling reasons why patient autonomy must remain firmly in place as science advances.

Accelerated aging in children: Promising treatment for progeria within reach Posted: 16 May 2013 11:25 AM PDT Pharmaceuticals that inhibit a specific enzyme may be useful in treating progeria, or accelerated aging in children. A new study indicates that the development of progeria in mice was inhibited upon reducing the production of this enzyme.

Asian lady beetles use biological weapons against their European relatives Posted: 16 May 2013 11:25 AM PDT Once introduced for biological pest control, Asian lady beetle populations have been increasing uncontrollably. Scientists have now found the reason for the animal's success. Its body fluid contains microsporidia, fungus-like protozoa that parasitize body cells and can cause immense harm to their host. The Asian lady beetle is obviously resistant to these parasites. However, transferred to native species, microsporidia can be lethal.

Scientific insurgents say 'Journal Impact Factors' distort science Posted: 16 May 2013 11:25 AM PDT An ad hoc coalition of unlikely insurgents -- scientists, journal editors and publishers, scholarly societies, and research funders across many scientific disciplines -- today posted an international declaration calling on the world scientific community to eliminate the role of the journal impact factor in evaluating research for funding, hiring, promotion, or institutional effectiveness.

Beautiful 'flowers' self-assemble in a beaker Posted: 16 May 2013 11:22 AM PDT With the hand of nature trained on a beaker of chemical fluid, the most delicate flower structures have been formed in a laboratory -- and not at the scale of inches, but microns. These minuscule sculptures, curved and delicate, don't resemble the cubic or jagged forms normally associated with crystals, though that's what they are. Rather, fields of carnations and marigolds seem to bloom from the surface of a submerged glass slide, assembling themselves a molecule at a time.

DNA-guided assembly yields novel ribbon-like nanostructures Posted: 16 May 2013 09:39 AM PDT DNA "linker" strands coax nano-sized rods to line up in way unlike any other spontaneous arrangement of rod-shaped objects. The arrangement -- with the rods forming "rungs" on ladder-like ribbons -- could result in the fabrication of new nanostructured materials with desired properties.

Security risks found in sensors for heart devices, consumer electronics Posted: 16 May 2013 09:39 AM PDT The type of sensors that pick up the rhythm of a beating heart in implanted cardiac defibrillators and pacemakers are vulnerable to tampering, according to a new study conducted in controlled laboratory conditions.

Invasive 'crazy ants' are displacing fire ants in areas throughout southeastern U.S. Posted: 16 May 2013 09:39 AM PDT Invasive "crazy ants" are displacing fire ants in areas across the southeastern United States, according to researchers at The University of Texas at Austin. It's the latest in a history of ant invasions from the southern hemisphere and may prove to have dramatic effects on the ecosystem of the region.

Fishing for memories: How long-term memories are processed to guide behavior Posted: 16 May 2013 09:39 AM PDT In our interaction with our environment we constantly refer to past experiences stored as memories to guide behavioral decisions. But how memories are formed, stored and then retrieved to assist decision-making remains a mystery. By observing whole-brain activity in live zebrafish, researchers have visualized for the first time how information stored as long-term memory in the cerebral cortex is processed to guide behavioral choices.

Fast and painless way to better mental arithmetic? Yes, there might actually be a way Posted: 16 May 2013 09:39 AM PDT In the future, if you want to improve your ability to manipulate numbers in your head, you might just plug yourself in. So say researchers who report on studies of a harmless form of brain stimulation applied to an area known to be important for math ability.

Faulty energy production in brain cells leads to disorders ranging from Parkinson's to intellectual disability Posted: 16 May 2013 09:38 AM PDT Neuroscientists have shown for the first time that dysfunctional mitochondria in brain cells can lead to learning disabilities. The link between dysfunctional mitochondria and Parkinson's disease is known, but this new research shows that it is also present in other brain disorders.

Low-grade cotton offers more ecologically-friendly way to clean oil spills Posted: 16 May 2013 09:36 AM PDT When it comes to cleaning up the next massive crude oil spill, one of the best and most eco-friendly solutions for the job may be low-grade cotton from West Texas.

Coral reef fishes prove invaluable in the study of evolutionary ecology Posted: 16 May 2013 09:36 AM PDT Coral reef fish species have proven invaluable for experimental testing of key concepts in social evolution and already have yielded insights about the ultimate reasons for female reproductive suppression, group living, and bidirectional sex change.

Stem-cell-based strategy boosts immune system in mice Posted: 16 May 2013 09:36 AM PDT Raising hopes for cell-based therapies, researchers have created the first functioning human thymus tissue from embryonic stem cells in the laboratory. The researchers showed that, in mice, the tissue can be used to foster the development of white blood cells the body needs to mount healthy immune responses and to prevent harmful autoimmune reactions.

Engineers monitor heart health using paper-thin flexible 'skin' Posted: 16 May 2013 07:57 AM PDT Engineers combine layers of flexible materials into pressure sensors to create a wearable heart monitor thinner than a dollar bill. The skin-like device could one day provide doctors with a safer way to check the condition of a patient's heart.

Light cast on lifestyle and diet of first New Zealanders Posted: 16 May 2013 07:57 AM PDT Scientists have shed new light on the diet, lifestyles and movements of the first New Zealanders by analyzing isotopes from their bones and teeth.

New insights into how materials transfer heat could lead to improved electronics Posted: 16 May 2013 07:56 AM PDT Researchers have published new insights into how materials transfer heat, which could lead eventually to smaller, more powerful electronic devices.

Weather on the outer planets only goes so deep Posted: 16 May 2013 07:56 AM PDT What is the long-range weather forecast for the giant planets Uranus and Neptune? These planets are home to extreme winds blowing at speeds of over 1000 km/hour, hurricane-like storms as large around as Earth, immense weather systems that last for years and fast-flowing jet streams. Researchers set an upper limit for the thickness of jet streams on Uranus and Neptune.

Moth-inspired nanostructures take the color out of thin films Posted: 16 May 2013 07:56 AM PDT Inspired by the structure of moth eyes, researchers have developed nanostructures that limit reflection at the interfaces where two thin films meet, suppressing the "thin-film interference" phenomenon commonly observed in nature. This can potentially improve the efficiency of thin-film solar cells and other optoelectronic devices.

3-D modeling technology offers groundbreaking solution for engineers Posted: 16 May 2013 07:56 AM PDT New software has the potential to enable engineers to make 'real world' safety assessments of structures and foundations with unprecedented ease.

Carbon in a twirl: The science behind a self-assembled nano-carbon helix Posted: 16 May 2013 07:55 AM PDT Nanotechnology draws on the fabrication of nanostructures. Scientists have now succeeded in growing a unique carbon structure at the nanoscale that resembles a tiny twirled mustache. Their method might lead the way to the formation of more complex nano-networks.

Most math being taught in kindergarten is old news to students Posted: 16 May 2013 07:51 AM PDT Kindergarten teachers report spending much of their math instructional time teaching students basic counting skills and how to recognize geometric shapes -— skills the students have already mastered before ever setting foot in the kindergarten classroom, new research finds.

Asteroid 1998 QE2 to sail past Earth is nine times larger than cruise ship Posted: 16 May 2013 06:53 AM PDT On May 31, 2013, asteroid 1998 QE2 will sail serenely past Earth, getting no closer than about 3.6 million miles (5.8 million kilometers), or about 15 times the distance between Earth and the moon. And while QE2 is not of much interest to those astronomers and scientists on the lookout for hazardous asteroids, it is of interest to those who dabble in radar astronomy and have a 230-foot (70-meter) -- or larger -- radar telescope at their disposal.

Natural 'keystone molecules' punch over their weight in ecosystems Posted: 16 May 2013 03:39 AM PDT Ecosystems are disproportionately influenced by "keystone molecules" that have powerful behavioral effects and contribute to ecosystem structure, according to a new general theory. The chemicals can each fill a variety of functions and affect multiple species. The actions of four keystone molecules are described, three of them toxins.

Resistance to visceral Leishmaniasis: New mechanisms involved Posted: 16 May 2013 03:38 AM PDT Researchers have elucidated new molecular mechanisms involved in resistance to visceral leishmaniasis, a serious parasitic infection. They have shown that dectin-1 and mannose receptors participate in the protection against the parasite responsible for this infection, by triggering an inflammatory response, while the DC-SIGN receptor facilitates the penetration of the pathogen and its proliferation in macrophages.

Who's your daddy? Infidelity and paternity in reed warblers Posted: 16 May 2013 03:37 AM PDT Researchers recently carried out experiments with reed warblers to see how a situation of potential infidelity affects later paternal investment in the chicks and whether it does in fact lead to extra-pair mating. They found that the males aggressively try to chase off competitors and to keep potentially "double-dealing" females in line. But whether or not they manage, they turn out to be caring fathers once the babies are born.

Vitamin C does not lower uric acid levels in gout patients, study finds Posted: 16 May 2013 03:37 AM PDT Despite previous studies touting its benefit in moderating gout risk, new research reveals that vitamin C, also known ascorbic acid, does not reduce uric acid (urate) levels to a clinically significant degree in patients with established gout. Vitamin C supplementation, alone or in combination with allopurinol, appears to have a weak effect on lowering uric acid levels in gout patients, according to the results of a new study.

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