ScienceDaily: Top News

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• Biomedical uses for hydrogels explored
• How the brain creates the 'buzz' that helps ideas spread
• Researcher sheds light on M.O. of unusual RNA molecules
• Why some women don't have enough breastmilk for baby: Important role of insulin in making breast milk identified
• Muscle power: Bats power take-off using recycled energy
• The evolution of fins to limbs in the land invasion race
• Flipping fish adapt to land living
• Treating oil spills with chemical dispersants: Is the cure worse than the ailment?
• Jump for your life: Bipedal rodents survive in the desert with a hop, a skip and a jump
• Designer droplets open new possibilities
• Legal performance enhancer discovered in the nutrient betaine
• To feed the future, we must mine the wealth of the world's seed banks today, experts argue
• Proteins key in stem cell production identified
• Solitary lemurs avoid danger with a little help from the neighbors
• New insights into the early bombardment history on Mercury
• Radically better smarphones may be possible using system inspired by bird migration: Molecular chains hypersensitive to magnetic fields
• Unique epigenomic code identified during human brain development
• Variation between hot extrasolar planet atmospheres revealed
• Cosmic radio bursts point to cataclysmic origins
• Feeding galaxy caught in distant searchlight
• It smells fishy: Copper prevents fish from avoiding danger
• Octopus' blue blood allows them to rule the waves
• Unique shell design gives guillemot eggs an edge for living on the edge
• Seeing Sea stars: The missing link in eye evolution?
• Jumping snails leap over global warming
• The balancing act of producing more food sustainably
• Exercise rescues mutated neural stem cells
• Scientists reveal structure of a supercooled liquid
• Solar prominences put on strange and beautiful show in the Sun's sky
• Farming started in several places at once: Origins of agriculture in the Fertile Crescent
• Mysterious radio flashes may be farewell greetings from massive stars collapsing into black holes
• Technological breakthrough paves the way for better drugs
• Ancient jigsaw puzzle of past supercontinent revealed
• Space weather forecast study turns table of effective predictions on its head
• New concept for biofuel cells: Tree fungus lets current flow
• In bitter cold subglacial lake, surprising life goes on
• Laser system allows determination of atomic binding energy of the rarest element on Earth
• Limiting global warming is not enough
• Playing cricket: Physicists cast new light on spin-bowling

Biomedical uses for hydrogels explored Posted: 05 Jul 2013 06:22 PM PDT Scientists are researching hydrogel, the gelatinous substance that, because of its toughness and plasticity, has several biomedical applications, including cartilage repair, implants for minimally invasive surgery and drug delivery.

How the brain creates the 'buzz' that helps ideas spread Posted: 05 Jul 2013 06:22 PM PDT How do ideas spread? What messages will go viral on social media, and can that be predicted? Psychologists report for the first time which brain regions are associated with the successful spread of ideas, often called "buzz." The research has a broad range of implications, and could lead to more effective public health campaigns.

Researcher sheds light on M.O. of unusual RNA molecules Posted: 05 Jul 2013 06:22 PM PDT Researchers have figured out how some RNA molecules take advantage of their position within the three-dimensional mishmash of genomic material to home in on targets.

Why some women don't have enough breastmilk for baby: Important role of insulin in making breast milk identified Posted: 05 Jul 2013 06:22 PM PDT Why do so many mothers have difficulty making enough milk to breastfeed? A new study adds to previous research implicating insulin's role in lactation success.

Muscle power: Bats power take-off using recycled energy Posted: 05 Jul 2013 06:22 PM PDT Bats are uniquely able to stretch and store energy in their bicep and tricep tendons during take-off and climbing flight, giving them an extra power boost. A new study on fruitbats used cutting edge technology to image how these small mammals move through the air.

The evolution of fins to limbs in the land invasion race Posted: 05 Jul 2013 06:22 PM PDT Why did animals with limbs win the race to invade land over those with fins? A new study comparing the forces acting on fins of mudskipper fish and on the forelimbs of tiger salamanders can now be used to analyze early fossils that spanned the water-to-land transition in tetrapod evolution, and further understand their capability to move on land.

Flipping fish adapt to land living Posted: 05 Jul 2013 06:22 PM PDT Researchers have found that the amphibious mangrove rivulus performs higher force jumps on land than some other fishes that end up on land. This new study shows that unlike the largemouth bass, which makes very few excursions on land, the mangrove rivulus, which can live out of water for extended periods, has a strong jumping technique on land to locate new food resources, avoid predators, escape poor water conditions and also to return to the water.

Treating oil spills with chemical dispersants: Is the cure worse than the ailment? Posted: 05 Jul 2013 06:22 PM PDT Treating oil spills at sea with chemical dispersants is detrimental to European sea bass. A new study suggests that although chemical dispersants may reduce problems for surface animals, the increased contamination under the water reduces the ability for fish and other organisms to cope with subsequent environmental challenges.

Jump for your life: Bipedal rodents survive in the desert with a hop, a skip and a jump Posted: 05 Jul 2013 06:22 PM PDT Researchers have found that bipedal desert rodents manage to compete with their quadrupedal counterparts by using a diverse set of jumps, hops and skips. A new study suggests that it is this unpredictable movement that allows the bipedal rodents to coexist in Old World deserts with quadrupedal rodents.

Designer droplets open new possibilities Posted: 05 Jul 2013 06:21 PM PDT By designing droplets using electricity, researchers have created a technique that could possibly be used for everything from extracting oil from wells to creating makeup and food.

Legal performance enhancer discovered in the nutrient betaine Posted: 05 Jul 2013 06:21 PM PDT Betaine —- a nutrient found in shellfish and beets —- boosts athletic performance by nearly six percent when added to a sports drink.

To feed the future, we must mine the wealth of the world's seed banks today, experts argue Posted: 05 Jul 2013 09:10 AM PDT With fewer than a dozen flowering plants out of 300,000 species accounting for 80 percent of humanity's caloric intake, people need to tap unused plants to feed the world in the near future, claims a plant geneticist.

Proteins key in stem cell production identified Posted: 05 Jul 2013 08:36 AM PDT Researchers may be one step closer to a 'recipe' for large-scale production of stem cells for use in research and therapy.

Solitary lemurs avoid danger with a little help from the neighbors Posted: 05 Jul 2013 08:36 AM PDT An endangered species of Madagascan lemur uses the alarm calls of birds and other lemurs to warn it of the presence of predators, a new study has found. This is the first time this phenomenon has been observed in a solitary and nocturnal lemur species.

New insights into the early bombardment history on Mercury Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:21 AM PDT Astronomers have studied the surface of Mercury to better understand if the plains were formed by volcanic flows or composed of material ejected from the planet's giant impact basins.

Radically better smarphones may be possible using system inspired by bird migration: Molecular chains hypersensitive to magnetic fields Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:20 AM PDT Researchers have for the first time created perfect one-dimensional molecular wires of which the electrical conductivity can almost entirely be suppressed by a weak magnetic field at room temperature. The underlying mechanism is possibly closely related to the biological compass used by some migratory birds. This spectacular discovery may lead to radically new magnetic field sensors, for smartphones for example.

Unique epigenomic code identified during human brain development Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:20 AM PDT Experience of parents with their children and teachers with their students demonstrate how kids change their behaviors and knowledge from infancy to adolescence. Until now, little was known of the causes that could lead to these changes. New findings uncovers dynamic changes in the epigenome that occur during brain circuitry formation.

Variation between hot extrasolar planet atmospheres revealed Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:20 AM PDT First results from the analysis of eight 'hot Jupiter' exoplanets suggest that winds and clouds play an important role in the atmospheric make up of these exotic planets.

Cosmic radio bursts point to cataclysmic origins Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:20 AM PDT Mysterious bursts of radio waves originating from billions of light years away have left the scientists who detected them speculating about their origins. The burst energetics indicate that they originate from an extreme astrophysical event involving relativistic objects such as neutron stars or black holes.

Feeding galaxy caught in distant searchlight Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:20 AM PDT Astronomers have spotted a distant galaxy hungrily snacking on nearby gas. Gas is seen to fall inwards towards the galaxy, creating a flow that both fuels star formation and drives the galaxy's rotation. This is the best direct observational evidence so far supporting the theory that galaxies pull in and devour nearby material in order to grow and form stars.

It smells fishy: Copper prevents fish from avoiding danger Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:18 AM PDT Fish fail to detect danger in copper-polluted water. A new study shows that fish cannot smell a danger odor signal emitted by other fish in waters contaminated with copper.

Octopus' blue blood allows them to rule the waves Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:18 AM PDT Worldwide colonization by octopods is in their blood. They manage to survive temperature habitats ranging from as low as -1.8°C to more than 30°C due to their ability to keep supplying oxygen to their body tissues. A new study shows that a blue colored pigment, hemocyanin, in their blood, responsible for oxygen transport, crucially allows octopods to live in freezing temperatures.

Unique shell design gives guillemot eggs an edge for living on the edge Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:18 AM PDT Unique nano-structures on guillemot eggshells eggs enable them to survive precarious habitats, on exposed cliffs with no nest. A new study shows how these structures act as self-cleaning guardians of the eggs, preventing them from falling and protecting them from salt and guano exposure.

Seeing Sea stars: The missing link in eye evolution? Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:18 AM PDT A study has shown for the first time that sea stars (also known as starfish) use primitive eyes at the tip of their arms to visually navigate their environment. New research has shown that sea star eyes are image-forming and could be an essential stage in eye evolution.

Jumping snails leap over global warming Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:18 AM PDT Snails in the Great Barrier Reef literally jump for their life to avoid predators. But will they be able to maintain these life-saving jumps, with rising sea temperatures? A new study shows that the snails will indeed be able to keep on jumping, even at temperatures which will kill fish.

The balancing act of producing more food sustainably Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:17 AM PDT A policy known as sustainable intensification could help meet the challenges of increasing demands for food from a growing global population, argues a team of scientists.

Exercise rescues mutated neural stem cells Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:17 AM PDT The genetic mutation leading to the developmental disorder "CHARGE syndrome" blocks the maturation of neural stem cells. This finding explains why CHARGE patients suffer from mental retardation and learning disabilities. Strikingly, exercise by running can completely rescue the CHARGE phenotype.

Scientists reveal structure of a supercooled liquid Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:17 AM PDT If a liquid metal alloy is cooled slowly it will eventually form a solid phase. Before it solidifies, however, the liquid undergoes a liquid-liquid transition to a phase in which it has the same concentration but a more strongly ordered structure. This structure has now been demonstrated for the first time by material scientists.

Solar prominences put on strange and beautiful show in the Sun's sky Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:16 AM PDT Cloud spotting seems to be growing in popularity as a hobby here on Earth. Now scientists studying the solar atmosphere are building their own collection of fascinating moving features that they've spotted in the Sun's sky.  The unusual solar prominences include a giant disc that rotates for several hours, feathery streamers as long as fifty Earths, a super-heated jet striking the top of a prominence and twisted ribbons flowing in opposite directions at a million kilometers per hour.

Farming started in several places at once: Origins of agriculture in the Fertile Crescent Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:16 AM PDT For decades archaeologists have been searching for the origins of agriculture. Their findings indicated that early plant domestication took place in the western and northern Fertile Crescent. In a new study, researchers demonstrate that the foothills of the Zagros Mountains of Iran in the eastern Fertile Crescent also served as a key center for early domestication.

Mysterious radio flashes may be farewell greetings from massive stars collapsing into black holes Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:16 AM PDT Mysterious bright radio flashes that appear for only a brief moment on the sky and do not repeat could be the final farewell greetings of a massive star collapsing into a black hole, astronomers argue.

Technological breakthrough paves the way for better drugs Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:15 AM PDT Researchers have developed the first method for directly measuring the extent to which drugs reach their targets in the cell. The method could make a significant contribution to the development of new, improved drug substances.

Ancient jigsaw puzzle of past supercontinent revealed Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:15 AM PDT A new study has revealed the past position of the Australian, Antarctic and Indian tectonic plates, demonstrating how they formed the supercontinent Gondwana 165 million years ago.

Space weather forecast study turns table of effective predictions on its head Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:15 AM PDT A comparison of solar flare forecasting systems has turned the performance table of apparently effective prediction methods on its head.  Researchers have tested the reliability of seven techniques against their record of predicting flares and non-flare events correctly, as well as their history of missed flares and false alarms.  When the predictions were put into context of the Sun's activity levels over time, some of the most seemingly successful techniques slid down the table.

New concept for biofuel cells: Tree fungus lets current flow Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:15 AM PDT Scientists have found a way to make a species of tree fungus useful for the production of electricity.

In bitter cold subglacial lake, surprising life goes on Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:14 AM PDT Lake Vostok, buried under a glacier in Antarctica, is so dark, deep and cold that scientists had considered it a possible model for other planets, a place where nothing could live. However, researchers have revealed a surprising variety of life forms living and reproducing in this most extreme of environments.

Laser system allows determination of atomic binding energy of the rarest element on Earth Posted: 04 Jul 2013 08:17 AM PDT The radioactive element astatine, the name of which is derived from the Greek word for 'instability,' is so rare on Earth that it has not yet been investigated to any greater extent and, as a consequence, very little is known about it. Using artificially generated astatine, a physicist has now managed for the first time to experimentally explore one of its fundamental parameters, the ionization potential, and thus determine one of the most important properties of the rare element.

Limiting global warming is not enough Posted: 04 Jul 2013 06:49 AM PDT So far, international climate targets have been restricted to limiting the increase in temperature. But if we are to stop the rising sea levels, ocean acidification and the loss of production from agriculture, CO2 emissions will have to fall even more sharply.

Playing cricket: Physicists cast new light on spin-bowling Posted: 04 Jul 2013 06:49 AM PDT As the Ashes series gets underway next week, a pair of brothers from Australia have been exploring the physics behind the spin of a cricket ball. While physicists are much more accustomed to measuring the spin of electrons, protons and neutrons, physicists have now presented equations that govern the trajectory of a spinning ball as it moves through the air in the presence of a wind.

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