lunes, 29 de noviembre de 2010
Whale sharks use geometry to avoid sinking
ScienceDaily (2010-11-27) -- They are the largest fish species in the ocean, but the majestic gliding motion of the whale shark is, scientists argue, an astonishing feat of mathematics and energy conservation. Marine scientists now reveal how these massive sharks use geometry to enhance their natural negative buoyancy and stay afloat.
Weather affects children's injury rate: Each 5-degree temperature rise boosts kids' hospital admissions for serious injury by 10 percent
ScienceDaily (2010-11-26) -- Every 5 degree Celsius rise in maximum temperature pushes up the rate of hospital admissions for serious injuries among children, reveals one of the largest studies of its kind.
Size of mammals exploded after dinosaur extinction, researchers confirm
ScienceDaily (2010-11-26) -- Researchers have demonstrated that the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago made way for mammals to get bigger -- about a thousand times bigger than they had been, as well as confirming the dramatic growth in mammalian size after the dinosaurs. The study also showed that the ecosystem is able to reset itself relatively quickly.
Why do people behave badly? Maybe it's just too easy
ScienceDaily (2010-11-24) -- Many people say they wouldn't cheat on a test, lie on a job application or refuse to help a person in need. But what if the test answers fell into your lap and cheating didn't require any work on your part? If you didn't have to face the person who needed your help and refuse them? Would that change your behavior?
Optimizing large wind farms
ScienceDaily (2010-11-25) -- Researchers have developed a model to calculate the optimal spacing of wind turbines for the very large wind farms of the future.
New imaging technique accurately finds cancer cells, fast
ScienceDaily (2010-11-25) -- The long, anxious wait for biopsy results could soon be over, thanks to a new tissue-imaging technique. Researchers have demonstrated the novel microscopy technique, called nonlinear interferometric vibrational imaging, on rat breast-cancer cells and tissues. It produced easy-to-read, color-coded images of tissue, outlining clear tumor boundaries, with more than 99 percent confidence -- in less than five minutes.
Aerobic exercise may reduce excessive cocaine use
ScienceDaily (2010-11-23) -- Aerobic exercise may protect against binge-like patterns of cocaine use, suggests a new study. Rats allowed access to running wheels self-administered less cocaine than did rats that were not.
Human creativity may have evolved as a way for parents to bond with their children
ScienceDaily (2010-11-23) -- Evidence from Disneyland suggests that human creativity may have evolved not in response to sexual selection as some scientists believe but as a way to help parents bond with their children and to pass on traditions and cultural knowledge, a new study suggests.
Cost effectiveness of ecological restoration demonstrated
ScienceDaily (2010-11-23) -- New research provides evidence that ecological restoration can provide a cost effective response to environmental degradation. The research focused on the dryland forests of Latin America, and examined the cost effectiveness of ecological restoration techniques such as tree planting and forest regeneration. This was achieved using a novel research approach, which involved mapping the value of different benefits provided by these forests.
Cloud study predicts more global warming
ScienceDaily (2010-11-23) -- Global climate models disagree widely in the magnitude of the warming we can expect with increasing carbon dioxide. This is mainly because the models represent clouds differently. A new modeling approach successfully simulates the observed cloud fields in a key region for climate. The study finds a greater tendency for clouds to thin with global warming than in any of the current climate models. This means the expected warming may be greater than currently anticipated.
Cement-like creation could help the environment
ScienceDaily (2010-11-21) -- Researchers have developed a cement-like substance that could help with stormwater management while potentially keeping millions of plastic bottles out of landfills.
Online undergrads learn well without strong class bond, study finds
ScienceDaily (2010-11-21) -- No cohesion, community spirit, trust or interaction? No problem. Online college students said they felt less connected and had a smaller sense of classroom community than those who took the same classes in person, but that didn't keep them from performing just as well as their in-person counterparts.
Your view of personal goals can affect your relationships
ScienceDaily (2010-11-22) -- How you think about your goals -- whether it's to improve yourself or to do better than others -- can affect whether you reach those goals. Different kinds of goals can also have distinct effects on your relationships with people around you, according to new research.
Global carbon dioxide emissions may reach record levels in 2010
ScienceDaily (2010-11-22) -- Global carbon dioxide emissions -- the main contributor to global warming -- show no sign of abating and may reach record levels in 2010, according to a new study.
Social networking extends mobile battery life
ScienceDaily (2010-11-18) -- A new approach to social networking for mobile devices, such as tablet PCs and smart phones could improve the user experience and boost battery life by up to 70% by exploiting shared data between users in the same location.
Listeners' brains respond more to native accent speakers; Imaging study suggests accents are subtle 'insider' or 'outsider' signal to the brain
ScienceDaily (2010-11-18) -- The brains of Scots responded differently when they listened to speakers with Scottish accents than to speakers with American or British accents, a new study has found. Understanding how our brains respond to other accents may explain one way in which people have an unconscious bias against outsiders.
Earth's lower atmosphere is warming, review of four decades of scientific literature concludes
ScienceDaily (2010-11-16) -- The troposphere, the lower part of the atmosphere closest to the Earth, is warming and this warming is broadly consistent with both theoretical expectations and climate models, according to a new scientific study that reviews the history of understanding of temperature changes and their causes in this key atmospheric layer.
Heat stress to Caribbean corals in 2005 worst on record; Caribbean reef ecosystems may not survive repeated stress
ScienceDaily (2010-11-16) -- Coral reefs suffered record losses as a consequence of high ocean temperatures in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean in 2005 according to the most comprehensive documentation of basin-scale bleaching to date. Collaborators from 22 countries report that more than 80 percent of surveyed corals bleached and over 40 percent of the total surveyed died, making this the most severe bleaching event ever recorded in the basin.
Satellites provide up-to-date information on snow cover
ScienceDaily (2010-11-15) -- The European Space Agency's GlobSnow project, led by the Finnish Meteorological Institute, uses satellites to produce up-to-date information on global snow cover. The new database gives fresh information on the snow situation right after a snowfall. Gathering this kind of information was not previously possible when only land-based observations were available.
How diving leatherback turtles regulate buoyancy
ScienceDaily (2010-11-15) -- Virtually nothing has been known about leatherback turtle diving strategies, but now scientists have discovered that leatherbacks regulate their buoyancy by varying the amount of air they inhale before they dive. Fitting nesting leatherbacks with triaxial accelerometers, temperature and pressure gauges, the team was able to make the first detailed recordings of leatherback turtle diving behavior.
Less salt in teenagers' diet may improve heart health in adulthood
ScienceDaily (2010-11-15) -- Small decreases in salt consumption among teens could reduce high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke in adulthood. Processed foods and fast foods, pose high salt hazards to families and teens. Researchers say food manufacturers should continue to reduce salt levels in their products.
Video game-based therapy helps stroke patients recover study
ScienceDaily (2010-11-16) -- Repeated exercise, even in a virtual environment, helped stroke patients improve arm and hand function, according to a new human study of an interactive video game-based therapy.
Light technology to combat hospital infections
ScienceDaily (2010-11-16) -- Researchers have developed a pioneering lighting system that can decontaminate air and exposed surfaces in hospitals and other clinical environments. The technology decontaminates the air and exposed surfaces by bathing them in a narrow spectrum of visible-light wavelengths, known as HINS-light.
Novel ocean-crust mechanism could affect world's carbon budget and climate
ScienceDaily (2010-11-16) -- Earth is constantly manufacturing new crust, spewing molten magma up along undersea ridges at the boundaries of tectonic plates. Now, scientists have observed ocean crust forming in an entirely unexpected way -- one that may influence those cycles of life and carbon and, in turn, affect the much-discussed future of the world's climate.
Overcoming the 'tragedy of the commons': Conditonal cooperation helps in forest preservation
ScienceDaily (2010-11-13) -- According to the standard prediction large-scale cooperation in the management of commons is impossible, mainly because of free-riders. Yet, extensive field evidence indicates that many communities are able to manage their commons. Now an analysis of a major forest commons management program in Ethiopia provides first-time evidence that conditional cooperation which has been identified in many laboratory experiments before plays a key role.
New ocean acidification study shows added danger to already struggling coral reefs
ScienceDaily (2010-11-13) -- Over the next century recruitment of new corals could drop by 73 percent, as rising carbon dioxide levels turn the oceans more acidic. New research findings reveal a new danger to the already threatened Caribbean and Florida reef Elkhorn corals.
Mathematical equation calculates cost of walking for first time
ScienceDaily (2010-11-14) -- Why do tall people burn less energy per kilogram when walking than shorter ones do, and how much energy does walking require? These are basic questions that doctors, trainers, fitness buffs and weight-watchers would all like to have answered, and now researchers from Texas have derived a fundamental equation to calculate how much energy walkers use, based simply on height and weight, which has direct applications across all walks of life.
Seeing meat makes people significantly less aggressive
ScienceDaily (2010-11-14) -- Seeing meat appears to make human beings significantly less aggressive, contrary to what researchers expected.
Invasive species pose major threat to fish in Mediterranean basin, large-scale study finds
ScienceDaily (2010-11-15) -- An international team has carried out the first large-scale study of the threats facing freshwater fish in the Mediterranean basin. Invasive species, along with over-exploitation of water resources, are the most important pressures, and those that expose fish to the greatest risk of extinction.
Rare cold water coral ecosystem discovered off coast of Mauritania
ScienceDaily (2010-11-15) -- A rare cold water coral reef with living animals has been discovered off the coast of Mauritania. In the middle of the enormous rock formation of the undersea canyon area, scientists also stumbled across the giant deep sea oyster, a Methuselah among sea creatures.
Poor sleep quality increases inflammation, community study finds
ScienceDaily (2010-11-15) -- People who sleep poorly or do not get enough sleep have higher levels of inflammation, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, researchers have found.
Fearless children show less empathy, more aggression, research finds
ScienceDaily (2010-11-13) -- Preschool-aged children who demonstrate fearless behavior also reveal less empathy and more aggression towards their peers, new research shows.
Oceanography researchers discover toxic algae in open water
ScienceDaily (2010-11-13) -- Researchers have discovered toxic algae in vast, remote regions of the open ocean for the first time. Harmful algal blooms are reported as increasing both geographically and in frequency along populated coastlines. This latest research shows that the ubiquitous diatom Pseudo-nitzschia -- an alga that produces the neurotoxin, domoic acid, or DA, in coastal regions -- actually also produces DA at many locations in the open Pacific.
Campus-community interventions successful in reducing college drinking
ScienceDaily (2010-11-12) -- Heavy drinking among college students results in over 1800 deaths each year, as well as 590,000 unintentional injuries, almost 700,000 assaults and more than 97,000 victims of sexual assaults. In a new study, researchers report on the results of the Safer California Universities study, a successful community-wide prevention strategy targeted at off-campus settings.
Prescribed bed rest has down side for pregnant women, nursing researcher finds
ScienceDaily (2010-11-11) -- Despite lack of evidence about bed rest's effectiveness, doctors annually prescribe it for roughly 1 million pregnant women to delay preterm births. In a new report, a nursing researcher says a comprehensive review of more than 70 evidence-based research articles challenges whether this is healthy for mothers -- or their babies.
Multiple fathers prevalent in Amazonian cultures, study finds
ScienceDaily (2010-11-11) -- In modern culture, it is not considered socially acceptable for married people to have extramarital sexual partners. However, in some Amazonian cultures, extramarital sexual affairs were common, and people believed that when a woman became pregnant, each of her sexual partners would be considered part-biological father. Now, a new study has found that up to 70 percent of Amazonian cultures may have believed in the principle of multiple paternity.
Alcohol can damage much more than just the liver
ScienceDaily (2010-11-11) -- Alcohol can do much more harm to the body than just damaging the liver. Drinking also can weaken the immune system, slow healing, impair bone formation, increase the risk of HIV transmission and hinder recovery from burns, trauma, bleeding and surgery.
Tropical forest diversity increased during ancient global warming event
ScienceDaily (2010-11-11) -- Nearly 60 million years ago, rainforests prospered at temperatures that were 3-5 degrees higher and at atmospheric carbon dioxide levels 2.5 times today's levels, researchers report. Contrary to speculation that tropical forests could be devastated under these conditions, forest diversity increased rapidly during this warming event. New plant species evolved much faster than old species became extinct. Pollen from the passionflower plant family and the chocolate family, among others, were found for the first time.
Young, unsupervised children most at risk for dog bites, study shows; Dogs often target a child's face and eyes
ScienceDaily (2010-11-12) -- As dog bites become an increasingly major public health concern, a new study shows that unsupervised children are most at risk for bites, that the culprits are usually family pets and if they bite once, they will bite again with the second attack often more brutal than the first.
Sharks and wolves: Predator, prey interactions similar on land and in oceans
ScienceDaily (2010-11-10) -- There may be many similarities between the importance of large predators in marine and terrestrial environments, researchers concluded in a recent study, which examined the interactions between wolves and elk in the United States, as well as sharks and dugongs in Australia.
Climate change: Regional differences in water reservoir glaciers
ScienceDaily (2010-11-09) -- Glaciers of large mountain regions contribute, to some extent considerably, to the water supply of certain populated areas. However, a recent study has shown that there are important regional differences.
Overweight children have eating patterns different from those of normal weight children, Norwegian study finds
ScienceDaily (2010-11-09) -- Overweight children reported more frequent intake of healthy foods such as fruit, vegetables, fish, brown bread and potatoes as well as low-energy cheese and yogurt compared with normal weight children, a Norwegian study has found.
Scientists develop device to enable improved global data transmission
ScienceDaily (2010-11-07) -- Researchers have developed a new data transmission system that could substantially improve the transmission capacity and energy efficiency of the world's optical communication networks.
Mathematical model may result in better environment measures for the Baltic
ScienceDaily (2010-11-08) -- Eutrophication of the Baltic Sea has clear negative effects, such as dead bottoms and massive blooms of cyanobacteria. But high plankton production can also have positive effects on acidification. Researchers in Sweden have shown that it is possible to work out the aggregate effects of various environmental measures.
'e-Learning' report shows online professional development aids teachers and students
ScienceDaily (2010-11-08) -- Teachers who completed extensive online professional development showed improvement in their knowledge and skills, which translated into modest learning gains for their students, according to a five-year study involving more than 300 teachers and 7,000 students in 13 states.
Study finds links between high schoolers' hopes, educational attainment
ScienceDaily (2010-11-04) -- It turns out that the high school guidance counselor was right. Students who have high aspirations and put thought into their futures during their high school years tend to reach higher levels of educational attainment, according to a recent study.
Grad student simulates 100 years of farming to measure agriculture's impact on land and water quality
ScienceDaily (2010-11-05) -- A graduate student has used a detailed computer model to simulate, year-by-year, the effects of 100 years of farming on claypan soils.
To punish or not to punish: Lessons from reef fish and saber-tooth blennies
ScienceDaily (2010-11-05) -- Researchers have experimentally shown that some species of reef fish will enact punishment on the parasitic saber-tooth blennies that stealthily attack them from behind and take a bite, even though their behavior offers no immediate gain. The study shows that punishment ultimately serves all members of the reef fish species well.
Bees reveal nature-nurture secrets: Extensive molecular differences in brains of workers and queen
ScienceDaily (2010-11-03) -- The nature-nurture debate is a "giant step" closer to being resolved after scientists studying bees documented how environmental inputs can modify our genetic hardware. The researchers uncovered extensive molecular differences in the brains of worker bees and queen bees which develop along very different paths when put on different diets.
Most river flows across the US are altered by land and water management
ScienceDaily (2010-11-03) -- The amount of water flowing in streams and rivers has been significantly altered in nearly 90 percent of waters that were assessed in a new US nationwide study. Flow alterations are a primary contributor to degraded river ecosystems and loss of native species.
Broadband coming wirelessly to Australia's bush
ScienceDaily (2010-11-03) -- A major breakthrough in wireless technology designed to bring broadband to people living beyond the optical fiber network has been unveiled in Australia.
Last 'tango' in space: Satellite duo to generate 3-D models of glaciers and low-lying coastal areas
ScienceDaily (2010-11-04) -- Adding to their unique information from previous tandem missions, the European Space Agency's ERS-2 and Envisat satellites have been paired up again – for the last time. Data from this final duet are generating 3-D models of glaciers and low-lying coastal areas.
Current global warming may reverse circulation in Atlantic Ocean, as it did 20,000 years ago
ScienceDaily (2010-11-04) -- Earth's climate change 20,000 years ago reversed the circulation of the Atlantic Ocean. Global warming today could have similar effects on ocean currents and could accelerate climate change, suggests a new study by researchers in Spain and colleagues.
Collecting your thoughts: You can do it in your sleep!
ScienceDaily (2010-11-02) -- It is one thing to learn a new piece of information, such as a new phone number or a new word, but quite another to get your brain to file it away so it is available when you need it. A new study suggests that sleep may help to do both.
Speed installation of system to monitor vital signs of global ocean, scientists urge
ScienceDaily (2010-11-01) -- As oceans grow saltier, hotter, more acidic and less diverse biologically, world governments urgently need to help complete a full global ocean observing system, the value of which to society would dwarf the investment required, according to scientists.
New way of removing excess nitrogen from the environment
ScienceDaily (2010-11-02) -- Excess nitrogen from agricultural and urban lands is contaminating groundwater, streams, lakes and estuaries, where it causes harmful algal blooms and contributes to fish kills. Cost-effective approaches to removing this nitrogen from croplands and urban stormwater runoff before it reaches sensitive water bodies have been elusive. But simple and inexpensive technologies are on the horizon. A recent scientific workshop on denitrification brought together ecologists, engineers and policy experts to find answers.
Expanding croplands chipping away at world's carbon stocks
ScienceDaily (2010-11-02) -- Nature's capacity to store carbon, the element at the heart of global climate woes, is steadily eroding as the world's farmers expand croplands at the expense of native ecosystem such as forests. A group of universities is releasing a study on the topic.
Spice in curry could prevent liver damage
ScienceDaily (2010-10-30) -- The chemical in curry could prevent or treat liver fibrosis, according to new research.
Halloween safety tips for families: Precautions you should take to keep your children safe
ScienceDaily (2010-10-30) -- Monsters, goblins and super-heroes will soon be descending on homes everywhere and while Halloween is a time for fun and treats, certain dangers abound.
Getting the big picture quickly: Software edits huge images in seconds instead of hours
ScienceDaily (2010-10-28) -- Computer scientists developed software that quickly edits "extreme resolution imagery" -- huge photographs containing billions to hundreds of billions of pixels or dot-like picture elements. Until now, it took hours to process these "gigapixel" images. The new software needs only seconds to produce preview images useful to doctors, intelligence analysts, photographers, artists, engineers and others.
Getting older leads to emotional stability and happiness, study shows
ScienceDaily (2010-10-29) -- The fear that global temperature can change very quickly and cause dramatic climate changes is great around the world. But what causes climate change and is it possible to predict future climate change? New research shows that it may be due to an accumulation of different chaotic influences and as a result would be difficult to predict.
Dramatic climate change is unpredictable
ScienceDaily (2010-10-29) -- The fear that global temperature can change very quickly and cause dramatic climate changes is great around the world. But what causes climate change and is it possible to predict future climate change? New research shows that it may be due to an accumulation of different chaotic influences and as a result would be difficult to predict.
Poor school grades linked to increased suicide risk, Swedish study reveals
ScienceDaily (2010-10-27) -- Emotional intelligence is a strong predictor of job performance, according to a new study that helps settle the ongoing debate in a much-disputed area of research.
Emotional intelligence predicts job performance
ScienceDaily (2010-10-27) -- Emotional intelligence is a strong predictor of job performance, according to a new study that helps settle the ongoing debate in a much-disputed area of research.
domingo, 28 de noviembre de 2010
Fire-Breathing Storm Systems
ScienceDaily (2010-10-26) -- Pyrocumulonimbus is the fire-breathing dragon of clouds. A cumulonimbus without the "pyre" part is imposing enough -- a massive, anvil-shaped tower of power reaching five miles (8 km) high, hurling thunderbolts, wind and rain. Add smoke and fire to the mix and you have pyrocumulonimbus, an explosive storm cloud actually created by the smoke and heat from fire, and which can ravage tens of thousands of acres. And in the process, "pyroCb" storms funnel their smoke like a chimney into Earth's stratosphere, with lingering ill effects. Researchers believe these intense storms may be the source of what previously was believed to have been volcanic particles in the stratosphere.
Robotic gripper runs on coffee ... and balloons
ScienceDaily (2010-10-26) -- Opting for simple elegance, researchers have bypassed traditional designs based around the human hand and fingers, and created a versatile gripper using everyday ground coffee and a latex party balloon.
Older people advised that taking an afternoon nap can lead to more active lives
ScienceDaily (2010-10-26) -- Older people should not feel guilty about napping during the day if it allows them to keep active and busy when they are feeling less tired, new research reveals.
Eggshells could help combat climate change, research suggests
ScienceDaily (2010-10-26) -- The food industry generates a lot of waste products, but one of these -- eggshells -- could help combat climate change, according to new research.
Nature's backbone at risk: World's vertebrates face an extinction crisis, assessment finds
ScienceDaily (2010-10-26) -- The most comprehensive assessment of the world's vertebrates confirms an extinction crisis with one-fifth of species threatened. However, the situation would be worse were it not for current global conservation efforts, according to a study launched today at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, CBD, in Nagoya, Japan.
Following lifestyle tips could prevent almost a quarter of bowel cancer cases, study suggests
ScienceDaily (2010-10-27) -- Almost a quarter of colorectal (bowel) cancer cases could be prevented if people followed healthy lifestyle advice in five areas including diet and exercise, says a new study.
Proteins regulating water retention in salt-sensitive hypertension identified
ScienceDaily (2010-10-25) -- Two proteins in the brain act as valves to turn the hormone that regulates water retention in the body on and off, researchers have discovered. Their findings may lead to advances in treatment for diseases like high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and cirrhosis of the liver.
Falling in love only takes about a fifth of a second, research reveals
ScienceDaily (2010-10-25) -- Falling in love can elicit not only the same euphoric feeling as using cocaine, but also affects intellectual areas of the brain. Falling in love only takes about a fifth of a second. The findings raise the question: "Does the heart fall in love, or the brain?"
Daily vibration may help aging bones stay healthy
ScienceDaily (2010-10-25) -- A daily dose of whole body vibration may help reduce the usual bone density loss that occurs with age, researchers report. Twelve weeks of daily, 30-minute sessions in 18-month old male mice -- which equate to 55- to 65-year-old humans -- appear to forestall the expected annual loss that can result in fractures, disability and death.
Exercising in the heat may improve athletic performance in cool and hot conditions, study suggests
ScienceDaily (2010-10-25) -- Turning up the heat might be the best thing for athletes competing in cool weather, according to a new study by human physiology researchers.
'Unplugged' experiment detaches students from the media
ScienceDaily (2010-10-25) -- Twenty-four hours without media. No internet, no mobiles, no TV... The biggest global media experiment. Ever. First year students at Bournemouth University in the UK have been sacrificing their TVs, mobile phones, the internet and all other gadgets for 24 hours as they take part in a groundbreaking global media experiment called 'Unplugged'.
Pre-Columbian societies in Amazon may have been much larger and more advanced than thought
ScienceDaily (Oct. 25, 2010) — The pre-Columbian Indian societies that once lived in the Amazon rainforests may have been much larger and more advanced than researchers previously realized. Together with Brazilian colleagues, archaeologists from the University of Gothenburg have found the remains of approximately 90 settlements in an area South of the city of Santarém, in the Brazilian part of the Amazon
Why does lack of sleep affect us differently? Study hints it may be in our genes
ScienceDaily (2010-10-25) -- Ever wonder why some people breeze along on four hours of sleep when others can barely function? It may be in our genes, according to new research.
Dad's weight and diet linked to offspring's risk of diabetes
ScienceDaily (2010-10-24) -- Medical researchers have for the first time shown a link between a father's weight and diet at the time of conception and an increased risk of diabetes in their offspring. The finding is the first in any species to show that paternal exposure to a high-fat diet initiates progression to metabolic disease in the next generation.
Mathematical model helps marathoners pace themselves to a strong finish
ScienceDaily (2010-10-24) -- Most marathon runners know they need to consume carbohydrates before and during a race, but many don't have a good fueling strategy. Now, one dedicated marathoner has taken a more rigorous approach to calculating just how much carbohydrate a runner needs to fuel him or herself through 26.2 miles, and what pace that runner can reasonably expect to sustain.
New vision correction options for baby boomers
ScienceDaily (2010-10-24) -- Researchers have reported results of clinical research on new presbyopia treatments now available in Europe, and possibly available soon in the United States.
Vitamin E in front line of prostate cancer fight
ScienceDaily (2010-10-24) -- Survival rates of men with prostate cancer might soon be increased with a new vitamin E treatment which could significantly reduce tumor regrowth.
Even turtles need recess: Many animals -- not just dogs, cats, and monkeys -- need a little play time
ScienceDaily (2010-10-24) -- Seeing a child or a dog play is not a foreign sight. But what about a turtle or even a wasp? Apparently, they play, too. New psychology research defines "play" in people and also in species not previously thought capable of play, such as fish, reptiles and invertebrates.
Everglades show improvement in water quality
ScienceDaily (2010-10-25) -- Researchers have published a report regarding the trends in water quality feeding into Everglades National Park showing that the overall levels of both nitrogen and phosphorus have declined since the 1970s. This indicates that the water quality is improving as a result of the restoration methods completed in the areas surrounding the park.
Discovery of taste receptors in the lungs could help people with asthma breathe easier
ScienceDaily (2010-10-25) -- Taste receptors in the lungs? Researchers have discovered that bitter taste receptors are not just located in the mouth but also in human lungs. What they learned about the role of the receptors could revolutionize the treatment of asthma and other obstructive lung diseases.
Authoritarian behaviour leads to insecure people, Spanish study finds
ScienceDaily (2010-10-23) -- Researchers have identified the effects of the way parents bring up their children on social structure in Spain. Their conclusions show that punishment, deprivation and strict rules impact on a family's self esteem.
Plants play larger role than thought in cleaning up air pollution, research shows
ScienceDaily (2010-10-22) -- Vegetation plays an unexpectedly large role in cleansing the atmosphere, a new study finds. The research uses observations, gene expression studies, and computer modeling to show that deciduous plants absorb about a third more of a common class of air-polluting chemicals than previously thought.
Professional athletes should drink more water, Spanish research finds
ScienceDaily (2010-10-21) -- Top athletes must always perform to their maximum capacity, making them the most vulnerable to the effects of dehydration. Now, a new study conducted by researchers in Spain reveals that 91 percent of professional basketball, volleyball, handball and football players are dehydrated when they begin their training sessions.
Black rice bran may help fight disease-related inflammation
ScienceDaily (2010-10-21) -- Scientists are reporting evidence that black rice -- a little-known variety of the grain that is the staple food for one-third of the world population -- may help soothe the inflammation involved in allergies, asthma, and other diseases.
Sea levels rising around South Atlantic's Falkland Islands, 19th-century benchmarks reveal
ScienceDaily (2010-10-21) -- Sea levels around the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic have risen since the mid-nineteenth century and the rate of sea-level rise has accelerated over recent decades, according to newly published research. The findings are as expected under global warming and consistent with observations elsewhere around the globe.
See no shape, touch no shape, hear a shape? New way of 'seeing' the world
ScienceDaily (2010-10-20) -- Scientists have discovered that our brains have the ability to determine the shape of an object simply by processing specially-coded sounds, without any visual or tactile input.
To be good, sometimes leaders need to be a little bad; Study examines 'dark side' personality traits and leadership
ScienceDaily (2010-10-20) -- A new study has found that when it comes to leading, some negative personality traits aren't such a bad thing.
Early pregnancy in spring linked to child's susceptibility to food allergies, Finnish study suggests
ScienceDaily (2010-10-20) -- A child's likelihood of developing food allergies can be traced back to the season during which he or she completes their first three months of life in the womb, new research from Finland suggests.
Why the leopard got its spots
ScienceDaily (2010-10-20) -- Why do leopards have rosette-shaped markings but tigers have stripes? Rudyard Kipling suggested that it was because the leopard moved to an environment "full of trees and bushes and stripy, speckly, patchy-blatchy shadows," but is there any truth in this just-so story?
Alcohol increases reaction time and errors during decision making
ScienceDaily (2010-10-20) -- There has been an abundance of research on the effects of alcohol on the brain, but many questions regarding how alcohol impairs the built-in control systems are still unknown. A new study explores that subject in detail and found that certain brain regions involved in error processing are affected more by alcohol than others.
Biodegradable foam plastic substitute made from milk protein and clay
ScienceDaily (2010-10-20) -- Amid ongoing concern about plastic waste accumulating in municipal landfills, and reliance on imported oil to make plastics, scientists are reporting development of a new ultra-light biodegradable foam plastic material made from two unlikely ingredients: The protein in milk and ordinary clay. The new substance could be used in furniture cushions, insulation, packaging, and other products, they report.
Small is beautiful in hydroelectric power plant design: Invention could enable renewable power generation at thousands of unused sites
ScienceDaily (2010-10-20) -- Imagine a hydroelectric power plant barely visible above water that eases the passage of fish in both directions; so simple and cost-efficient that it makes economic sense in sites with a one- or two-meter drop in water height; that could therefore subsidize ecologically motivated dam modifications with local, renewable energy; and which could bring economical, ecological hydroelectric power to developing regions. Researchers at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen did, and developed it: the shaft power plant.
Eating mostly whole grains, few refined grains linked to lower body fat
ScienceDaily (2010-10-20) -- People who consume several servings of whole grains per day while limiting daily intake of refined grains appear to have less of a type of fat tissue thought to play a key role in triggering cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests.
Climate change tipping points for populations, not just species: Survival, reproduction of thousands of arctic and alpine plants measured
ScienceDaily (2010-10-21) -- As Earth's climate warms, species are expected to shift their geographical ranges away from the equator or to higher elevations. While scientists have documented such shifts for many plants and animals, the ranges of others seem stable. When species respond in different ways to the same amount of warming, it becomes more difficult for ecologists to predict future biological effects of climate change -- and to plan for these effects.
Eyetracker warns against momentary driver drowsiness
ScienceDaily (2010-10-19) -- Car drivers must be able to react quickly to hazards on the road at all times. Dashboard-mounted cameras help keep drivers alert.
'Drivel' on Facebook more valuable than we think
ScienceDaily (2010-10-19) -- Superficial contacts on Facebook, apparently unnecessary comments, and banal status updates may be more worthwhile than we think. A new report predicts the new social media will ultimately lead to more individual entrepreneurs.
Making the Internet faster
ScienceDaily (2010-10-19) -- Weaknesses in the architecture behind the Internet mean that surfing can sometimes lead to slow speeds and a tiresome wait for a video to load. Redeveloping the whole architecture of the Internet is an option recently discussed even by Internet pioneers. However, a group of European engineers decided to go the opposite way and to monitor traffic and tailor services to meet demand.
Video games can be highly effective training tools, study shows: Employees learn more, forget less, master more skills
ScienceDaily (2010-10-20) -- Long derided as mere entertainment, new research now shows that organizations using video games to train employees end up with smarter, more motivated workers who learn more and forget less.
Mice that 'smell' light could help scientist better understand olfaction
ScienceDaily (2010-10-18) -- Neurobiologists have created mice that can "smell" light, providing a potent new tool that could help researchers better understand the neural basis of olfaction. The work has implications for the future study of smell and of complex perception systems that do not lend themselves to easy study with traditional methods.
Alternative fish feeds use less fishmeal and fish oils
ScienceDaily (2010-10-18) -- As consumers eat more fish as part of a healthy diet, agriculture scientists are helping producers meet this demand by developing new feeds that support sustainable aquaculture production.
Tropics in decline as natural resources exhausted at alarming rate
ScienceDaily (2010-10-18) -- New analysis shows populations of tropical species are plummeting and humanity's demands on natural resources are sky-rocketing to 50 per cent more than the earth can sustain.
Watching violent TV or video games desensitizes teenagers and may promote more aggressive behavior, new study finds
ScienceDaily (2010-10-19) -- Watching violent films, TV programs or video games desensitizes teenagers, blunts their emotional responses to aggression and potentially promotes aggressive attitudes and behavior, according to new research.
Planted, unplanted artificial wetlands are similar at year 15, and function as effective carbon sinks
ScienceDaily (2010-10-19) -- A 15-year experiment in an outdoor "laboratory" shows that naturally colonizing wetlands can offer just as many, if not more, ecological services as will wetlands planted by humans. Researchers have been comparing the behavior of two experimental marshes on the campus, one that was planted in 1994 with wetland vegetation and another that was left to colonize plant and animal life on its own.
Squid studies provide valuable insights into hearing mechanisms
ScienceDaily (2010-10-15) -- The ordinary squid, Loligo pealii -- best known until now as a kind of floating buffet for just about any fish in the sea -- may be on the verge of becoming a scientific superstar, providing clues about the origin and evolution of the sense of hearing.
Flexing their muscles helps kidney disease patients live longer, study finds
ScienceDaily (2010-10-16) -- Kidney disease patients are healthier and live longer if they've beefed up their muscles, according to a new study. The results suggest that patients may benefit from pumping iron or taking medications to boost their lean body mass.
Happier to give than receive?
ScienceDaily (2010-10-16) -- Is there a correlation between a nation's contributions to international aid programs and the happiness of its citizens? According to a study of nine European donor countries, there is a direct relationship between the level of foreign aid and level of happiness in the UK and France but for other European countries there seems to be no link. "
Studies of radiative forcing components: Reducing uncertainty about climate change
ScienceDaily (2010-10-16) -- Much is known about factors that have a warming effect on Earth's climate -- but only a limited amount is understood about factors that have a cooling effect. Researchers in Norway are working to fill the knowledge gap by studying as many radiative forcing components as possible simultaneously.
Low-cost weight loss program beats obesity, researchers find
ScienceDaily (2010-10-16) -- In the battle against obesity, new research has found that it may not be necessary to spend a lot on a weight loss program when cheaper, nonprofit alternatives may work just as well.
New data on effects of alcohol during pregnancy
ScienceDaily (2010-10-16) -- Scientific data continue to indicate that higher intake of alcohol during pregnancy adversely affects the fetus, and could lead to very severe developmental or other problems in the child. However, most recent publications show little or no effects of occasional or light drinking by the mother during pregnancy.
Right food effectively protects against risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline, study finds
ScienceDaily (2010-10-17) -- For the first time, researchers in Sweden have found out what effect multiple, rather than just single, foods with anti-inflammatory effects have on healthy individuals. The results of a diet study show that bad cholesterol was reduced by 33 per cent, blood lipids by 14 per cent, blood pressure by 8 per cent and a risk marker for blood clots by 26 per cent. A marker of inflammation in the body was also greatly reduced, while memory and cognitive function were improved.
Discovery has potential to boost anti-breast cancer drug tamoxifen's effectiveness
ScienceDaily (2010-10-17) -- Scientists in the UK have found a potential new way of boosting the effectiveness of the anti-breast cancer drug, tamoxifen. The work could open the door to new treatments for those who have developed a resistance to tamoxifen, and has been described as an important new discovery.
Biodiversity goals fall short: What can be done to avert the tragedy of the commons?
ScienceDaily (2010-10-17) -- While not an outright failure, a 2010 goal set by the Convention on Biological Diversity for staunching the loss of the world's species fell far short of expectations. In the journal Science, some of the world's foremost biodiversity experts from DIVERSITAS, offer a strategic approach to the 2020 goals currently being considered. There are lots of reasons, reasonable ones, for people making private decisions that lead to biodiversity loss, but they cost us all collectively, authors say.
Push and pull get eyes to work together
ScienceDaily (2010-10-17) -- Researchers appear to have found a better way to correct sensory eye dominance, a condition in which an imbalance between the eyes compromises fine depth perception. The key is a push-pull training method in which the weak eye is made to work while vision in the strong eye is actively suppressed, according to a new study.
How humidity makes gecko feet stickier: Softens setae to tighten gecko's grip
ScienceDaily (2010-10-17) -- Geckos have amazingly sticky feet. Their stickability comes from billions of dry microscopic hairs that coat the soles of their feet. However, when humidity increases, gecko feet stick even tighter to smooth surfaces, so how do they do it? Biologists have found that increased humidity softens the keratin that makes up the sticky foot-hairs, allowing them to deform and stick tighter to surfaces than hairs in dry conditions.
New treatment may protect against pneumonia
ScienceDaily (2010-10-17) -- Intranasal administration of the protein flagellin may activate innate immunity and protect against acute pneumonia, say researchers from France.
Got fish? Nutrition studies explore health benefits
ScienceDaily (2010-10-18) -- Some of America's most popular fish -- salmon and albacore tuna, for example -- are rich in healthful natural compounds known as omega-3 fatty acids. Ongoing studies by researchers are helping uncover new details about how these fish-oil components help protect us from chronic diseases.
Climate change may alter natural climate cycles of Pacific
ScienceDaily (2010-10-18) -- While it's still hotly debated among scientists whether climate change causes a shift from the traditional form of El Nino to one known as El Nino Modoki, scientists now say that El Nino Modoki affects long-term changes in currents in the North Pacific Ocean.
Genetic trigger of depression identified: Potential target for novel class of therapeutic agents
ScienceDaily (2010-10-18) -- Researchers have found a gene that seems to be a key contributor to the onset of depression and is a promising target for a new class of antidepressants.
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