Leveraging national surveys, big data, and machine learning, Cornell University researchers have developed a new approach to mapping poverty that could help policymakers and NGOs better identify the neediest populations in poor countries and allocate resources more effectively. To eliminate extreme poverty, defined as surviving on less than $2.15 per person per day, governments and development and humanitarian agencies need to know how many people live under that threshold, and where. Yet that information often is lacking in the countries that…
A team of scientists at UNSW has discovered that some of the most important new refrigerants break down, in part, into persistent greenhouse gas pollutants, including compounds that have been banned internationally. Refrigerants are chemicals that turn from a liquid to a gas – and vice-versa – and transfer heat in the process, that are used for refrigeration and indoor heating and cooling. The chemicals are also used as aerosol propellants, fire retardants and in the manufacture of foamed plastics….
In soil, nitrogen (N), an essential macronutrient for plant growth, exhibits significant spatial heterogeneity. This necessitates plants to grapple with a complex array of environmental conditions in their quest for N sustenance. Roots, as the pivotal organs in N acquisition, manifest a remarkable morphological plasticity, including variations in the length and density of primary roots, lateral roots, and root hairs, in response to the form and content of available N, which is termed N-dependent root system architecture (RSA). For cultivated crops, the…
Cardiovascular diseases remain a leading cause of death worldwide, with platelet hyperactivity and subsequent thrombosis playing a pivotal role in these conditions. While intermittent fasting has long been recognized for its metabolic benefits, including improvements in metabolic diseases, weight loss, and even lifespan extension, its effect on platelet activation and thrombosis formation remains less understood. A recent study by Professor Junbo Ge team at Fudan University unveiled a novel mechanism by which intermittent fasting can significantly reduce the risk of…
Curtin University researchers have developed a new technique to make glass water-repellent, a feature that could improve safety in vehicles, reduce cleaning costs for buildings and enhance filtration systems. The research, published in the prestigious journal Advanced Functional Materials, shows how an innovative and non-toxic process using ultrasonic sound waves can alter the surface of glass, making it either hydrophobic (water resistant) or electrically charged. Lead researcher Associate Professor Nadim Darwish, an ARC Future Fellow at Curtin’s School of Molecular…
New breakthrough in miniaturized antennas promises enhanced performance for wireless communication in challenging environments A research team led by Professor Huizhu Hu from the Zhejiang University and Zhejiang Lab has developed a groundbreaking low-frequency receiving antenna using optically levitated nanoparticles, achieving a near 10,0000-fold reduction in size compared to conventional solutions. Published in PhotoniX on January 29, 2025, this innovation aims to address long-standing challenges in miniaturizing antennas for critical low-frequency (LF) communication scenarios such as underwater exploration, underground sensing, and ionospheric waveguides. Why It…
Researchers at Göttingen University show keys to nature conservation measures at landscape level How can the loss of species and habitats in agricultural landscapes be stopped? Up to now, measures have mostly been implemented by individual farms. In contrast, agri-environmental measures that are planned across farms at landscape level offer greater potential for creating suitable habitats for different species as a mosaic in the landscape. However, successful landscape level approaches also require cooperation between farms and other stakeholders from local…
In March, NASA plans to launch its EZIE (Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer) mission to learn more about auroral electrojets, intense electrical currents that flow through the upper atmosphere when auroras glow in the sky. High above Earth’s poles, intense electrical currents called electrojets flow through the upper atmosphere when auroras glow in the sky. These auroral electrojets push about a million amps of electrical charge around the poles every second. They can create some of the largest magnetic disturbances on…
Famously twisted shrub mainly grows in California A new species of manzanita — a native California shrub famous for its twisted branches and wildfire resilience — has been discovered on the central coast, but its survival is already threatened by urban development that could destroy much of its fragile population. The discovery is detailed in a new study published in PhytoKeys, where researchers used genetic analysis to confirm the plant as a distinct species. Named Arctostaphylos nipumu to honor the…
New Curtin University research has revealed how massive ancient glaciers acted like giant bulldozers, reshaping Earth’s surface and paving the way for complex life to flourish. By chemically analysing crystals in ancient rocks, the researchers discovered that as glaciers carved through the landscape, they scraped deep into the Earth’s crust, releasing key minerals that altered ocean chemistry. This process had a profound impact on our planet’s composition, creating conditions that allowed complex life to evolve. Lead author Professor Chris Kirkland…
The discovery that inert helium can bond with iron could rewrite Earth’s history Researchers from Japan and Taiwan reveal for the first time that helium, usually considered chemically inert, can bond with iron under high pressures. They used a laser-heated diamond anvil cell to find this, and the discovery suggests there could be huge amounts of helium in the Earth’s core. This could challenge long-standing ideas about the planet’s internal structure and history, and may even reveal details of the…
A low-energy challenger to the quantum computer that also works at room temperature may be the result of research at the University of Gothenburg. The researchers have shown that information can be transmitted using magnetic wave motion in complex networks. Spintronics explores magnetic phenomena in nano-thin layers of magnetic materials that are exposed to magnetic fields, electric currents and voltages. These external stimuli can also create spin waves, ripples in a material’s magnetisation that travel with a specific phase and…
Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) are growing in popularity but new peer-reviewed research, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, from the University of Bath, suggests they may not be as accurate as many believe. Originally designed to help people living with diabetes manage their blood sugar, these devices are now being used by the health-conscious to track how different foods affect their glucose levels. The study, from the University’s Centre for Nutrition, Exercise and Metabolism and funded by innocent…
Far-reaching genetic ties between the Mongolian steppe and Central Europe under Hun rule The Huns suddenly appeared in Europe in the 370s, establishing one of the most influential although short-lived empires in Europe. Scholars have long debated whether the Huns were descended from the Xiongnu. In fact, the Xiongnu Empire dissolved around 100 CE, leaving a 300-year gap before the Huns appeared in Europe. Can DNA lineages that bridge these three centuries be found? To address this question, researchers analyzed…
Using an approach called DNA origami, scientists at Caltech have developed a technique that could lead to cheaper, reusable biomarker sensors for quickly detecting proteins in bodily fluids, eliminating the need to send samples out to lab centers for testing. “Our work provides a proof-of-concept showing a path to a single-step method that could be used to identify and measure nucleic acids and proteins,” says Paul Rothemund (BS ’94), a visiting associate at Caltech in computing and mathematical sciences, and…
Researchers in the Department of Entomology found that the secret to the bees’ success in food gathering is all in the “waggle.” As far as animals go, honeybees are world-class dancers. While not as deep and complex as a Super Bowl half-time show, the bees’ moves, known as the “waggle” dance, convey very specific food foraging instructions to their nestmates. The direction the dancer moves explains to other bees which way to go, and the duration of the waggle dance,…
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