Niigata, Japan – The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) released by microbial decomposition of soil organic carbon on a global scale is approximately five times greater than the amount of anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Thus, it is essential to clarify the impact of climate change on soil CO2 release dynamics. A collaborative research group consisting of Dr. Hirohiko Nagano and Ms. Yuri Suzuki of Niigata University with researchers of Kyushu University and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency conducted incubation experiments on…
PORTLAND, Ore. – A new drug delivery system shows promise for treating a rare, aggressive form of cancer affecting pregnant women and new mothers, and it has potential with other cancers as well. Scientists led by Olena Taratula, a nanomedicine researcher at Oregon State University, have found a way to better ensure the drug used to combat the disease reaches tumor cells without damaging healthy tissue. Findings of the study into choriocarcinoma, which occurs in the United States at a rate…
A new study of the Great Barrier Reef has revealed that the network of no-take marine reserves supplies nearly half of the region’s coral trout fishery catch. The research, led by Professor Michael Bode from the QUT School of Mathematical Sciences and published in Science Advances, revealed that despite covering only 30 per cent of the reef’s habitat, these protected areas account for 47 per cent of the coral trout catch in fishing areas and contribute 55 per cent of…
For the first time astronomers have succeeded in observing the magnetic field around a young star where planets are thought to be forming. The team was able to use dust to measure the three-dimensional structure “fingerprint” of the magnetic field. This will help improve our understanding of planet formation. Planets form in turbulent disks of gas and dust called protoplanetary disks around young stars. It is thought that the first step in planet formation is dust grains colliding and sticking…
A study of fruit flies shows some species are highly susceptible to a wide range of viruses. In the study – by the University of Exeter – 35 fruit fly species were exposed to 11 different viruses of diverse types. As expected, fly species that were less affected by a certain virus also tended to respond well to related viruses. But the findings also show “positive correlations in susceptibility” to viruses in general. In other words, fly species that were…
Warning signs at dispensaries about the potential health effects of cannabis use in pregnancy may not be effective, according to a new report in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, based at Rutgers University. In fact, those who are pregnant and using cannabis may actually distrust the content of warning signs altogether. “Mandatory warning signs aren’t working,” says lead researcher Sarah C. M. Roberts, DrPH, of the University of California, San Francisco. In fact, some of the respondents…
Improved approach to marine conservation aligns ecological restoration with human well-being Could 2025 be the year marine protection efforts get a “glow up”? According to a team of conservation-minded researchers, including Octavio Aburto of UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the moment has arrived. In a new study published Feb. 6 in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, Aburto and a multinational team of marine scientists and economists unveil a comprehensive framework for Marine Prosperity Areas, or MPpAs. With…
Researchers are attempting to develop room-temperature superconductors, which would revolutionize energy efficiency Rice University physicist Emilia Morosan is part of an international research collaboration that has been awarded multimillion-dollar funding from The Kavli Foundation to develop and test next-generation superconductors through artificial intelligence and quantum geometry. This global initiative, spearheaded by Päivi Törmä of Aalto University in Finland, seeks to push the boundaries of quantum materials science and superconductivity. The project includes funding from the Klaus Tschira Foundation and philanthropist Kevin Wells, fueling this…
Many U.S. forests are privately owned, particularly in the Eastern and North Central part of the country. This makes control of invasive plants and pests challenging because efforts must be coordinated across landowners. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explores how differences in ownership motivation affects willingness to control, and how economic incentives can be implemented most efficiently. “Some own the land for recreational purposes, some own it because they want to produce timber, and some are…
UMD researchers uncover key mechanisms in gene regulation that may lead to better design of RNA-based medicines. RNA-based medicines are one of the most promising ways to fight human disease, as demonstrated by the recent successes of RNA vaccines and double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) therapies. But while health care providers can now successfully develop drugs that use dsRNA to accurately target and silence disease-causing genes, a major challenge remains: getting these potentially life-saving RNA molecules into cells efficiently. A new study published in…
Researchers from SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research), at Osaka University discover that temperature-controlled conductive networks in vanadium dioxide enhance the sensitivity of silicon device to terahertz light Osaka, Japan – High-speed electronic devices that do not use much power are useful for wireless communication. High-speed operation has traditionally been achieved by making devices smaller, but as devices become smaller, fabrication becomes increasingly difficult. Have we reached a dead end? Not yet! A research team at Osaka University…
With bloated bellies and hairy legs, female flies try to look bigger to get food from courting mates. But male flies, in turn, have sharpened their eyesight to call their bluff. A new study by researchers from the Universities of Gothenburg and Stockholm suggests that this is an ongoing evolution where both sexes try to outsmart each other. For the first time, researchers have been able to show that also males can develop traits that help them pass on their…
A new drug-free, minimally invasive intervention targets the root cause of progressive loss of neural function in spinal muscle atrophy (SMA), an inherited neuromuscular disease. An intervention, which involves electrical stimulation of the sensory spinal nerves, can gradually reawaken functionally silent motor neurons in the spinal cord and improve leg muscle strength and walking in adults with SMA. The findings were reported by University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers in Nature Medicine today. Early results from a pilot clinical…
Researchers from SANKEN (The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research), at Osaka University develop a versatile electrically controlled nanogate that can be tailored for specific molecules A gate that can be open or shut to allow or block the passing of species on one or both sides applies not only on the macroscale, for example a farm gate used to control stock movement, but also at the nanoscale, where a gate can control the translocation of single molecules. A collaboration…
International research team awarded multi-million-dollar funding to develop and test next-generation superconductors through artificial intelligence and quantum geometry. Heidelberg/Los Angeles. The Kavli Foundation, the Klaus Tschira Foundation, and philanthropist Kevin Wells have launched a joint initiative to advance the development of next-generation superconducting materials: with a multi-million-dollar investment, an international team of scientists will design and test new superconductors based on quantum geometry concepts. Artificial intelligence (AI) will be used to predict unique material properties and structures that could achieve…
A new study has estimated it would cost $15.6 billion per year for 30 years to prevent extinction for 99 of Australia’s priority species. The research, led by Griffith University’s Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security with WWF-Australia and the University of Queensland, highlights the urgent need for increased funding to combat threats such as habitat destruction, invasive species and climate change. Australia has already lost more than 100 endemic species in the past three centuries, placing it at…
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