– barely distinguishable from the original … Especially for blind or visually impaired people, computer applications that read texts aloud are already a great help in everyday life. Even when driving, people have long since become accustomed to the friendly voices from the navigation system, which save drivers from dangerous distractions. Naturally, the new technology also harbors dangers. The Institute for Information Systems at Hof University of Applied Sciences is conducting a study to determine the acceptance of artificially generated…
In recent years there has been an exhaustive study of red dwarf stars to find exoplanets in orbit around them. These stars have effective surface temperatures between 2400 and 3700 K (over 2000 degrees cooler than the Sun), and masses between 0.08 and 0.45 solar masses. In this context, a team of researchers led by Borja Toledo Padrón, a Severo Ochoa-La Caixa doctoral student at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), specializing in the search for planets around this…
New clues discovered in quest to unravel astrophysical mystery. Since fast radio bursts (FRBs) were first discovered over a decade ago, scientists have puzzled over what could be generating these intense flashes of radio waves from outside of our galaxy. In a gradual process of elimination, the field of possible explanations has narrowed as new pieces of information are gathered about FRBs – how long they last, the frequencies of the radio waves detected, and so on. Now, a team…
Making memories involves more than seeing friends or taking photos. The brain constantly adapts to new information and stores memories by building connections among neurons, called synapses. How neurons do this–reaching out arm-like dendrites to communicate with other neurons–requires a ballet of genes, signaling molecules, cellular scaffolding and protein-building machinery. A new study from scientists at Scripps Research and the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience finds a central role for one signaling molecule, a long, noncoding RNA that the…
Telescope launching this autumn could spot biosignatures on other planets within three days. Research shows that a new telescope could detect a potential signature of life on other planets in as little as 60 hours. “What really surprised me about the results is that we may realistically find signs of life on other planets in the next 5 to 10 years,” said Caprice Phillips, a graduate student at The Ohio State University, who will share preliminary findings at a press…
The next time you go for a hike, take an extra moment to appreciate the seemingly ordinary life all around you. A house fly, humble yarrow weed and other “generalist” plants and pollinators play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and may also serve as buffers against some impacts of climate change, finds new University of Colorado Boulder research. The findings, published this month in Ecology, provide valuable insights for prioritizing the conservation of species that contribute to the strength…
An international team of scientists wins the 2020 HiFi for All SMRT Grant for sequencing the DNA and RNA of pistachios. The biotechnology company PacBio funds a collaborative research project which will significantly advance the knowledge about the genetic built of pistachios. Scientists from the IVICAM-IRIAF in Spain, the Council for Agricultural Research and Economics in Italy, the University of Palermo, the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, and the University of California, Davis will work together to lay the…
How plastic affects life in the ocean is one of the pressing questions in marine research. A new study by the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) looks at the impact of microplastics on corals. Microplastic particles are 5 mm and smaller. They are formed in the ocean as plastic waste decomposes through friction, salt, bacteria or UV radiation. Another source that has received little attention to date is paints and varnishes from ships, which leave behind considerable amounts…
… as environmentally friendly and cost-efficient alternative. The SUPERSMART research project funded by EIT RawMaterials has shown proof: printed electronic components such as sensors and smart labels on paper can play an essential role in building a smart environment for production, retail and logistics. Efficient and reliable production processes make them economically competitive. In terms of resource conservation, climate and the environment, electronics printed on paper have outstanding advantages over conventional substrates and manufacturing processes for smart electronic components. Yesterday…
International research team shows how carbon-based nanostructures can get a new functionality – research results are presented in the magazine Nano Letters. Scientists have already been able to demonstrate that graphene nanostructures can be generated by annealing of a nanostructured silicon carbide crystal for a few years. “These two-dimensional, spatially strongly restricted carbon bands exhibit a vanishingly small electrical resistance even at room temperature. They are thus ballistic,” explains Prof. Dr. Christoph Tegenkamp, Head of the Professorship of Solid Surfaces…
Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys have identified a set of human genes that fight SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes COVID-19. Knowing which genes help control viral infection can greatly assist researchers’ understanding of factors that affect disease severity and also suggest possible therapeutic options. The genes in question are related to interferons, the body’s frontline virus fighters. The study was published in the journal Molecular Cell. “We wanted to gain a better understanding of the cellular response to SARS-CoV-2,…
Physicists have spent 20 years trying to more precisely measure the so-called “magnetic moment” of subatomic particles called muons. Findings published this week call into question long-standing assumptions of particle physics. Since the 1970s, the Standard Model of Physics has served as the basis from which particle physics are investigated. Both experimentalists and theoretical physicists have tested the Standard Model’s accuracy, and it has remained the law of the land when it comes to understanding how the subatomic world behaves….
Antibodies are not only produced by our immune cells to fight viruses and other pathogens in the body. For a few decades now, medicine has also been using antibodies produced by biotechnology as drugs. This is because antibodies are extremely good at binding specifically to molecular structures according to the lock-and-key principle. Their use ranges from oncology to the treatment of autoimmune diseases and neurodegenerative conditions. However, developing such antibody drugs is anything but simple. The basic requirement is for…
A pair of orbiting black holes millions of times the Sun’s mass perform a hypnotic pas de deux in a new NASA visualization. The movie traces how the black holes distort and redirect light emanating from the maelstrom of hot gas – called an accretion disk – that surrounds each one. Viewed from near the orbital plane, each accretion disk takes on a characteristic double-humped look. But as one passes in front of the other, the gravity of the foreground…
COVID-19 needs no introduction. Last year, the disease, which is caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, reached every continent across the globe. By the end of March 2021, there had been an estimated 128 million cases recorded with almost three million of these being fatal. As scientists’ race to develop vaccines and politicians coordinate their distribution, fundamental research on what makes this virus so successful is also being carried out. Within the Mathematics, Mechanics, and Materials Unit at the Okinawa Institute…
Spin waves could unlock the next generation of computer technology, a new component allows physicists to control them. Researchers at Aalto University have developed a new device for spintronics. The results have been published in the journal Nature Communications, and mark a step towards the goal of using spintronics to make computer chips and devices for data processing and communication technology that are small and powerful. Traditional electronics uses electrical charge to carry out computations that power most of our…
Feedback
