ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Want ripples on your icicles? Scientists suggest adding salt
• Carbon's new champion: Carbyne, a simple chain of carbon atoms, strongest material of all?
• Compact, high-power terahertz source at room temperature
• A strange lonely planet found without a star
• Blurring the lines between stars and planets: Lonely planets offer clues to star formation
• Likely causes and treatment strategies for systemic scleroderma identified
• Urgent new time frame for climate change revealed by massive analysis
• I'm OK, you're not OK: Right supramarginal gyrus plays an important role in empathy
• Chemistry: Evidence for a new nuclear 'magic number'
• Gene and stem cell therapy combination could aid wound healing
• Novel way discovered to 'switch on' tumor suppressors that have been silenced
• Self-healing materials could arise from finding that tension can fuse metal
• Longer life for humans linked to further loss of endangered species
• Barriers to implementing complimentary medicine into MD residency
• Running a marathon hard on heart, especially in less prepared runners
• Readmission rates impacted by patients' knowledge, skills
• New research refutes claim that mummified head belonged to King Henry IV of France
• An experiment puts auditing under scrutiny
• Water and lava, but curiously, no explosion
• Scientists use blur to sharpen DNA mapping
• New research shows that blood pressure remains a problem in China
• Peer pressure's influence calculated by mathematician
• High dietary intake of polyphenols are associated with longevity
• Visits to multiple HIV clinics linked to poorer outcomes
• Does good cholesterol increase breast cancer risk?
• Multivitamins with minerals may protect older women with invasive breast cancer
• Cellular signals between pancreatic cancer tumors, saliva
• 'Mobility shoes' take a load off for knee osteoarthritis sufferers
• Aircraft noise linked to heart disease, study suggests
• Crystal mysteries spiral deeper, chemists find
• Chimpanzees of a feather sit together: Friendships are based on similar personalities
• Historic trends predict future global reforestation unlikely
• Discovery of a 2,700-year-old portico in Greece
• Experts discover the mother of Roman perfumes on the Mediterranean coast
• Scientists discover new mechanism that preserves genomic integrity and is abnormal in the rare DiGeorge syndrome
• Bat vision system could help protect buildings they roost in
• A close look at the Toby Jug Nebula
• New type of impact crater discovered on Mars
• Teachers should refrain from self-deprecation when trying to engage students
• 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry: Multiscale models for complex chemical systems
• Scientists 'bad at judging peers' published work,' says new study
• Better community engagement and stronger health systems are needed to tackle polio
• Expanding flu vaccination policies to include children could reduce infections and mortality
• Explaining why infections in newborns link to later behavior problems
• New urine test could diagnose eye disease
• Screening tool for detecting intimate partner violence among women veterans
• Blood vessel cells can repair, regenerate organs
• Growing bacteria keep time, know their place
• Study finds biomarker differentiating the inattentive, combined subtypes of ADHD
• Precision agriculture for small scale farming systems
• Where does dizziness come from?
• HIV vaccines elicit immune response in infants

Want ripples on your icicles? Scientists suggest adding salt Posted: 09 Oct 2013 06:39 PM PDT Though it's barely the beginning of autumn, scientists are one step closer to explaining why winter's icicles form with Michelin Man-like ripples on their elongated shapes. It has been theorized that the ripples are the result of surface tension effects in the thin water film that flows over the ice as it forms. Their investigation revealed that the actual culprit is salt.

Carbon's new champion: Carbyne, a simple chain of carbon atoms, strongest material of all? Posted: 09 Oct 2013 01:27 PM PDT Calculations show carbyne, a simple chain of carbon atoms, may be the strongest material of all. Carbyne will be the strongest of a new class of microscopic materials if and when anyone can make it in bulk. If they do, they'll find carbyne nanorods or nanoropes have a host of remarkable and useful properties.

Compact, high-power terahertz source at room temperature Posted: 09 Oct 2013 01:27 PM PDT Researchers have tripled the output power of a compact, room-temperature terahertz source, a breakthrough that could lead to advances in homeland security, industrial applications, and space research.

A strange lonely planet found without a star Posted: 09 Oct 2013 12:34 PM PDT An international team of astronomers has discovered an exotic young planet that is not orbiting a star. This free-floating planet, dubbed PSO J318.5-22, is just 80 light-years away from Earth and has a mass only six times that of Jupiter. The planet formed a mere 12 million years ago -- a newborn in planet lifetimes.

Blurring the lines between stars and planets: Lonely planets offer clues to star formation Posted: 09 Oct 2013 12:29 PM PDT Astronomers have captured an image of an unusual free-floating planet. As the object has no host star, it can be observed and examined much easier than planets orbiting stars, promising insight into the details of planetary atmospheres.

Likely causes and treatment strategies for systemic scleroderma identified Posted: 09 Oct 2013 11:15 AM PDT Using mice, lab-grown cells and clues from a related disorder, researchers have greatly increased understanding of the causes of systemic sclerosis, showing that a critical culprit is a defect in the way certain cells communicate with their structural scaffolding. They say the new insights point the way toward potentially developing drugs for the disease, which affects approximately 100,000 people in the United States.

Urgent new time frame for climate change revealed by massive analysis Posted: 09 Oct 2013 10:32 AM PDT The seesaw variability of global temperatures often engenders debate over how seriously we should take climate change. But within 35 years, even the lowest monthly dips in temperatures will be hotter than we've experienced in the past 150 years, according to a new and massive analysis of all climate models. The tropics will be the first to exceed the limits of historical extremes and experience an unabated heat wave that threatens biodiversity and heavily populated countries with the fewest resources to adapt.

I'm OK, you're not OK: Right supramarginal gyrus plays an important role in empathy Posted: 09 Oct 2013 10:30 AM PDT Egoism and narcissism appear to be on the rise in our society, while empathy is on the decline. And yet, the ability to put ourselves in other people's shoes is extremely important for our coexistence. Scientists have discovered that our own feelings can distort our capacity for empathy. This emotionally driven egocentricity is recognized and corrected by the brain. When, however, the right supramarginal gyrus doesn't function properly or when we have to make particularly quick decisions, our empathy is severely limited.

Chemistry: Evidence for a new nuclear 'magic number' Posted: 09 Oct 2013 10:30 AM PDT Researchers have come one step closer to understanding unstable atomic nuclei. Scientists have now provided evidence for a new nuclear magic number in the unstable, radioactive calcium isotope 54Ca. They show that 54Ca is the first known nucleus with 34 neutrons (N) where N = 34 is a magic number.

Gene and stem cell therapy combination could aid wound healing Posted: 09 Oct 2013 10:22 AM PDT Researchers, working with elderly mice, have determined that combining gene therapy with an extra boost of the same stem cells the body already uses to repair itself leads to faster healing of burns and greater blood flow to the site of the wound.

Novel way discovered to 'switch on' tumor suppressors that have been silenced Posted: 09 Oct 2013 10:22 AM PDT Scientists have found that a novel noncoding ribonucleic acid (RNA) offers the potential for "switching on" of tumor suppressors that have been shut off.

Self-healing materials could arise from finding that tension can fuse metal Posted: 09 Oct 2013 10:01 AM PDT An unexpected result shows that in some cases, pulling apart makes cracks in metal fuse together.

Longer life for humans linked to further loss of endangered species Posted: 09 Oct 2013 10:01 AM PDT As human life expectancy increases, so does the percentage of invasive and endangered birds and mammals, according to a new study.

Barriers to implementing complimentary medicine into MD residency Posted: 09 Oct 2013 10:01 AM PDT Investigators have identified that lack of time and a paucity of trained faculty are perceived as the most significant barriers to incorporating complementary and alternative medicine and integrative medicine training into family medicine residency curricula and training programs.

Running a marathon hard on heart, especially in less prepared runners Posted: 09 Oct 2013 10:01 AM PDT Investigators who studied a group of recreational marathon runners have established that strenuous exercise, such as running a marathon, can damage the heart muscle. Although they found the effect is temporary and reversible, they warn that these effects are more widespread in less fit distance runners and that recreational distance runners should prepare properly before marathons.

Readmission rates impacted by patients' knowledge, skills Posted: 09 Oct 2013 10:01 AM PDT A study by physicians has found that patients with a high degree of activation (possessing the knowledge, skills, confidence and inclination to assume responsibility for managing one's health and health-care needs) were less likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge than those with a low level of activation.

New research refutes claim that mummified head belonged to King Henry IV of France Posted: 09 Oct 2013 10:00 AM PDT New research exposes erroneous conclusions in forensic studies. They incorrectly ascribed a mummified head to Henry IV and a bloody handkerchief to Louis XVI.

An experiment puts auditing under scrutiny Posted: 09 Oct 2013 09:59 AM PDT Researchers conducted a two-year study that finds randomly assigning auditors to plants, paying auditors from central funds, double-checking their work, and rewarding the auditors for accuracy had large effects.

Water and lava, but curiously, no explosion Posted: 09 Oct 2013 09:57 AM PDT A study finds that hollow, land-based lava pillars in Iceland likely formed in a surprising reaction where lava met water without an explosion. Such formations are common deep under the ocean, but have not been described on land, the lead researcher says.

Scientists use blur to sharpen DNA mapping Posted: 09 Oct 2013 08:11 AM PDT Researchers have found a simple way to pinpoint the location of specific sequences along single strands of DNA, a technique that could someday help diagnose genetic diseases.

New research shows that blood pressure remains a problem in China Posted: 09 Oct 2013 08:10 AM PDT With a recent World Health Organization report showing hypertension affects over 40% of Chinese adults aged 45 or older, combating high blood pressure will be high on the agenda of the 24th Great Wall International Congress of Cardiology & Asia Pacific Heart Congress.

Peer pressure's influence calculated by mathematician Posted: 09 Oct 2013 08:10 AM PDT A mathematician has calculated how peer pressure influences society.

High dietary intake of polyphenols are associated with longevity Posted: 09 Oct 2013 08:10 AM PDT A scientific study has, for the first time, associated high polyphenols intake with a 30% reduction in mortality in older adults. The research evaluated the total dietary polyphenol intake by using a nutritional biomarker.

Visits to multiple HIV clinics linked to poorer outcomes Posted: 09 Oct 2013 07:57 AM PDT Patients who received care at multiple HIV clinics — as opposed to only one — were less likely to take their medication and had higher HIV viral loads, a new study found. The findings reinforce the notion that continuous care with one provider/clinic is optimal for outcomes and even reducing transmissions, and can help cut down on duplicative HIV services that contribute to higher health care costs.

Does good cholesterol increase breast cancer risk? Posted: 09 Oct 2013 07:57 AM PDT A team of researchers has shown that an HDL receptor found on breast cancer cells may be responsible for making this cancer more aggressive, proposing a new molecular target that could help treat the disease.

Multivitamins with minerals may protect older women with invasive breast cancer Posted: 09 Oct 2013 07:57 AM PDT Findings from a study involving thousands of postmenopausal women suggest that women who develop invasive breast cancer may benefit from taking supplements containing both multivitamins and minerals. The new research found that the risk of dying from invasive breast cancer was 30 percent lower among multivitamin/mineral users compared with nonusers.

Cellular signals between pancreatic cancer tumors, saliva Posted: 09 Oct 2013 07:06 AM PDT Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer. Most of those with the disease will die within the first year of diagnosis, and just 6 percent will survive five years. The disease is typically diagnosed through an invasive and complicated biopsy. But a discovery by researchers may be one major step toward creating a noninvasive tool that would enable clinicians and oncologists to detect pancreatic cancer through a simple risk assessment test using saliva.

'Mobility shoes' take a load off for knee osteoarthritis sufferers Posted: 09 Oct 2013 07:06 AM PDT The results of a new study by bone and joint experts suggest that patients with knee osteoarthritis who wear flat, flexible footwear, which allows natural foot mobility and provides sufficient support for the foot, had significant reduction in knee loading -- the force placed upon the joint during daily activities.

Aircraft noise linked to heart disease, study suggests Posted: 09 Oct 2013 07:06 AM PDT Exposure to high levels of aircraft noise is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, find two studies published on bmj.com today.

Crystal mysteries spiral deeper, chemists find Posted: 09 Oct 2013 07:05 AM PDT Chemists have discovered crystal growth complexities, which at first glance appeared to confound 50 years of theory and deepened the mystery of how organic crystals form. But, appearances can be deceiving.

Chimpanzees of a feather sit together: Friendships are based on similar personalities Posted: 09 Oct 2013 07:02 AM PDT Like humans, many animals have close and stable friendships. However, until now, it has been unclear what makes particular individuals bond. Cognitive biologists have now found that chimpanzees choose for friends those who are similar to them in personality.

Historic trends predict future global reforestation unlikely Posted: 09 Oct 2013 07:02 AM PDT Feeding a growing global population while also slowing or reversing global deforestation may only be possible if agricultural yields rise and/or per capita food consumption declines over the next century,

Discovery of a 2,700-year-old portico in Greece Posted: 09 Oct 2013 07:01 AM PDT A 2,700-year-old portico was discovered this summer on the site of the ancient city of Argilos in northern Greece, following an archaeological excavation.

Experts discover the mother of Roman perfumes on the Mediterranean coast Posted: 09 Oct 2013 07:01 AM PDT Researchers have described a new plant in the eastern Mediterranean, growing mainly near the coast. The importance of this discovery is that the plant is the maternal ancestor of a species of hybrid origin, Reseda odorata, used since Roman times due to the fragrance of its flowers, and whose essence was used in the ancient cosmetics industry.

Scientists discover new mechanism that preserves genomic integrity and is abnormal in the rare DiGeorge syndrome Posted: 09 Oct 2013 07:00 AM PDT Scientists have described a molecular mechanism that facilitates the defense of the human genome against "bombarding" by mobile DNA sequences. Abnormalities in the mechanism could be responsible for some symptoms of DiGeorge syndrome, a rare disease. The research could in the future help develop new therapies against the disease, which is caused by the microdeletion of a small part of chromosome 22.

Bat vision system could help protect buildings they roost in Posted: 09 Oct 2013 06:59 AM PDT Vital data on bat behavior is being analyzed by a computer vision system.

A close look at the Toby Jug Nebula Posted: 09 Oct 2013 06:59 AM PDT Located about 1200 light-years from Earth in the southern constellation of Carina (The Ship's Keel), the Toby Jug Nebula, more formally known as IC 2220, is an example of a reflection nebula. It is a cloud of gas and dust illuminated from within by a star called HD 65750. This star, a type known as a red giant, has five times the mass of our Sun but it is in a much more advanced stage of its life, despite its comparatively young age of around 50 million years.

New type of impact crater discovered on Mars Posted: 09 Oct 2013 06:57 AM PDT Lessons from underground nuclear tests and explosive volcanoes may hold the answer to how a category of unusual impact craters formed on Mars.

Teachers should refrain from self-deprecation when trying to engage students Posted: 09 Oct 2013 06:57 AM PDT A new study finds teachers need to thread the needle between chilly distance and over-exposure of their own foibles if they want to gain the confidence of their students and avoid disruptions in the classroom.

2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry: Multiscale models for complex chemical systems Posted: 09 Oct 2013 05:21 AM PDT The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2013 to Martin Karplus, Michael Levitt and Arieh Warshel "for the development of multiscale models for complex chemical systems."

Scientists 'bad at judging peers' published work,' says new study Posted: 08 Oct 2013 03:23 PM PDT Are scientists any good at judging the importance of the scientific work of others? According to a new study scientists are unreliable judges of the importance of fellow researchers' published papers.

Better community engagement and stronger health systems are needed to tackle polio Posted: 08 Oct 2013 03:23 PM PDT Two independently written articles call for a shift away from the leader-centric approach that polio eradication campaigns are currently pursuing in the three countries (Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan) where the disease remains endemic.

Expanding flu vaccination policies to include children could reduce infections and mortality Posted: 08 Oct 2013 03:23 PM PDT The current influenza (flu) vaccination policy in England and Wales should be expanded to target 5 to 16-year-olds in order to further reduce the number of deaths from flu, according to a new study.

Explaining why infections in newborns link to later behavior problems Posted: 08 Oct 2013 03:21 PM PDT Researchers exploring the link between newborn infections and later behavior and movement problems have found that inflammation in the brain keeps cells from accessing iron that they need to perform a critical role in brain development.

New urine test could diagnose eye disease Posted: 08 Oct 2013 12:22 PM PDT You might not think to look to a urine test to diagnose an eye disease. But a new study says it can link what is in a patient's urine to gene mutations that cause retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited, degenerative disease that results in severe vision impairment and often blindness.

Screening tool for detecting intimate partner violence among women veterans Posted: 08 Oct 2013 12:22 PM PDT Researchers have identified a promising screening tool to detect intimate partner violence in females in the VA Boston Healthcare System. The findings accurately detected 78 percent of women identified as abused within the past year by a more comprehensive and behaviorally specific scale.

Blood vessel cells can repair, regenerate organs Posted: 08 Oct 2013 12:22 PM PDT Damaged or diseased organs may someday be healed with an injection of blood vessel cells, eliminating the need for donated organs and transplants.

Growing bacteria keep time, know their place Posted: 08 Oct 2013 12:22 PM PDT Working with a synthetic gene circuit designed to coax bacteria to grow in a predictable ring pattern, scientists have revealed an under-appreciated contributor to natural pattern formation: Time.

Study finds biomarker differentiating the inattentive, combined subtypes of ADHD Posted: 08 Oct 2013 12:22 PM PDT Using a common test of brain functioning, researchers have found differences in the brains of adolescents with the inattentive and combined subtypes of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and teens who do not have the condition, suggesting that the test may offer a potential biomarker for differentiating the types of the disorder.

Precision agriculture for small scale farming systems Posted: 08 Oct 2013 12:20 PM PDT Working closely with farmers to use the right input, at the right time, at the right place, and in the right amount can improve crop yields.

Where does dizziness come from? Posted: 08 Oct 2013 12:20 PM PDT Researchers say they have pinpointed a site in a highly developed area of the human brain that plays an important role in the subconscious recognition of which way is straight up and which way is down.

HIV vaccines elicit immune response in infants Posted: 08 Oct 2013 11:21 AM PDT A new analysis of two HIV vaccine trials that involved pediatric patients shows that the investigational vaccines stimulated a critical immune response in infants born to HIV-infected mothers.

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