Dog DNA testing company identifies human as dog

On Wednesday, WBZ News reported its investigations team receiving dog breed results from the company DNA My Dog after one of its reporters sent in a swab sample – from her own cheek. According to the results from the Toronto-based company, WBZ News reporter Christina Hager is 40% Alaskan malamute, 35% shar-pei and 25% labrador. Read more about Dog DNA testing company identifies human as dog[…]

COVID-19 Leaves Its Mark on the Brain. Significant Drops in IQ Scores Are Noted.

From the very early days of the pandemic, brain fog emerged as a significant health condition that many experience after COVID-19. Brain fog is a colloquial term that describes a state of mental sluggishness or lack of clarity and haziness that makes it difficult to concentrate, remember things and think clearly. Fast-forward four years and Read more about COVID-19 Leaves Its Mark on the Brain. Significant Drops in IQ Scores Are Noted.[…]

Universal Antivenom for Snake Bites Might Soon Be a Reality

[…] a team of scientists says they’ve created a lab-made antibody geared to counteract toxic bites from a wide variety of snakes. In early tests with mice, the uber-antivenom appeared to work as intended. Snake antivenom is typically derived from the antibodies of horses or other animals that produce a strong immune response to snake Read more about Universal Antivenom for Snake Bites Might Soon Be a Reality[…]

New evidence changes key ideas about Earth’s climate history – it wasn’t that hot

A new study published in Science resolves a long-standing scientific debate, and it stands to completely change the way we think about Earth’s climate evolution. The research debunks the idea that Earth’s surface (across land and sea) has experienced really hot temperatures over the last two billion years. Instead, it shows that Earth has had Read more about New evidence changes key ideas about Earth’s climate history – it wasn’t that hot[…]

vanadium crystal bar and cube

Key advance for capturing carbon from the air

A chemical element so visually striking that it was named for a goddess shows a “Goldilocks” level of reactivity — neither too much nor too little — that makes it a strong candidate as a carbon scrubbing tool. The element is vanadium, and research by Oregon State University scientists has demonstrated the ability of vanadium Read more about Key advance for capturing carbon from the air[…]

illustration of Fermi Resonance

Fermi Resonance explains why carbon dioxide causes global warming

Global warming is largely caused by carbon dioxide and other gases absorbing infrared radiation, trapping heat in Earth’s atmosphere – known as the greenhouse effect. The most accurate climate models use precise measurements of the amount of radiation CO₂ can absorb to calculate how much heat will be trapped in the atmosphere. These models are Read more about Fermi Resonance explains why carbon dioxide causes global warming[…]

cartelige stem cells 3d printed in the letters TU

Artificial cartilage with the help of 3D printing

Growing cartilage tissue in the lab could help patiens with injuries, but it is very hard to make the tissue grow in exactly the right shape. A new approach could solve this problem: Tiny spherical containers are created with a high-resolution 3D printer. These containers are then filled with cells and assembled into the desired Read more about Artificial cartilage with the help of 3D printing[…]

Here’s Why Infants Are Strangely Resistant to COVID

Researchers have profiled the entire immune system in young children to compare their response to SARS-CoV-2 with that of adults. The results, published in Cell, show that infants’ systems mount a strong innate response in their noses, where the airborne virus usually enters the body. And unlike adults, babies don’t exhibit widespread inflammatory signaling throughout Read more about Here’s Why Infants Are Strangely Resistant to COVID[…]

COPD: Inhalable nanoparticles could help treat chronic lung disease

Delivering medication to the lungs with inhalable nanoparticles may help treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In mice with signs of the condition, the treatment improved lung function and reduced inflammation. COPD causes the lungs’ airways to become progressively narrower and more rigid, obstructing airflow and preventing the clearance of mucus. As a result, mucus Read more about COPD: Inhalable nanoparticles could help treat chronic lung disease[…]

Animals Can See Colors We Can’t. A New camera method gives us a good idea.

The rainbow looks different to a human than it does to a honeybee or a zebra finch. That’s because these animals can see colors that we humans simply can’t. Now scientists have developed a new video recording and analysis technique to better understand how the world looks through the eyes of other species. The accurate Read more about Animals Can See Colors We Can’t. A New camera method gives us a good idea.[…]

Cells’ electric fields keep nanoparticles at bay, scientists confirm

The humble membranes that enclose our cells have a surprising superpower: They can push away nano-sized molecules that happen to approach them. A team including scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has figured out why, by using artificial membranes that mimic the behavior of natural ones. Their discovery could make a Read more about Cells’ electric fields keep nanoparticles at bay, scientists confirm[…]

Water molecule discovery on ion layer contradicts textbook models

Textbook models will need to be re-drawn after a team of researchers found that water molecules at the surface of salt water are organised differently than previously thought. Many important reactions related to climate and environmental processes take place where water molecules interface with air. For example, the evaporation of ocean water plays an important Read more about Water molecule discovery on ion layer contradicts textbook models[…]

Wind turbines are friendlier to birds than oil-and-gas drilling

[…] few have looked at the effects on wildlife at the population level. Enter Erik Katovich, an economist at the University of Geneva. Dr Katovich made use of the Christmas Bird Count, a citizen-science project run by the National Audubon Society, an American non-profit outfit. Volunteers count birds they spot over Christmas, and the society Read more about Wind turbines are friendlier to birds than oil-and-gas drilling[…]

Study of wide binary stars reveals new evidence for modified gravity at low acceleration

A new study published in The Astrophysical Journal reveals new evidence for standard gravity breaking down in an idiosyncratic manner at low acceleration. This new study reinforces the evidence for modified gravity that was previously reported in 2023 from an analysis of the orbital motions of gravitationally bound, widely separated (or long-period) binary stars, known Read more about Study of wide binary stars reveals new evidence for modified gravity at low acceleration[…]

Biophotons: Are lentils communicating using quantum light messages?

[…] Curceanu hopes the apparatus and methods of nuclear physics can solve the century-old mystery of why lentils – and other organisms too – constantly emit an extremely weak dribble of photons, or particles of light. Some reckon these “biophotons” are of no consequence. Others insist they are a subtle form of lentil communication. Curceanu Read more about Biophotons: Are lentils communicating using quantum light messages?[…]

champagne gas and pressure simulations

Clarified at last: The physics of popping champagne

It sounds like a simple, well-known everyday phenomenon: there is high pressure in a champagne bottle, the stopper is driven outwards by the compressed gas in the bottle and flies away with a powerful pop. But the physics behind this is complicated. […] Using complex computer simulations, it was possible to recalculate the behavior of Read more about Clarified at last: The physics of popping champagne[…]

Research team discovers how to sabotage antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’

The typical strategy when treating microbial infections is to blast the pathogen with an antibiotic drug, which works by getting inside the harmful cell and killing it. This is not as easy as it sounds, because any new antibiotic needs to be both water soluble, so that it can travel easily through the bloodstream, and Read more about Research team discovers how to sabotage antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’[…]

Health misinformation is rampant on social media

This article was originally featured on The Conversation. The global anti-vaccine movement and vaccine hesitancy that accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic show no signs of abating. According to a survey of U.S. adults, Americans in October 2023 were less likely to view approved vaccines as safe than they were in April 2021. As vaccine confidence falls, health misinformation continues Read more about Health misinformation is rampant on social media[…]

Yoga nidra might be a path to better sleep and improved memory

Practicing yoga nidra — a kind of mindfulness training — might improve sleep, cognition, learning, and memory, even in novices, according to a pilot study publishing in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on December 13 by Karuna Datta of the Armed Forces Medical College in India, and colleagues. After a two-week intervention with a cohort Read more about Yoga nidra might be a path to better sleep and improved memory[…]

New way to charge batteries using indefinite causal order, comes with counterintuitive findings

Batteries that exploit quantum phenomena to gain, distribute and store power promise to surpass the abilities and usefulness of conventional chemical batteries in certain low-power applications. For the first time, researchers, including those from the University of Tokyo, take advantage of an unintuitive quantum process that disregards the conventional notion of causality to improve the Read more about New way to charge batteries using indefinite causal order, comes with counterintuitive findings[…]

Zooniverse – help explore space, the planet, medicine, science!

[…] At the Zooniverse, anyone can be a researcherYou don’t need any specialised background, training, or expertise to participate in any Zooniverse projects. We make it easy for anyone to contribute to real academic research, on their own computer, at their own convenience.You’ll be able to study authentic objects of interest gathered by researchers, like Read more about Zooniverse – help explore space, the planet, medicine, science![…]

Frostquakes are a thing now – being found in the North

A new study has identified a potentially growing natural hazard in the north: frostquakes. With climate change contributing to many observed changes in weather extremes, such as heavy precipitation and cold waves, these seismic events could become more common. Researchers were surprised by the role of wetlands and drainage channels in irrigated wetlands in origin Read more about Frostquakes are a thing now – being found in the North[…]

AI made from living human brain cells performs speech recognition

Balls of human brain cells linked to a computer have been used to perform a very basic form of speech recognition. The hope is that such systems will use far less energy for AI tasks than silicon chips. “This is just proof-of-concept to show we can do the job,” says Feng Guo at Indiana University Read more about AI made from living human brain cells performs speech recognition[…]

This mathematical trick can help you imagine space-time

The following is an extract from our Lost in Space-Time newsletter. Each month, we hand over the keyboard to a physicist or two to tell you about fascinating ideas from their corner of the universe. You can sign up for Lost in Space-Time for free here. Space-time is a curious thing. Look around and it’s easy Read more about This mathematical trick can help you imagine space-time[…]