Indonesia's students losing attention amid digital learning: How do educators reclaim their drive to learn?

In late 2019, Indonesia sought to revolutionize the country's education system—long criticized for its focus on rote learning—through a series of ongoing policies dubbed the "Merdeka Belajar" movement, or "Freedom to Learn."

How scientists and communities can build partnerships to deal with floods: Learning from Indonesia

Millions of people in Indonesia, a vast low-lying archipelago in Southeast Asia with the second-longest coastline in the world, live in flood-prone river and coastal areas. Floods and storms are the most common type of disaster affecting Indonesian cities, according to a UN report.

How vaccinated people can make sense of the rise in breakthrough COVID-19 infections

COVID-19 cases are rapidly on the rise across the United States. And even fully vaccinated individuals are testing positive.

How Australia's fickleness on COVID vaccines is perpetuating global vaccine inequity

Despite assurances from Prime Minister Scott Morrison that Australia was at "the front of the queue" for COVID-19 vaccines, Australia's rate of vaccination ranks last in the OECD.

What makes some immune cells better at killing melanoma

T cells rely on surface proteins called T cell receptors (TCRs) to bind to and destroy viruses, cancer cells, and other invaders in the body. T cells that infiltrate tumors, however, can have varied, sometimes ineffective responses. How the molecular structure and function of TCRs correlates with T cell behavior is not fully understood.

Tiny wireless device illuminates neuron activity in the brain

Everything that happens in the brain is a result of neurons sending and receiving signals in complex networks that are not completely understood by scientists. These networks are what allow us to pick up a cup of coffee, laugh at a joke or stand up from a chair. When some neurons do not send and receive and signals properly, it can lead to problems such as epilepsy, depression, addiction and chronic pain.

Children under 12 can't be vaccinated yet, so what should parents do?

In the United States, just shy of half of all adults are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and an additional 7.6 percent are at least partially vaccinated—a considerable feat, given the relatively short time (about six months) that inoculations have been widely available. However, the figures leave out an important demographic: So far, the federal Food and Drug Administration has not authorized any vaccine for children under 12 years old.

Receptor protein in adipose tissue plays a role in controlling blood sugar levels

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine have identified a receptor protein found in adipose tissue that may play a role in controlling blood sugar and could offer an important therapeutic pathway for tackling diabetes and obesity.

Machine learning for cardiovascular disease improves when social, environmental factors are included

Machine learning can accurately predict cardiovascular disease and guide treatment—but models that incorporate social determinants of health better capture risk and outcomes for diverse groups, finds a new study by researchers at New York University's School of Global Public Health and Tandon School of Engineering. The article, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, also points to opportunities to improve how social and environmental variables are factored into machine learning algorithms.

DNA tags enable blood-based tests to assess cancer treatment outcomes

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) shed into the blood was discovered in the late 1940s but with rapid advances in genomics and computational analytics in just the past few years, researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center now believe that studying tags, or modifications to this type of DNA, may lead to a better understanding of how to assess, and possibly modulate, treatment approaches for cancer and other diseases. Their perspective, drawn from a review of studies to date, appears July 27 in Frontiers in Genetics.

Lower-wealth volunteers experience greater health gains from volunteering than wealthier volunteers: study

Formal volunteering in later life is beneficial for both physical and psychological well-being. However, research has shown that older adults with key advantages, such as wealth, are more likely to volunteer and reap its benefits. In a new study appearing in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, investigators found that lower-wealth volunteers may experience even greater health gains than higher-wealth volunteers.

Under pressure, 'squishy' compound reacts in remarkable ways

Remarkable things happen when a "squishy" compound of manganese and sulfide (MnS2) is compressed in a diamond anvil, say researchers from the University of Rochester and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).

Astronomers show how planets form in binary systems without getting crushed

Astronomers have developed the most realistic model to date of planet formation in binary star systems.

Lack of species depth threatens mangroves

Marine ecologists have revealed mangroves might be threatened by a limited number of crustaceans, molluscs and other invertebrates for each ecological role.

Research finds that US sick leave policies widen racial inequalities, lag nearly every other country

Paid sick leave is one of the most powerful tools for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases and ensuring all workers can access treatment—yet tens of millions of workers across the U.S. lack coverage.

Patients report long-term favorable effects of weight loss surgery in their daily lives

A new analysis from the STAMPEDE trial shows that over the course of five years, patients who had bariatric and metabolic surgery to treat uncontrolled type 2 diabetes reported greater physical health, more energy, less body pain, and less negative effects of diabetes in their daily lives, compared with patients who had medical therapy alone for their diabetes.

'Talking drum' shown to accurately mimic speech patterns of west African language

Musicians such as Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton are considered virtuosos, guitarists who could make their instruments sing. Drummers in west Africa who play hourglass-shaped percussion instruments called dùndúns can make their instrument not only sing, but talk. New research published in the journal Frontiers in Communication is one of the first to show the high degree of acoustic correlation between these talking drums and the spoken Yorùbá language.

Melbourne to lift virus lockdown as Delta outbreak contained

Melbourne's coronavirus lockdown will be lifted late Tuesday, as authorities signalled a Delta variant outbreak in Australia's second-biggest city had been contained.

Bezos offers NASA a $2 billion discount for Blue Origin Moon lander

Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos wrote an open letter to NASA on Monday offering a $2 billion discount to allow his company to build a Moon lander.

Never too late: Cancer centers push patients to quit smoking

When cancer patients stop smoking, they heal faster, experience fewer side effects from treatment and lower their chances of tumors returning. Now, top cancer hospitals are helping patients quit as evidence mounts that it's never too late.

Sandstorm engulfs desert city in China

A wall of sand over 100 metres high swallowed a city on the fringes of the Gobi desert in northwestern China, in scenes reminiscent of a disaster film.

Australian city Melbourne ends 5th COVID-19 lockdown

Australia's second-most populous city Melbourne will end its fifth lockdown on Tuesday with the Victoria state government declaring it had beaten an outbreak of the highly contagious COVID-19 delta variant for a second time.

Moderna expanding kids vaccine study to better assess safety

Moderna said Monday it plans to expand the size of its COVID-19 vaccine study in younger children to better detect rare side effects, such as a type of heart inflammation recently flagged by U.S. health authorities.