Research sheds more light on the overionized recombining plasma in the supernova remnant IC 443

Astronomers have used ESA's XMM-Newton spacecraft to investigate the overionized recombining plasma in a supernova remnant (SNR) known as IC 443. Results of this research, published August 12 on arXiv.org, deliver essential information about the origin of this plasma in the studied SNR.

Nearly 9 out of 10 unhoused Detroit students not identified by schools

Homelessness has a lasting impact on educational outcomes for K-12 students, and up to 88% of Detroit children experiencing homelessness are not identified by their schools and offered extra support, according to new analysis from the University of Michigan's Poverty Solutions.

Breakthrough in actinide metal-metal bonding

Scientists from The University of Manchester have managed to successfully make actinide metals form molecular actinide-actinide bonds for the first time, opening up a new field of scientific study in materials research.

New method improves detection of harmful microscopic parasites in water

UNSW engineers have identified a new simpler method to detect tiny microbes in water which cause significant health risks and potentially even death.

ESA astronaut joins glacier expedition in Alps

From space, the synchronous retreat of the world's glaciers can be clearly observed. To get a first-hand view of these changes, ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano, along with Susanne Mecklenburg, Head of ESA's Climate Office, have joined a science expedition taking place at one of the biggest ice masses in the Alps: the Gorner Glacier.

Study: Merit-based employment practices contribute to gender pay gap

Rather than reducing gender-based pay inequality by limiting managers' reliance on factors such as gender bias and favoritism, a shift to performance bonuses and other meritocratic employment practices may actually widen the gap by preserving the status quo, according to research co-written by a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign expert who studies labor market institutions.

New sophisticated simulation models can help reduce yogurt spoilage by yeast

Spoilage of yogurt by yeast poses a problem for the dairy industry that includes economic losses from wasted product. Understanding the effects of factors such as storage conditions, yeast species, and bioprotective cultures on yeast spoilage can help yogurt producers make decisions that improve quality and minimize loss. In an article appearing in the Journal of Dairy Science, scientists from the University of Copenhagen, Chr. Hansen A/S, and Cornell University developed predictive models that evaluate the effects of a bioprotective culture on yogurt spoilage.

The limits to human domination of nature

Issues of war and peace, racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, and economic oppression are the result of humans interacting with other humans. These dysfunctions are as old as humanity, and they cause great pain and suffering. As an optimist, I hope they are receding, but as a realist, I know they will never go away. While humans have always battled, as my colleague Peter Coleman has observed, much more often, they have made peace together. We cooperate more than we fight, even if it's the fights that history takes note of. As the journalists often say: "If it bleeds, it leads." When someone helps a mom carry her baby stroller up the subway stairs, it's not news. Push that mom down the steps, and there is a photo on the front page of the New York Post. Anyway, carrying the stroller is a common occurrence; assault, fortunately, is not. Humans interacting with humans is an old story. So too, have been our efforts to use the planet's resources for food, clothing, and shelter. But there is something new in the world—we not only use the planet, but our technology has begun to enable us to change the planet and its fundamental systems.

Analysis of 2,000 galaxies using the MeerKat radio telescope reveals fresh insights

Galaxies—massive collections of gas, dust, and billions of stars and their solar systems—are a fundamental component of our Universe. Understanding how they have formed and evolved over cosmic eras remains one of the greatest challenges of modern astronomy.

Addressing the climate emergency through 'quiet activism'

Around the world, people worried about the impacts of climate change are seeking creative and meaningful ways to transform their urban environments. One such approach is known as "quiet activism."

How did homosexuality evolve? There might be a clue in our genes

Genetic effects associated with same-sex sexual behavior are also associated with a mating advantage among people who engage only in opposite-sex sexual behavior, according to a study involving participants from the United States and United Kingdom published in Nature Human Behaviour. However, the authors caution that the genetic differences studied here are small, are spread throughout the human DNA sequence and capture only a small portion of the heritability of same-sex sexual behavior. Further research is needed to confirm whether these findings apply to the wider human population.

Selective breeding can produce heat-tolerant corals

Coral populations have genetic potential to adapt to warming oceans, according to new research by Southern Cross University researchers.

Volcanic surge narrowed seas during ancient global warming event

Curtin University research has found that a surge in volcanic activity 56 million years ago not only triggered a major global warming event turning polar regions into a lush tropical landscape, but also altered the shape of the Earth's continents thereby restricting the flow of water between oceans.

Energy harvesting technology based on ferromagnetic resonance

Researchers from the Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka City University have succeeded in storing electricity with the voltage generated from the conversion phenomenon of ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) using an ultra-thin magnetic film of several tens of nanometers. 

New technique to manipulate gene expression and study genetic diseases

Emma Andersson, senior researcher at the department of Cell and Molecular Biology, and Karin Mangold, Ph.D. student, have recently published an article in Cell Reports Methods in which they developed a new technique to reduce the use of mice and to get faster results.

New satellite system would enhance water quality management in Australia

Analysis conducted at UNSW Canberra has demonstrated that a new space-based Earth observation system would be a valuable piece of infrastructure for monitoring and managing Australia's inland and coastal waterbodies.

Confirming the pedigree of uranium cubes from Nazi Germany's failed nuclear program

During World War II, Nazi Germany and the U.S. were racing to develop nuclear technology. Before Germany could succeed, Allied forces disrupted the program and confiscated some of the cubes of uranium at the heart of it. The ultimate fate of most of that uranium is unknown, but a few cubes thought to be associated with the program are in the U.S. and Europe. Today, scientists report initial results from new methods being developed to confirm their provenance. The techniques might also help with investigations into illicit trafficking of nuclear material.

Possible new antivirals against COVID-19, herpes

In addition to antibodies and white blood cells, the immune system deploys peptides to fight viruses and other pathogens. Synthetic peptides could reinforce this defense but don't last long in the body, so researchers are developing stable peptide mimics. Today, scientists report success in using mimics known as peptoids to treat animals with herpes virus infections. These small synthetic molecules could one day cure or prevent many kinds of infections, including COVID-19.

Compounds that give coffee its distinctive 'mouthfeel'

Coffee drinkers intuitively recognize the pleasure of swallowing a smooth, rich brew versus a watery one. Aside from added cream or sugar, the coffee itself contributes to this sensation—referred to as body or mouthfeel—but the specific compounds are not well defined. Now, researchers report several coffee compounds that contribute to the feeling of the beverage coating the inside of the mouth, as well as astringency and chalkiness sensations. The results could be used to tune processing and roasting conditions for specialty coffees.

Genetically engineered good bacteria could aid in combating disease

Our bodies are home to several bacterial species that help us maintain our health and wellbeing. Thus, engineering these good bacteria to alter the activity of genes gone awry, either by turning them down or by activating them, is a promising approach to improve health and combat diseases.

Senegal's capital floods again as experts blame poor planning

Senegal's Interior Minister Antoine Felix Abdoulaye Diome is up to his knees in water, in a suburb of the West African country's capital, surveying flood damage.

Fossil leaves may reveal climate in last era of dinosaurs

Richard Barclay opens a metal drawer in archives of the Smithsonian Natural History Museum containing fossils that are nearly 100 million years old. Despite their age, these rocks aren't fragile. The geologist and botanist handles them with casual ease, placing one in his palm for closer examination.

Study: Climate change makes European flooding more likely

Scientists say that global warming makes the kind of extreme rainfall that caused deadly flash flooding in western Europe last month more likely, though it remains unclear exactly how much.