ScienceDaily: Most Popular News

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• Water-rich gem points to vast 'oceans' beneath Earth's surface, study suggests
• VLT spots largest yellow hypergiant star: Mix of new and old observations reveals exotic binary system
• Acoustic cloaking device hides objects from sound
• Long-term warming likely to be significant despite recent slowdown
• Diets high in animal protein may help prevent functional decline in elderly individuals
• Scientists 'herd' cells in new approach to tissue engineering
• To drink or not to drink: Decision-making center of brain identified
• Healthy midlife diet may prevent dementia later
• Inherited Alzheimer's damage greater decades before symptoms appear
• Alzheimer's disease much larger cause of death than reported, study shows

Water-rich gem points to vast 'oceans' beneath Earth's surface, study suggests Posted: 12 Mar 2014 12:02 PM PDT The first terrestrial discovery of ringwoodite confirms the presence of massive amounts of water 400 to 700 kilometers beneath Earth's surface. Ringwoodite is a form of the mineral peridot, believed to exist in large quantities under high pressures in the transition zone. Ringwoodite has been found in meteorites but, until now, no terrestrial sample has ever been unearthed because scientists haven't been able to conduct fieldwork at extreme depths.

VLT spots largest yellow hypergiant star: Mix of new and old observations reveals exotic binary system Posted: 12 Mar 2014 05:27 AM PDT The European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope has revealed the largest yellow star -- and one of the 10 largest stars found so far. This hypergiant has been found to measure more than 1,300 times the diameter of the Sun, and to be part of a double star system, with the second component so close that it is in contact with the main star. Observations spanning over 60 years also indicate that this remarkable object is changing very rapidly.

Acoustic cloaking device hides objects from sound Posted: 11 Mar 2014 03:47 PM PDT Engineers have demonstrated the world's first three-dimensional acoustic cloak. The new device reroutes sound waves to create the impression that the cloak and anything beneath it are not there. The phenomenon works in all three dimensions, no matter which direction the sound is coming from or where the observer is located, and holds potential for future applications such as sonar avoidance and architectural acoustics.

Long-term warming likely to be significant despite recent slowdown Posted: 11 Mar 2014 03:47 PM PDT A new study shows Earth's climate likely will continue to warm during this century on track with previous estimates, despite the recent slowdown in the rate of global warming. The research hinges on a new and more detailed calculation of the sensitivity of Earth's climate to the factors that cause it to change, such as greenhouse gas emissions. The study found Earth is likely to experience roughly 20 percent more warming than estimates that were largely based on surface temperature observations during the past 150 years.

Diets high in animal protein may help prevent functional decline in elderly individuals Posted: 11 Mar 2014 01:31 PM PDT A diet high in protein, particularly animal protein, may help elderly individuals function at higher levels physically, psychologically, and socially, according to a study. The research suggests that as people age, their ability to absorb or process protein may decline. To compensate for this loss, protein requirements may increase with age.

Scientists 'herd' cells in new approach to tissue engineering Posted: 11 Mar 2014 12:19 PM PDT An electrical current can be used to orchestrate the flow of a group of cells, engineers have discovered. This achievement sets the stage for more controlled forms of tissue engineering and for potential applications such as 'smart bandages' that use electrical stimulation to help heal wounds. "This is the first data showing that direct current fields can be used to deliberately guide migration of a sheet of epithelial cells," said the study's lead author.

To drink or not to drink: Decision-making center of brain identified Posted: 11 Mar 2014 07:58 AM PDT Although choosing to do something because the perceived benefit outweighs the financial cost is something people do daily, little is known about what happens in the brain when a person makes these kinds of decisions. Studying how these cost-benefit decisions are made when choosing to consume alcohol, a researcher identified distinct profiles of brain activity that are present when making these decisions.

Healthy midlife diet may prevent dementia later Posted: 10 Mar 2014 06:06 AM PDT Healthy dietary choices in midlife may prevent dementia in later years, according a doctoral thesis. The results showed that those who ate the healthiest diet at the average age of 50 had an almost 90 per cent lower risk of dementia in a 14-year follow-up study than those whose diet was the least healthy. The study was the first in the world to investigate the relationship between a healthy diet as early as in midlife and the risk of developing dementia later on.

Inherited Alzheimer's damage greater decades before symptoms appear Posted: 07 Mar 2014 07:02 AM PST The progression of Alzheimer's may slow once symptoms appear and do significant damage, according to a study investigating an inherited form of the disease. Through an international study, researchers have found rapid neuronal damage begins 10 to 20 years before symptoms appear. The next part of the study involves a clinical trial using a range of imaging techniques, and analysis of blood and cerebrospinal fluid, as participants trial new drugs to test their safety, side effects and changes within the brain.

Alzheimer's disease much larger cause of death than reported, study shows Posted: 05 Mar 2014 04:12 PM PST Alzheimer's disease may contribute to close to as many deaths in the United States as heart disease or cancer, a new study suggests. Currently, Alzheimer's disease falls sixth on the list of leading causes of death in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), whereas heart disease and cancer are numbers one and two, respectively. These numbers are based on what is reported on death certificates.

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