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Thursday, August 7, 2014

ScienceDaily: Top Science News

ScienceDaily: Top Science News


Hubble finds supernova star system linked to potential 'zombie star'

Posted: 06 Aug 2014 11:21 AM PDT

Astronomers have spotted a star system that could have left behind a "zombie star" after an unusually weak supernova explosion. A supernova typically obliterates the exploding white dwarf, or dying star. On this occasion, scientists believe this faint supernova may have left behind a surviving portion of the dwarf star -- a sort of zombie star.

Mercury in the global ocean: three times more mercury in upper ocean since the Industrial Revolution

Posted: 06 Aug 2014 10:45 AM PDT

Mercury is a naturally occurring element as well as a by-product of such distinctly human enterprises as burning coal and making cement. Estimates of 'bioavailable' mercury -- forms of the element that can be taken up by animals and humans -- play an important role in everything from drafting an international treaty designed to protect humans and the environment from mercury emissions, to establishing public policies behind warnings about seafood consumption.

Biomotor discovered in many bacteria and viruses

Posted: 06 Aug 2014 09:48 AM PDT

Nano-biotechnologists have reported the discovery of a new, third class of biomotor, unique in that it uses a "revolution without rotation" mechanism. These revolution biomotors are widespread among many bacteria and viruses.

Risks to penguin populations analyzed

Posted: 06 Aug 2014 07:28 AM PDT

A major study of all penguin populations suggests the birds are at continuing risk from habitat degradation. Scientists recommend the adoption of measures to mitigate against a range of effects including; food scarcity (where fisheries compete for the same resources), being caught in fishing nets, oil pollution and climate change.

Curing rheumatoid arthritis in mice: Antibody-based delivery of IL4

Posted: 06 Aug 2014 07:28 AM PDT

With a new therapeutic product, researchers have managed to cure arthritis in mice for the first time. The scientists are now planning to test the efficacy of the drug in humans. Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that causes painful inflammation of several joints in the body. The joint capsule becomes swollen, and the disease can also destroy cartilage and bone as it progresses. Rheumatoid arthritis affects 0.5% to 1% of the world's population.

Burrowing animals may have been key to stabilizing Earth's oxygen

Posted: 06 Aug 2014 06:51 AM PDT

Evolution of the first burrowing animals may have played a major role in stabilizing the Earth's oxygen reservoir, researchers hypothesize. The first burrowing animals significantly increased the extent to which oxygenated waters came into contact with ocean sediments. Exposure to oxygenated conditions caused the bacteria that inhabit such sediments to store phosphate in their cells. This caused an increase in phosphorus burial in sediments that had been mixed up by burrowing animals. This in turn triggered decreases in marine phosphate concentrations, productivity, organic carbon burial and ultimately oxygen.

Rosetta spacecraft arrives at comet destination

Posted: 06 Aug 2014 04:12 AM PDT

After a decade-long journey chasing its target, ESA's Rosetta has today become the first spacecraft to rendezvous with a comet, opening a new chapter in Solar System exploration. Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and Rosetta now lie 405 million kilometres from Earth, about half way between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars, rushing towards the inner Solar System at nearly 55,000 kilometres per hour.

Could your brain be reprogrammed to work better?

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 11:53 PM PDT

Scientists from Australia and France have shown that electromagnetic stimulation can alter brain organization, which may make your brain work better. In a new study, the researchers demonstrated that weak sequential electromagnetic pulses (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation -- or rTMS) on mice can shift abnormal neural connections to more normal locations.

Angry bees: Insect aggression boosted by altering brain metabolism

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 07:12 PM PDT

Scientists report they can crank up insect aggression simply by interfering with a basic metabolic pathway in the insect brain. Their study, of fruit flies and honey bees, shows a direct, causal link between brain metabolism -- how the brain generates the energy it needs to function -- and aggression.

Our brains judge a face's trustworthiness, even when we can’t see it

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 07:07 PM PDT

Our brains are able to judge the trustworthiness of a face even when we cannot consciously see it, a team of scientists has found. Their findings shed new light on how we form snap judgments of others.

How spiders spin silk: Mechanism elegantly explains how spider silk can form so quickly and smoothly

Posted: 05 Aug 2014 12:08 PM PDT

Spider silk is an impressive material; lightweight and stretchy yet stronger than steel. But the challenge that spiders face to produce this substance is even more formidable. Silk proteins, called spidroins, must convert from a soluble form to solid fibers at ambient temperatures, with water as a solvent, and at high speed. How do spiders achieve this astounding feat? New research shows how the silk formation process is regulated.

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