ScienceDaily: Top Science News

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• A small step toward discovering habitable Earths
• Drug therapy could eventually reverse memory decline in seniors
• Chandra and XMM-Newton provide direct measurement of distant black hole's spin
• First step towards 'programmable materials': Sheet metal that never rattles
• Determination might be a very human expression
• Sea-level rise threatens UNESCO World Heritage sites
• Passive smoking causes irreversible damage to children's arteries
• Mother's diet linked to premature birth: fruits, vegetables linked to reduced risk of preterm delivery
• Young children form first impressions from faces
• 'Dimer molecules' aid study of exoplanet pressure, hunt for life
• Silk-based surgical implants could offer a better way to repair broken bones
• New evidence confirms link between IQ, brain cortex
• Prequel outshines the original: Exceptional fossils of 160-million-year-old doahugou biota
• Motion-sensing cells in eye let brain 'know' about directional changes
• Transparent, color solar cells fuse energy, beauty
• Meat and cheese may be as bad for you as smoking
• Insights into plate tectonics, the forces behind earthquakes, volcanoes
• What makes flying snakes such gifted gliders?
• Native American city on the Mississippi was America's first 'melting pot'
• Discovery in France of the New Guinea flatworm
• Virtually all red dwarf stars have at least one planet in orbit around them
• 30,000 year-old giant virus found in Siberia
• Complex plant behavior? In fight against parasites, Barberry sacrifices seeds depending on survival chance
• Outbursts of anger linked to greater risk of heart attacks and strokes

A small step toward discovering habitable Earths Posted: 05 Mar 2014 01:08 PM PST For the first time, astronomers have used the same imaging technology found in a digital camera to take a picture of a planet far from our solar system with an Earth-based telescope. The accomplishment is a small step toward the technology astronomers will need in order to characterize planets suitable for harboring life.

Drug therapy could eventually reverse memory decline in seniors Posted: 05 Mar 2014 11:47 AM PST It may seem normal: As we age, we misplace car keys, or can't remember a name we just learned or a meal we just ordered. But researchers say memory trouble doesn't have to be inevitable, and they've found a drug therapy that could potentially reverse this type of memory decline. The drug can't yet be used in humans, but the researchers are pursuing compounds that could someday help the population of aging adults who don't have Alzheimer's or other dementias but still have trouble remembering day-to-day items.

Chandra and XMM-Newton provide direct measurement of distant black hole's spin Posted: 05 Mar 2014 10:54 AM PST Astronomers have used NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the European Space Agency's (ESA's) XMM-Newton to show a supermassive black hole six billion light years from Earth is spinning extremely rapidly. This first direct measurement of the spin of such a distant black hole is an important advance for understanding how black holes grow over time.

First step towards 'programmable materials': Sheet metal that never rattles Posted: 05 Mar 2014 10:24 AM PST Researchers have succeeded in producing a prototype of a vibration-damping material that could change the world of mechanics forever. The material of the future is not only able to damp vibrations completely. It can also specifically conduct certain frequencies further.

Determination might be a very human expression Posted: 05 Mar 2014 05:46 AM PST Humans might be using facial expressions of determination as a call for help from others, according to new research. When children and chimpanzees were both given a task that was impossible to solve, children's faces expressed determination or frustration the more they tried to solve the task, but chimpanzees did not. The facial expressions shown by the children -- chin raised and lips pressed together -- could signal effort or frustration, according to a researcher who said it is possible humans have evolved to use these facial expressions to solicit help from others.

Sea-level rise threatens UNESCO World Heritage sites Posted: 04 Mar 2014 06:56 PM PST Some of the world's most recognizable and important landmarks could be lost to rising sea-levels if current global warming trends are maintained over the next two millennia. This is according to a new study that has calculated the temperature increases at which the 720 sites currently on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites would be impacted by subsequent sea-level rises.

Passive smoking causes irreversible damage to children's arteries Posted: 04 Mar 2014 06:54 PM PST Exposure to passive smoking in childhood causes irreversible damage to the structure of children's arteries, according to a study. The study is the first to follow children through to adulthood in order to examine the association between exposure to parental smoking and increased carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) -- a measurement of the thickness of the innermost two layers of the arterial wall -- in adulthood. It adds further strength to the arguments for banning smoking in areas where children may be present, such as cars.

Mother's diet linked to premature birth: fruits, vegetables linked to reduced risk of preterm delivery Posted: 04 Mar 2014 06:01 PM PST Pregnant women who eat a 'prudent' diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and who drink water have a significantly reduced risk of preterm delivery, suggests a study. A "traditional" dietary pattern of boiled potatoes, fish and cooked vegetables was also linked to a significantly lower risk. Although these findings cannot establish causality, they support dietary advice to pregnant women to eat a balanced diet including vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and fish and to drink water.

Young children form first impressions from faces Posted: 04 Mar 2014 12:46 PM PST Just like adults, children as young as 3 tend to judge an individual's character traits, such as trustworthiness and competence, simply by looking at the person's face, new research shows. And they show remarkable consensus in the judgments they make, the findings suggest. Overall, children seemed to be most consistent in judging trustworthiness. This suggests that children may tend to pay particular attention to the demeanor of a face -- that is, whether it is broadly positive or negative.

'Dimer molecules' aid study of exoplanet pressure, hunt for life Posted: 04 Mar 2014 12:45 PM PST Astronomers have developed a new method of gauging the atmospheric pressure of exoplanets, or worlds beyond the solar system, by looking for a certain type of molecule. And if there is life out in space, scientists may one day use this same technique to detect its biosignature -- the telltale chemical signs of its presence -- in the atmosphere of an alien world.

Silk-based surgical implants could offer a better way to repair broken bones Posted: 04 Mar 2014 11:19 AM PST Using pure silk protein derived from silkworm cocoons, investigators have developed surgical plates and screws that offer improved remodeling following injury and can be absorbed by the body over time. When a person suffers a broken bone, current treatment calls for the surgeon to insert screws and plates to help bond the broken sections and enable the fracture to heal. These "fixation devices" are usually made of metal alloys. But metal devices may have disadvantages: Because they are stiff and unyielding, they can cause stress to underlying bone, among other problems.

New evidence confirms link between IQ, brain cortex Posted: 04 Mar 2014 11:17 AM PST Rate of change in the thickness of the brain's cortex is an important factor associated with a person's change in IQ, according to a collaborative study by scientists in five countries. The cortex is the thin, outermost layer of nerve cell tissue of the brain, typically measuring a few millimeters in thickness. The cortex contains nerve cell bodies and is critical for cognitive functions such as perception, language, memory and consciousness. The cortex begins to thin after the age of five or six as part of the normal aging process. This study is the first to show the association between cortical thickness and development in full scale IQ, and has potentially wide-ranging implications for the pedagogical world and for judicial cases in which the defendant's IQ score could play a role in determining the severity of the sentence.

Prequel outshines the original: Exceptional fossils of 160-million-year-old doahugou biota Posted: 04 Mar 2014 11:17 AM PST A new article shows that several Jurassic sites are linked together by shared species and can be recognized as representing a single fossil fauna and flora, containing superbly preserved specimens of a diverse group of amphibian, mammal, and reptile species.

Motion-sensing cells in eye let brain 'know' about directional changes Posted: 04 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PST How do we "know" from the movements of speeding car in our field of view if it's coming straight toward us or more likely to move to the right or left? In a detailed study of the neurons linking the eyes and brains of mice, biologists discovered that the ability of our brains and those of other mammals to figure out and process in our brains directional movements is a result of the activation in the cortex of signals that originate from the direction-sensing cells in the retina of our eyes.

Transparent, color solar cells fuse energy, beauty Posted: 04 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PST Colorful, see-through solar cells could one day be used to make stained-glass windows, decorations and even shades that turn the sun's energy into electricity.

Meat and cheese may be as bad for you as smoking Posted: 04 Mar 2014 09:56 AM PST A high-protein diet during middle age makes you nearly twice as likely to die and four times more likely to die of cancer, but moderate protein intake is good for you after 65. But how much protein we should eat has long been a controversial topic -- muddled by the popularity of protein-heavy diets such as Paleo and Atkins. Before this study, researchers had never shown a definitive correlation between high protein consumption and mortality risk.

Insights into plate tectonics, the forces behind earthquakes, volcanoes Posted: 04 Mar 2014 08:35 AM PST The Earth's outer layer is made up of a series of moving, interacting plates whose motion at the surface generates earthquakes, creates volcanoes and builds mountains. Geoscientists have long sought to understand the plates' fundamental properties and the mechanisms that cause them to move and drift, and the questions have become the subjects of lively debate. A new study is a significant step toward answering those questions.

What makes flying snakes such gifted gliders? Posted: 04 Mar 2014 08:31 AM PST They slither, they hiss, they… fly? Don't let their wingless bodies fool you —- some snakes can glide as far as 100 feet through the air, jumping off tree branches and rotating their ribs to flatten their bodies and move from side to side. New research investigates the workings behind the flight and whether they can be applied to mechanical issues.

Native American city on the Mississippi was America's first 'melting pot' Posted: 04 Mar 2014 06:50 AM PST New evidence establishes for the first time that Cahokia, a sprawling, pre-Columbian city situated at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, hosted a sizable population of immigrants. Cahokia was an early experiment in urban life, researchers say.

Discovery in France of the New Guinea flatworm Posted: 04 Mar 2014 06:48 AM PST One of the consequences of globalization and increased worldwide freight trade is the introduction of invasive alien species. In the list of the 100 worst invasive alien species in the world, there is only one terrestrial flatworm: Platydemus manokwari, also called the New Guinea flatworm. This species has now been found in Caen, France -- the first discovery of the species in Europe. Given the threat, authorities should consider eradication and control of this flatworm, experts warn.

Virtually all red dwarf stars have at least one planet in orbit around them Posted: 04 Mar 2014 04:14 AM PST Three new planets classified as habitable-zone super-Earths are amongst eight new planets discovered orbiting nearby red dwarf stars. A new study identifies that virtually all red dwarfs, which make up at least three quarters of the stars in the Universe, have planets orbiting them. The research also suggests that habitable-zone super-Earth planets (where liquid water could exist and making them possible candidates to support life) orbit around at least a quarter of the red dwarfs in the Sun's own neighbourhood.

30,000 year-old giant virus found in Siberia Posted: 04 Mar 2014 04:14 AM PST A new type of giant virus called "Pithovirus" has been discovered in the frozen ground of extreme north-eastern Siberia. Buried underground, this giant virus, which is harmless to humans and animals, has survived being frozen for more than 30,000 years. Although its size and amphora shape are reminiscent of Pandoravirus, analysis of its genome and replication mechanism proves that Pithovirus is very different. This work brings to three the number of distinct families of giant viruses.

Complex plant behavior? In fight against parasites, Barberry sacrifices seeds depending on survival chance Posted: 04 Mar 2014 04:12 AM PST Plants appear to be able to make complex decisions. At least this is what scientists have concluded from their investigations on Barberry (Berberis vulgaris), which is able to abort its own seeds to prevent parasite infestation. The results are the first ecological evidence of complex behavior in plants. They indicate that this species has a structural memory, is able to differentiate between inner and outer conditions as well as anticipate future risks, scientists say.

Outbursts of anger linked to greater risk of heart attacks and strokes Posted: 03 Mar 2014 06:13 PM PST Outbursts of anger may trigger heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular problems in the two hours immediately afterwards, according to the first study to systematically evaluate previous research into the link between the extreme emotion and all cardiovascular outcomes. The researchers conclude: conclude: "Given the lessons we have learned from trying to treat depression after MI, treating anger in isolation is unlikely to be impactful. Instead, a broader and more comprehensive approach to treating acute and chronic mental stress, and its associated psychological stressors, is likely to be needed to heal a hostile heart."

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