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Saturday, August 23, 2014

ScienceDaily: Top Science News

ScienceDaily: Top Science News


In our digital world, are young people losing the ability to read emotions?

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 06:42 AM PDT

Are young people losing the ability to read emotions in our digital world? Scientists report that sixth-graders who went five days without even glancing at a smartphone, television or other screen did substantially better at reading emotions than sixth-graders from the same school who, as usual, spent hours each day looking at their smartphones and other screens.

Canola genome sequence reveals evolutionary 'love triangle'

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 05:42 AM PDT

Scientists recently published the genome of Brassica napus -- commonly known as canola -- in the journal Science. Their discovery paves the way for improved versions of the plant, which is used widely in farming and industry.

Fossil arthropod went on the hunt for its prey

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 05:40 AM PDT

A new species of carnivorous crustacean has been identified, which roamed the seas 435 million years ago, grasping its prey with spiny limbs before devouring it.

Water splitter runs on an ordinary AAA battery

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 05:40 AM PDT

Although touted as zero-emissions vehicles, most fuel cell vehicle run on hydrogen made from natural gas. Now scientists have developed a low-cost, emissions-free device that uses an ordinary AAA battery to produce hydrogen by water electrolysis. Unlike other water splitters that use precious-metal catalysts, the electrodes in this device are made of inexpensive and abundant nickel and iron.

Spectacular supernova's mysteries revealed

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 05:39 AM PDT

Astronomers are delving into the mystery of what caused a spectacular supernova in a galaxy 11 million light years away, seen earlier this year. The supernova, a giant explosion of a star and the closest one to the Earth in decades, was discovered earlier this year by chance. These phenomena are extremely important to study because they provide key information about our universe, including how it is expanding and how galaxies evolve.

Songbirds: Juveniles delay departure, make frequent stopovers during first migration

Posted: 20 Aug 2014 01:47 PM PDT

Juvenile songbirds on spring migration travel from overwintering sites in the tropics to breeding destinations thousands of kilometres away with no prior experience to guide them. Now, a new study has tracked these 'student pilots' on their first long-haul flight and found significant differences between the timing of juvenile migration and that of experienced adults.

Common antibiotic linked with heart deaths

Posted: 19 Aug 2014 05:00 PM PDT

The antibiotic clarithromycin -- widely used for treating common bacterial infections -- is associated with an increased risk of heart deaths, finds a study. The authors say their findings require urgent confirmation, given that many millions of people are prescribed the drug each year. But they stress that the absolute risk is small and that prescribing practice should not be changed until results have been confirmed in an independent study.

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