Scientists Create a Material That Makes Salty Water Safe to Drink in Minutes

https://www.sciencealert.com/new-material-makes-seawater-drinkable-...

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https://iheartcats.com/ask-a-vet-why-does-my-cat-sharpen-his-claws/

Ask A Vet: Why Does My Cat Sharpen His Claws?

A chemical message for others

A visible mark

Scientists just found something new in our mouths

• Researchers have discovered a new type of taste cell that can detect the full rank of taste stimuli.
• The cells are different from the previously known taste bud cells in that they have multiple pathways to send signals to the brain, regardless of the type of taste stimuli.
• The research was conducted using mouse models.

A subset of broadly responsive Type III taste cells contribute to the detection of bitter, sweet and umami stimuli

https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.p...

https://bgr.com/2020/08/15/science-news-taste-buds/

Entire cities could fit inside the moon's monstrous lava tubes
https://www.livescience.com/lava-tubes-mars-and-moon-habitable.html

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New guidance on brain death could ease debate over when life ends

This clarity may help identify when the brain has stopped working, completely and irrevocably

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/new-guidance-brain-death-debate...

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Placebos Can Lower Emotional Distress, Even When People Know They're Taking Placebos

https://www.sciencealert.com/placebos-can-lower-emotional-distress-...

Study: Scientists Are Using Too Many Acronyms, Here Are The Top 10

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2020/08/16/study-scientists-a...

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https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-08-exploring-social-affects-fem...

Exploring how social touch affects communication between female animals

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First ever observation of 'time crystals' interacting

For the first time ever, scientists have witnessed the interaction of a new phase of matter known as "time crystals".

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-crystals-interacting.html?utm_source=...

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How climate change could expose new epidemics

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-climate-expose-epidemics.html?utm_sou...

Discovery promising for millions at risk from antibiotic resistance

New hope for approximately 700,000 people who die each year from antibiotic resistant infections, with researchers discovering how bacteria share antibiotic-resistance genes.

Antibiotic resistant bacteria, in particular emerging 'superbugs', could lead to around 10 million deaths globally by 2050.

"The diminishing pool of effective antibiotics makes these infections a major threat to human helath, so it's critical we understand the exact mechanics of how antibiotic resistance spreads between different bacteria.

In this study, scientists examined plasmids—self-replicating DNA molecules—which are one of the major drivers for the rapid spread of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria. Many plasmids carry 10 to 15 antibiotic resistance-causing genes, and when they transfer from one bacterial cell to another, two important things happen.

Firstly, the plasmid is copied so that it is retained by both the donor and recipient cell, and secondly all antibiotic resistance genes are transferred together, meaning that resistance to multiple antibiotics can be transferred and acquired simultaneously.

The study used a powerful genetic screening system to identify all of the components required for the transfer of an important type of antibiotic resistance plasmid from one bacterial cell to another.

This investigation discovered genes encoding the 'syringe' component. 

That is the mechanism through which plasmid DNA is mobilized, as well as a novel controlling element essential for regulation of the transfer process."

The team also investigated the crystal structure of this controlling element, and revealed how it binds to DNA and activates transcription of other genes involved in the transfer.

This deeper understanding would open the door to solutions for this ever-growing health crisis.

Preventing the transfer of plasmids between bacteria has been a major challenge in reducing the spread of antibiotic resistance genes.

By looking at the molecular mechanics, we can start to develop effective solutions for stopping these genes in their tracks.

Source: Comprehensive analysis of IncC plasmid conjugation identifies a crucial role for the transcriptional regulator AcaB, Nature Microbiology (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41564-020-0775-0 , www.nature.com/articles/s41564-020-0775-0

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-discovery-millions-antibiotic-resista...

Micro- and nanoplastics detectable in human tissues

Plastic pollution of land, water and air is a global problem. Even when plastic bags or water bottles break down to the point at which they are no longer an eyesore, tiny fragments can still contaminate the environment. Animals and humans can ingest the particles, with uncertain health consequences. Now, scientists report that they are among the first to examine micro- and nanoplastics in human organs and tissues.

There's evidence that plastic is making its way into our bodies, but very few studies have looked for it there. And at this point, we don't know whether this plastic is just a nuisance or whether it represents a human health hazard.

Scientists define microplastics as plastic fragments less than 5 mm, or about 0.2 inches, in diameter. Nanoplastics are even smaller, with diameters less than 0.001 mm. Research in wildlife and animal models has linked micro- and nanoplastic exposure to infertility, inflammation and cancer, but health outcomes in people are currently unknown. Previous studies have shown that plastics can pass through the human gastrointestinal tract, but Rolsky and Varun Kelkar, who is also presenting the research at the meeting, wondered if the tiny particles accumulate in human organs. 

To find out, the researchers collaborated with Diego Mastroeni, Ph.D., to obtain samples from a large repository of brain and body tissues that was established to study neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's. The 47 samples were taken from lungs, liver, spleen and kidneys—four organs likely to be exposed to, filter or collect microplastics. The team developed a procedure to extract plastics from the samples and analyze them by μ-Raman spectrometry. The researchers also created a computer program that converted information on plastic particle count into units of mass and surface area. They plan to share the tool online so that other researchers can report their results in a standardized manner. "This shared resource will help build a plastic exposure database so that we can compare exposures in organs and groups of people over time and geographic space," Halden says.

The method allows the researchers to detect dozens of types of plastic components within human tissues, including polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene (PE). When paired with a previously developed mass spectrometry assay, plastic contamination was detected in every sample. Bisphenol A (BPA), still used in many food containers despite health concerns, was found in all 47 human samples.

To the researchers' knowledge, their study is the first to examine micro- and nanoplastic occurrence in human organs from individuals with a known history of environmental exposure. "The tissue donors provided detailed information on their lifestyle, diet and occupational exposures," Halden says. "Because these donors have such well-defined histories, our study provides the first clues on potential micro- and nanoplastic exposure sources and routes."

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-micro-nanoplastics-human-tissues.html...

Shock to bacteria activates nature's electrical grid

The ocean floor and the ground beneath our feet are riddled with tiny nanowires—1/100,000th the width of a human hair—created by billions of bacteria that can generate electric currents from organic waste. In new research published Aug. 17 in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, Yale researchers describe how this hidden power grid could be activated with a short jolt of electric field.

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-bacteria-nature-electrical-grid.html?...

Scientists develop new method to create super stable X-rays

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-scientists-method-super-stable-x-rays...

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Scientists use photons as threads to weave novel forms of matter

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-scientists-photons-threads.html?utm_s...

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Major quantum computational breakthrough is shaking up physics and maths

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-major-quantum-breakthrough-physics-ma...

Climate science related research reports:

Ocean microbes could interact with pollution to influence climate

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-ocean-microbes-interact-pollution-cli...

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Study finds that air pollution is a driver of residential electrici...

A study conducted by Associate Professor Alberto Salvo from the Department of Economics at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences revealed that households respond to ambient air pollution by increasing electricity consumption, which in turn increases the carbon emissions that are co-produced in supplying the electricity. The study, set in Singapore, revealed that better air quality will bring about climate co-benefits—in reducing electricity generation via lower household demand, and thus mitigating carbon emissions.

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Raising livestock: An answer to crop residue burning

Livestock can help South Asian countries address crop residue burning, which has health and environmental impacts.

Survey finds science fiction one of many factors impacting views of AI technology

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-08-survey-science-fiction-factors-...

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How dangerous are burning electric cars?

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-08-dangerous-electric-cars.html?ut...

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**Research Culture: Changing how we evaluate research is difficult, but not impossible

https://elifesciences.org/articles/58654?utm_source=content_alert&a...

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** Coronavirus: the pandemic is changing our brains – here are the remedies

https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-the-pandemic-is-changing-ou...

https://theconversation.com/research-shows-coronavirus-thrives-in-d...

Research shows coronavirus thrives in dry air

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Here’s why we crave food even when we’re not hungry

https://theconversation.com/heres-why-we-crave-food-even-when-were-...

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** 

This Twist on Schrödinger's Cat Paradox Has Major Implications for Quantum Theory

A laboratory demonstration of the classic “Wigner’s friend” thought experiment could overturn cherished assumptions about reality

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Every Single Seafood Sample Tested in This Microplastics Study Was Polluted

https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-don-t-even-have-to-try-that...

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https://nypost.com/2017/08/21/trendy-copper-water-bottles-can-make-...

Trendy copper water bottles can make you sick

Red Sprites and Blue Jets Explained - New Discovery!

https://www.sciencealert.com/otherworldly-jellyfish-sprite-lightnin...
If you've ever looked up during a thunderstorm and glimpsed a red jellyfish sitting high in the sky, you weren't hallucinating.

These tentacle-like spurts of red lightning are called sprites. They're ultrafast bursts of electricity that crackle through the upper regions of the atmosphere – between 37 and 50 miles (60 and 80 kilometres) up in the sky – and move towards space, according to the European Space Agency.
The phenomenon is a rare sighting: It lasts just tenths of a second and can be hard to see from the ground since it's generally obscured by storm clouds.

Exploding stars may have caused mass extinction on Earth, study shows

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-stars-mass-extinction-earth.html?utm_...

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Desire to be in a group leads to harsher judgment of others: study

The desire to be part of a group is what makes some of us more likely to discriminate against people outside our groups, even in non-political settings.

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-desire-group-harsher-judgment.html?ut...

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Unearthing evidence for the origins of plate tectonics

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-unearthing-evidence-plate-tectonics.h...

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Fake COVID-19 testing kits and lockdown puppy scams: how to protect yourself from fraud in a pandemic

https://theconversation.com/fake-covid-19-testing-kits-and-lockdown...

How turning back the clock in aging fat cells can be a remedy for lifestyle diseases

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-clock-aging-fat-cells-remedy.html?utm...

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New quantum paradox reveals contradiction between widely held beliefs

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-quantum-paradox-reveals-contradiction...

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Scientists slow and steer light with resonant nanoantennas

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-scientists-resonant-nanoantennas.html...

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Humid air can extend lifetime of virus-laden aerosol droplets

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-humid-air-lifetime-virus-laden-aeroso...

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In a first, astronomers spotted a space rock turning into a comet

The process won’t be complete until 2063

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/space-rock-comet-centaur-astron...

Is body weight affected by when you eat? Here’s what science knows so far

https://theconversation.com/is-body-weight-affected-by-when-you-eat...

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Characteristics that Give Viruses Pandemic Potential

Why Lizards Don't Run Marathons

Most lizards can't breathe and run at the same time

Carrier's constraint - Wikipedia

**Medical / Biology News

Study finds clues to aging in 'junk' DNA

A new study, published on June 5 in Aging Cell, found that a portion of noncoding genetic material, called repetitive element transcripts, might be an important biomarker of the aging process.

Thomas J. LaRocca et al. Repetitive elements as a transcriptomic marker of aging: Evidence in multiple datasets and models, Aging Cell (2020). DOI: 10.1111/acel.13167

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-clues-aging-junk-dna.html?utm_source=...

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**Using microbes to clean up toxic electronic waste

Astronomy:

Mystery gas discovered near center of Milky Way

An international team of researchers have discovered a dense, cold gas that's been shot out from the center of the Milky Way "like bullets"

When you drive out a lot of mass, you're losing some of the material that could be used to form stars, and if you lose enough of it, the galaxy can't form stars at all anymore.

"So, to be able to see hints of the Milky Way losing this star forming gas is kind of exciting—it makes you wonder what's going to happen next!

there's not only hot gas coming from the center of our galaxy, but also cold and very dense gas.

"This cold gas is much heavier, so moves around less easily.

Cold gas in the Milky Way's nuclear wind, Nature (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2595-z , www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2595-z

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-mystery-gas-center-milky.html?utm_sou...

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Kepler's supernova remnant: Debris from stellar explosion not slowed after 400 years

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-kepler-supernova-remnant-debris-stell...

Zebra stripes and their role in dazzling flies

The mystery of why zebras have their characteristic stripes has perplexed researchers for several years. many popular theories such as their use as camouflage from predators, a cooling mechanism through the formation of convection currents and a role in social interactions have been discredited. Stripes acting to confuse predators is another common explanation, but it too is flawed when looking at the scientific data. Instead, mounting evidence suggests that it is parasitic flies that are confounded by the zebra's distinctive patterning.

scientists have now provided significant depth to this hypothesis by narrowing down the possible mechanism.

Previously, the same researchers had shown that blood-sucking horseflies would approach horses in striped rugs as often as plain rugs, but then failed to land or slow down when they got close.

Essentially, stripes dazzled the flies, forcing them to collide with the skin or fly away altogether. In their new study they explored a potential mechanism explaining how the stripes lead to this outcome: the aperture effect.

**Pumice arrives delivering 'vitamin boost' to the reef

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-pumice-vitamin-boost-reef.html?utm_so...

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Tech news:

Forget credit cards—now you can pay with your face

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-08-credit-cardsnow.html?utm_source...

Newly Identified Social Trait Could Explain Why Some People Are Particularly Tribal

Having strong, biased opinions may say more about your own individual way of behaving in group situations than it does about your level of identification with the values or ideals of any particular group, new research suggests.

This behavioural trait – which researchers call 'groupiness' – could mean that individuals will consistently demonstrate 'groupy' behaviour across different kinds of social situations, with their thoughts and actions influenced by simply being in a group setting, whereas 'non-groupy' people aren't affected in the same way.

"It's not the political group that matters, it's whether an individual just generally seems to like being in a group," says economist and lead researcher Rachel Kranton from Duke University.

"Some people are 'groupy' – they join a political party, for example. And if you put those people in any arbitrary setting, they'll act in a more biased way than somebody who has the same political opinions, but doesn't join a political party."

https://www.sciencealert.com/experiment-identifies-new-kind-of-soci...

Doctors Used a Poop Transplant to Cure a Man Whose Gut Was Making Him Drunk

A rare syndrome in which the human gut brews its own alcohol has been successfully treated with a poop transplant when nothing else was working, marking the first such case in medical literature.

Known as auto-brewery syndrome (ABS), this extraordinary condition can leave patients feeling downright intoxicated, even if they haven't had a single thing to drink.

ABS is caused by microorganisms - usually fungi - in the gut feasting on recently-eaten carbohydrates to produce their own brew of alcohol.

Most of us have these fermenting microbes in small quantities, but in ABS the microbe populations and therefore the fermentation can grow out of control. This can sometimes occur after a course of antibiotics throws the gut balance off.

Initially, this is what brought a 47-year-old man to the hospital in Belgium. Since finishing a dose of antibiotics, he had been experiencing unexplained moments of inebriation. And it had been going on for two months. 

The patient told doctors he hadn't consumed a drink in four days, and yet upon further testing, his blood ethanol levels were more than 17 times what's considered normal, or twice the legal limit in the United States.

Doctors diagnosed him with gut fermentation syndrome, or ABS, and prescribed oral anti-fungals and a low-carb diet. But it only helped a little. Even an increased dose of the high-potency anti-fungal medication amphotericin taken for four weeks appeared unsuccessful: The patient still felt inebriated and his wife reported she could smell the alcohol on his breath.

In recent years, poop transplants have been proposed as a promising new way to re-balance gut microbiota among certain groups of people. That said, they appear to only work against some infections, and there are potentially life-threatening risks that need to be taken into consideration.

However, the man was willing to try it, and the sample was voluntarily donated by his 22-year-old daughter. Luckily, the poop transplant worked wonderfully. Nearly three years later, the patient still remains free of ABS symptoms, and his blood ethanol levels have returned to normal.

https://www.sciencealert.com/a-poop-transplant-fixed-a-particularly...

Bacteria can defuse dangerous chemical in Rassaic River

Study suggests pollutant's toxicity could be decreased

Bacteria that can help defuse highly toxic dioxin in sediments in the Passaic River - a Superfund hazardous waste site - could eventually aid cleanup efforts at other dioxin-contaminated sites around the world, according to scientists.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200819110915.htm

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Scaling Up Spider Silk Production Researchers in Japan have produced artificial spider silk using photosynthetic bacteria, opening the possibility of mass produced spider silk.

https://www.asianscientist.com/2020/08/in-the-lab/spider-silk-photo...

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How Organelles Talk To Each Other Using a new technique to observe inter-organelle communication in live cells, researchers have identified the proteins that form signaling hubs known as mitochondria-associated membranes.

Yes MAM: How Organelles Talk To Each Other

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** A Closer Look Into Viral Dark Matter Taking a metagenomics approach, researchers in Japan have identified phage-derived enzymes that could potentially treat an imbalance of gut bacteria.

https://www.asianscientist.com/2020/08/in-the-lab/phage-derived-dys...

Scientists invent new sensing eye mask: a new, lightweight eye mask that can unobtrusively capture pulse, eye movement and sleep signals when worn in an everyday environment.

being able to track pulse and eye movement in a single wearable device will enable a host of sleep and psycho-social studies, in addition to improving the accuracy and usability of gaming and virtual reality headsets.

You will find the full research paper here: Matter (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2020.07.030

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-scientists-eye-mask.html?utm_source=n...

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Study of ancient Mayan facial expressions suggests some are universal

Researchers have found evidence that suggests some human facial expressions are universal across cultures. In this new effort, the researchers sought to get around the problem of biases and other problems with an experiment in which modern-day English-speaking people identified the emotions being expressed by people in ancient Mayan art.

The researchers found that MTurk workers were mostly in agreement regarding which facial expressions correlated to which labels, which they claim shows that such facial expressions are universal across cultures—and in this case, across time.

Research paper: Alan S. Cowen et al. Universal facial expressions uncovered in art of the ancient Americas: A computational approach, Science Advances (2020). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb1005

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-ancient-mayan-facial-universal.html?u...

Animal mummies unwrapped with hi-res 3-D X-rays
Three mummified animals - a snake, a bird and a cat - from ancient Egypt have been digitally unwrapped and dissected by researchers, using high-resolution 3-D scans that give unprecedented detail about the animals' lives—and deaths—over 2000 years ago.
By using X-ray micro CT scanning, which generates 3-D images with a resolution 100 times greater than a medical CT scan, the animals' remains have been analyzed in extraordinary detail, right down to their smallest bones and teeth.
Source: Evidence of diet, deification, and death within ancient Egyptian mummified animals, Scientific Reports (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69726-0 , www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-69726-0

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-animal-mummies-unwrapped-hi-res-d.htm...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=15&v=InUVf_VmFo8&am...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=15&v=KZGR6QVGH4U&am...

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Romantic relationship dynamics may be in our genes

Variations in a gene called CD38, which is involved in attachment behavior in non-human animals, may be associated with human romantic relationship dynamics in daily life, according to a study

CD38 is associated with communal behavior, partner perceptions, affect and relationship adjustment in romantic relationships, Scientific Reports (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69520-y

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-08-romantic-relationship-dynami...

Dynamic kirigami shoe grip designed to reduce risks of slips and falls

The slip resistance of your shoes can determine how well you walk on different surfaces without losing balance. Shoe grips increase friction by engaging with the walking surface, helping to increase stability. In a recently published study, investigators  presented a bioinspired assistive shoe grip based on kirigami, the Japanese art of paper cutting.

Kirigami can be used to create highly flexible surfaces that buckle from a flat sheet to a three-dimensional textured surface. The new kirigami-based shoe sole is intended to reduce the risks of slips and falls by adjusting as a person steps, increasing friction with pop-up spikes as necessary. In Nature Biomedical Engineering, the team reports the results of friction testing on a range of surfaces, including ice, finding that the kirigami shoe soles increased friction with the ground to get a better grip on slippery surfaces.

Sahab Babaee et al, Bioinspired kirigami metasurfaces as assistive shoe grips, Nature Biomedical Engineering (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41551-020-0564-3

https://techxplore.com/news/2020-08-dynamic-kirigami-falls.html?utm...

Ancient gene family protects algae from salt and cold in an Antarctic lake

Glycerol, used in the past as antifreeze for cars, is produced by a range of organisms from yeasts to vertebrates, some of which use it as an osmoprotectant—a molecule that prevents dangerous water loss in salty environments—while others use it as an antifreeze. Here, scientists from the University of Nevada and Miami University in Ohio show that two species of the single-celled green algae Chlamydomonas from Antarctica, called UWO241 and ICE-MDV, produce high levels of glycerol to protect them from osmotic water loss, and possibly also from freezing injury. Presently, only one other organism, an Arctic fish, is known to use glycerol for both purposes. Both species synthesize glycerol with enzymes encoded by multiple copies of a recently discovered ancient gene family. These results, published today in the open-access journal Frontiers in Plant Science, illustrate the importance of adaptations that allow life to not only survive but to thrive in extreme habitats.

Frontiers in Plant Science, DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.01259 , www.frontiersin.org/articles/1 … fpls.2020.01259/full

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-ancient-gene-family-algae-salt.html?u...

Researchers show children are silent spreaders of SARS-CoV-2

In the most comprehensive study of COVID-19 pediatric patients to date, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Mass General Hospital for Children (MGHfC) researchers provide critical data showing that children play a larger role in the community spread of COVID-19 than previously thought. In a study of 192 children ages 0-22, 49 children tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and an additional 18 children had late-onset, COVID-19-related illness. The infected children were shown to have a significantly higher level of virus in their airways than hospitalized adults in ICUs for COVID-19 treatment.

Journal of Pediatrics (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2020.08.037

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-08-children-silent-spreaders-sa...

Quick fixes won't stop sexual harassment in academia, experts say

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-quick-wont-sexual-academia-experts.ht...

Kathryn B. H. Clancy et al, Opinion: Use science to stop sexual harassment in higher education, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2020). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2016164117

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A quantum thermometer to measure the coldest temperatures in the universe

Physicists from Trinity College Dublin have proposed a thermometer based on quantum entanglement that can accurately measure temperatures a billion times colder than those in outer space.

These ultra-cold temperatures arise in clouds of atoms, known as Fermi gasses, which are created by scientists to study how matter behaves in extreme quantum states.

Mark T. Mitchison et al. In Situ Thermometry of a Cold Fermi Gas via Dephasing Impurities, Physical Review Letters (2020). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.080402

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-quantum-thermometer-coldest-temperatu...

In DNA methylation, methyl groups are added to the DNA molecule. DNA has four different types of nucleotides: A, T, G, and C. DNA methylation occurs at the C bases of eukaryotic DNA. Changes in DNA methylation correlate strongly with aging.

considered DNA methylation across a 10-year span in 96 pairs of same-sex aging Swedish and Danish twins—the first longitudinal twin study to establish the extent to which genetic and environmental influences contribute to site-specific DNA methylation across time.

They found individual differences in blood DNA methylation measured at more than 350,000 sites in the aging twins across the epigenome are partly heritable in late life and longitudinally across a decade—ages 69 to 79. These findings can help scientists better understand the genetic and environmental contributions to the stability and dynamics of methylation in aging and sets a stage for future work in diverse populations.

"We also found methylation sites previously associated with age and included in methylation 'clocks' are more heritable than the other remaining sites

Chandra A. Reynolds et al, A decade of epigenetic change in aging twins: Genetic and environmental contributions to longitudinal DNA methylation, Aging Cell (2020). DOI: 10.1111/acel.13197  

Researchers create nanoclusters that mimic biomolecules

Biological systems come in all shapes, sizes and structures. Some of these structures, such as those found in DNA, RNA and proteins, are formed through complex molecular interactions that are not easily duplicated by inorganic materials.

A research team has discovered a way to bind and stack nanoscale clusters of copper molecules that can self-assemble and mimic these complex biosystem structures at different length scales. The clusters provide a platform for developing new catalytic properties that extend beyond what traditional materials can offer.

The nanocluster core connects to two copper caps fitted with special binding molecules, known as ligands, that are angled like propeller blades.

This work could provide a fundamental understanding of how biosystems like proteins assemble themselves to create secondary structural organization, and it gives us an opportunity to start creating something that could imitate a natural living system.

Haixiang Han et al. Tertiary Hierarchical Complexity in Assemblies of Sulfur-Bridged Metal Chiral Clusters, Journal of the American Chemical Society (2020). DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c04764

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-nanoclusters-mimic-biomolecules.html?...

Plants take in less carbon in a warming world

As world temperatures rise, the rate at which plants in certain regions can absorb carbon dioxide is declining, according to research. Plants' optimum temperature range for photosynthesis in our study area is between 24.1 and 27.4 degrees Celsius.

But due to anthropogenic climate change, temperatures—particularly in warmer months—often go well beyond this 'healthy' range for carbon absorption. It was eye opening—temperatures exceeded this range between 14 and 59.2 percent of the time, depending on which site you were looking at. Plants in these regions simply aren't able to absorb carbon like they used to, which is seriously concerning.

The research team also measured the rate at which photosynthesis was occurring, with alarming results. Once this temperature range is exceeded, the ability for plants to appropriate carbon falls off a cliff.

Hamish A. McGowan et al. Identification of Optimum Temperatures for Photosynthetic Production in Subtropical Coastal Ecosystems: Implications for CO 2 Sequestration in a Warming World, Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences (2020). DOI: 10.1029/2020JG005678

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-carbon-world.html?utm_source=nwletter...

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Humans overshoot 2020 planetary 'budget' on August 22: report

Humanity will have burned through all the natural resources that the planet can replenish for 2020 by Saturday, according to researchers who said the grim milestone is slightly later than last year after the pandemic slowed runaway overconsumption.

Firefighters exposed to more potentially harmful chemicals than previously thought

Study suggests that firefighters are more likely to be exposed to potentially harmful chemicals while on duty compared to off duty. The on-duty firefighters experienced higher exposures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, which are a family of chemicals that are known to have the potential to cause cancer. They were also exposed to 18 PAHs that have not been previously reported as firefighting exposures in earlier research.

The results are important because previous studies have shown that firefighters have an increased risk of developing cancer and other damaging health effects.

PAHs are a large group of chemical compounds that contain carbon and other elements. They form naturally after almost any type of combustion, both natural and human-created. In addition to burning wood, plants and tobacco, PAHs are also in fossil fuels.

Carolyn M. Poutasse et al, Discovery of firefighter chemical exposures using military-style silicone dog tags, Environment International (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105818

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-firefighters-exposed-potentially-chem...

Scientists develop 'biorubber' glue for faster surgical recovery and pain relief

Materials scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have invented a new type of surgical glue that can help join blood vessels and close wounds faster and may also serve as a platform to deliver pain relief drugs.

The  researchers showed that their glue can bond soft tissues including muscle and blood vessels, even when their surfaces are wet.

Ivan Djordjevic et al. CaproGlu: Multifunctional tissue adhesive platform, Biomaterials (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.120215

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-scientists-biorubber-faster-surgical-...

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Exposure to common colds might give some people a head start in fighting COVID-19

https://theconversation.com/exposure-to-common-colds-might-give-som...

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We’re using microbes to clean up toxic electronic waste – here’s how

https://theconversation.com/were-using-microbes-to-clean-up-toxic-e...

Why Some People Get Terribly Sick from COVID-19

Beyond factors such as age and sex, underlying aspects of biology and society influence disease severity

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-some-people-get-terr...

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How our food choices cut into forests and put us closer to viruses

https://theconversation.com/how-our-food-choices-cut-into-forests-a...

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Wildfires are both environmental catastrophes and public health problems

https://massivesci.com/articles/california-public-health-wildfire-s...

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Wildfires are burning with an intensity that microbial communities haven’t evolved to endure

As desertification threatens, synthetic biologists are pondering new ways of helping soil heal

https://massivesci.com/articles/soil-wildfires-synthetic-biology/?u...

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Potential new asthma treatment: protein linked to omega-3 fatty acids shows promise

https://theconversation.com/potential-new-asthma-treatment-protein-...

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Lidar technology demonstrates how light levels determine mosquito 'rush hour'

The first study to remotely track wild mosquito populations using laser radar (lidar) technology found that mosquitoes in a southeastern Tanzanian village are most active during morning and evening "rush hour" periods, suggesting these may be the most effective times to target the insects with sprays designed to prevent the spread of malaria.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-05/aaft-ltd051120.php

Tiny engineered therapeutic delivery system safely solves genetic problems in mice

Inserting genetic material into the body to treat diseases caused by gene mutations can work but getting those materials to the right place safely is tricky.

But now the lipid-based nanoparticles scientists engineered, carrying two sets of protein-making instructions, showed in animal studies that they have the potential to function as therapies for two genetic disorders.

In one experiment, the payload-containing nanoparticles prompted the production of the missing clotting protein in mice that are models for hemophilia. In another test, the nanoparticles' cargo reduced the activation level of a gene that, when overactive, interferes with clearance of cholesterol from the bloodstream.

Each nanoparticle contained an applicable messenger RNA—molecules that translate genetic information into functional proteins.

With this work, researchers have lowered potential side effects and toxicity, and have broadened the therapeutic window.

"Functionalized lipid-like nanoparticles for in vivo mRNA delivery and base editing" Science Advances (2020). advances.sciencemag.org/lookup … .1126/sciadv.abc2315

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-tiny-therapeutic-delivery-safely-gene...

In times of ecological uncertainty, brood parasites change their hosts

Some birds lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species and let the host parents raise their young. A new study finds that in times of environmental flux, these brood parasites "diversify their portfolios," minimizing the risks of their unorthodox lifestyle by increasing the number and variety of hosts they select as adoptive parents.

Researchers found that, in unstable environments, brood parasites choose to not put all their eggs in one basket. These results  are consistent with the idea that brood parasites diversify their reproductive risk in areas that are ecologically, behaviorally or environmentally unpredictable.

Brood parasite success depends on the host's acceptance of the outsider's eggs and its ability to raise the young. Some birds learn to recognize that the foreign eggs are different and eject them or build new nests. Others seem not to notice. They incubate, hatch and care for the parasitic offspring as if they were their own.

Several other factors could influence how many hosts and which host species a brood parasite targets. The host must be in egg-laying mode when the interloper comes to call. If only one foster parent is involved in taking care of the young, its nest might not succeed as well as one with two parents present. But having two parents around makes it more difficult for parasites to get into the nest to lay their eggs.

Similarly, if the host returns from a long migratory trip and begins to nest right away, the parasite might have fewer chances to locate its nest for sneaking in the extra egg. Variability in temperature and precipitation during the breeding season is another potential influence.

in unpredictable environments, brood parasites target more—and more diverse—hosts. The parasites take advantage of as many host species as possible when opportunity allows. The team found a particularly pronounced relationship between temperature variability and bet-hedging.

"In areas where temperatures are stable, brood parasites tend to specialize on fewer and less diverse host species. Those hosts also tend to build more complex and potentially safer nests," Antonson said. "But as the thermal environment becomes more uncertain, the evolutionary pattern that we see is that they spread around the risk of offspring survival by drawing from a larger and more diverse pool of host species."

"Ecological uncertainty favours the diversification of host use in avian brood parasites" Nature Communications (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18038-y

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-ecological-uncertainty-brood-parasite...

Scientists discover a social cue of safety

When people think about social communication of danger, they normally think about alarm calls.

Freezing is one of the three universal defense responses, together with fight and flight. This response is the best course of action in situations where escape is either impossible or less advantageous than just staying still with the hope of remaining unnoticed.

Freezing may actually be a safer way of conveying the existence of danger to others. This manner of social communication does not require the active production of a signal that may result in drawing unwelcome attention. Also, freezing may constitute a public cue that can be used by any surrounding animal regardless of species

individual fruit flies freeze in response to an inescapable threat. The researchers wondered if this behavior would change if there other flies were around.

placed the flies in a transparent closed chamber and repeatedly exposed them to an expanding dark disk, which mimics an object on a collision course. Just imagine the visual effect of an approaching open palm. Many visual animals that are exposed to such a stimulus respond defensively, including humans. If they freeze, they often stay motionless for quite some time, even after the threat is gone."

Their results revealed that group size matters. All groups—from two to 10—froze less than individual flies. However, we were surprised to find a complex effect of group size on the flies' behavior

In groups of six and more, the flies froze transiently when the threat appeared and then resumed movement once it was gone. On the other hand, the flies' response pattern in groups of five or less was more similar to that of individual flies

Flies in those groups still froze less than single flies. However, their freezing time increased as the experiment progressed. The more repetitions of the threatening stimulus they experienced, the longer they would remain motionless when it reappeared. These results were very intriguing. "This was the first time the effect of group size on freezing was systematically characterized in any species, and it revealed a fascinating and intricate relation."

These findings clearly demonstrated that flies change their defensive responses when others are present. This novel observation raised a pressing question—what social cues were the flies responding to? To find the answer, Ferreira and Moita meticulously analyzed their previous results and conducted additional experiments using blind flies and controllable magnetic "dummy flies."

The results revealed a two-part answer. "The first part describes the flies' response to the appearance of the threat. "We learned that an individual fly was more likely to enter freezing if its peers (magnetic or otherwise) froze in response to the threat. We were somewhat expecting to see this. Previous studies in the lab showed that in specific situations, freezing is a social cue of danger in rats. Here, we witnessed a similar behavior in flies."

The second part of the answer: Flies were more likely to stop freezing if others began to move. "This means that flies were using the resumption of movement as a social cue of safety"

Clara H. Ferreira et al. Behavioral and neuronal underpinnings of safety in numbers in fruit flies, Nature Communications (2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17856-4

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-scientists-social-cue-safety.html?utm...

Researchers discover first 'open-charm' tetraquark

The LHCb experiment at CERN has developed a penchant for finding exotic combinations of quarks, the elementary particles that come together to give us composite particles such as the more familiar proton and neutron. In particular, LHCb has observed several tetraquarks, which, as the name suggests, are made of four quarks (or rather two quarks and two antiquarks). Observing these unusual particles helps scientists advance our knowledge of the strong force, one of the four known fundamental forces in the universe. At a CERN seminar held virtually on 12 August, LHCb announced the first signs of an entirely new kind of tetraquark with a mass of 2.9 GeV/c²:  the first such particle with only one charm quark.

indico.cern.ch/event/900975/at … ug-11_DanJohnson.pdf

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-open-charm-tetraquark.html?utm_source...

Researchers create bioluminescent tag to detect DNA break repair

A new bioluminescent reporter that tracks DNA double stranded break (DSB) repair in cells has been developed by researchers . The international team's novel bioluminescent repair reporter (BLRR)-based system can be used to monitor DNA repair pathways directly in animals as well as cell lines. No such system previously existed for in vivo studies. These pathways play a crucial role in multiple conditions, including cancer.

Jasper Che-Yung Chien et al, A multiplexed bioluminescent reporter for sensitive and non-invasive tracking of DNA double strand break repair dynamics in vitro and in vivo, Nucleic Acids Research (2020). DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa669

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-bioluminescent-tag-dna.html?utm_sourc...

Nine COVID-19 Myths That Just Won’t Go Away

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nine-covid-19-myths-that...

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In a Lab on Earth, Scientists Just Replicated Pressures Found on White Dwarf Stars

https://www.sciencealert.com/in-a-lab-here-on-earth-scientists-have...

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Security Researchers Found a New Way to Pick Locks, Using Only The Sound of The Key

The sound of a key sliding into a lock could be enough information to potentially create a copy of that key and open the lock – that's the conclusion of researchers who've been investigating "acoustics-based physical key inference".

https://www.sciencealert.com/researchers-can-break-locks-just-from-...

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Scientists are trying to find out exactly how much plastic is in ou...

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You don’t see as much color as you think

When scientists drained most color from a virtual world, people never noticed

https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/color-perception-bra...

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These Hairworms Eat a Cricket Alive and Control Its Mind | Deep Look

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When is a leaf not a leaf? When a ‘leaf’ is an insect? Confused? Find the answer in this video ….

Weaponised Disinformation Could Unleash City-Wide Blackouts, Researchers Warn

https://www.sciencealert.com/weaponised-disinformation-could-unleas...

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What's Actually in Wildfire Smoke, And Why Is It So Damaging For Your Lungs?

https://www.sciencealert.com/what-s-actually-in-wildfire-smoke-and-...

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https://theconversation.com/9-reasons-you-can-be-optimistic-that-a-...

9 reasons you can be optimistic that a vaccine for COVID-19 will be widely available in 2021

A new quantum paradox throws the foundations of observed reality into question  

https://theconversation.com/8-ways-the-coronavirus-can-affect-your-...
8 ways the coronavirus can affect your skin, from COVID toes, to rashes and hair loss

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There Are Mysterious Wrinkles Inside Our Hearts. This Might Be What They're For

https://www.sciencealert.com/da-vinci-was-curious-about-the-wrinkle...

Have you ever seen an atom? See it now!

Guide to Near-light-speed Travel

Scientists Just Discovered Another Trick Bacteria Use to Avoid The Immune System

 Infectious bacteria often try their best to stay out of the way of the immune system in our bodies – and scientists have found a surreptitious and previously undiscovered way that they do this.

What happens is that the bacteria release toxins to disarm the mitochondria in immune cells, those tiny organelles that act as the engine rooms of cells. Once the immune cells sense that their mitochondria are inactive, they trigger apoptosis or programmed cell death.

The findings could give us new ways of tackling infectious bacteria, particularly those that have grown resistant to antibiotics – although up to this point, experiments have only been carried out on mice in the laboratory.

"Ironically, it is the activation of host cell death factors that deliver the final blow to mitochondria which induces apoptosis, not the bacterial toxins themselves.

In other words, the bacteria toxins aren't directly killing immune cells, but rather setting in motion a chain of events that causes our body's emergency responders to kill themselves. Our immune cells are using mitochondria as infection sensors.

That was the case in tests on mice described in this study: by targeting genetic controls for apoptosis in the rodents, the scientists were able to reduce inflammation in the animals and lower the risk of infection.

It has been shown in this research work  that we can accelerate the immune response. The other side is that if that response persists and we get constant inflammation – which is usually associated with bacterial infection and which causes a lot of tissue damage – we have a new way to shut down that tissue-damaging inflammation.

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-020-0773-2

https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-have-discovered-another-tri...

Scientists think Planet 9 could be a primordial black hole

For several years, astronomers and cosmologists have theorized about the existence of an additional planet with a mass 10 times greater than that of Earth, situated in the outermost regions of the solar system. This hypothetical planet, dubbed Planet 9, could be the source of gravitational effects that would explain the unusual patterns in the orbits of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) highlighted by existing cosmological data. TNOs are celestial bodies that orbit the sun and are located beyond Neptune.

Now researchers have recently carried out an investigation exploring the possibility that Planet 9 is a primordial black hole. 

OGLE is a research project carried out at the University of Warsaw that entailed capturing images of the sky using advanced telescopes over long periods of time.

The reanalysis of the OGLE dataset tentatively pointed to the existence of a population of PBHs with a mass similar to what astronomers predicted the mass of Planet 9 would be. When Scholtz and Unwin learned about these tentative findings, they started specifically considering the possibility that Planet 9 may, in fact, be a primordial black hole.

 the researchers showed that one of the previously theorized scenarios for the origin of Planet 9, known as the "capture of a free-floating planet," is just as likely when considered as a scenario involving the capture of a PBH

 What if planet 9 is a primordial black hole? Physical Review Letters (2020). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.051103.

Evidence for a distant giant planet in the solar system. The Astronomical Journal (2020). DOI: 10.3847/0004-6256/151/2/22.

The planet nine hypothesis. Physics Reports (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.physrep.2019.01.009.

Constraints on Earth-mass primordial black holes from OGLE 5-year microlensing events. Physical Review D (2020). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.99.083503.

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-planet-primordial-black-hole.html?utm...