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Thursday, March 10, 2016

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Aaaaaaah, Really? You Would Die If You Didn't Sigh

Now, researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and Stanford University have identified the source of sighing, which they classify as a life-sustaining reflex that prevents air sacs located in the lungs, called alveoli, from collapsing. "A human lung has as much surface area as a tennis court, and so that's all folded inside your chest," study co-author Jack Feldman, a professor of neurobiology at UCLA, told Live Science. "The way that nature did it is that there's 500 million little air sacs called alveoli.

Surfers Invent Floating Trash Bin to Clean Up World's Oceans

Two Australian surfers are trying to tackle the planet's water pollution problem head-on, by developing a device that functions as an automated floating trash bin for the world's oceans. The device, called the Seabin, can be placed in the water, attached to a floating dock in a marina, and is connected to an onshore water pump.

Mastication adaptation: easier chewing benefited human ancestors

By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A study in which people chewed on pieces of raw goat meat and vegetables smacked with a rock is shedding light on how changes long ago in the way our ancestors dined paved the way for physiological advances that helped make us who were are today. Scientists said on Wednesday the advent of meat-eating combined with the use of simple tone tools to make food easier to consume meant that members of the human lineage about 2.5 million years ago all of a sudden had less need for chewing. Without needing to spend much of the day chewing food as chimpanzees do, our ancestors underwent significant evolutionary changes, acquiring smaller teeth, jaws and chewing muscles while losing the snout possessed by their predecessors.

Stephen Hawking joins 150 top scientists calling for Britain to stay in EU

Stephen Hawking has joined more than 150 top scientists in calling for Britain to stay in the European Union, saying that leaving would be "a disaster for UK science and universities". The physicist and other members of the Royal Society, including three Nobel laureates, made the case against Brexit, as leaving is widely called, in a letter to The Times on Thursday.

Stephen Hawking joins 150 top scientists calling for Britain to stay in EU

How Often Do Big Fireballs Blaze Up in Earth's Sky?

A fireball exploded over the south Atlantic Ocean on Feb. 6 in the most powerful such event since February 2013, when a similar "airburst" injured more than 1,200 people in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk. Meteors burn up in Earth's atmosphere every day, but most are small and therefore fly completely under the radar. Fireballs as dramatic as the Feb. 6 event — which was caused by an object estimated to be 16 to 23 feet (5 to 7 meters) wide — occur about once every two to three years, according to Peter Brown, a professor at the University of Western Ontario in Canada and a member of the Western Meteor Physics Group.

Ancient Roman Tavern Found Littered with Patrons' Drinking Bowls

One of France's earliest-known Roman taverns is still littered with drinking bowls and animal bones, even though more than 2,000 years have passed since it served patrons, a new archaeological study finds. The finding is a valuable one, said study co-researcher Benjamin Luley, a visiting assistant professor of anthropology and classics at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. Before the Romans invaded the south of France, in 125 B.C., a culture speaking the Celtic language lived there and practiced its own customs.

Ripe Old Age: SeaWorld's Killer Whale Tilikum Near Death at 35

The killer whale named Tilikum, who made headlines after killing his trainer at SeaWorld in 2010, has a respiratory infection that may ultimately take the orca's life, at age 35. Tilikum's health has declined during the past few weeks, likely because of a drug-resistant bacterial infection in his lungs, officials said. "Tilikum's behavior has become increasingly lethargic, and the SeaWorld veterinary and animal care teams are concerned that his health is beginning to deteriorate," SeaWorld Cares said in the statement.

New 'LightningStrike' Plane Will Take Off, Hover & Land Vertically

DARPA, the government agency charged with developing new military technologies, awarded a contract to Aurora Flight Sciences Corp. to design a new vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, the company announced March 3. Aurora was one of four companies competing in the first phase of DARPA's VTOL Experimental Plane (X-Plane) program. The other competing companies were The Boeing Co., Karem Aircraft Inc., and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., according to DARPA.

Robots welcome visitors to Berlin travel fair

By Victoria Bryan BERLIN (Reuters) - Chihira Kanae is greeting visitors to the world's biggest travel fair in Berlin this week, answering questions and guiding people in the right direction. The Marriott hotel in Ghent has been trialling Mario, using him to hand out room keys, high-five guests and liven up meetings held in the hotel by reading out presentations.

Africa must spend more on science research to halt brain drain, lift growth - scientists

By Kieran Guilbert DAKAR (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A lack of investment in science is stunting Africa's growth, driving engineers, researchers and scientists abroad and depriving the continent of billions of dollars each year, the founder of a landmark conference said on Thursday. Africa loses $4 billion a year by outsourcing jobs in science, technology, engineering and maths, the so-called STEM fields, to foreign professionals, said Thierry Zomahoun, chairman and founder of the Next Einstein Forum (NEF). ...

First Uterus Transplant in US Has Failed Due to Complications

The Cleveland Clinic first announced the uterus transplant on Feb. 25. "There is a known risk in solid organ transplantation that the transplanted organ may have to be removed should a complication arise.

Scientists find 'good' cholesterol can sometimes be bad

By Ben Hirschler LONDON (Reuters) - So-called "good" cholesterol may actually increase heart attack risks in some people, researchers said on Thursday, a discovery that casts fresh doubt on drugs designed to raise it. High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is generally associated with reduced heart risks, since it usually offsets the artery-clogging effects of the low density (LDL) form. "Our results indicate that some causes of raised HDL actually increase risk for heart disease," said lead researcher Daniel Rader of the University of Pennsylvania.

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Wednesday, March 9, 2016

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Bezos' space company aims for passenger flights in 2018

Jeff Bezos' space company Blue Origin expects to begin crewed test flights of its reusable suborbital New Shepard vehicle next year and begin flying paying passengers in 2018, Bezos told reporters on Tuesday. Bezos' remarks, made during the first ever media tour of the Blue Origin manufacturing facility, marked the first time the billionaire founder of Amazon.com had put a target date on the start of the commercial space flights Blue Origin is developing. Blue Origin's first reusable rocket was lost in a test flight in April 2015, though the capsule parachuted safely back to the ground.

Mysterious extinction of prehistoric marine reptiles explained

By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One of the enduring mysteries of paleontology, the demise of a highly successful group of dolphin-like marine reptiles called ichthyosaurs that flourished in Earth's seas for more than 150 million years, may finally have been solved. Scientists on Tuesday attributed their extinction 94 million years ago to the combination of global warming and their own failure to evolve swiftly enough. The research, the most comprehensive analysis to date of their disappearance, undercut previous notions that ichthyosaurs had been in decline for tens of millions of years and had been out-competed by other predators such as the fearsome ocean-going lizards called mosasaurs that were just arriving on the scene.

Clouds over Indonesia obscure total eclipse of the sun for many

By Darren Whiteside and Kanupriya Kapoor PALEMBANG, Indonesia (Reuters) - A solar eclipse enthralled Indonesia on Wednesday but clouds spoiled the view for many skywatchers in the east of the archipelago, the only part of the country that had the opportunity to see it in totality. In Palembang city on the western island of Sumatra where the total eclipse should have been visible, cloudy skies and smog obscured the view for many of the thousands of people who gathered outside shortly after daybreak. ...

Going places: machine beats top Go player in another AI milestone

SEOUL (Reuters) - Google's AlphaGo computer program on Wednesday won the first of a series of five matches against one of the world's best players of the complex board game, Go, marking a new milestone in the development of artificial intelligence (AI). South Korean professional Go player Lee Sedol, an 18-time international title winner, conceded defeat in a match broadcast live, with one Youtube stream watched by tens of thousands of people worldwide, and domestic cable gave frequent updates. ...

'Overdosing' on Exercise May Be Toxic to the Heart

Extreme exercise may be toxic to your heart, according to a provocative review of studies set to appear in an upcoming issue of the Canadian Journal of Cardiology. Pushing your body to the max day after day can stress your heart and raise your risk for a type of abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation, or A-fib, which ultimately can lead to heart failure or a stroke, according to the review, which analyzed 12 studies on A-fib in athletes and endurance runners. But before you fall off your sofa laughing at the ambitious among us, note that not exercising at all is far worse for your heart than overdoing it, doctors emphasize.

Inhaled 'Poppers' Can Lead to Vision Problems

A 52-year-old man in Scotland who inhaled recreational drugs called poppers developed vision problems that have lasted for months, and the impairment may even become permanent, according to a new report of his case. Although the man has since recovered his vision to some extent, it remained reduced in both eyes at his last follow-up appointment about two months ago, said Dr. Joshua Luis, one of the doctors who treated the man and co-authored the report. "He may not be able to read as fine print as he used to, but it shouldn't have too much of an impact on day-to-day life," Luis told Live Science.

Man's Routine Dental Procedure Causes Life-Threatening Infection

A man in Pennsylvania developed a rare and potentially life-threatening infection after a routine dental exam and teeth cleaning, according to a new report of his case. The 57-year-old man recovered from the infection after treatment, said the doctors who treated the man and wrote the report. The type of infection that the man had is very rare, and the chances of getting this type of infection during a dental procedure are very low, said Dr. Faton Bytyci, a resident physician at Sacred Heart Hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania, who treated the man and co-authored the report.

Shades of Luke Skywalker? Bionic Fingertip Lets Amputee Feel Textures

Using a bionic fingertip, an amputee for the first time has been able to feel rough and smooth textures in real-time, as though the fingertip were naturally connected to his hand. After Luke Skywalker got his hand cut off during a duel with Darth Vader in "Star Wars," the young Jedi received an artificial hand that helped him both grip and feel again. Doctors immediately amputated the appendage after Sørensen was brought to a hospital.

Apple vs. FBI: What's Really Going On?

Apple is embroiled in a battle with the FBI over an iPhone that was used by one of the shooters involved in the December attack that killed 14 and wounded 22 in San Bernardino, California. The two sides are involved in an ongoing court case over Apple's refusal to comply with a Feb. 16 order from a federal judge that demanded that the tech giant build custom software to help the FBI break into an iPhone 5c given to slain attacker Syed Rizwan Farook by his employer. Here's what you need to know about Apple's fight with the FBI.

Monkeys Move Wheelchairs Using Just Their Thoughts

Monkeys equipped with wireless brain implants were able to control robotic wheelchairs using only their thoughts, according to a new study. The brain waves of two rhesus macaques were used to direct motor commands on a motorized wheelchair. The monkeys were initially trained to navigate the wheelchair by simply watching it move, the researchers said.

Israeli placental cell therapy could cure radiation sickness

By Elana Ringler Israeli biotech firm Pluristem Therapeutics said it hopes its anti-radiation therapy will protect Fukushima workers decommissioning nuclear reactors and save lives in the future if ever a similar catastrophe occurs. The Haifa-based company said they have developed a placenta-based cell therapy injection that can fully cure patients with multiple organ failure caused by high radiation exposure. Pluristem Therapeutics' Vice President of Medical and Clinical Affairs Dr. Esther Lukasiewicz Hagai said cells grown from placentas donated by women who had undergone a C-section, are harvested to create a cocktail of therapeutic proteins which combat potentially lethal damage to the lungs, skin, bone marrow and gastrointestinal tract caused by radiation exposure. "We've been investigating the placenta for the last decade and we have discovered that the placenta cells have unique properties that can help the body to recover after exposure to high level of radiation," Lukasiewicz Hagai said.

NASA plans to fix Mars spacecraft leak then launch in 2018

NASA plans to repair a Mars spacecraft that was grounded in December because of a leak in its primary science instrument, putting the mission back on track for another launch attempt in 2018, the U.S. space agency said on Wednesday. The spacecraft, a satellite known as InSight, was designed to study the deep interior of Mars, information that will help scientists figure out how the planet, and other rocky planets such as Earth, formed and evolved. The space agency said it was reviewing how much the repair would cost, but the project's lead scientist last week estimated the price tag would be about $150 million above the $675 million already budgeted.

Could New Planets Form Around Old Stars, Too? (Video, Images)

The newly released image, which was captured by the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) in Chile, shows a dusty disk around an old double star called IRAS 08544-4431, which lies about 4,000 light-years from Earth in the southern constellation of Vela (The Sails). "Our observations and modeling open a new window to study the physics of these disks, as well as stellar evolution in double stars," study co-author Hans Van Winckel, of the Instituut voor Sterrenkunde in Belgium, said in a statement. The scientists used several VLTI telescopes, an associated instrument called the Precision Integrated-Optics Near-infrared Imaging ExpeRiment (PIONIER) and a new high-speed infrared detector to take the photo.

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Tuesday, March 8, 2016

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This Week's Total Solar Eclipse: Science of the Celestial Event

Skywatchers, to your telescopes! This week, a total solar eclipse will put on a dramatic celestial show, darkening the skies over Southeast Asia in what will be the only total eclipse of the sun this year. This week's eclipse will happen early Wednesday (March 9) local time in Southeast Asia (Tuesday, March 8, EST). The total solar eclipse will begin over the Indian Ocean, casting a shadow over parts of Sumatra, Borneo and other islands, before moving east across the Pacific Ocean.

'Unbelievable Event': Uterus Transplanted in a First for US

A 26-year-old woman who learned at age 16 that she would be unable to have children now has a chance to do so, thanks to the first uterus transplant in the U.S. The transplant provides hope for women who are unable to have babies due to uterus-related issues, said the doctors who completed the transplant. A condition called uterine factor infertility — in which a woman is unable to get pregnant because she either does not have a uterus, or the uterus does not function properly — affects an estimated 50,000 women in the United States, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Orbital eyes first customer for in-space satellite servicing

By Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Orbital ATK Inc on Monday said it hopes to announce within the next six to eight weeks its first contract for a new "in space" service aimed at extending the life and uses of aging commercial satellites in geosynchronous orbit. Tom Wilson, vice president of strategy and business development at Orbital ATK, said the company had invested tens of millions of dollars in the new capability, but gave no specific amount. Wilson said each year about 70 satellites of the 380 communications satellites in orbit could potentially need servicing as they reached the end of the propellant that allows them to maintain their position in space.

Mysterious 'Area 6' Landing Strip in Nevada Desert Baffles Experts

A mysterious, mile-long landing strip in the remote Nevada desert could be the home base for testing sensors on a top-secret fleet of drones, security experts speculate. The asphalt landing strip is in Area 6 of the Yucca Flat test site, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) northeast of the infamous Area 51 that has long been the subject of conspiracy theories. In Area 6, a handful of hangars with clamshell doors are clustered at one end of the airstrip, images from Google Earth reveal.

A 35-Inch Waist and Your Health: What's the Link?

In reaction to model Ashley Graham gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated's latest swimsuit issue, former Sports Illustrated cover girl and supermodel Cheryl Tiegs sounded not so positive about women with larger waistlines. "I don't like it that we're talking about full-figured women, because it's glamorizing them, and your waist should be smaller than 35 [inches]," Tiegs said in an interview with E! on the red carpet of the 13th Annual Global Green USA pre-Oscar party. Celebrity feuds aside, Tiegs' reaction left many people curious about whether a 35-inch waist is a true marker of health.

Bionic fingertip gives sense of touch to amputee

By Matthew Stock A bionic fingertip has given an amputee the sensation of rough or smooth textures via electrodes implanted into nerves in his upper arm. Scientists from EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) and SSSA (Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Italy) successfully allowed amputee Dennis Aabo Sørensen to receive this sophisticated tactile information in real-time. The research, published in science journal eLife, says Sørensen is the first person in the world to recognize texture using a bionic fingertip connected to electrodes surgically implanted above his stump.

Microbial Manifesto: The Global Push to Understand the Microbiome (Kavli Roundtable)

Read more perspective pieces on the Kavli Expert Voices landing page. With a unified focus, researchers hope to learn how microbiomes could not only cure infectious diseases and reduce antibiotic drug resistance, but also reclaim exhausted farmland, cut fertilizer and pesticide use, and produce new fuels and carbon-based chemicals. Such analyses show that microbial communities can be incredibly diverse , including hundreds of thousands of different microbial species, all interacting with one another.

A Demon Ate the Sun: How Solar Eclipses Inspired Superstition

The first and only total solar eclipse of 2016 will roll across the sky this week. Total solar eclipses — when the moon's shadow blocks the sun entirely — are spectacular events, highly anticipated by astronomers, astrophotographers and casual spectators alike. Throughout history, cultures around the world sought to provide context and explanation for eclipses, and like the eclipses themselves, the legends attached to the events were dramatic. This week's total solar eclipse will be visible from Indonesia and from the North Pacific Ocean early on Wednesday (March 9) local time, (late Tuesday, March 8, EST).

The World's Most Innovative Research Institutions

Topping the list is France's Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), for its research into areas including renewable power, public health, and information security. On a country-by-country basis, the United States leads the list, with six organizations ranked (France and Japan each have four, and Germany has three).

Slippery Asteroid Surprises Scientists With Early Earth Flyby

An asteroid zoomed past Earth at a safe distance Monday (March 7), a day earlier than scientists had predicted. The near-Earth asteroid 2013 TX68 flew by our planet at 8:42 a.m. EST (1342 GMT) Monday at a distance of 2.54 million miles (4.09 million kilometers), according to researchers at the Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, who pegged the object's diameter at between 56 and 177 feet (17 to 54 meters). This threat would likely come via serious climate effects, with the impact from such an object potentially throwing up enough dust and soot (from resulting fires) to plunge Earth into a mini ice age for several years.

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