New evidence our neighborhood in space is stuffed with hydrogen

Only the two Voyager spacecraft have ever been there, and it took than more than 30 years of supersonic travel. It lies well past the orbit of Pluto, through the rocky Kuiper belt, and on for four times that distance. This realm, marked only by an invisible magnetic boundary, is where Sun-dominated space ends: the closest reaches of interstellar space.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-evidence-neighborhood-space-stuffed-hydrogen.html

US judge sets up fresh roadblock in Trump bid to ban TikTok

A US federal judge on Friday issued an injunction temporarily blocking an executive order by President Donald Trump aimed at banning TikTok, throwing up a legal roadblock ahead of a November 12 deadline.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-fresh-roadblock-trump-tiktok.html

Philippines evacuates nearly 1 million as Typhoon Goni nears

Nearly a million people in the Philippines were evacuated from their homes Saturday as the most powerful typhoon of the year so far barrelled towards the country, with authorities warning of "destructive" winds and flooding.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-philippines-evacuate-typhoon-goni-nears.html

Sri Lanka returns illegal waste to Britain after court order

Sri Lanka has started shipping 242 containers of hazardous waste, including body parts from mortuaries, back to Britain after a two year court battle by an environment watchdog, officials said Saturday.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-sri-lanka-illegal-britain-court.html

US jury tells Apple to pay $503 mn in patent case

A jury in Texas on Friday decided that Apple should pay $503 million for infringing virtual private network technology patented by software security firm VirnetX.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-jury-apple-mn-patent-case.html

Experts see substantial danger to democratic stability around 2020 election

On the eve of the November 3 election, Bright Line Watch—the political science research project of faculty at the University of Rochester, the University of Chicago, and Dartmouth College—finds that experts are concerned about substantial risks to the legitimacy of the election, including potential problems in the casting and counting of votes, the Electoral College, and in the resolution of electoral disputes.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-experts-substantial-danger-democratic-stability.html

Apple iPhone sales tumble, trimming profit

Apple shares were sent reeling Thursday on word of a steep drop in sales of iPhones, which are at the heart of the tech titan's money-making engine.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-apple-iphone-sales-trimming-profit.html

Big Tech delivers strong profits amid pandemic, political scrutiny

Big Tech powerhouses Thursday delivered robust quarterly earnings reports, leveraging the needs of pandemic-hit consumers amid heightened scrutiny of their economic power.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-big-tech-strong-profits-pandemic.html

Australia bushfire inquiry warns 'compounding disasters' to come

Australians should be ready for "compounding" overlapping crises as they face more frequent, costly and severe climate change-worsened disasters, an inquiry into the nation's recent historic bushfires warned Friday.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-australia-bushfire-inquiry-compounding-disasters.html

JetBlue is the latest airline to retreat from blocking seats

The days of airlines blocking seats to make passengers feel safer about flying during the pandemic are coming closer to an end.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-jetblue-latest-airline-retreat-blocking.html

FBI warns ransomware assault threatens US health care system

Federal agencies warned that cybercriminals could hobbled all 250 U.S. facilities of the hospital chain Universal Health Services, forcing doctors and nurses to rely on paper and pencil for record-keeping and slowing lab work. Employees described chaotic conditions impeding patient care, including mounting emergency room waits and the failure of wireless vital-signs monitoring equipment.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-fbi-ransomware-assault-threatens-health.html

After wolves rebound across US West, future up to voters

The saucer-sized footprints in the mud around the bloody, disemboweled bison carcass were unmistakable: wolves.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-wolves-rebound-west-future-voters.html

Evolution of consumption: A psychological ownership framework

Researchers from Boston University, Rutgers University, University of Washington, Cornell University, and University of Pennsylvania published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that proposes that preserving psychological ownership in the technology-driven evolution of consumption underway should be a priority for marketers and firm strategy.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-evolution-consumption-psychological-ownership-framework.html

Archaeologists reveal human resilience in the face of climate change in ancient Turkey

An examination of two documented periods of climate change in the greater Middle East, between approximately 4,500 and 3,000 years ago, reveals local evidence of resilience and even of a flourishing ancient society despite the changes in climate seen in the larger region.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-archaeologists-reveal-human-resilience-climate.html

Male fin whales surprise scientists by swapping songs

Until now, scientists believed the male fin whale sings just one song pattern, which is unique to the males in his particular group—but new research has blown this theory out of the water. The study, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, suggests that these endangered deep-sea giants actually sing multiple different songs, which may spread to different parts of the ocean through migrating individuals. Understanding the complexity of fin whale song provides new insights into how their populations move and change over time, helping efforts to better protect and manage the world's second largest mammal.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-male-fin-whales-scientists-swapping.html

US senators to quiz Big Tech CEOs on legal protections

Tech platform CEOs on Tuesday defended a US law making them immune from liability for third-party content ahead of a hearing where senators are expected to rebuke the Silicon Valley firms over their handling of social media.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-senators-quiz-big-tech-ceos.html

Europe to send modules, astronauts to NASA moon station

The European Space Agency says it has agreed to provide several modules for NASA's planned outpost around the moon, in return for a chance to send European astronauts to the lunar orbiter.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-europe-modules-astronauts-nasa-moon.html

Here's why Ant Group is about to shatter IPO records

Stella Su, who lives and works in Shanghai, has used an ATM only once in the past year. Instead of cash, in recent years she has done almost all her business using the digital wallet Alipay –- shopping in a mall, buying stuff online or transferring money to friends.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-ant-group-shatter-ipo.html

How computer scientists and marketers can create a better CX with AI

Researchers from Erasmus University, The Ohio State University, York University, and London Business School published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that examines the tension between AI's benefits and costs and then offers recommendations to guide managers and scholars investigating these challenges.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-scientists-cx-ai.html

Reforestation plans in Africa could go awry

The state of mature ecosystems must be taken into account before launching massive reforestation plans in sub-Saharan Africa, according to geo-ecologist Julie Aleman, a visiting researcher in the geography department of Université de Montréal.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-reforestation-africa-awry.html

Coral researchers find link between bacterial genus and disease susceptibility

Corals that appear healthy are more prone to getting sick when they're home to too many parasitic bacteria, new research at Oregon State University shows.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-coral-link-bacterial-genus-disease.html

Mountain gorillas are good neighbours—up to a point

Mountain gorilla groups are friendly to familiar neighbours—provided they stay out of "core" parts of their territory—new research shows.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-mountain-gorillas-good-neighboursup.html

Phytoplasma effector proteins devastate host plants through molecular mimicry

Phytoplasma are a type of bacteria that live within the cells and cause devastating diseases with damaging effects. For example, in many cases plants infected with phytoplasma are no longer able to develop flowers. These plants have actually been described as "zombies," since they allow the reproduction of phytoplasma but are unable to reproduce themselves anymore. A group of biologists based at Friedrich Schiller University and the Fritz Lipmann Institute in Germany are working to help better understand exactly how phytoplasma cells bring about the so-called zombification of plants.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-phytoplasma-effector-proteins-devastate-host.html

Vampire bats social distance when they get sick

A new paper in Behavioral Ecology, published by Oxford University Press, finds that wild vampire bats that are sick spend less time near others from their community, which slows how quickly a disease will spread. The research team had previously seen this behavior in the lab, and used a field experiment to confirm it in the wild.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-vampire-social-distance-sick.html

Big week for Big Tech as earnings, hearings loom

Big Tech is bracing for a tumultuous week marked by quarterly results likely to show resilience despite the pandemic, and fresh attacks from lawmakers ahead of the November 3 election.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-big-week-tech-loom.html

Asteroid samples escaping from jammed NASA spacecraft

A NASA spacecraft is stuffed with so much asteroid rubble from this week's grab that it's jammed open and precious particles are drifting away in space, scientists said Friday.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-asteroid-samples-nasa-spacecraft.html

South America ravaged by unprecedented drought and fires

Under stress from a historic drought, large swathes of forest and wetlands in central South America known for their exceptional biodiversity have been ravaged by devastating fires.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-south-america-ravaged-unprecedented-drought.html

Galapagos sees record rise in penguins, flightless cormorants

The population of Galapagos penguins and flightless cormorants, two species endemic to the islands, has seen a record increase, study results released Friday showed.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-galapagos-penguins-flightless-cormorants.html

India's capital chokes on 'severe' smog as farm fires soar

New Delhi was blanketed in noxious haze Friday as air pollution levels in parts of the city soared to "severe" levels, hours after US President Donald Trump described the air in the vast nation as "filthy".

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-india-capital-severe-smog-farm.html

Timekeeping theory combines quantum clocks and Einstein's relativity

A phenomenon of quantum mechanics known as superposition can impact timekeeping in high-precision clocks, according to a theoretical study from Dartmouth College, Saint Anselm College and Santa Clara University.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-timekeeping-theory-combines-quantum-clocks.html

Researchers use neutrons to study weld-induced stress relief in renewable energy infrastructure

Welding is an essential part of manufacturing, and the key to making crack-free welds relies on the ability to understand how the weld is put together atom by atom.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-neutrons-weld-induced-stress-relief-renewable.html

Daimler lifts outlook on higher third-quarter profits

German auto giant Daimler, maker of Mercedes-Benz, said Friday that it was upgrading its earnings forecast for the whole of 2020 after group profits rose in the third quarter.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-daimler-outlook-higher-third-quarter-profits.html

Voters unlikely to blame politicians for their handling of the pandemic at next election

Politicians are unlikely to be punished or rewarded for their failures or successes in managing the coronavirus pandemic at the next election, suggests an analysis of survey data from the US, the UK and India, published in the online journal BMJ Global Health.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-voters-blame-politicians-pandemic-election.html

Big data firm Palantir working with US on vaccine effort

Big data company Palantir is working with US health officials on a project to track the production and distribution of future COVID-19 vaccines.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-big-firm-palantir-vaccine-effort.html

Intel shares tumble as pandemic hits results

Computer chipmaker Intel saw shares slide Thursday after reporting weak sales for its data center and internet of things operations that overshadowed improvement in the personal computer market.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-intel-pandemic-results.html

Ultimate absentee ballot: US astronaut votes from space station

At least she didn't have to wait in line.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-ultimate-absentee-ballot-astronaut-votes.html

Hong Kong needs tougher laws to tackle wildlife crime say researchers

Hong Kong is thriving as a transnational wildlife smuggling hub because its laws are not strong enough to tackle organised crime running the lucrative trade, researchers said Friday.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-hong-kong-tougher-laws-tackle.html

Rust Belt upstart Lordstown Motors set to make Nasdaq debut

Could a new Tesla-like upstart be the savior of a once-mighty Ohio steel region ravaged by deindustrialization?

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-rust-belt-upstart-lordstown-motors.html

Huawei sales up, but growth slows under virus, US pressure

Chinese tech giant Huawei, one of the biggest makers of smartphones and switching equipment, said Friday its revenue rose 9.9% in the first nine months of this year, but growth decelerated in the face of U.S. sanctions and the coronavirus pandemic.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-huawei-sales-growth-virus-pressure.html

Tesla 'full self-driving' vehicles can't drive themselves

Earlier this week, Tesla sent out its "full self-driving" software to a small group of owners who will test it on public roads. But buried on its website is a disclaimer that the $8,000 system doesn't make the vehicles autonomous and drivers still have to supervise it.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-tesla-full-self-driving-vehicles.html

Wildfires can cause dangerous debris flows

Wildfires don't stop being dangerous after the flames go out. Even one modest rainfall after a fire can cause a deadly landslide, according to new UC Riverside research.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-wildfires-dangerous-debris.html

Grafting with epigenetically-modified rootstock yields surprise

Novel grafted plants—consisting of rootstock epigenetically modified to "believe" it has been under stress—joined to an unmodified scion, or above-ground shoot, give rise to progeny that are more vigorous, productive and resilient than the parental plants.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-grafting-epigenetically-modified-rootstock-yields.html

Airbnb partners with ex-Apple design star Jony Ive

Airbnb has hired former Apple design chief Jony Ive to work on showcasing the homesharing platform's forthcoming products, it announced Wednesday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-airbnb-partners-ex-apple-star-jony.html

Short-video app Quibi shutting down just months after launch

Short-video app Quibi said it is shutting down just six months after its early April launch, having struggled to find customers.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-short-video-app-quibi-months.html

NASA spacecraft sent asteroid rubble flying in sample grab

NASA's Osiris-Rex spacecraft crushed rocks and sent rubble flying as it briefly touched an asteroid, a strong indication that samples were collected for return to Earth, officials said Wednesday.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-nasa-spacecraft-asteroid-rubble-sample.html

Tesla posts net profit for fifth straight quarter

Tesla charged through a summertime auto industry sales slump in the U.S. to post stronger-than-expected net earnings for the third quarter.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-tesla-net-profit-straight-quarter.html

In Dubai, oil-rich UAE sees a new wonder: A coal power plant

A new wonder is rising in the southern desert of Dubai against the backdrop of Persian Gulf beaches, but it's not another skyscraper to grace the futuristic sheikhdom. Instead, it's one of mankind's oldest power sources gaining its own space on the oil-rich Arabian Peninsula—a coal-fired power plant.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-dubai-oil-rich-uae-coal-power.html

Trio who lived on space station return to Earth safely

A trio of space travelers safely returned to Earth on Thursday after a six-month mission on the International Space Station.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-trio-space-station-earth-safely.html

New approach could lead to designed plastics with specific properties

Imagine a plastic bag that can carry home your groceries, then quickly degrade, without harming the environment. Or a super-strong, lightweight plastic for airplanes, rockets, and satellites that can replace traditional structural metals in aerospace technologies.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-approach-plastics-specific-properties.html

Ice loss likely to continue in Antarctica

A new international study led by Monash University climate scientists has revealed that ice loss in Antarctica persisted for many centuries after it was initiated and is expected to continue.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-ice-loss-antarctica.html

Research collaboration COVID-19 cloud testing platform has potential to help beyond pandemic

A population-level disease monitoring system that employs at-home self-swab kits is being expanded today, at no cost to participants, as part of an infection prevalence study in the San Francisco Bay Area. The system could have broader impact on testing not only for COVID-19, but for other diseases as well.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-collaboration-covid-cloud-platform-potential.html

Researchers suggest using urchin-like particles to accelerate cell biochemical reactions

Research from ITMO suggests using urchin-like particles controlled by a magnetic field to accelerate chemical reactions in cells. This new technology will allow them to increase cell membrane permeability and at the same time preserve the cell's initial structure. This can simplify substance delivery and increase the rate of biocatalysis. The research was published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-urchin-like-particles-cell-biochemical-reactions.html

Tomato plants communicate at a molecular level

Working together with researchers from the University of Tübingen, the University of Tromsø, UC Davis and the Sainsbury Laboratory in Norwich, biologists from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) have discovered how tomato plants identify Cuscuta as a parasite. The plant has a protein in its cell walls that is identified as "foreign" by a receptor in the tomato.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-tomato-molecular.html

Ericsson earnings boosted by 5G network rollouts

Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson has reported upbeat third quarter earnings, helped mainly by the rollout of 5G wireless networks in China and a strong U.S. market.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-ericsson-boosted-5g-network-rollouts.html

US antitrust crackdown on Google echoes Europe's moves

The U.S. antitrust crackdown on Google might seem like deja vu for European Union regulators.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-antitrust-crackdown-google-echoes-europe.html

Future wearable electronic clothing could be charged by our own body heat

Thanks to rapid computing developments in the last decade and the miniaturisation of electronic components, people can, for example, track their movements and monitor their health in real time by wearing tiny computers. Researchers are now looking at how best to power these devices by turning to the user's own body heat and working with garments, polka dots and know-how from the textile industry.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-future-wearable-electronic-body.html

Current Chernobyl-level radiation harmful to bees: study

Bumblebees exposed to levels of radiation found within the Chernobyl exclusion zone suffered a "significant" drop in reproduction, in new research published Wednesday that scientists say should prompt a rethink of international calculations of nuclear environmental risk.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-current-chernobyl-level-bees.html

New combustion models improve efficiency and accuracy

Researchers at Princeton University have developed a new model that will allow engineers to accurately predict the characteristics of combustion processes with far less computing power than previously needed. The new model breaks a long-standing trade-off between models that are efficient but narrowly useful and models that are more general but computationally expensive.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-combustion-efficiency-accuracy.html

Mathematical model to objectively analyzes the appeal of games

Games and the very act of playing have been around since before the cradle of human civilization. However, games have constantly evolved over time, with various rule sets and modes of play falling in and out of favor throughout history. In turn, this implies that people at different times enjoyed different aspects of each game, which may constitute a vivid reflection of the cultural tendencies of each era. Unfortunately, the attractiveness of games is tied to human psychology, and finding objective evidence in topics related to the realm of the human mind is a difficult task. Could there possibly be a way to quantify universal characteristics of games so as to put them under rigorous mathematical analysis?

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-mathematical-appeal-games.html

New method can help industry choose the best location for production

Despite the recent trend toward increased sustainability and the development of new sustainable ways of working, there is more to do when it comes to decisions about manufacturing and location. Today's fragmented supply chains, with suppliers at several levels and different production sites, have led to reduced traceability and difficulties in ensuring the supply chain's economic, environmental, and social sustainability.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-method-industry-production.html

Asian Americans more affected by pandemic-related unemployment than any other racial group

While the lockdown associated with COVID-19 has negatively affected people from all walks of life, one U.S. minority group is bearing the brunt of unemployment.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-asian-americans-affected-pandemic-related-unemployment.html

Experts: Artificial intelligence provides students more individualized teaching

There is constant discussion of using artificial intelligence and learning analytics to support teaching. New digital methods, platforms and tools are being introduced more and more, and the opportunities created by the development of artificial intelligence are to be harnessed to enhance teaching and provide students with increasingly individualized teaching. Jiri Lallimo (Project Manager, Teacher Services), Ville Kivimäki (Expert, Dean's Unit, School of Engineering), Thomas Bergström (Expert, IT Services) and Juha Martikainen (Systems Specialist, IT Services) from Aalto University have been studying the issue.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-experts-artificial-intelligence-students-individualized.html

Novel medical imaging approach unlocks potential for improved diagnoses and interventions

Researchers from Helmholtz Zentrum München and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), jointly developed new imaging tools to allow non-invasive imaging of distinct structures, like blood vessels, in multicolor and in real-time. The new imaging system is based on an approach widely used in other industries and allows the monitoring of multiple parameters (multiplexing)—a technical challenge which could disrupt future clinical imaging applications.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-medical-imaging-approach-potential-interventions.html

Researchers create a single-molecule switch

A team of researchers has demonstrated for the first time a single-molecule electret—a device that could be one of the keys to molecular computers.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-single-molecule.html

Evidence of broadside collision with dwarf galaxy discovered in Milky Way

Nearly 3 billion years ago, a dwarf galaxy plunged into the center of the Milky Way and was ripped apart by the gravitational forces of the collision. Astrophysicists announced today that the merger produced a series of telltale shell-like formations of stars in the vicinity of the Virgo constellation, the first such "shell structures" to be found in the Milky Way. The finding offers further evidence of the ancient event, and new possible explanations for other phenomena in the galaxy.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-evidence-broadside-collision-dwarf-galaxy.html

Djorgovski 2 hosts multiple stellar populations, study suggests

Astronomers have performed spectroscopic observations of a globular cluster (GC) known as Djorgovski 2 and obtained chemical abundances of the cluster's seven stars. The results suggest that Djorgovski 2 contains multiple stellar populations. The finding was detailed in a paper published October 8 on the arXiv pre-print repository.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-djorgovski-hosts-multiple-stellar-populations.html

Researchers find bovid and rhinocerous species in Tibetan Plateau about 5,200 years ago

A research team led by Prof. Su Bing from Kunming Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, collaborating with the researchers from Lanzhou University and Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, performed a DNA investigation on approximately 5,200-year-old bovid and rhinoceros specimens from the Shannashuzha (SNSZ) site, and revealed that the tropical Bos gaurus and Dicerorhinus sumatrensis once roamed over Tibetan Plateau. The finding was published in PNAS on October 19.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-bovid-rhinocerous-species-tibetan-plateau.html

Microbial diversity below seafloor is as rich as on Earth's surface

For the first time, researchers have mapped the biological diversity of marine sediment, one of Earth's largest global biomes. Although marine sediment covers 70% of the Earth's surface, little was known about its global patterns of microbial diversity.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-microbial-diversity-seafloor-rich-earth.html

Highly selective membranes: Researchers discover how water can affect its own filtration

Membranes with microscopic pores are useful for water filtration. The effect of pore size on water filtration is well-understood, as is the role of ions, charged atoms that interact with the membrane. For the first time, researchers have successfully described the impact water molecules have on other water molecules and on ions as part of the filtration mechanism. The researchers detail a feedback system between water molecules that opens up new design possibilities for highly selective membranes. Applications could include virus filters.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-highly-membranes-affect-filtration.html

London Heathrow unveils rapid pre-flight virus tests

London's Heathrow airport on Tuesday began to roll out paid-for rapid coronavirus testing, with results in one hour, as it seeks to boost demand decimated by the deadly pandemic.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-london-heathrow-unveils-rapid-pre-flight.html

NATO to set up new space center amid China, Russia concerns

To a few of the locals, the top-secret, fenced-off installation on the hill is known as "the radar station." Some folks claim to have seen mysterious Russians in the area. Over the years, rumors have swirled that it might be a base for U.S. nuclear warheads.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-nato-space-center-china-russia.html

Crew in no danger after ISS issues resolved: Russia

The International Space Station is now working normally with no danger to its occupants after the crew managed to resolve a series of technical issues overnight, Russia's space agency said Tuesday.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-crew-danger-iss-issues-russia.html

Declines in shellfish species on rocky seashores match climate-driven changes

The waters of the Gulf of Maine are warming faster than oceans almost anywhere on Earth. And as the level of carbon dioxide rises in the atmosphere, it's absorbed by the oceans, causing pH levels to fall. Ocean acidification makes it difficult for shellfish to thicken their shells—their primary defense against predators.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-declines-shellfish-species-rocky-seashores.html

'Like the speed of the wind': Kenya's lakes rise to destructive highs

Peering into the lake, the village elder struggled to pinpoint where beneath the hyacinth and mesquite weeds lay the farm he lived in his entire life until the water rose like never before and swallowed everything.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-kenya-lakes-destructive-highs.html

SK Hynix in $9 bn deal for Intel's flash memory chip business

The world's second-largest chipmaker, South Korea's SK Hynix, announced a record $9 billion deal Tuesday to buy Intel's flash memory chip operation as it seeks to bolster its position against rival behemoth Samsung Electronics.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-sk-hynix-bn-intel-memory.html

Large earthquake off Alaska prompts tsunami fears, fleeing

A magnitude 7.5 earthquake prompted a tsunami warning Monday for a nearly thousand-mile stretch of Alaska's southern coast, with waves over 2 feet at the nearest community as the threat subsided.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-large-earthquake-alaska-prompts-tsunami.html

Fortunes of China's internet

Jack Ma, founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba, held onto his status as China's richest tycoon this year as surging demand for online shopping and other services during the coronavirus pandemic swelled the fortunes of internet entrepreneurs, according to a survey released Tuesday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-fortunes-china-internet.html

Democracy: Millennials are the most disillusioned generation 'in living memory'—global study

Young people's faith in democratic politics is lower than any other age group, and millennials across the world are more disillusioned with democracy than Generation X or baby boomers were at the same stage of life.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-democracy-millennials-disillusioned-memoryglobal.html

Messier 85 has a peculiar globular cluster system, study finds

Astronomers have conducted a study of stellar population and kinematics of globular clusters (GCs) in the galaxy Messier 85, and found that this galaxy hosts a peculiar globular cluster system. The finding is reported in a paper published October 6 on the arXiv pre-print repository.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-messier-peculiar-globular-cluster.html

Researchers create a new 'green' engine for lorries

Researchers from the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) have designed a new engine to decrease the environmental impact of the most common type of lorries that travel on European roads—those that weigh between 18 and 25 tons. From their laboratories at the CMT-Thermal Engines of the UPV, they propose a new configuration that unites all the benefits of hybrid and dual-fuel combustion engines.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-green-lorries.html

High-confidence approach for artificial intelligence-based models

They call it artificial intelligence—not because the intelligence is somehow fake. It's real intelligence, but it's still made by humans. That means AI—a power tool that can add speed, efficiency, insight and accuracy to a researcher's work—has many limitations.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-high-confidence-approach-artificial-intelligence-based.html

Researchers develop small animal PET scanner with high spatial resolution and high sensitivity

Positron emission tomography (PET) is an important tool for studying the animal model of human diseases and the development of new drugs and new therapies. 

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-small-animal-pet-scanner-high.html

Earth observation instruments pass review

As part of the atmospheric environment monitoring satellite (DQ-1) programs, the Environmental Trace Gas Monitoring Instrument (EMI-II) and Particulate Observing Scanning Polarization (POSP) passed the delivery acceptance review on science island of Hefei, Anhui province last month.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-earth-instruments.html

Researchers develop magnetically switchable mechano-chemotherapy to overcome tumor drug resistance

Prof. Wu Aiguo's team at the Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) developed a novel therapeutic method termed mechano-chemotherapy, which can efficiently overcome tumor drug resistance. The study was published in Nano Today.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-magnetically-switchable-mechano-chemotherapy-tumor-drug.html

Mystery over decline in sea turtle sightings

The number of sea turtles spotted along the coasts of the UK and Ireland has declined in recent years, researchers say.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-mystery-decline-sea-turtle-sightings.html

Amid e-commerce boom, anti-Amazon Shopify takes flight

The pandemic has forced businesses worldwide to pivot online to survive, and many have turned to Shopify, a Canadian company that has emerged as a thriving alternative to Amazon.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-e-commerce-boom-anti-amazon-shopify-flight.html

Contractors or employees? Uber drivers split ahead of California vote

Ahead of a referendum that could upend the whole gig economy, Uber driver Karim Benkanoun says his relationship with the rideshare giant must stop being a one-way street.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-contractors-employees-uber-drivers-california.html

Singapore's world-first face scan plan sparks privacy fears

Singapore will become the world's first country to use facial verification in its national ID scheme, but privacy advocates are alarmed by what they say is an intrusive system vulnerable to abuse.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-singapore-world-first-scan-privacy.html

Airlines face tough winter as hoped-for pick-up fails to materialise

Airlines face a long, hard winter after a much hoped for rebound from the coronavirus crisis failed to materialise, prompting savage cost cutting programmes and fresh calls for government support.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-airlines-tough-winter-hoped-for-pick-up.html

China passes export law protecting national security, covering tech

China has passed a new law restricting sensitive exports to protect national security, a move that adds to policy tools it could wield against the US as tensions—especially in technology—continue to rise.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-china-export-law-national-tech.html

Engineers' report bolsters proposed Mississippi pump project

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Friday published a draft of a new environmental impact statement that supports a proposal for massive pumps to drain floodwaters from parts of the rural Mississippi Delta—a reversal of a previous federal report that said the project would hurt wetlands.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-bolsters-mississippi.html

'Classified knots': Researchers create optical framed knots to encode information

In a world first, researchers from the University of Ottawa in collaboration with Israeli scientists have been able to create optical framed knots in the laboratory that could potentially be applied in modern technologies. Their work opens the door to new methods of distributing secret cryptographic keys—used to encrypt and decrypt data, ensure secure communication and protect private information. The group recently published their findings in Nature Communications.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-optical-encode.html

'Classified knots': Researchers create optical framed knots to encode information

In a world first, researchers from the University of Ottawa in collaboration with Israeli scientists have been able to create optical framed knots in the laboratory that could potentially be applied in modern technologies. Their work opens the door to new methods of distributing secret cryptographic keys—used to encrypt and decrypt data, ensure secure communication and protect private information. The group recently published their findings in Nature Communications.

Instituting a minimum price for alcohol reduces deaths, hospital stays

When governments create a minimum price for alcoholic beverages, deaths and hospitalizations related to alcohol use significantly decrease, according to results from a new report in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

Machine learning model helps characterize compounds for drug discovery

Tandem mass spectrometry is a powerful analytical tool used to characterize complex mixtures in drug discovery and other fields.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-machine-characterize-compounds-drug-discovery.html

Scientists shed new light on viruses' role in coral bleaching

Scientists at Oregon State University have shown that viral infection is involved in coral bleaching—the breakdown of the symbiotic relationship between corals and the algae they rely on for energy.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-scientists-viruses-role-coral.html

The Great Barrier Reef has lost half its corals

A new study of the Great Barrier Reef shows populations of its small, medium and large corals have all declined in the past three decades.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-great-barrier-reef-lost-corals.html

Virus crisis an opportunity to reshape climate reponse: IEA

Only massive investment in clean energy can help overcome the economic crisis caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic while setting the world on a path to meeting its objectives to slow climate change, the International Energy Agency said Tuesday.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-virus-crisis-opportunity-reshape-climate.html

More than half of French nurses approaching burn-out: survey

More than half of French nurses are close to burning out, according to a survey of nearly 60,000 of them published on Sunday, which found they were struggling with cancelled holidays and increased work due to coronavirus.

Brazil reaches 150,000 deaths from COVID-19 milestone

Brazil's count of COVID-19 deaths surpassed 150,000 on Saturday night, despite signs the pandemic is slowly retreating in Latin America's largest nation.

Fake asteroid? NASA expert IDs mystery object as old rocket

The jig may be up for an "asteroid" that's expected to get nabbed by Earth's gravity and become a mini moon next month.

New research on SARS-CoV-2 virus 'survivability'

Researchers at CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, have found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, can survive for up to 28 days on common surfaces including banknotes, glass—such as that found on mobile phone screens—and stainless steel.

Celebrities to lead TED global call to act on climate crisis

The Pope and Prince William will join activists, artists, celebrities and politicians on Saturday at a free streamed TED event aimed at unifying people to confront the climate crisis.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-celebrities-ted-global-climate-crisis.html

World Food Program wins Nobel Peace Prize for hunger fight

The World Food Program won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for fighting hunger and seeking to end its use as "a weapon of war and conflict" at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has driven millions more people to the brink of starvation.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-world-food-nobel-peace-prize.html

Facebook approached FBI about Michigan militia six months ago

Facebook Inc. first approached the FBI six months ago about activity on its platform that led to 13 men being charged in Michigan with planning to storm the state capitol and kidnap the governor.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-facebook-approached-fbi-michigan-militia.html

Argentina becomes first country to approve genetically modified wheat

Argentina has become the first country to approve the growth and consumption of genetically modified wheat, the country's agriculture ministry announced Thursday.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-argentina-country-genetically-wheat.html

Mobile games thrive, even as pandemic keeps players home

Mobile games are thriving as players turn to them for fun and friendship during the pandemic, with increasing numbers of women joining the trend.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-mobile-games-pandemic-players-home.html

Arctic odyssey ends, bringing home tales of alarming ice loss

The biggest Arctic expedition in history will return to the German port of Bremerhaven on Monday after a year-long mission, bringing home observations from scientists that sea ice is melting at a "dramatic rate" in the region.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-arctic-odyssey-home-tales-alarming.html

Airbnb requires hosts to commit to enhanced cleaning

Airbnb said Thursday it will require hosts to comply with enhanced cleaning procedures as part of its effort to reassure guests and local officials during the coronavirus pandemic.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-airbnb-requires-hosts-commit.html

Experts: Warming makes Delta, other storms power up faster

Hurricane Delta, gaining strength as it bears down on the U.S. Gulf Coast, is the latest and nastiest in a recent flurry of rapidly intensifying Atlantic hurricanes that scientists largely blame on global warming.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-experts-delta-storms-power-faster.html

Locals flee as strengthening hurricane barrels toward southern US

The US national guard was mobilized and people on the Louisiana coast evacuated from their homes Friday as a strengthening hurricane bore down that officials say threatens a deadly storm surge and flash flooding.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-locals-hurricane-barrels-southern.html

During a highly partisan time in our nation, survey shows broad bipartisan support for a stronger focus on science

A recent survey commissioned by Research!America on behalf of a working group formed to assess America's commitment to science shows overwhelming support for science across political parties. A strong majority of Americans agree that "the COVID-19 pandemic is a disruptive event and requires urgent refocusing of America's commitment to science."

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-highly-partisan-nation-survey-broad.html

UK early years sector needs new strategy to recruit and support male staff, says study

The UK's early years sector—staffed 96% by women and facing a longstanding recruitment crisis—needs a radical new strategy to gender-diversify its workforce, according to a new report, published today.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-uk-early-years-sector-strategy.html

Teens diagnosed with depression show reduction in educational achievement

Teenagers who receive a depression diagnosis during their school career show a substantial decline in attainment in Year 11, new King's College London research has found.

Stopping opioid-related addiction, harm and accidents after surgery

The opioid crisis, in which addiction and harm are related to pain-relieving opioid drugs, has been well documented. It has been concentrated in the USA but is now affecting most Western nations and increasingly, developing countries also. In some cases, this addiction and subsequent harm begins when the patient is given these drugs for pain relief after surgery.

Ants adapt tool use to avoid drowning

Researchers have observed black imported fire ants using sand to draw liquid food out of containers, when faced with the risk of drowning. This is the first time this sophisticated tool use has been reported in animals. These findings are published in the British Ecological Society journal Functional Ecology.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-ants-tool.html

New algorithm sharpens focus of world's most powerful microscopes

We've all seen that moment in a cop TV show where a detective is reviewing grainy, low-resolution security footage, spots a person of interest on the tape, and nonchalantly asks a CSI technician to "enhance that." A few keyboard clicks later, and voila—they've got a perfect, clear picture of the suspect's face. This, of course, does not work in the real world, as many film critics and people on the internet like to point out.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-algorithm-sharpens-focus-world-powerful.html

Pollinator monitoring more than pays for itself

Monitoring schemes to count bees and other pollinating insects provide excellent value for money, and could help save species and protect UK food security, researchers have found.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-pollinator.html

Spouses of ICU patients may be at increased risk for cardiac events or hospitalization

Having a spouse in a hospital's intensive care unit (ICU) may make a person more likely to have a heart attack or cardiac-related hospitalization themselves within a few weeks of the ICU admission, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation.

Dozens of mammals could be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2

Numerous animals may be vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, according to a large study modelling how the virus might infect different animals' cells, led by UCL researchers.

Britain passes 500,000 coronavirus cases

The United Kingdom passed 500,000 confirmed coronavirus infections on Sunday, official figures showed, in the latest grim milestone for the European country worst-hit by the pandemic.

New Zealand PM says 'we beat the virus again'

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared on Monday New Zealand "beat the virus again" and announced restrictions in the country's largest city would be eased, after a second COVID-19 wave was contained.

In an era of team science, are Nobels out of step?

With the 2020 Nobel prizes this week comes a recurrent question: has the world's most prestigious awards for physics, chemistry and medicine—first conferred in 1901—lost touch with the way modern science is conducted?

'Like wolves to Yellowstone': Tasmanian devils released on Australian mainland

Tasmanian devils have been released into the wild on Australia's mainland 3,000 years after the feisty marsupials went extinct there, in what conservationists described Monday as a "historic" step.

Wildfires raze dozens of homes in New Zealand

Wildfires have destroyed up to 50 homes in New Zealand, authorities announced Monday, saying it was a miracle no one was hurt as "a wall of orange" razed most of a remote South Island village.

Conservation success or pests? Seals spark passionate debate

Nick Muto has fished up and down the New England coast and there is nothing that gets his blood boiling more than the sight of a seal.

NYC seeks to reinstate virus restrictions in some spots

New York City's mayor said Sunday that he has asked the state for permission to close schools and reinstate restrictions on nonessential businesses in several neighborhoods because of a resurgence of the coronavirus.

2020 Nobel season opens with medicine prize

Breakthroughs in the field of health will be honoured Monday when the 2020 Nobel season kicks off with the medicine prize, as the world battles the worst pandemic in a century.

Anglo-Saxon warlord found by detectorists could redraw map of post-Roman Britain

Archaeologists have uncovered a warrior burial in Berkshire that could change historians' understanding of southern Britain in the early Anglo-Saxon era.

Some planets may be better for life than Earth

Earth is not necessarily the best planet in the universe. Researchers have identified two dozen planets outside our solar system that may have conditions more suitable for life than our own. Some of these orbit stars that may be better than even our sun.

How the brain helps us navigate social differences

Our brain responds differently if we talk to a person of a different socioeconomic background from our own compared to when we speak to someone whose background is similar, according to a new imaging study by UCL and Yale researchers.

Parents less aware when their kids vape than when they smoke

Most parents know or suspect when their child smokes, but they are much more likely to be in the dark if the child vapes or uses other tobacco products, according to a large national study by researchers at UC San Francisco.

Method used to track Ebola's trajectory being applied to COVID-19

What exactly happened in Asia that caused SARS-CoV-2 to rapidly spread across the region and then essentially came to a halt there? That's what researchers from the University of South Florida are trying to determine in a new study funded by an NSF Rapid Response grant.

A tale of two cesspits: DNA reveals intestinal health in Medieval Europe and Middle East

A new study published this week in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B demonstrates a first attempt at using the methods of ancient bacterial detection, pioneered in studies of past epidemics, to characterize the microbial diversity of ancient gut contents from two medieval latrines. The findings provide insights into the microbiomes of pre-industrial agricultural populations, which may provide much-needed context for interpreting the health of modern microbiomes.

Hospitals serving minority patients follow breast cancer recommendations at similar rate

Among accredited U.S. cancer centers, hospitals serving primarily minority patients are as likely as other hospitals to offer the standard of surgical care for early-stage breast cancer, according to results presented at the virtual American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2020.

All members of military surgical teams can benefit from military-civilian partnerships

Military surgical teams face unique demands on and off the battlefield. Combat trauma represents 0.5 percent of the 1 million annual military health system hospital admissions, presenting a challenge for military surgical teams to remain combat ready. Previous research has established the many benefits of military-civilian partnerships for training military surgeons prior to deployment and retaining critical skills during deployment. However, there exists a lack of data about the readiness and case volumes of other members of Army Forward Resuscitative Surgical Teams (FRSTs). Researchers who studied clinical practice patterns in non-physician members of Army FRSTs, particularly comparing the experience of active duty and Army reservist team members, presented their findings during the virtual American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2020.

Study shows need for balance in post-surgery opioid prescribing guidelines

To address the opioid epidemic, surgeons have embraced guidelines to reduce the number of opioid pills they prescribe to patients after surgery, and the efforts have helped to significantly reduce the number of opioids in circulation. But new research presented at the virtual American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2020 reports that these guidelines may be missing a small group of patients that need a greater level of pain control.

New artificial intelligence models show potential for predicting outcomes

New applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in health care settings have shown early success in improving survival and outcomes in traffic accident victims transported by ambulance and in predicting survival after liver transplantation, according to two research studies presented at the virtual American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2020.

Researchers zero in on genetic connection to postpartum hemorrhage

Researchers have identified genetic mutations that appear to protect women from severe bleeding after childbirth, a leading cause of maternal death. A preliminary study of the findings is being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2020 annual meeting.

Black children more than twice as likely to die after surgical complications

When it comes to surgery, minority children lag far behind white children, according to two analyses of large national databases being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2020 annual meeting. One found Black children are more than twice as likely as white children to die following surgical complications that require an unplanned additional operation. Another study determined Black, Asian and Hispanic children are about half as likely to have surgery as white children.

COVID-19 testing of children before anesthesia saves PPE

Universal COVID-19 testing of children who are having procedures requiring anesthesia promotes efficient use of personal protective equipment (PPE), according to research being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2020 annual meeting.

Significant decline in prescription opioid abuse seen among Americans at last

Almost 20 years into the opioid epidemic, there finally is evidence of significant and continual decreases in the abuse of these risky pain medications, according to an analysis of national data being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2020 annual meeting.

Treating DCIS with surgery and radiotherapy lowers cancer risk but benefits drop over time

A major study of women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) - a breast condition that can become invasive cancer—has shown that surgery to remove the tissue followed by radiotherapy offers better protection compared to surgery alone.

Virtual follow-up care is more convenient and just as beneficial to surgical patients

Surgical patients who participate in virtual follow-up visits after their operations spend a similar amount of time with surgical team members as those who meet face-to-face. Moreover, these patients benefit by spending less time waiting at and traveling to the clinic for in-person appointments, according to research findings presented at the virtual American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2020.

Radish seeds, meats and cheeses launched to space station

A space station cargo ship rocketed into orbit Friday carrying a 360-degree camera for spacewalking, radish seeds for growing and a smorgasbord of fancy meats and cheeses for feasting.

Subsidized cars help low-income families economically, socially

For one low-income woman, not having a car meant long commutes on public transit with her children in tow, sometimes slogging through cold or inclement weather. But after buying a subsidized car through a Maryland-based nonprofit, she was able to move to a home located farther from bus stops, send her children to better schools and reach less expensive medical services.

Antarctic Peninsula at warmest in decades: study

The year 2020 is the hottest in the Antarctic Peninsula in the past three decades, a study by the University of Santiago de Chile out Friday found.

Nobel Prizes and COVID-19: Slow, basic science may pay off

While the world wants flashy quick fixes for everything, especially massive threats like the coronavirus and global warming, next week's Nobel Prizes remind us that in science, slow and steady pays off.

India virus deaths pass 100,000

Deaths from the novel coronavirus in India passed 100,000 on Saturday, official data showed as the pandemic continued to rage across the world's second most populous country.

'Hi, this is the army': In Spain, troops tackle track-and-trace

"Hi, this is the army: you're going to have to quarantine."

Much of U.S. Southwest left parched after monsoon season

Cities across the U.S. Southwest recorded their driest monsoon season on record this year, some with only a trace or no rain.

California milestone: 4 million acres burned in wildfires

California is poised to hit a fearsome milestone: 4 million acres burned this year by wildfires that have killed 30 people and incinerated hundreds of homes in what is already the worst fire season on record.

Amazon: Nearly 20,000 workers tested positive for COVID-19

Amazon said Thursday that nearly 20,000 of its front-line U.S. workers have tested positive or been presumed positive for the virus that causes COVID-19.

'I selfie, therefore I am': Instagram 10 years on

#Foodporn, #nofilter and #TBT: Little known to the general public a decade ago, Instagram has weaved its way into the daily lives of a billion people, changing the way we eat, travel and consume.

Hacked hospital chain says all 250 US facilities affected

The hospital chain Universal Health Services said Thursday that computer services at all 250 of its U.S. facilities were hobbled in last weekend's malware attack and efforts to restore hospital networks were continuing.

President Trump and first lady test positive for COVID-19

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the coronavirus, he said Friday. The positive test comes a month until the election and after the president has spent the year largely downplaying the threat of the virus.

Why do people respond differently to the same drug?

Scientists at Scripps Research have comprehensively mapped how a key class of proteins within cells regulates signals coming in from cell surface receptors.

Laundry lint can cause significant tissue damage within marine mussels

Microscopic fibers created during the laundry cycle can cause damage to the gills, liver and DNA of marine species, according to new research.

Researchers discover a rare genetic form of dementia

A new, rare genetic form of dementia has been discovered by a team of Penn Medicine researchers. This discovery also sheds light on a new pathway that leads to protein build up in the brain—which causes this newly discovered disease, as well as related neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's Disease—that could be targeted for new therapies. The study was published today in Science.

15-year trend persists in disparate insulin pump use in children

Insulin pumps are widely used in the management of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and reviews have shown insulin pump therapy to be associated with improved glycemic control, fewer severe hypoglycemia events, and improved quality of life. Yet, non-Hispanic white children (NHW) are more than twice as likely as non-Hispanic Black children (NHB) to use this technology.