Category: Science

More exposure to artificial, bright, outdoor night-time light linked to higher stroke risk

More exposure to artificial, bright, outdoor night-time light linked to higher stroke risk

Air pollution and night-time outdoor light each were associated with harmful effects on brain health, finds new study. …read more

Seeing the forest for the trees: Species diversity is directly correlated with productivity in eastern U.S. forests

Seeing the forest for the trees: Species diversity is directly correlated with productivity in eastern U.S. forests

When officials make tough calls on which areas to prioritize for conservation, biodiversity is often their top consideration. But there are several types of diversity, and not all of them overlap perfectly. In a new study, researchers analyzed 20-years’ worth of U.S. Forest Service data and show that the simplest measure of diversity is the best predictor of healthy forest growth, providing a roadmap for quickly and efficiently protecting ecological resources. …read more

Two of the Milky Way’s earliest building blocks identified

Two of the Milky Way’s earliest building blocks identified

Astronomers have identified what could be two of the Milky Way’s earliest building blocks: Named ‘Shakti’ and ‘Shiva’, these appear to be the remnants of two galaxies that merged between 12 and 13 billion years ago with an early version of the Milky Way, contributing to our home galaxy’s initial growth. The new find is the astronomical equivalent of archeologists identifying traces of an initial settlement that grew into a large present-day city. …read more

Say hello to biodegradable microplastics

Say hello to biodegradable microplastics

Finding viable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based plastics and microplastics has never been more important. New research shows that their plant-based polymers biodegrade — even at the microplastic level — in under seven months. …read more

As we age, our cells are less likely to express longer genes

As we age, our cells are less likely to express longer genes

Aging may be less about specific ‘aging genes’ and more about how long a gene is. Many of the changes associated with aging could be occurring due to decreased expression of long genes, say researchers. A decline in the expression of long genes with age has been observed in a wide range of animals, from worms to humans, in various human cell and tissue types, and also in individuals with neurodegenerative disease. Mouse experiments show that the phenomenon can be mitigated via known anti-aging factors, including dietary restriction. …read more

AI can now detect COVID-19 in lung ultrasound images

AI can now detect COVID-19 in lung ultrasound images

Artificial intelligence can spot COVID-19 in lung ultrasound images much like facial recognition software can spot a face in a crowd, new research shows. The findings boost AI-driven medical diagnostics and bring health care professionals closer to being able to quickly diagnose patients with COVID-19 and other pulmonary diseases with algorithms that comb through ultrasound images to identify signs of disease. …read more

Severe lung infection during COVID-19 can cause damage to the heart

Severe lung infection during COVID-19 can cause damage to the heart

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can damage the heart even without directly infecting the heart tissue, a new study has found. The research specifically looked at damage to the hearts of people with SARS-CoV2-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a serious lung condition that can be fatal. But researchers said the findings could have relevance to organs beyond the heart and also to viruses other than SARS-CoV-2. …read more

Metformin during pregnancy affects the brain development in offspring mice, study finds

Metformin during pregnancy affects the brain development in offspring mice, study finds

With the rise in gestational diabetes and metabolic disorders during pregnancy, metformin is also being prescribed more frequently. Although it is known that the oral antidiabetic agent can cross the placental barrier, the impacts on the brain development of the child are largely unknown. Researchers have now been able to demonstrate in a mouse model that although metformin has positive effects in pregnant animals, it does not in the offspring. …read more

High school students contribute to exoplanet discovery

High school students contribute to exoplanet discovery

A group of high school students from Oakland, California, made contributions to the field of exoplanet research. Researchers worked with the students to use backpack-sized digital smart telescopes. These young citizen scientists played a role in observing and confirming the nature of a warm and dense sub-Saturn planet, known as TIC 139270665 b, orbiting a metal-rich G2 star. …read more

Perceived gender discrimination linked to decline in wellbeing for older women

Perceived gender discrimination linked to decline in wellbeing for older women

A study of more than 3,000 middle-aged and older women living in England showed that those who believed they had encountered gender discrimination were more likely to report declines in wellbeing over time. …read more