Saturday Citations: Bacterial warfare, a self-programming language model, passive cooling in the big city
There’s a lot of science news in seven days, so just because a new study isn’t cited here on Saturday morning doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. A lot more has happened. But also, check out these four stories: ⌘ Read more

Nitrous oxide emissions surge in climate threat: Study
Global emissions of nitrous oxide—a potent greenhouse gas—are outpacing expectations and putting climate change goals in peril, a major study published on Wednesday found. ⌘ Read more

Novel photocatalyst enables efficient ester reduction with blue light
The sweet smell of strawberries and other fruits is thanks to a chemical compound called ester, which is also found in many fats and polyesters. The ubiquitous compound can be broken down to produce desirable alcohols and other chemicals for use across industries, including pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, but the process can be costly, both financially and in terms of the environment. ⌘ Read more

Physicists confirm quantum entanglement persists between top quarks, the heaviest known fundamental particles
An experiment by a group of physicists led by University of Rochester physics professor Regina Demina has produced a significant result related to quantum entanglement—an effect that Albert Einstein called “spooky action at a distance.” ⌘ Read more

25 years of massive fusion energy experiment data open on the ‘cloud’ and available to everyone
High-temperature fusion plasma experiments conducted in the Large Helical Device (LHD) of the National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS), have renewed the world record for an acquired data amount, 0.92 terabytes (TB) per experiment, in February 2022, by using a full range of state-of-the-art plasma diagnostic devices. ⌘ Read more

Researchers map genome of the last living wild horse species
University of Minnesota researchers have successfully mapped the complete genome of the endangered Przewalski’s horse. Once extinct in the wild, the species now has a population of around 2,000 animals thanks to conservation efforts. ⌘ Read more

Finding an insurance policy is getting harder in places hit by extreme weather
You don’t need to be a scientist to understand the harms of climate change. All you need is an insurance policy. And finding affordable insurance is getting harder in the places hit hardest by climate change. ⌘ Read more

Eggs of grapevine-gobbling insect discovered en route to California: Are vineyards at risk?
Eggs of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive species that’s wreaked havoc on crops across more than a dozen states, were recently discovered on a metal art installation that was headed to Sonoma County, one of California’s most esteemed wine regions. ⌘ Read more

High-precision measurements challenge our understanding of Cepheids
“Classical Cepheids” are a type of pulsating star that rhythmically brighten and dim over time. These pulsations help astronomers measure vast distances across space, which makes Cepheids crucial “standard candles” that help us understand the size and scale of our universe. ⌘ Read more

Q&A: Finding varieties of corn that are adapted to future climates
Corn is one of the planet’s most important crops. It not only provides sweet kernels to flavor many dishes, but it’s also used in oils, as a sweetener syrup, and as a feed crop for livestock. Corn has been bred to maximize its yield on farms around the world. ⌘ Read more

Large number of whale sightings off New England, including dozens of endangered sei whales
A large number of whales is visiting the waters off New England, and the group includes an unusually high number of an endangered species, said scientists who study the animals. ⌘ Read more

New simplified DNA model for advanced computational simulations
DNA is the molecule that contains all the genetic information necessary for the development and functioning of living organisms. It is organized in a structure called “chromatin,” which is found inside the nucleus of cells. The shape that chromatin takes directly affects the activity of genes, and it is therefore important to have a detailed understanding of the structure of DNA and to be able to predict its variations. ⌘ Read more

Japan’s escargot entrepreneur achieves the ‘impossible’
Far from Parisian bistros serving up Burgundy snails, one Japanese man has figured out how to farm the slimy species—a feat that has long eluded the French. ⌘ Read more

Rural India runs dry as thirsty megacity Mumbai sucks water
Far from the gleaming high-rises of India’s financial capital Mumbai, impoverished villages in areas supplying the megacity’s water are running dry—a crisis repeated across the country that experts say foreshadows terrifying problems. ⌘ Read more

Scientists show the key role of spleen and extracellular vesicles in cryptic malaria infections
Recent research led by Carmen Fernández-Becerra and Hernando A del Portillo from ISGlobal and Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) has provided new insights into the role of the spleen in malaria, specifically in infections caused by Plasmodium vivax. ⌘ Read more

Silicon carbide/carbon microspheres maintain performance in harsh environments
With the rapid development of electronic information technology, electromagnetic wave absorption materials play a crucial role in military applications such as electromagnetic protection and stealth devices, as well as in the defense industry. ⌘ Read more

African elephants shown to address one another with name-like calls, similar to humans
What’s in a name? People use unique names to address each other, but we’re one of only a handful of animal species known to do that, including bottlenose dolphins. Finding more animals with names and investigating how they use them can improve scientists’ understanding of both other animals and ourselves. ⌘ Read more

Glass beads indicate Indigenous Americans shaped early transatlantic trade
Archaeologists have analyzed the chemical makeup of glass beads from across the Great Lakes region of North America, revealing the extent of Indigenous influence on transatlantic exchange networks during the 17th century AD. ⌘ Read more

Underwater gardeners plant eelgrass to save ‘dead’ Danish fjord
Under a white tent on the shores of a polluted Danish fjord, volunteers and researchers prepare slender green shoots of eelgrass to be planted on the seabed to help restore the site’s damaged ecosystem. ⌘ Read more

Combined X-ray surveys and supercomputer simulations track 12 billion years of cosmic black-hole growth
By combining forefront X-ray observations with state-of-the-art supercomputer simulations of the buildup of galaxies over cosmic history, researchers have provided the best modeling to date of the growth of the supermassive black holes found in the centers of galaxies. Using this hybrid approach, a research team led by Penn State astronomers has derived a complete picture of black-hol … ⌘ Read more

Tech solutions to limit kids’ access to social media are fraught with problems, including privacy risks
A campaign to block children’s access to social media to limit online harm and unhealthy internet use is picking up momentum in Australian politics. The current age limit for platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok is 13, but some state governments are calling for raising this age to 16. ⌘ Read more

How to buy a home: 7 tips for negotiating like a pro
The main purpose of negotiation is to find a mutually acceptable solution for buyers and sellers. Good negotiations greatly improve relationships between buyers, sellers and agents. They also help avoid future problems and conflicts. ⌘ Read more

Plato camera integration begins
The activities to integrate Plato’s cameras have started in OHB’s Space Center & Optics facility in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. One by one the cameras are attached to Plato’s optical bench, the surface that keeps all cameras pointed in the right direction. The first of 26 cameras has now been successfully integrated. ⌘ Read more

A tiny new plant species reaffirms the ‘miraculous’ survival of Western Ecuador’s ravished biodiversity
A new 2-inch-high plant species has been discovered on the western Andean slopes of Ecuador in an area where scientists once believed a rich diversity of native plants and animals had been totally destroyed. ⌘ Read more

Study finds Southern California is most disaster-prone region in US
According to a new national ranking of 3,200-plus U.S. counties, Southern California rates as the single most disaster-prone region in the country. ⌘ Read more

First map of outflows from nearby quasar I Zwicky 1
SRON astronomers have for the first time mapped the outflows from one of the closest quasars to Earth. Quasars are bright cores of galaxies powered by the supermassive black hole in their center. The team has probed gas outflows in I Zwicky 1, a close-by quasar, to map its system of clouds being blown away at tens to thousands of kilometers per second. Their findings are published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. ⌘ Read more

Splitting hairs: Research team applies science of biomechanics to understand our bad hair days
Academics are often accused of “splitting hairs,” but a team at Trinity College Dublin has now devised a machine to do just that. We all have a bad hair day from time to time, and split ends are a common problem. However, the science behind this kind of hair damage is poorly understood, which is why the Trinity team, led by Professor David Taylor, is investigating this knotty problem. ⌘ Read more

Studying archaeological roads gives insights into connectivity and movement
Archaeologist Tuna Kalayci investigates roads in a recent edited book. What happens if we think of roads not only as containers of action, but also as dynamic and complex phenomena, as the action itself? This question inspired Dr. Tuna Kalayci to bring together various studies across a wide range of epochs and regions. ⌘ Read more

Study identifies ways consumers and businesses can handle food waste in food service-businesses
A team of Monash Business School researchers have identified key ways consumers and business representatives can help limit food waste in food service-businesses (FSBs), in an effort to reduce wastage in the hospitality industry. ⌘ Read more

‘Smart’ chemistry allows recycling of networked rubbery materials
Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists ingeniously created a sustainable, soft material by combining rubber with woody reinforcements and incorporating “smart” linkages between the components that unlock on demand. The smart linkages allow heat to unlock the structure, enabling the material to flow for rapid circular manufacturing, which essentially recycles materials back into the economy instead of discarding them. ⌘ Read more

Astronomers observe giant outburst of a distant X-ray binary
Using the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) onboard the International Space Station, astronomers have observed a distant X-ray binary known as EXO 2030+375. The observational campaign allowed them to explore a giant outburst that occurred in this system. Results of the observations were published May 31 on the pre-print server arXiv. ⌘ Read more

India’s heat wave longest ever, worse to come
India’s heat wave is the longest ever to hit the country, the government’s top weather expert said Monday as he warned people will face increasingly oppressive temperatures. ⌘ Read more

Flooding and landslides kill three in Vietnam’s north
Flooding and landslides in northern Vietnam have killed three people, state media said Monday, after days of heavy rain that partially submerged thousands of homes. ⌘ Read more

Who’s better off and who’s worse off four years on from the outbreak of COVID? The financial picture might surprise you
A lot has happened to the economy since COVID struck, and reading the economic tea leaves has become more difficult. ⌘ Read more

New method could allow multi-robot teams to autonomously and reliably explore other planets
While roboticists have developed increasingly sophisticated systems over the past decades, ensuring that these systems can autonomously operate in real-world settings without mishaps often proves challenging. This is particularly difficult when these robots are designed to be deployed in complex environments, including space and other planets. ⌘ Read more

Maps of heavy metals in Wellington, New Zealand soils show impacts of urbanization
A new study from GNS Science marks a significant step in the assessment of environmental contamination in Aotearoa New Zealand’s capital. ⌘ Read more

Neuroscience can explain why voting is so often driven by emotion
The British electorate has been more volatile than ever in recent years. The elections of 2015 and 2017 saw the highest number of voters switching parties in modern history. And current polling suggests we’re about to see more of the same. ⌘ Read more

Records of Pompeii’s survivors have been found—archaeologists are starting to understand how they rebuilt their lives
On Aug. 24, in A.D. 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted, shooting over 3 cubic miles of debris up to 20 miles (32.1 kilometers) in the air. As the ash and rock fell to Earth, it buried the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. ⌘ Read more

Virgin Galactic set for final spaceflight before two-year pause
Virgin Galactic is poised on Saturday for its last spaceflight before heading into a two-year pause on commercial operations to upgrade its fleet, as the company seeks to finally turn a profit. ⌘ Read more

NASA, global astronomers await rare nova explosion
Around the world this summer, professional and amateur astronomers alike will be fixed on one small constellation deep in the night sky. But it’s not the seven stars of Corona Borealis, the “Northern Crown,” that have sparked such fascination. ⌘ Read more

Feds expect to decide this year on Mosaic’s ‘radioactive roads’ plan in Florida
Federal environmental regulators said they expect to decide this year on a controversial proposal that would allow Tampa-based Fortune 500 mining company Mosaic to test its phosphate waste as an ingredient in road construction. ⌘ Read more

Boeing Starliner crew aboard ISS after challenging docking
A Boeing Starliner capsule carrying its first ever astronauts docked with the International Space Station on Thursday after overcoming unexpected challenges arising from thruster malfunctions and helium leaks. ⌘ Read more

During a year of extremes, carbon dioxide levels surge faster than ever
Carbon dioxide is accumulating in the atmosphere faster than ever—accelerating on a steep rise to levels far above any experienced during human existence, scientists from NOAA and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego announced today. ⌘ Read more

Research suggests AI could help teach ethics
Artificial intelligence brings with it a host of ethical questions. A researcher at The University of Alabama explored whether AI can be harnessed to teach students how to navigate those very questions, among others. ⌘ Read more

How to build a team of ‘appropriately skeptical’ financial statement auditors
A new study identifies the characteristics that make auditing professionals more likely to reward skepticism in the people they supervise, which is associated with an increased likelihood of identifying potential fraud during the auditing process. One key takeaway is that encouraging appropriate skepticism in auditors is closely tied to the culture of the workplace, offering valuable insights to firms that w … ⌘ Read more

New instrument to search for signs of life on other planets
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has signed an agreement for the design and construction of ANDES, the ArmazoNes high Dispersion Echelle Spectrograph. ⌘ Read more

Silkworms help grow better organ-like tissues in labs
Biomedical engineers at Duke University have developed a silk-based, ultrathin membrane that can be used in organ-on-a-chip models to better mimic the natural environment of cells and tissues within the body. When used in a kidney organ-on-a-chip platform, the membrane helped tissues grow to recreate the functionality of both healthy and diseased kidneys. ⌘ Read more

New rare ‘green bean’ galaxy discovered
Astronomers from New Mexico State University (NMSU) and elsewhere report the discovery of a new galaxy of a rare class, dubbed “green bean.” The finding, made with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), was presented in a research paper published May 29 on the preprint server arXiv. ⌘ Read more

Engineering enzymes to break down microplastics in sewage and wastewater
There are over 5 billion tons of plastic waste accumulated across the planet, much of which are microplastics that may harm human health and pose a long-term threat to agricultural productivity and food security. The gargantuan task of cleaning up this pollution could be aided by a tiny protein: a specialized enzyme designed to break down plastics into simple components that natural bacteria in the environment can use as … ⌘ Read more

Minimum pricing for alcohol helped curb demand during COVID lockdown, finds UK study
Minimum pricing can be very effective in reducing demand for cheap high-strength alcohol amid concerns about affordability fueling problematic drinking, according to a study on the impact of the measure during the COVID lockdown. ⌘ Read more