Tech
Everyone needs safe and clean water to drink. Yet industry, agriculture and urban activities threaten fresh water. In particular, metal pollution can be very hard to detect early. Because of this, scientists are always searching for sensitive indicators of water quality. Now, a fish louse shows great promise as an early indicator for monitoring pollution in rivers and dams.
Living creatures tell a more complete story
Swansea University scientists working at CERN have published a study detailing a breakthrough in antihydrogen research.
The scientists were working as part of the ALPHA collaboration which is made up of researchers and groups from over a dozen institutions from all over the world, with the UK contingent led by Swansea University's Professor Mike Charlton.
The research, funded by the EPSRC, was obtained using apparatus at the Antiproton Decelerator facility at CERN, and has been published in the Nature journal.
The Experiment:
Nasal polyps - soft, grape-like outgrowths that can appear in the nasal passages and sinuses - can be chronic and relentless. Although noncancerous, these outgrowths can grow large enough to block the nose and sinuses, leading to discomfort, breathing problems and infections. Nasal polyps can be surgically removed, but may grow back, sometimes in a matter of days. Although most patients are happy to be rid of their polyps, for researchers, that tissue is precious: It may hold critical clues about intense, allergic inflammation.
The GPM core observatory satellite flew over the Central Pacific Ocean and Hurricane Lane on Aug. 22, 2018 and analyzed rainfall rates and cloud heights. Watches and Warnings are in effect in the Hawaiian Islands.
The Global Precipitation Measurement mission or GPM core satellite passed over Lane at 1:48 a.m. EDT (0548 UTC/ on Aug. 21, 2018 at 7:48 p.m. HST). At that time Lane was located about 316 nautical miles (585.2 km) from Hilo, Hawaii.
Hurricane Lane is one of the strongest tropical cyclones to move into the Hawaiian Islands.
BURNABY, BC - (August 22, 2018) -- D-Wave Systems Inc., the leader in quantum computing systems and software, today published a milestone study demonstrating a topological phase transition using its 2048-qubit annealing quantum computer. This complex quantum simulation of materials is a major step toward reducing the need for time-consuming and expensive physical research and development.
In a recent review article published in the journal Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, a group of Johns Hopkins' authors evaluated 113 studies using predetermined criteria with the final search taking place on May 1, 2017. Search terms were created in consultation with medical librarians and subject matter experts in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), big data, and disasters. Only articles that implemented ICT and big data tools in real life were considered. (Table 1).
Lectures are a staple of higher education, and understanding how students interact and learn within the lecture theatre environment is central to successful learning. In a new study published in FEBS Open Bio, researchers examined students' reasons for choosing particular seats in a lecture hall, and investigated how seating positions correlate with student performance.
On April 4, 2017, the town of Khan Sheikhoun in northwest Syria experienced one of the worst chemical attacks in recent history. A plume of sarin gas spread more than 10 kilometers (about six miles), carried by buoyant turbulence, killing more than 80 people and injuring hundreds.
After an earthquake, hurricane, tornado or other natural hazard, it's considered a win if no one gets hurt and buildings stay standing. But an even bigger victory is possible: keeping those structures operational. This outcome could become more likely with improved standards and codes for the construction of residential and commercial buildings, according to a new report recently delivered to the U.S. Congress by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
ROCKVILLE, Md. -- Aug. 21, 2018 -- The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP), the premier global molecular diagnostics professional society, today published consensus, evidence-based recommendations to aid clinical laboratory professionals with the management of most Chronic Myeloid Neoplasms (CMNs) and development of high-throughput pan-myeloid sequencing testing panels.
A sedentary lifestyle can cause an impairment of the transport of blood around the body, which increases the risk of disease in the heart and blood vessels. New research published in Experimental Physiology suggests that performing simple leg exercises whilst lying down might help to prevent these problems.
BROOKLYN, New York, Monday, August 21, 2018 - The worldwide market for 3D-printed parts is a $5 billion business with a global supply chain involving the internet, email, and the cloud - creating a number of opportunities for counterfeiting and intellectual property theft.
BOSTON, Aug. 20, 2018 -- The popularity of electronic cigarettes continues to grow worldwide, as many people view them as a safer alternative to smoking. But the long-term effects of e-cigarette usage, commonly called "vaping," are unknown. Today, researchers report that vaping may modify the genetic material, or DNA, in the oral cells of users, which could increase their cancer risk.
Be it heavy downpours or super-hot spells, summer weather becomes more persistent in North America, Europe and parts of Asia. When those conditions stall for several days or weeks, they can turn into extremes: heatwaves resulting in droughts, health risks and wildfires; or relentless rainfall resulting in floods. A team of scientists now presents the first comprehensive review of research on summer weather stalling focusing on the influence of the disproportionally strong warming of the Arctic as caused by greenhouse-gas emissions from burning fossil fuels.
BOSTON, Aug. 19, 2018 -- In remote areas of the world or in regions with limited resources, everyday items like electrical outlets and batteries are luxuries. Health care workers in these areas often lack electricity to power diagnostic devices, and commercial batteries may be unavailable or too expensive. New power sources are needed that are low-cost and portable. Today, researchers report a new type of battery -- made of paper and fueled by bacteria --- that could overcome these challenges.