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

Flapping frequency of birds, insects, bats and whales predicted with just body mass and wing area
A single universal equation can closely approximate the frequency of wingbeats and fin strokes made by birds, insects, bats and whales, despite their different body sizes and wing shapes, Jens Højgaard Jensen and colleagues from Roskilde University in Denmark report in a new study published in PLOS ONE on June 5. ⌘ Read more

Study finds US Islamist extremist co-offenders form close-knit groups driven by mutual contacts, homophily effects
The formation of relationships within violent US Islamist extremist groups is highly driven by mutual contacts and the tendency for people to bond with others similar to themselves, according to new research. ⌘ Read more

Study finds simple headlines attract more online news readers
The competition for online attention in today’s news environment is fierce. High-quality news from credible sources must compete for attention with misinformation and a rapidly increasing amount of partisan content. ⌘ Read more

AI-powered jet origin identification technology opens new horizons in high-energy physics research
A research team in China has initiated and successfully developed a jet origin identification technology which can significantly enhance the scientific discovery capabilities of high-energy collider experiments. ⌘ Read more

Key mechanism for maintaining proper telomere length identified
The length of telomeres that protect the ends of our chromosomes should be tightly regulated. Those that are too long predispose to cancer, and those that are too short lose their protective ability, resulting in telomere disorders with serious health consequences. ⌘ Read more

New study finds Earth warming at record rate, but no evidence of climate change accelerating
The rate Earth is warming hit an all-time high in 2023 with 92% of last year’s surprising record-shattering heat caused by humans, top scientists calculated. ⌘ Read more

Tiny tropical puddle frogs show that protecting genetic variation is essential for animals to survive the climate crisis
Scientists have studied puddle frogs to identify genetic variation hotspots and places where the climate crisis could wipe out populations too homogenous to adapt. ⌘ Read more

Rate of global warming caused by humans is at an all-time high, say scientists
The second annual Indicators of Global Climate Change report, which is led by the University of Leeds, reveals that human-induced warming has risen to 1.19 °C over the past decade (2014-2023)—an increase from the 1.14 °C seen in 2013-2022 (set out in last year’s report). ⌘ Read more

Investors underestimated risk, impact of hurricanes prior to feeling ‘Superstorm’ Sandy’s fury on Wall Street
Weather experts are warning that this year’s Atlantic hurricane season, which officially began June 1, could be among the most active on record. Hurricanes annually cause millions of dollars in damage to households and public infrastructure, but also to businesses. ⌘ Read more

Researchers use tin to toughen bioimplant titanium alloys through the cocktail effect
Beta(β)-type titanium (Ti) alloys are renowned for their strength, formability and resistance to harsh environments. This, along with their excellent biocompatibility, has made them adequately suited for implants and prosthetics, from joint replacement to stents. ⌘ Read more

Mushroom stump waste could be inexpensive, healthy chicken feed supplement
Feed costs for producing broiler chickens accounts for 60% to 70% of total production costs, and stump waste from the production of button mushrooms comprises nearly 30% of total mushroom weight. Marrying the two has the potential to reduce both cost and waste, especially in Pennsylvania, which is a national leader in the production of broiler chickens and button mushrooms. ⌘ Read more

Training in formal classes proves the most effective way to prepare engineers to protect public welfare at work: Study
Engineers who received public welfare responsibility training in classes are more likely to consider the societal impact of technologies they design and to take action when concerns arise, according to a study by University of Michigan researchers published in The Journal of Engineering Education. ⌘ Read more

New model suggests partner anti-universe could explain accelerated expansion without the need for dark energy
The accelerated expansion of the present universe, believed to be driven by a mysterious dark energy, is one of the greatest puzzles in our understanding of the cosmos. The standard model of cosmology called Lambda-CDM, explains this expansion as a cosmological constant in Einstein’s field equations. However, the cosmological constant itself lacks a complete theoretical understanding, par … ⌘ Read more

Study uncovers a quantum acoustical Drude peak shift in strange metals
Researchers at Harvard University, Sabanci University, and Peking University recently gathered findings that could shed light on the origin of the high-temperature absorption peaks observed in strange metals, a class of materials exhibiting unusual electronic properties that do not conform to the conventional theory of metals. ⌘ Read more

Eight new millisecond pulsars discovered with FAST
Using the Five-Hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST), astronomers from the Guizhou University in China and elsewhere have discovered eight new millisecond pulsars in the globular cluster NGC 6517. The finding was reported in a research paper published May 28 on the pre-print server arXiv. ⌘ Read more

Informal water contracts could provide quicker, cheaper ways to reduce impact of droughts
Droughts continue to overburden the systems and infrastructure that bring water to citizens and businesses. This is especially true in places like the western United States, where water resources are scarce, and the rules that determine who gets water mean that farmers and other landowners who use water for irrigation often have first priority. ⌘ Read more

Three boys found a T. rex fossil in North Dakota. Now a Denver museum works to fully reveal it
Two young brothers and their cousin were wandering through a fossil-rich stretch of the North Dakota badlands when they made a discovery that left them “completely speechless”: a T. rex bone poking out of the ground. ⌘ Read more

New 3D-printed microscale photonic lantern opens opportunities for spatial mode multiplexing
Optical waves propagating through air or multi-mode fiber can be patterned or decomposed using orthogonal spatial modes, with far-ranging applications in imaging, communication, and directed energy. Yet the systems that perform these wavefront manipulations are cumbersome and large, restricting their utilization to high-end applications. ⌘ Read more

Australian study finds increased risk of homelessness for youth leaving out-of-home care
New research from the University of South Australia (UniSA) and Curtin University finds that up to 36% of young people leaving out-of-home care (OHC) in Australia wind up homeless—compared to less than 10% of the general youth population. ⌘ Read more