Eureka! Science News - Popular science news

A superbright supernova that's the first of its kind

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:40:55 -0500

An extraordinarily bright, extraordinarily long-lasting supernova named SN 2007bi, snagged in a search by a robotic telescope, turns out to be the first example of the kind of stars that first populated the Universe. The superbright supernova occurred in a nearby dwarf galaxy, a kind of galaxy that's common but has been little studied until now, and the unusual supernova could be the first of many such events soon to be discovered.

A little magic provides an atomic-level look at bone

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:26:57 -0500

A new study using solid-state NMR spectroscopy to analyze intact bone paves the way for atomic-level explorations of how disease and aging affect bone.

Synthetic magnetism achieved by optical methods

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:26:45 -0500

For the first time, physicists have used laser light to create "synthetic magnetism," an exotic condition in which neutral atoms suddenly begin to behave as if they were charged particles interacting with a magnetic field -- even though no such field is present and the atoms have no charge. The achievement provides unprecedented insights into fundamental physics and the behavior of quantum objects, and opens up entirely new ways to study the nature of condensed-matter systems that were barely imaginable before.

In CO2-rich environment, some ocean dwellers increase shell production

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:57:05 -0500

In a striking finding that raises new questions about carbon dioxide's (CO2) impact on marine life, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) scientists report that some shell-building creatures—such as crabs, shrimp and lobsters—unexpectedly build more shell when exposed to ocean acidification caused by elevated levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2).

High-risk women reluctant to take tamoxifen to prevent breast cancer, U-M study finds

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:06:13 -0500

Even when women at high-risk of breast cancer are well-informed about the risks and benefits of using the drug tamoxifen for prevention, only 6 percent said they were likely to take it.

Obesity will snuff out health benefits gained by smoking declines

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:44:16 -0500

If obesity trends continue, the negative effect on the health of the U.S. population will overtake the benefits gained from declining smoking rates, according to a study by U-M and Harvard researchers published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Researchers demonstrate a better way for computers to 'see'

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:54:00 -0500

Taking inspiration from genetic screening techniques, researchers from Harvard and MIT have demonstrated a way to build better artificial visual systems with the help of low-cost, high-performance gaming hardware.

Newly explored bacteria reveal some huge RNA surprises

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:11:43 -0500

Yale University researchers have found very large RNA structures within previously unstudied bacteria that appear crucial to basic biological functions such as helping viruses infect cells or allowing genes to "jump" to different parts of the chromosome.

Rhino poaching surges in Asia, Africa

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:44:39 -0500

Rhino poaching worldwide is on the rise, according to a new report by TRAFFIC and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Facebook profiles capture true personality, according to new psychology research

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:37:12 -0500

Online social networks such as Facebook are being used to express and communicate real personality, instead of an idealized virtual identity, according to new research from psychologist Sam Gosling at The University of Texas at Austin.

Can cleft palate be healed before birth?

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:23:08 -0500

In a study newly published in the journal Development, investigators at the USC School of Dentistry describe how to non-surgically reverse the onset of cleft palate in fetal mice - potentially one step in the journey to a better understanding of similar defects in humans.

Lizards change their diet to avoid predators

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:10:23 -0500

A scientist from the University of Salamanca and another from Yale University have shown that the presence of predators affects the behaviour of Acanthodactylus beershebensis, a lizard species from the Negev Desert in the Near East. According to the study, these reptiles move less and catch less mobile and different prey if they are under pressure from predators.

Rural America more prosperous than expected

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:40:44 -0500

For many people "rural" is synonymous with low incomes, limited economic opportunity, and poor schools. However, a recent study at the University of Illinois found that much of rural America is actually prosperous, particularly in the Midwest and Plains.

Latest epidemic? High cholesterol, obesity in fruit flies

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:40:34 -0500

How do fruit flies get high cholesterol and become obese? The same way as people do – by eating a diet that's too rich in fats.

Why females live longer than males: is it due to the father's sperm?

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:57:25 -0500

Researchers in Japan have found that female mice produced by using genetic material from two mothers but no father live significantly longer than mice with the normal mix of maternal and paternal genes. Their findings provide the first evidence that sperm genes may have a detrimental effect on lifespan in mammals.

New computer model could lead to safer stents

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:54:51 -0500

MIT scientists including Elazer R. Edelman, the Thomas D. and Virginia W. Cabot Professor of Health Science and Technology (HST), and HST postdoctoral associate Vijaya B. Kolachalama, developed computer models to predict physiologically realistic drug delivery patterns from stents in branched arterial vessels. They simulated several arterial settings to show that drug distribution in these situations is determined by a complex calculation of the stent's position relative to arterial branches and constant blood flow changes caused by the branching.

New forensic technique gives clues about sharks from bite damage

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:24:51 -0500

Hit-and-run attacks by sharks can be solved with a new technique that identifies the culprits by the unique chomp they put on their victims, according to a University of Florida researcher and shark expert.

Videos can help cancer patients choose level of care they prefer

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:22:18 -0500

Patients with terminal brain cancer who watched a brief video illustrating options for end-of-life care were significantly more likely to indicate a preference for comfort measures only than were patients who listened to a verbal description of treatment choices. Practically all those viewing the video would choose not to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after their cancer became advanced, compared with only half of those in the control group, report the authors of a study that will be published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology and has received early online release.

Male and female shopping strategies show evolution at work in the mall

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:22:25 -0500

Male and female shopping styles are in our genes---and we can look to evolution for the reason.

Study suggests adult stem cells may help repair hearts damaged by heart attack

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:54:05 -0500

Adult stem cells may help repair heart tissue damaged by heart attack according to the findings of a new study to be published in the December 8 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Results from the Phase I study show stem cells from donor bone marrow appear to help heart attack patients recover better by growing new blood vessels to bring more oxygen to the heart.