US judge sets up fresh roadblock in Trump bid to ban TikTok

A US federal judge on Friday issued an injunction temporarily blocking an executive order by President Donald Trump aimed at banning TikTok, throwing up a legal roadblock ahead of a November 12 deadline.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-fresh-roadblock-trump-tiktok.html

Philippines orders 200,000 to evacuate as Typhoon Goni nears

More than 200,000 people in the Philippines were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday as the most powerful typhoon of the year so far barrels towards the country, with authorities warning of "destructive" winds and storm surges.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-philippines-evacuate-typhoon-goni-nears.html

Sri Lanka returns illegal waste to Britain after court order

Sri Lanka has started shipping 242 containers of hazardous waste, including body parts from mortuaries, back to Britain after a two year court battle by an environment watchdog, officials said Saturday.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-sri-lanka-illegal-britain-court.html

US jury tells Apple to pay $503 mn in patent case

A jury in Texas on Friday decided that Apple should pay $503 million for infringing virtual private network technology patented by software security firm VirnetX.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-jury-apple-mn-patent-case.html

Experts see substantial danger to democratic stability around 2020 election

On the eve of the November 3 election, Bright Line Watch—the political science research project of faculty at the University of Rochester, the University of Chicago, and Dartmouth College—finds that experts are concerned about substantial risks to the legitimacy of the election, including potential problems in the casting and counting of votes, the Electoral College, and in the resolution of electoral disputes.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-experts-substantial-danger-democratic-stability.html

Home remedies boom as India pandemic cases soar

New Delhi housewife Sashi scoops COVID-19 "immunity-boosting" powder into a jug of water every morning for her family, joining a growing number of Indians who believe traditional supplements will help ward off the pandemic.

Some COVID-19 "long haulers" experience lasting skin problems

Some patients with COVID-19 have persistent skin-related symptoms long after their initial infection has cleared, according to a new analysis. The findings, presented at the 29th Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), point to another burden experienced by so-called "long haulers" who get better but don't seem to fully recover from COVID-19.

France, Germany impose drastic curbs as virus surges in Europe

France was preparing to begin a new month-long national lockdown as Germany imposed drastic new curbs, with European leaders set to meet Thursday to discuss the explosive spikes in coronavirus infections on the continent.

Gilead Sciences reports almost $900 mn in Q3 remdesivir sales

Remdesivir, a therapeutic to treat Covid-19, boosted third-quarter sales for pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences by nearly $900 million, according to results released Wednesday by the drugmaker.

'Made-in-Gaza' device fights coronavirus spread

Entering a Gaza City restaurant, customers are welcomed by a multi-tasking disinfection machine designed by a Palestinian businesswoman to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the crisis-hit enclave.

Short of medics as virus surges, central Europe sounds alarm

Soldiers in Poland are giving coronavirus tests. American National Guard troops with medical training are headed to the Czech Republic to work alongside doctors there. A Czech university student is running blood samples to labs, and the mayor of the capital is taking shifts at a hospital.

India passes eight million coronavirus cases

India on Thursday passed eight million coronavirus cases, with the world's second-worst-hit country bracing for a possible second wave ahead of winter and a series of religious festivals.

US authorities warn of 'imminent' cyber threat to hospitals

US security authorities warned Wednesday of an "imminent cybercrime threat" to hospitals and healthcare providers, urging them to increase their protection.

India's coronavirus cases cross 8 million, behind US

India's confirmed coronavirus caseload surpassed 8 million on Thursday with daily infections dipping to the lowest level this week, as concerns grew over a major Hindu festival season and winter setting in.

Taiwan marks 200 days without domestic COVID-19 infection

Taiwan hit 200 days without any domestically transmitted cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, highlighting the island's continued success at keeping the virus under control even as cases surge in other parts of the world.

How does the coronavirus affect the heart?

How does COVID-19 affect the heart?

UK under pressure as COVID-19 epidemic doubling every 9 days

The British government is under pressure to develop a national strategy to combat a surge of COVID-19 cases and "rescue Christmas'' as scientists warn that the number of people hospitalized with the disease in the U.K. could almost triple by the end of next month unless something more is done now.

Samsung Electronics Q3 net profit leaps after Huawei boost

Samsung Electronics' net profit jumped by almost half in the third quarter, it reported Thursday, as the South Korean giant's mobile and chip businesses were boosted by US sanctions against Chinese rival Huawei.

Artificial intelligence can help to improve prognosis and treatment for glioblastoma

In the first study of its kind in cancer, researchers have applied artificial intelligence to measure the amount of muscle in patients with brain tumours to help improve prognosis and treatment.

Results of COVID-19 host genetics initiative study announced at ASHG 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health crisis. Insights into why some people develop more severe symptoms than others and how to better treat the disease are desperately needed. The COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative was created to study the relationship between variation in the human genome and SARS-CoV-2 infection. This is an ongoing, international, collaborative effort to learn the genetic determinants of COVID-19 susceptibility, severity, and outcomes. Andrea Ganna, Ph.D., EMBL-group leader at the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland and an instructor at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, presented the results of the initiative's first genome-wide association studies and follow-up analyses at the American Society of Human Genetics 2020 Virtual Meeting.

Genetics and the COVID-19 pandemic

With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging worldwide, members of the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) are working to understand how the virus spreads and infects people, why there is so much variability in susceptibility and severity, and where to look for potential therapeutics. Researchers presented the results of several studies relevant to the current pandemic at the ASHG 2020 Virtual Meeting.

Identifying hotspots of low mammography screening in Black, Hispanic women

A young cancer epidemiologist who has already helped identify hotspots for geographic, racial and ethnic disparities in breast cancer mortality in the United States, is now looking at mammography screening rates in those hotspots.

Postpartum depression may persist three years after giving birth

A National Institutes of Health study of 5,000 women has found that approximately 1 in 4 experienced high levels of depressive symptoms at some point in the three years after giving birth. The rest of the women experienced low levels of depression throughout the three-year span. The study was conducted by researchers at NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). It appears in the journal Pediatrics.

Why do certain chemotherapies increase the likelihood of blood cancer?

In recent years, improvements in cancer therapy have led to a significant increase in cancer survivorship. Experts estimate that by 2022, the United States will have 18 million cancer survivors, but a subset of those survivors will have long-term health problems to be addressed.

Vaping epidemic puts adolescents at risk for potentially fatal lung disease

Adolescent use of e-cigarettes and vaping products is at epidemic proportions, yet the adverse health effects are understudied, with almost no data on younger patients. The problem is sizable as children start vaping at a younger and younger age. Recent estimates show that 9.6 percent of eighth graders vape nicotine or THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the main active ingredient of cannabis), along with 19.9 percent of 10th graders and 25.5 percent of 12th graders. Many young people vape daily.

Study estimates exposure to air pollution increases COVID-19 deaths by 15% worldwide

Long-term exposure to air pollution has been linked to an increased risk of dying from COVID-19 and, for the first time, a study has estimated the proportion of deaths from the coronavirus that could be attributed to the exacerbating effects of air pollution for every country in the world.

Dubai introduces facial recognition on public transport

Dubai is introducing a facial recognition system on public transport to beef up security, officials said Sunday, as the emirate prepares to host the global Expo exhibition.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-dubai-facial-recognition.html

Lee Kun-Hee, force behind Samsung's rise, dies at 78

Lee Kun-Hee, the ailing Samsung Electronics chairman who transformed the small television maker into a global giant of consumer electronics, has died. He was 78.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-lee-kun-hee-samsung-dies.html

Big week for Big Tech as earnings, hearings loom

Big Tech is bracing for a tumultuous week marked by quarterly results likely to show resilience despite the pandemic, and fresh attacks from lawmakers ahead of the November 3 election.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-big-week-tech-loom.html

Europe, U.S. watch case totals grow, debate new restrictions

Confirmed coronavirus infections continued to soar Saturday in many parts of the U.S. and Europe. In some cases, so did anger over the restrictions governments put in place to try to stem the tide.

Airlines suffering from business class blues in age of COVID

The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in the era of video meetings. But can Zoom really replace in-person meetings that require business executives to travel?

Dubai introduces facial recognition on public transport

Dubai is introducing a facial recognition system on public transport to beef up security, officials said Sunday, as the emirate prepares to host the global Expo exhibition.

More mass testing in China after 137 virus cases in Xinjiang

Chinese officials were racing Sunday to smother a fresh coronavirus outbreak in the country's far northwest after 137 new infections were discovered.

Dinner off as Italy closes restaurants early in virus crackdown

Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte tightened nationwide coronavirus restrictions Sunday after the country registered a record number of new cases, despite opposition from regional heads and street protests.

Spain orders nationwide curfew to stem worsening outbreak

Buckling under the resurgence of the coronavirus in Europe, the Spanish government on Sunday declared a national state of emergency that includes an overnight curfew in hopes of not repeating the near collapse of the country's hospitals.

Colombia reaches 1 million confirmed coronavirus cases

Colombia reached 1 million confirmed coronavirus cases on Saturday, becoming the second country in Latin America to report that number in less than a week.

Lee Kun-Hee, force behind Samsung's rise, dies at 78

Lee Kun-Hee, the ailing Samsung Electronics chairman who transformed the small television maker into a global giant of consumer electronics, has died. He was 78.

Big week for Big Tech as earnings, hearings loom

Big Tech is bracing for a tumultuous week marked by quarterly results likely to show resilience despite the pandemic, and fresh attacks from lawmakers ahead of the November 3 election.

Targeted inhibitor of mutated KRAS gene shows promise in lung, bowel, other solid tumors

A novel agent that targets a mutated form of the KRAS gene—the most commonly altered oncogene in human cancers and one long considered "undruggable"—shrank tumors in most patients in a clinical trial with manageable side effects, researchers reported today at the 32nd EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Therapeutic, which is taking place online.

Indian and Pakistani women diagnosed with more aggressive breast cancer at younger age

Indian and Pakistani women are diagnosed with breast cancer, including more aggressive forms of the disease, at a younger age, according to Rutgers researchers.

Asteroid samples escaping from jammed NASA spacecraft

A NASA spacecraft is stuffed with so much asteroid rubble from this week's grab that it's jammed open and precious particles are drifting away in space, scientists said Friday.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-asteroid-samples-nasa-spacecraft.html

South America ravaged by unprecedented drought and fires

Under stress from a historic drought, large swathes of forest and wetlands in central South America known for their exceptional biodiversity have been ravaged by devastating fires.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-south-america-ravaged-unprecedented-drought.html

Galapagos sees record rise in penguins, flightless cormorants

The population of Galapagos penguins and flightless cormorants, two species endemic to the islands, has seen a record increase, study results released Friday showed.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-galapagos-penguins-flightless-cormorants.html

Ice loss likely to continue in Antarctica

A new international study led by Monash University climate scientists has revealed that ice loss in Antarctica persisted for many centuries after it was initiated and is expected to continue.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-ice-loss-antarctica.html

COVID-19 vaccine trials cannot tell us if they will save lives

Vaccines are being hailed as the solution to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the vaccine trials currently underway are not designed to tell us if they will save lives, reports Peter Doshi, Associate Editor at The BMJ today.

Highly selective membranes: Researchers discover how water can affect its own filtration

Membranes with microscopic pores are useful for water filtration. The effect of pore size on water filtration is well-understood, as is the role of ions, charged atoms that interact with the membrane. For the first time, researchers have successfully described the impact water molecules have on other water molecules and on ions as part of the filtration mechanism. The researchers detail a feedback system between water molecules that opens up new design possibilities for highly selective membranes. Applications could include virus filters.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-highly-membranes-affect-filtration.html

London Heathrow unveils rapid pre-flight virus tests

London's Heathrow airport on Tuesday began to roll out paid-for rapid coronavirus testing, with results in one hour, as it seeks to boost demand decimated by the deadly pandemic.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-london-heathrow-unveils-rapid-pre-flight.html

NATO to set up new space center amid China, Russia concerns

To a few of the locals, the top-secret, fenced-off installation on the hill is known as "the radar station." Some folks claim to have seen mysterious Russians in the area. Over the years, rumors have swirled that it might be a base for U.S. nuclear warheads.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-nato-space-center-china-russia.html

Crew in no danger after ISS issues resolved: Russia

The International Space Station is now working normally with no danger to its occupants after the crew managed to resolve a series of technical issues overnight, Russia's space agency said Tuesday.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-crew-danger-iss-issues-russia.html

Declines in shellfish species on rocky seashores match climate-driven changes

The waters of the Gulf of Maine are warming faster than oceans almost anywhere on Earth. And as the level of carbon dioxide rises in the atmosphere, it's absorbed by the oceans, causing pH levels to fall. Ocean acidification makes it difficult for shellfish to thicken their shells—their primary defense against predators.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-declines-shellfish-species-rocky-seashores.html

'Like the speed of the wind': Kenya's lakes rise to destructive highs

Peering into the lake, the village elder struggled to pinpoint where beneath the hyacinth and mesquite weeds lay the farm he lived in his entire life until the water rose like never before and swallowed everything.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-kenya-lakes-destructive-highs.html

SK Hynix in $9 bn deal for Intel's flash memory chip business

The world's second-largest chipmaker, South Korea's SK Hynix, announced a record $9 billion deal Tuesday to buy Intel's flash memory chip operation as it seeks to bolster its position against rival behemoth Samsung Electronics.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-sk-hynix-bn-intel-memory.html

Large earthquake off Alaska prompts tsunami fears, fleeing

A magnitude 7.5 earthquake prompted a tsunami warning Monday for a nearly thousand-mile stretch of Alaska's southern coast, with waves over 2 feet at the nearest community as the threat subsided.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-large-earthquake-alaska-prompts-tsunami.html

China's super rich got $1.5 trillion richer during pandemic: report

China's super wealthy have earned a record $1.5 trillion in 2020, more than the past five years combined, as e-commerce and gaming boomed during pandemic lockdowns, an annual rich list said Tuesday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-fortunes-china-internet.html

Democracy: Millennials are the most disillusioned generation 'in living memory'—global study

Young people's faith in democratic politics is lower than any other age group, and millennials across the world are more disillusioned with democracy than Generation X or baby boomers were at the same stage of life.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-democracy-millennials-disillusioned-memoryglobal.html

Messier 85 has a peculiar globular cluster system, study finds

Astronomers have conducted a study of stellar population and kinematics of globular clusters (GCs) in the galaxy Messier 85, and found that this galaxy hosts a peculiar globular cluster system. The finding is reported in a paper published October 6 on the arXiv pre-print repository.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-messier-peculiar-globular-cluster.html

Researchers create a new 'green' engine for lorries

Researchers from the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) have designed a new engine to decrease the environmental impact of the most common type of lorries that travel on European roads—those that weigh between 18 and 25 tons. From their laboratories at the CMT-Thermal Engines of the UPV, they propose a new configuration that unites all the benefits of hybrid and dual-fuel combustion engines.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-green-lorries.html

High-confidence approach for artificial intelligence-based models

They call it artificial intelligence—not because the intelligence is somehow fake. It's real intelligence, but it's still made by humans. That means AI—a power tool that can add speed, efficiency, insight and accuracy to a researcher's work—has many limitations.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-high-confidence-approach-artificial-intelligence-based.html

Researchers develop small animal PET scanner with high spatial resolution and high sensitivity

Positron emission tomography (PET) is an important tool for studying the animal model of human diseases and the development of new drugs and new therapies. 

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-small-animal-pet-scanner-high.html

Earth observation instruments pass review

As part of the atmospheric environment monitoring satellite (DQ-1) programs, the Environmental Trace Gas Monitoring Instrument (EMI-II) and Particulate Observing Scanning Polarization (POSP) passed the delivery acceptance review on science island of Hefei, Anhui province last month.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-earth-instruments.html

Researchers develop magnetically switchable mechano-chemotherapy to overcome tumor drug resistance

Prof. Wu Aiguo's team at the Cixi Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) developed a novel therapeutic method termed mechano-chemotherapy, which can efficiently overcome tumor drug resistance. The study was published in Nano Today.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-magnetically-switchable-mechano-chemotherapy-tumor-drug.html

Microwave lenses harnessed for multi-beam forming

This highly compact beam forming network has been designed for multi-beam satellite payload antennas. Generating a total of 64 signal beams outputted from a single antenna, this novel design could cover the entire Earth with multiple spot beams from geostationary orbit.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-microwave-lenses-harnessed-multi-beam.html

NASA InSight's 'Mole' is out of sight

NASA's InSight lander continues working to get its "mole"—a 16-inch-long (40-centimeter-long) pile driver and heat probe—deep below the surface of Mars. A camera on InSight's arm recently took images of the now partially filled-in "mole hole," showing only the device's science tether protruding from the ground.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-nasa-insight-mole-sight.html

Humans and climate drove giants of Madagascar to extinction

Nearly all Madagascan megafauna—including the famous dodo bird, gorilla-sized lemurs, giant tortoises, and the Elephant Bird, which stood 3 meters tall and weighted close to a half ton—vanished between 1,500 and 500 years ago. Were these animals overhunted to extinction by humans? Or did they disappear because of climate change? There are numerous hypotheses, but the exact cause of this megafauna crash remains elusive and hotly debated.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-humans-climate-drove-giants-madagascar.html

Echo from the past makes rice paddies a good home for wetland plants

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University studied the biodiversity of wetland plants over time in rice paddies in the Tone River basin, Japan. They found that paddies that were more likely to have been wetland previously retained more wetland plant species. On the other hand, land consolidation and agricultural abandonment were both found to impact biodiversity negatively. Their findings may one day inform conservation efforts and promote sustainable agriculture.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-echo-rice-paddies-good-home.html

Creating perfect edges in 2-D-materials

Ultrathin materials such as graphene promise a revolution in nanoscience and technology. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have published a study in Nature Communications in which they present a method for controlling the edges of two-dimensional materials using a "magic" chemical.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-edges-d-materials.html

Complex metabolism may have self-assembled from simple precursors

All modern life uses energy to reproduce itself. During this process, organisms build and break down larger molecules such as fats and sugars using a remarkably common set of reactive intermediate energy carrier molecules. These intermediate energy carriers (for example, ATP) are often not building blocks in and of themselves, but they allow the energy coupling between separate reactions needed to push forward cellular reproduction.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-complex-metabolism-self-assembled-simple-precursors.html

Losing flight had huge benefits for ants, new study finds

Ants are one of the most successful groups of animals on the planet, occupying anywhere from temperate soil to tropical rainforests, desert dunes and kitchen counters. They're social insects and their team-working abilities have long since been identified as one of the key factors leading to their success. Ants are famously able to lift or drag objects many times their own weight and transport these objects back to their colony. But with previous research having focused on the social aspects of an ant colony, looking at an individual ant has been somewhat neglected.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-flight-huge-benefits-ants.html

Understudied deeper water reefs could teach us how to better conserve corals

In three decades of diving at locations including the Red Sea and Great Barrier Reef, Gal Eyal has seen coral reefs transform in front of his eyes.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-understudied-deeper-reefs-corals.html

Singapore's world-first face scan plan sparks privacy fears

Singapore will become the world's first country to use facial verification in its national ID scheme, but privacy advocates are alarmed by what they say is an intrusive system vulnerable to abuse.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-singapore-world-first-scan-privacy.html

Airlines face tough winter as hoped-for pick-up fails to materialise

Airlines face a long, hard winter after a much hoped for rebound from the coronavirus crisis failed to materialise, prompting savage cost cutting programmes and fresh calls for government support.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-airlines-tough-winter-hoped-for-pick-up.html

China passes export law protecting national security, covering tech

China has passed a new law restricting sensitive exports to protect national security, a move that adds to policy tools it could wield against the US as tensions—especially in technology—continue to rise.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-china-export-law-national-tech.html

Engineers' report bolsters proposed Mississippi pump project

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Friday published a draft of a new environmental impact statement that supports a proposal for massive pumps to drain floodwaters from parts of the rural Mississippi Delta—a reversal of a previous federal report that said the project would hurt wetlands.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-bolsters-mississippi.html

'Classified knots': Researchers create optical framed knots to encode information

In a world first, researchers from the University of Ottawa in collaboration with Israeli scientists have been able to create optical framed knots in the laboratory that could potentially be applied in modern technologies. Their work opens the door to new methods of distributing secret cryptographic keys—used to encrypt and decrypt data, ensure secure communication and protect private information. The group recently published their findings in Nature Communications.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-optical-encode.html

During COVID, scientists turn to computers to understand C4 photosynthesis

When COVID closed down their lab in March, a team from the University of Essex turned to computational approaches to understand what makes some plants better adapted to transform light and carbon dioxide into yield through photosynthesis. They published their findings in the journal Frontiers of Plant Science.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-covid-scientists-c4-photosynthesis.html

Supergene discovery leads to new knowledge of fire ants

A unique study conducted by University of Georgia entomologists led to the discovery of a distinctive supergene in fire ant colonies that determines whether young queen ants will leave their birth colony to start their own new colony or if they will join one with multiple queens.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-supergene-discovery-knowledge-ants.html

Researchers find diverse communities comprise bacterial mats threatening coral reefs

Researchers are learning more about the brightly colored bacterial mats threatening the ecological health of coral reefs worldwide. In new research released this month, a Florida State University team revealed that these mats are more complex than scientists previously knew, opening the door for many questions about how to best protect reef ecosystems in the future.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-diverse-comprise-bacterial-mats-threatening.html

More US Adults want the government to have a bigger role in improving peoples' lives than before the pandemic

The share of U.S. adults who support an active government role in society increased by more than 40 percent during the initial pandemic response—up from 24 percent in September 2019 to 34 percent in April 2020—according to a new national public opinion survey conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins University SNF Agora Institute.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-adults-bigger-role-peoples-pandemic.html

History shows that societies collapse when leaders undermine social contracts

All good things must come to an end. Whether societies are ruled by ruthless dictators or more well-meaning representatives, they fall apart in time, with different degrees of severity. In a new paper, anthropologists examined a broad, global sample of 30 pre-modern societies. They found that when "good" governments—ones that provided goods and services for their people and did not starkly concentrate wealth and power—fell apart, they broke down more intensely than collapsing despotic regimes. And the researchers found a common thread in the collapse of good governments: leaders who undermined and broke from upholding core societal principles, morals, and ideals.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-history-societies-collapse-leaders-undermine.html

Supergiant star Betelgeuse smaller, closer than first thought

It may be another 100,000 years until the giant red star Betelgeuse dies in a fiery explosion, according to a new study by an international team of researchers.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-supergiant-star-betelgeuse-smaller-closer.html

Fossil footprints tell story of prehistoric parent's journey

Hungry giant predators, treacherous mud and a tired, probably cranky toddler—more than 10,000 years ago, that was the stuff of every parent's nightmare.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-fossil-footprints-story-prehistoric-parent.html

Australian carp virus plan 'dead in the water'

Plans to release a virus to reduce numbers of invasive Common Carp in Australia are unlikely to work and should be dropped, researchers say.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-australian-carp-virus-dead.html

Does science have a plastic problem? Microbiologists take steps to reducing plastic waste

Led by Dr. Amy Pickering and Dr. Joana Alves, the lab replaced single-use plastics with re-useable equipment. Where alternatives were not available, the group decontaminated and re-used plastic equipment which would have usually been thrown away after one use. "We knew that we were using plastic daily in our research, but it wasn't until we took the time to quantify the waste that the volumes being used really hit home. That really emphasized the need for us to introduce plastic reducing measures," said Dr. Pickering.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-science-plastic-problem-microbiologists.html

Thinning and prescribed fire treatments reduce tree mortality

To date in 2020, 1,217 wildfires have burned 1,473,522 million acres of National Forest System lands in California; 8,486 wildfires have burned over 4 million acres across all jurisdictions in California. This current fire activity comes after forests in the region experienced an extreme drought accompanied by warmer than normal temperatures from 2012 to 2015, resulting in the deaths of over 147 million trees, mostly from bark beetles. These dead trees are now adding more fuel to this summer's wildfires, especially in the southern and central Sierra Nevada, where tree mortality was the heaviest.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-thinning-treatments-tree-mortality.html

Strategic interventions in dairy production in developing countries can help meet growing global demand for milk

Low dairy consumption is common among low- and middle-income countries (LMICs); however, with the demand for milk in these countries projected to increase over the next few decades, there is an opportunity to improve the lives of millions of people from the nutritional benefits of dairy products. Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Livestock Systems hosted the "MILK Symposium: Improving Milk Production, Quality, and Safety in Developing Countries" at the 2019 American Dairy Science Association Annual Meeting to address factors that cause low dairy consumption in LMICs and discuss strategies to address them. The Journal of Dairy Science invited speakers to submit articles on topics from the symposium to reach a wider audience.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-strategic-interventions-dairy-production-countries.html

Facebook users spread Russian propaganda less often when they know source

Russian propaganda is hitting its mark on social media—generating strong partisan reactions that may help intensify political divisions—but Facebook users are less apt to press the "like" button on content when they learn that it is part of a foreign propaganda campaign, according to a new RAND Corporation report.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-facebook-users-russian-propaganda-source.html

Research demonstrates a molecular dance that keeps your heart beating

It might look like a little game at the molecular scale.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-molecular-heart.html

To make mini-organs grow faster, give them a squeeze

The closer people are physically to one another, the higher the chance for exchange, of things like ideas, information, and even infection. Now researchers at MIT and Boston Children's Hospital have found that, even in the microscopic environment within a single cell, physical crowding increases the chance for interactions, in a way that can significantly alter a cell's health and development.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-mini-organs-faster.html

Trees and lawns beat the heat

In cities, humans replace the natural ground cover with roofs, pavement and other artificial materials that are impervious to water. These surfaces significantly change how the land absorbs and releases energy and cause the urban heat island effect, a phenomenon where developed areas get hotter than nearby rural areas. As climate change pushes many cities towards dangerous temperatures, planners are scrambling to mitigate excessive heat.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-trees-lawns.html

Robot swarms follow instructions to create art

What if you could instruct a swarm of robots to paint a picture? The concept may sound far-fetched, but a recent study in open-access journal Frontiers in Robotics and AI has shown that it is possible. The robots in question move about a canvas leaving color trails in their wake, and in a first for robot-created art, an artist can select areas of the canvas to be painted a certain color and the robot team will oblige in real time. The technique illustrates the potential of robotics in creating art, and could be an interesting tool for artists.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-robot-swarms-art.html

Popularity of COVID-19 conspiracies and links to vaccine 'hesitancy' revealed by international study

A new study of beliefs and attitudes toward COVID-19 in five different countries—UK, US, Ireland, Mexico and Spain—has identified how much traction some prominent conspiracy theories have within these populations.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-popularity-covid-conspiracies-links-vaccine.html

Finding its way to the top: How a cell surface receptor reaches its destination

Dr. Guangyu Wu is dissecting the molecular homing that enables a nascent protein to ultimately find its way to the surface of a cell as a mature receptor type that helps us taste, smell and even regulate our mood and immunity.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-cell-surface-receptor-destination.html

Only 7% of US school districts in poorer, ethnic minority populations to reopen this fall

US schools in poor districts with large non-white student populations are less likely to reopen fully this academic year, according to a major new study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of School Choice.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-school-districts-poorer-ethnic-minority.html

Machine learning model helps characterize compounds for drug discovery

Tandem mass spectrometry is a powerful analytical tool used to characterize complex mixtures in drug discovery and other fields.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-machine-characterize-compounds-drug-discovery.html

Scientists shed new light on viruses' role in coral bleaching

Scientists at Oregon State University have shown that viral infection is involved in coral bleaching—the breakdown of the symbiotic relationship between corals and the algae they rely on for energy.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-scientists-viruses-role-coral.html

The Great Barrier Reef has lost half its corals

A new study of the Great Barrier Reef shows populations of its small, medium and large corals have all declined in the past three decades.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-great-barrier-reef-lost-corals.html

Hunting for unicorns: Japan start-ups see hope on horizon

Hampered by cautious investors and a rigid corporate culture, Japan has produced just a handful of major start-ups. But there are signs that could be changing, industry insiders say.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-unicorns-japan-start-ups-horizon.html

Microsoft targets malware vendor Trickbot amid US election fears

Microsoft said Monday it had taken down malware vendor Trickbot in an effort to thwart attempts to meddle with the upcoming US presidential election.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-microsoft-malware-vendor-trickbot-election.html

Disney revamps itself to emphasize streaming

Disney announced Monday a reorganization of its media and entertainment business that aims to further boost its streaming service, which has boomed during the coronavirus pandemic.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-disney-reorg-bolster-company-focus.html

Virus crisis an opportunity to reshape climate reponse: IEA

Only massive investment in clean energy can help overcome the economic crisis caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic while setting the world on a path to meeting its objectives to slow climate change, the International Energy Agency said Tuesday.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-virus-crisis-opportunity-reshape-climate.html

5G iPhone expected to star at Apple event

Apple is expected on Tuesday to unveil a keenly anticipated iPhone 12 line-up starring models tuned to super-fast new 5G telecom networks in an update considered vital to the company's fortunes.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-5g-iphone-star-apple-event.html

New research on SARS-CoV-2 virus 'survivability'

Researchers at CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, have found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, can survive for up to 28 days on common surfaces including banknotes, glass—such as that found on mobile phone screens—and stainless steel.

Female surgeons perform less complex cases than male peers, likely due to systemic bias

Female surgeons at a large academic medical center perform less complex surgical procedures than their male counterparts, according to a new study by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). This study, published in Annals of Surgery, is one of the first to measure the problem of underemployment among female surgeons in the United States, which can affect compensation, career advancement and job satisfaction.

Four in ten extra deaths in Lombardy not linked to COVID-19

The study, published in PLOS ONE, looked at the number of deaths in each of the 7,251 local authority areas of Italy during the first four months of the year and compared these figures with predictions based on data from 2016-2019.

Italy 'second wave' fears grow as virus cases top 5,000

Italy was grappling Friday with fears of a second coronavirus wave similar to the ones seen in Britain, France and Spain, as it registered over 5,000 new infections in 24 hours.

Upper Midwest sees COVID-19 surge as Northeast worries about a second wave

(HealthDay)—The new coronavirus is striking the Upper Midwest with a vengeance, as Wisconsin and the Dakotas became COVID-19 hotspots and health officials scrambled for hospital beds on Thursday.

Hurricane Delta roars ashore on storm-battered US southern coast

Hurricane Delta has made landfall on the Louisiana coast, packing ferocious winds and a "life-threatening" storm surge—and driving out residents still rebuilding from a devastating storm less than two months ago.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-10-hurricane-delta-roars-ashore-storm-battered.html

Hurricane Delta roars ashore on storm-battered US southern coast

Hurricane Delta has made landfall on the Louisiana coast, packing ferocious winds and a "life-threatening" storm surge—and driving out residents still rebuilding from a devastating storm less than two months ago.

Renewable player overtakes ExxonMobil in market value

After decades of embracing fossil fuels, Wall Street appears to be shifting its allegiance to renewable energy, a sharp turn apparent in the contrasting fortunes of NextEra Energy and Exxon Mobil.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-renewable-player-exxonmobil.html

EasyJet flies into first annual loss

EasyJet expects a pre-tax loss of up to £845 million for its fiscal year just ended as coronavirus travel restrictions slam passenger demand, the British no-frills airline said Thursday.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-10-easyjet-flies-annual-loss.html

Experts: Warming makes Delta, other storms power up faster

Hurricane Delta, gaining strength as it bears down on the U.S. Gulf Coast, is the latest and nastiest in a recent flurry of rapidly intensifying Atlantic hurricanes that scientists largely blame on global warming.

Women are more concerned about COVID-19 than men, study finds

A Dartmouth-Gallup study finds that women are more concerned about COVID-19 than men, a difference that transcends party lines. This female perspective towards the pandemic may be overlooked due to the underrepresentation of women in the workplace that is compounded by an underrepresentation in politics, creating what the researchers refer to as a representational "double whammy" effect. The study's findings are published in Politics & Gender.