Genes that could help create more resilient chickens
Reading Time: 2 minutesAN international team of scientists, led by Penn State researchers, have identified genes that may help farmers, especially ones in low- and middle-income countries, breed chickens that can resist one of the biggest disease threats facing poultry today. In the study, the researchers found that a set of genes differentially expressed in two breeds of […]
Tiny fishes fuel coral reefs
Reading Time: 2 minutesSCIENTIST have long sought to understand how coral reefs support such an abundance of fish life despite their location in nutrient poor waters. According to a new study published May 23 in the journal Science, an unlikely group fuels these communities: tiny, mostly bottom-dwelling creatures called “cryptobenthic” reef fishes. The study shows that these fishes […]
EGG SUCKING SEA SLUG…
Reading Time: < 1 minuteFeet from the raw bars and sherbet-colored condominiums of Florida’s Cedar Key, researchers discovered a new species of egg-sucking sea slug, a rare outlier in a group famous for being ultra vegetarians. Named Olea hensoni in honour of Muppets creator Jim Henson, the slug belongs to the sacoglossans, a group of more than 300 species […]
A big toast to wine science!
Reading Time: 3 minutesCOMMUNICATING science to a wider audience is increasingly important and the Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) has risen to the challenge by developing a series of interactive wine science events. These events, conducted during the Australian National Science Week each year, blend wine tasting with scientific information and stories for an evening of entertainment that […]
Parents, children engage in science awareness carnival
Reading Time: 2 minutesKUALA LUMPUR: The Sunway Nexis Mall in Kota Damansara came alive recently with a carnival “Love in Caring Hands”. The event aims to raise science awareness and interest among parents and children. About 1500 parents and their children thronged the event jointly organised by Ganofarm R&D Sdn Bhd, VMS Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Bioeconomy Corporation, Malaysian […]
‘Sound’ words predict psychosis
Reading Time: < 1 minuteA MACHINE-LEARNING method discovered a hidden clue in people’s language predictive of the later emergence of psychosis — the frequent use of words associated with sound. A paper published by the journal npj Schizophrenia published the findings by scientists at Emory University and Harvard University. The researchers also developed a new machine-learning method to more […]
Dye-sensitised solar cells
Reading Time: < 1 minuteRESEARCHERS at the Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences at Kyoto University have made a popular type of dye-sensitized solar cell more efficient by adjusting and updating their structure. Published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS), the team report a series of adaptations with a power conversion efficiency of 10.7%, the highest yet […]
How tides can trigger earthquakes
Reading Time: < 1 minuteYears ago, scientists realised that earthquakes are linked with the tides. But nobody could figure out why there’s an uptick in tremors during low tides. “Everyone was sort of stumped, because according to conventional theory, those earthquakes should occur at high tides,” explained Christopher Scholz, a seismologist at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. In a […]
The evolution of puppy dog eyes
Reading Time: < 1 minuteNEW research comparing the anatomy and behavior of dogs and wolves suggests dogs’ facial anatomy has changed over thousands of years specifically to allow them to better communicate with humans. The research team, led by comparative psychologist Dr Juliane Kaminski, at the University of Portsmouth, included a team of behavioural and anatomical experts in the […]
The invention of universal computer memory
Reading Time: < 1 minuteA NEW type of computer memory which could solve the digital technology energy crisis has been invented and patented by scientists from Lancaster University in the UK. The electronic memory device — described in research published in Scientific Reports — promises to transform daily life with its ultra-low energy consumption.