Decoupling electronic and thermal transport

A new University of Wollongong study overcomes a major challenge of thermoelectric materials, which can convert heat into electricity and vice versa, improving conversion efficiency by more than 60%.

Replicating surfaces, right down to a fraction of an atom

The ability to replicate materials at the atomic level has attracted significant attention from materials scientists. However, the current technology is limited by a number of factors. Udo Schwarz, professor of mechanical engineering & materials science and department chair, has recently published two papers on research that could significantly open up what's possible within this emerging field. His methods include a process that can replicate a surface's features to details of less than one 10 billionth of a meter, or less 1/20th the diameter of an atom.

Biologists summarize 520 studies and report the best way to fertilize soil

A team of biologists from RUDN University working together with foreign colleagues have summarized the results of 520 studies on the impact of manure on the soil and created a snapshot of all biochemical processes that go on in fertilized soils. The team also compared the effect of manure with and without mineral additives, showed how manure from different animals affects the fertility of the soil, and calculated the optimal amount of manure for soil fertilization. The results of the study were published in Science of The Total Environment .

Algorithm could identify disease-associated genes

ITMO University's bioinformatics researchers have developed an algorithm that helps to assess the influence of genes on processes in the human body, including the development of disease. The research was published in BMC Bioinformatics.

Scientists explain how to store cipher data in magnetic skyrmions

Scientists of Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) with international collaborators have proposed direct magnetic writing of skyrmions, i.e., magnetic quasiparticles, and skyrmion lattices, within which it is possible to encode, transmit, process information and produce topological patterns with a resolution less than 100 nanometers. This has applications for miniaturized post-silicon electronics, new topological cryptography techniques and green data centers, potentially reducing the load on the Earth's ecosystem significantly. A related article appears in ACS Nano.

Inflammation caused by bacterial infection puts brain stem cells on alert

A study directed by Isabel Fariñas and published in the journal Cell Stem Cell reveals that the inflammation produced by a bacterial infection alerts brain stem cells and prepares their activation for the production of new neurons. The study represents a new advance in the field of regenerative medicine.

Researchers discover solid phosphorus from a comet

An international study led from the University of Turku, Finland, discovered phosphorus and fluorine in solid dust particles collected from a comet. The finding indicates that all the most important elements necessary for life may have been delivered to the Earth by comets.

Life on an airless Earth

In hidden pockets around the world, tiny creatures consume toxins and wait for their day to again rule the Earth.

Women found to be at higher risk for heart failure and heart attack death than men

Women face a 20% increased risk of developing heart failure or dying within five years after their first severe heart attack compared with men, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation.

Heart disease risk in women increases leading up to menopause; early intervention is key

The menopause transition, the years leading up to menopause, is a time of increasing heart disease risk for women. Monitoring women's health and lifestyle, while integrating early intervention strategies for good cardiovascular health, are important, especially during midlife and during menopause to help prevent heart disease, according to a new Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association, "Menopause Transition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Implications for Timing for Early Prevention," published today in its flagship journal, Circulation.

Forearm fractures may signal intimate partner violence

Up to one-third of adult women who sustain a non-displaced fracture to the ulna bone of the forearm may be victims of intimate partner violence, according to a study being presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). The findings underscore the need to screen for intimate partner violence in women with these types of injuries, researchers said.

Deep learning predicts woman's risk for breast cancer

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have developed a deep learning model that identifies imaging biomarkers on screening mammograms to predict a patient's risk for developing breast cancer with greater accuracy than traditional risk assessment tools. Results of the study are being presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

Italy fines Apple 10 mn euros for water damage claims

Italy's competition authority said Monday it had fined Apple 10 million euros ($12 million) for misleading claims about the water resistant properties of various iPhone models.

WHO warns malaria fight flat-lining

Progress in eliminating malaria has stalled in recent years, the World Health Organization said Monday, with more than 400,000 people once again estimated to have died from the disease last year.

First foreign students arrive in Australia since virus closure

International students have arrived in Australia for the first time since the country shut its borders to curb coronavirus in March, with a charter flight touching down in Darwin on Monday.

Researcher uses fruit for less toxic drug delivery

University of Louisville researchers have found a less toxic way to deliver medicines by using the natural lipids in plants, particularly grapefruit and ginger.

Measuring broken hearts: Divorce has negative effects on physical and mental health

Going through a divorce is extremely challenging and previous research has highlighted the adverse effects that it can have on divorcees. A recent study in open-access journal Frontiers in Psychology is the first to examine health impacts immediately after a divorce. The study found that the mental and physical health of recent divorcees was worse than that of the background population and that higher levels of conflict predicted worse mental health, regardless of other factors. Understanding these effects could assist researchers in designing interventions that help divorcees to get back on their feet and avoid long-term repercussions.

COVID-19 studies should also focus on mucosal immunity, researchers argue

Anyone who has undergone a nasal swab or saliva test for COVID-19 knows that the virus is most easily detected in the nose and mouth. That's why, University at Buffalo researchers argue in a new paper, more COVID-19 studies should be devoted to how immunity emerges to SARS-CoV-2 in the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth.

Australia bush fire rips through heritage-listed island

Australian firefighters are struggling to control a massive bush fire that already destroyed 40 percent of the UNESCO world heritage-listed Fraser Island before a heatwave hit Monday.

Thousands flee as Indonesian volcano bursts to life

Thousands have fled the scene of a rumbling Indonesian volcano that burst to life for the first time in several years, belching a massive column of smoke and ash, the disaster agency said Monday.

Merriam-Webster's top word of 2020 not a shocker: pandemic

If you were to choose a word that rose above most in 2020, which word would it be?

Brightly burning meteor seen across wide areas of Japan

A brightly burning meteor was seen plunging from the sky in wide areas of Japan, capturing attention on television and social media.

Fast-moving gas flowing away from young star caused by icy comet vaporisation

A unique stage of planetary system evolution has been imaged by astronomers, showing fast-moving carbon monoxide gas flowing away from a star system over 400 light years away, a discovery that provides an opportunity to study how our own solar system developed.