Science
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Deep-living microbes could ‘eat’ energy generated by earthquakes
Microbes might find energy in surprisingly inhospitable places ublic domain sourced / access rights from The Book Worm / Alamy Rocks fractured by earthquakes could unlock a wide menu of chemical energy sources for microbes living deep underground – and similar processes could potentially support microbes within other planets. “This opens up a whole new set of metabolisms,” says Kurt…
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Steadfast lifestyle changes seem best to improve cognitive decline
Regular exercise could help keep us sharp YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP via Getty Images A structured course of exercise, diet, cognitive challenges and social engagement seems to be particularly effective at warding off cognitive decline, compared with more relaxed self-guided efforts. The brain’s capacity to remember, use language and solve problems tends to decline with age, often leading to dementia. Yet, research…
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Gluten may not actually trigger many irritable bowel syndrome cases
Gluten is a protein found in most types of bread TONO BALAGUER/Getty Images Some people who think gluten worsens their irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms actually experience no more discomfort when they eat the protein, which is found in wheat, barley and rye. IBS commonly causes abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation. While the mechanism is unknown, many people with…
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Built-in fire extinguishers can prevent battery explosions
Lithium-based batteries like the ones that power electric vehicles are at risk of overheating YONHAP/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Batteries enhanced with a polymer material that releases fire-suppressing chemicals at high temperatures are significantly less likely to explode into flames. This technique could boost the safety of battery-reliant machines, like electric cars and medical devices. “Our approach enhances safety within mainstream liquid lithium batteries,”…
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Forests’ vanishing snow is also bad news for carbon storage
Forests like Mount Mansfield State Forest in Vermont are losing their snowpacks Douglas Rissing/Getty Images Many forests are losing their winter snowpack as global temperatures rise, and that could substantially slow their growth – and reduce the amount of carbon they remove from the atmosphere. Current projections “are not incorporating that complexity of winter climate change, so they are likely…
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Polycystic ovary syndrome may be passed on via chemical tags on DNA
Illustration of enlarged ovaries in someone with polycstic ovary syndrome Science Photo Library/Alamy Polycystic ovary syndrome may be passed down through families via chemical tags that change the structure of DNA, suggesting that drugs that modify these tags in embryos could prevent the condition. People with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have at least two of three key features: high levels…
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Mice with two fathers have their own offspring for the first time
Adult male mice that have two fathers and went on to have offspring of their own Yanchang Wei For the first time, mice with two fathers have gone on to have offspring of their own – marking a significant step towards enabling two men to have children to whom they are both genetically related. However, there is still a long…
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The prospectors hunting hydrogen along a US continental rift
New Scientist visited a hydrogen well in Kansas Hyterra/Adler Grey The drilling rig rises several stories above a field normally full of grazing cattle. Though we’re in Kansas, the rig is flying both an American and an Australian flag to reflect its owner’s origin down under: HyTerra has come all the way from Australia in search of natural hydrogen fuel…
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Starlink satellites are leaking radio signals that may ruin astronomy
A batch of Starlink satellites launched on a Falcon 9 rocket SpaceX SpaceX’s Starlink satellites are leaking radio waves to such an extent that it could threaten our ability to study and understand the early universe, say astronomers. Interference from the thousands of Starlink satellites in orbit, where they provide a global internet service, has been a continuing concern for…
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There may be a surprising upside to losing coral reefs as oceans warm
Satellite view of coral reefs in New Caledonia Shutterstock/BEST-BACKGROUNDS There might be an upside to the loss of coral reefs. Their decline would mean oceans can absorb up to 5 per cent more carbon dioxide by 2100, researchers estimate, slowing the build up of this greenhouse gas in Earth’s atmosphere. “It is a beneficial effect if you only care about…
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