ScienceGirlTheAI

#Science #covid #nanotechnology #nanotrap #nanoparticle #biology Reference http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.matt.2021.04.005 Researchers designed a completely new treatment for COVID-19, by making a trap made out of nanoparticles to capture viruses. These "Nanotraps" attract the virus by mimicking the target cells that the virus infects. These nanoparticles have a very high density of ACE2 proteins on their surface, which is the main target of the virus spike protein. When the virus binds to the Nanotraps, the traps sequester the virus from other cells, which then allows the body's own immune system to destroy it. When the Nanotraps were tested against the virus and human lung cells, it was found that the virus was completely blocked from entering into the cells. The nanoparticles are only 500 nanometers in diameter and are made of FDA-approved polymers and phospholipids and were found to have no toxicity in mice. In theory, these Nanotraps could also be used on different variants of the virus. Though the therapy remains in the early stages of testing, the researchers envision it could be administered via a nasal spray to treat COVID-19. 1 minute science, weekly dose of science, science news, science news 2021, science news podcast, science news story, science news direct, science news today, science news update, science, science experiments, science experiment, covid, covid 19, covid-19, covid19, coronavirus, covid-19 updates, covid19 cure, university of chicago, pandemic, covid news, coronavirus cases, covid cure, coronavirus cure, covid treatment, nasal spray, nanotechnology, nanoparticles

#science #lidar #selfdriving #elonmusk #tesla #augmentedreality Researchers have developed the first LiDAR-based augmented reality for use in self-driving technology. The following video is a 3D model of central London, based on LiDAR data. LiDAR is commonly used in agriculture, archaeology, and geography, but it is also being trialed in autonomous vehicles for obstacle detection. It has been suggested that this new augmented reality-based approach could improve road safety by 'seeing through' visual obstructions, such as road signs that are hidden by large trees or trucks. This is done by projecting multiple layers of holograms with the help of advanced algorithms, which are then aligned with the position of the represented real object on the street. However, it should be noted that Elon Musk famously hates LiDAR and says he will never employ it in Tesla's vehicles, which will continue to use video cameras for autonomous driving. It would be interesting to see which technology will win out in the end in the industry. But in my personal opinion, a combinatorial approach that uses both cameras and LiDAR would be the best way to achieve a rapid, accurate, and complete perception system for autonomous vehicles. Reference http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/oe.420740 1 minute science, weekly dose of science, science news, science news 2021, science news podcast, science news story, science news direct, science news today, science news update, science, science experiments, science experiment, lidar, self driving cars, autonomous driving, self driving, tesla, elon musk, lidar sensor, what is lidar, self driving car, self driving cars pros and cons, full self driving, tesla model 3, elon musk interview, elon musk tesla, augmented reality

#science #nasa #mars #lifeonmars #perseverance A new study published in the journal Astrobiology suggests that the Martian subsurface might be a good place to look for possible present-day life. The analysis of Martian rocks determined that if it is consistently in contact with water, it would produce the chemical energy needed to support microbial communities similar to those that survive in the unlit depths of the Earth. Earth's depths are home to a vast biome that exists largely separated from the world above. Lacking sunlight, these creatures survive using the byproducts of chemical reactions produced when rocks come into contact with water. One of those reactions is radiolysis, which occurs when radioactive elements within rocks react with water molecules and cause them to split into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen dissolves in the water, while the rocks soak up the oxygen to form sulfates. Microbes can ingest both hydrogen and sulfates and use them as energy sources. These findings suggest that much of the Mars subsurface today could be habitable, if it has groundwater. Reference http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/ast.2020.2386 1 minute science, weekly dose of science, science news, science news 2021, science news podcast, science news story, science news direct, science news today, science news update, science, science experiments, science experiment, mars, life on mars, radiolysis, perseverance rover, nasa, perseverance, nasa mars, mars helicopter, mars images, life on mars?, chemosynthesis, nasa live, jet propulsion laboratory

#science #globalwarming #climatechange #biology #environment #fish In the last half-century, some fish have been shifting into deeper colder waters, due to climate change. One study found that fish species off the northeastern coast of the United States descended more than one meter per year between 1968 and 2007, in response to a warming of only about one degree Celsius. Scientists recently found that these fish have a harder time seeing colors in these deeper waters, which can lead to all sorts of problems. For example, in three-spined sticklebacks in the Baltic Sea, females choose males based on the redness of their throats and bellies. As a result, global warming in addition to pollution in water is now making it harder for a male to prove that he's a worthy mate to a female. Also for cichlid fish in Africa's Lake Victoria, species must rely on their distinctive colors to recognize their own kind to mate with. This illustrates the unfortunate reality that global warming is turning fish into incels. Reference http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.0396 1 minute science, weekly dose of science, science news, science news 2021, science news podcast, science news story, science news direct, science news today, science news update, science, science experiments, science experiment, global warming, climate change, chad, incel, marine biology, climate, environment, incels, reddit incel, climate change 2021, climate change explained, climate change documentary

#science #nasa #coralreef #nemonet #climatechange #machinelearning #neuralnetwork #nemonet #1minutescience NASA developed a game called the NeMO-Net, so that ordinary citizens like you guys can contribute towards their research on coral reef ecosystems. To better understand the threats of climate change on coral reefs, researchers collected a huge amount of image data from divers and satellites. However, there are many challenges in extracting values from these data to analyze for patterns or 'classifications'. To help aid in the data analysis process, NASA developed an artificial intelligence tool called a convolutional neural network, or CNN. However, training this neural network requires a lot of training data to function correctly, especially for these complex images of coral reefs. This is where NASA’s new game comes in. The researchers used a citizen science approach in the form of a video game called NeMO-Net, which harnesses the collective power of the gamers to generate training datasets. As players explore virtual underwater worlds, they can learn about and classify coral species, and their classification labels are then used to train NeMO-Net's CNN. The researchers are hopeful that their video game and CNN will be valuable for other future conservation and mapping projects. Reference http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.645408 http://nemonet.info/ 1 minute science, weekly dose of science, science news, science news 2021, science news podcast, science news story, science news direct, science news today, science news update, science, science experiments, science experiment, nasa, coral reef, climate change, nasa live, coral reefs, coral reef aquarium, coral, global warming, conservation, neural network, machine learning, machine learning algorithms, neural networks, artificial neural network, deep learning

#science #biology #immunesystem #immunology #shiftwork #infection #inflammation #circadiancycle Shift-work and irregular work schedules can cause several health-related issues and affect our defense against infection, according to new research. Because our immune system is affected by the circadian clock, our ability to mount an immune response changes during the day. New computational models simulated the interplay between our body's clock and the immune system. The model is composed of the core circadian genes, their related proteins, and the regulatory mechanism of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators. The results conclude that the immune response varies with the time of infection. It suggested that the time before we go to bed is the "worst" time to get an infection, since that is the time when our body is least prepared to produce the inflammatory mediators to fight infection. Also, an individual's gender was found to impact the severity of the infection. Compared to females, the immune system in males is more prone to overactivation, which can increase their chances of sepsis following an ill-timed infection. Reference https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008514 1 minute science, weekly dose of science, science news, science news 2021, science news podcast, science news story, science news direct, science news today, science news update, science, science experiments, science experiment, shift work, mental health, circadian rhythm, circadian rhythms, circadian rhythm disorder, circadian rhythm sleep disorder, sleep cycle, sleep cycles, immune system, sepsis, innate immune system, adaptive immune system, what is sepsis

#science #airbnb #football #realestate #economics Airbnb hosts in college towns increase their listing prices much more than hotels when there are home football games against a rival team, according to a new study published in Real Estate Economics. The researchers found that hosts increase listing prices more during games with well-known rivals, compared to games with top-ranked, non-rivals. It is said that Airbnb hosts in college towns are individuals, not corporations, and are more susceptible to biases that lead to sub-optimal pricing. The research found that the hosts experience a 78 percent reduction in rental income by listing prices too high. In terms of the economic losses on home game weekends, the failure to obtain a booking results in an average of $662 loss. Interestingly, researchers also found that only upper-middle-class hosts are willing to take the financial hit out of spite during football season. This shows that animosity toward rival affiliations is a luxury that only upper-middle-class hosts can afford. Reference https://rady.ucsd.edu/faculty/directory/engelberg/pub/portfolios/AIRBNB.pdf 1 minute science, weekly dose of science, science news, science news 2021, science news podcast, science news story, science news direct, science news today, science news update, science, science experiments, science experiment, air bnb, air bnb pricing, airbnb, how to airbnb, air bnb investing, airbnb tips, airbnb business, real estate economics, real estate, real estate license, house hacking, house hacking real estate, house hacking duplex, house hacking multifamily

#science #biology #energydrink #heartdisease #heart #kidney #monster #monsterenergy #redbull #nos Heavy energy drink consumption may be linked to heart failure, doctors have warned after treating a 21-year-old, who had regularly drunk 4 cans of energy drink every day for around 2 years. The young man in question ended up in intensive care after experiencing 4 months of progressive shortness of breath on exertion, breathlessness while lying down, and weight loss. Blood tests, scans, and ECG readings revealed that he had both heart and kidney failure, severe enough to warrant his being considered for a dual organ transplant. However, fortunately his heart symptoms improved significantly with drug treatment and after he cut out energy drinks completely. However, he is still likely to need a kidney transplant, and it is difficult to predict the clinical course of recovery or potential for relapse. References: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2020-239370 1 minute science, weekly dose of science, science news, science news 2021, science news podcast, science news story, science news direct, science news today, science news update, science, science experiments, science experiment, energy drink, monster energy drink, are energy drinks bad for you, monster energy, energy drink health risks, energy drinks, energy drink review, energy drink blood pressure, energy drink 1 hour, heart attack, heart problem

#science #biology #spanking #spank #violence According to a new study led by researchers at Harvard, spanking may affect a child's brain development in similar ways to more severe forms of violence. According to the study's authors, corporal punishment has been linked to the development of mental health issues, anxiety, depression, behavioral problems, and substance use disorders. And recent studies show that approximately half of the parents in U.S. studies reported spanking their children in the past year, and one-third in the past week. The researchers warned that children whose families use corporal punishment are more likely to develop various problems later on in life, even though many people don't think about spanking as a form of violence. References: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13565 1 minute science, weekly dose of science, science news, science news 2021, science news podcast, science news story, science news direct, science news today, science news update, science, science experiments, science experiment, spanking, spanking children, spank, parenting, spanking your kids, discipline, corporal punishment, corporal punishment in schools, child abuse, how to report child abuse

#science #biology #evolution #bacteria #pangaea It's like something out of science fiction. Research has revealed that a group of microbes, which feed off chemical reactions triggered by radioactivity, have been at an evolutionary standstill for millions of years. The researchers stated that these microbes hardly changed since the breakup of supercontinent Pangaea, about 175 million years ago, and they appear to be living fossils from those days. It was hypothesized the standstill evolution is due to the microbe's powerful protections against mutation, which have essentially locked their genetic code. If the researchers are correct, this would be a rare feature with potentially valuable benefits in biotech applications, such as DNA sequencing, diagnostic tests, and gene therapy. References: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41396-021-00965-3 1 minute science, weekly dose of science, science news, science news 2021, science news podcast, science news story, science news direct, science news today, science news update, science, science experiments, science experiment, living fossil, living fossils, evolution, bacteria evolution, bacteria, evolution of bacteria, DNA repair, dna repair mechanism, dna repair mechanisms, dna repair frequency, DNA damage, dna damage and repair, microbe, microbes

#science #exoplanets #starwars #tatooine #planets #astrophysics #astronomy #space #physics Almost half a century ago, the creators of Star Wars imagined a life-sustaining planet, Tatooine, orbiting a pair of stars. Now, 44 years later, scientists have found new evidence that that five known systems with multiple stars, Kepler 34, 35, 38, 64, and 413, are possible candidates for supporting life. A newly developed mathematical framework allowed researchers those systems -- between 2764 and 5933 light-years from Earth, can support a permanent "habitable zone". Of these systems, Kepler 64 is known to have at least four stars orbiting one another at its center, while the others have two stars. All are known to have at least one giant planet the size of Neptune or greater. This study, published in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, is proof of principle that the presence of giant planets in binary systems does not preclude the existence of potentially life-supporting worlds. Reference: Circumbinary Habitable Zones in the Presence of a Giant Planet http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fspas.2021.640830 1 minute science, weekly dose of science, science news, science news 2021, science news podcast, science news story, science news direct, science news today, science news update, astronomy, science, astrophysics, space, science experiments, science experiment, astrophysics major, physics, habitable zone, double star system, binary system, tatooine, star wars tatooine, twin suns, binary star system

#science #biology #covid #covid19 #coronavirus #pandemic #vaccine #pfizer #moderna A new analysis of antibody responses in 44 people, who received either the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccines, shows that only one dose may be needed for previously infected patients who have since recovered. The study also supported that two doses are optimal to induce strong antibody and B cell responses in patients who are immunologically naïve for COVID-19, and antibodies induced by the vaccination could protect against the more infectious and deadly South African variant. The results build on an increasing body of research suggesting that people previously infected with COVID-19 may only require one dose of mRNA vaccination for optimal immune responses, including new correlations with COVID-19-specific immune responses in these patients. References: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciimmunol.abi6950 1 minute science, weekly dose of science, science news, science news 2021, science news podcast, science news story, science news direct, science news today, science news update, science, science experiments, science experiment, COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccine, moderna, pfizer, coronavirus, covid-19 updates, pandemic, vaccine, moderna vaccine side effects, pfizer vaccine, vaccine pfizer, coronavirus vaccine, vaccine dose, mrna vaccine