ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Mystery of how snakes lost their legs solved by reptile fossil

Posted: 27 Nov 2015 04:51 PM PST

Fresh analysis of a reptile fossil is helping scientists solve an evolutionary puzzle -- how snakes lost their limbs. The findings show snakes did not lose their limbs in order to live in the sea, as was previously suggested.

Soil pulled from deep under Oregon's unglaciated Coast Range unveils frosty past climate

Posted: 27 Nov 2015 04:51 PM PST

Lush greenery rich in Douglas fir and hemlock trees covers the Triangle Lake valley of the Oregon Coast Range. Today, however, geologists are more focused on sediment samples dating back 50,000 years and which show the region, not covered by glaciers in the last ice age, was frost-covered and endured erosion rates must higher than those seen today.

Earth's first ecosystems were more complex than previously thought, study finds

Posted: 27 Nov 2015 04:51 PM PST

Computer simulations have allowed scientists to work out how a puzzling 555-million-year-old organism with no known modern relatives fed, revealing that some of the first large, complex organisms on Earth formed ecosystems that were much more complex than previously thought.

Synapse discovery could lead to new treatments for Alzheimer's disease

Posted: 27 Nov 2015 07:23 AM PST

A team of scientists has discovered how connections between brain cells are destroyed in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease -- work that opens up a new avenue for research on possible treatments for the degenerative brain condition.

Promising new prototype of battery

Posted: 27 Nov 2015 07:21 AM PST

An alternative technology to Li-ion has been designed for application in specific sectors. The researchers have developed the first battery using sodium ions in the usual "18650" format, an industry standard. The main advantage of the prototype is that it relies on sodium, an element far more abundant and less costly than lithium. The batteries have displayed performance levels comparable to their lithium counterparts, and this new technology is already attracting industrial interest. It could be used to store renewable energies in the future, say researchers.

Lettuce quality improved by modifying its growing conditions

Posted: 27 Nov 2015 07:21 AM PST

It is possible to improve the nutraceutical quality of the lettuce by modifying its growing conditions, but not at the expense of productivity. Researchers applied various stress conditions to the plants and has verified the changes that take place in their composition as a result.

Thinking of bagging yourself a Black Friday bargain?

Posted: 27 Nov 2015 07:19 AM PST

Revealing the motives, characteristics and experiences of sale shoppers, a new article lends some information to would-be shoppers, advice that will be useful even long after Black Friday passes.

Coming to a monitor near you: A defect-free, molecule-thick film

Posted: 26 Nov 2015 01:50 PM PST

A research team has found a simple way to fix defects in atomically thin monolayer semiconductors. The development could open doors to transparent LED displays, ultra-high efficiency solar cells, photo detectors and nanoscale transistors.

DNA sequences in GMOs: Largest database now publicly available

Posted: 26 Nov 2015 07:42 AM PST

The JRC has published a new database, JRC GMO-Amplicons, which contains more than 240 000 DNA sequences appearing in genetically modified organisms (GMOs). It will help to verify the presence of GMOs in food, feed and environment. To date, this new database is the largest and most comprehensive in this area and could be key to developing new methods for detecting GMOs in food and feed.

Sensor detects cable fire before it starts burning

Posted: 26 Nov 2015 07:40 AM PST

Fires are frequently caused by smoldering cables. Novel sensors now help detect such smoldering fires at an early stage by analyzing the plastic vapors released by overheated insulating cables. Scientists have developed these hybrid sensors that combine measurement processes with data evaluation.

Revealing glacier flow with satellite images

Posted: 26 Nov 2015 07:38 AM PST

A glaciologist has created animations from satellite images of the Karakoram mountain range in Asia to show how its glaciers flow and change.