science news 24.10.2019

Today's selection of science news. Links are normally to press releases on EurekAlert (at the bottom end I may also add a couple of newspaper stories). I include quotes from the summary in italics in cases where the title alone doesn't reveal what the story is about. My own thoughts appear without italics if I have any.


evolution

Scientists sequence 1,100 plants, illuminating 1 billion years of evolution
This is coming out in Nature so you'll see it covered everywhere.

The earliest well-preserved tetrapod may never have left the water


ecology

Researchers discover the 'KARAPPO' gene and illuminate vegetative reproduction
The mechanism by which liverwort (Marchantia polymorpha) asexually reproduces via the development of clonal progenies (gemmae) has been revealed by a cross-institutional research group. They discovered the gene 'KARAPPO', which is essential for initiating gemma development in liverwort. These findings are expected to contribute fundamental knowledge towards technological developments to boost agricultural and horticultural cultivation efficiency.

Marmoset monkeys can learn a new dialect


biomaterials

Cracking the mystery of nature's toughest material
Nacre, the rainbow-sheened material that lines the insides of mussel and other mollusk shells, is known as nature's toughest material. Now, a team of researchers led by the University of Michigan has revealed precisely how it works, in real time.



sustainability

Magnets sustainably separate mixtures of rare earth metals

Rethinking the science of plastic recycling


humans

Heuneburg early Celts across classes may have drunk Mediterranean wine in local ceramics

BU researchers accurately estimate the sex of skeletons based on elbow features


New study suggests the original location of the Bayeux Tapestry is finally solved



Part of the junction of Pieces III and IV of the Bayeux Tapestry. (Detail of the Bayeux Tapestry - 11th century - with special permission from the City of Bayeux)


dystopian futures

(A brand new thematic section for which I increasingly feel a pressing need. I am aware of the possibility that it may be an age thing, but then again, it may also be the fact that humanity is moving in the wrong direction.)


UTSA study warns of security gaps in smart light bulbs
I have a theory that "smart" is just a smart euphemism for "surveillance".

Driverless cars could lead to more traffic congestion
As has been pointed out before, it may be cheaper leaving your autonomous car going round in circles than parking it. Some cities have succeeded in reducing traffic by removing parking spaces. If technology removes the need to park the car, this will add to traffic, which will then only be limited by road capacity.

Robotics: Teaming for future soldier combat
In case the two previous items weren't quite dystopian enough for you, I'll just throw this in for illustration purposes.


---------------


From the news media:

I do like the story of the Mercedes cars denied entry into Australia not because they're blatant climate and pedestrian killers but because they were infested with an invasive species of tiny snails.