science news 20.11.2019

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.


astrobiology

NASA's TESS helps astronomers study red-giant stars, examine a too-close planet

Exoplanet axis study boosts hopes of complex life, just not next door


ecology

Deep-sea bacteria copy their neighbors' diet
new ways of marine carbon fixation


conservation

Bats in attics might be necessary for conservation
see also my bats feature which came out on Monday

Endangered whales react to environmental changes


nanoworld

A remote control for everything small
Special light beams can be used to manipulate molecules or small biological particles. However, these optical tweezers only work with objects in empty space. Any disturbing environment would deflect the light waves and destroy the effect. This is a problem, in particular with biological samples. Now, a special method was developed to calculate the perfect wave form to manipulate small particles in the presence of a disordered environment, even if they cannot be touched directly.

Scientists use catalysts to destroy cancerous cells from within


environment

New danger for corals in warming oceans: Metal pollution


humans

Scientists use modern technology to understand how ochre paint was created in pictographs



This is one of the pieces of rock art found at Babine Lake. It is representative of the rock art that was analyzed in the study.
Credit: University of Missouri


'Face blindness' may involve a failed brain network, and could shed light on autism

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From the news media:

We're on track to produce twice as much fossil fuel as we can afford if we want to meet the 1.5 C target of the Paris Agreement, the Guardian reports