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
The strange orbits of 'Tatooine' planetary disks
Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have found striking orbital geometries in protoplanetary disks around binary stars. While disks orbiting the most compact binary star systems share very nearly the same plane, disks encircling wide binaries have orbital planes that are severely tilted. These systems can teach us about planet formation in complex environments.
evolution
Study by international team of scientists investigates evolution during Cambrian Explosion
A new study by an international team of scientists has revealed the developmental and evolutionary mechanisms underlying the origin of a major phylum. The study investigates the questions of whether this pattern resulted from abundant ecological opportunity early in the history of life, which became dampened with competition through time, or from evolutionary shifts in growth and development that limit evolutionary innovation through time.
ecology and behaviour
Scientists learn how vampire bat strangers make friends
Loners help society survive, say Princeton ecologists
... at least in slime molds
conservation
We're getting better at wildlife conservation, AI study of scientific abstracts suggests
biomechanics
Lehigh University engineers unlock secrets to swimming efficiency of whales, dolphins
biomedical
Coronavirus testing kits to be developed using SFU-invented RNA imaging technology
Simon Fraser University researchers will use their pioneering imaging technology -- called Mango, for its bright color -- to develop coronavirus testing kits. They're among a small set of Canadian researchers who responded to the rapid funding opportunity recently announced by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to help address COVID-19.
humans
Bone analyses tell about kitchen utensils in the Middle Ages
'Feeling obligated' can impact relationships during social distancing
---------------
From the news media:
Friday, March 20, 2020
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment