ScienceDaily: Top Science News

Bionic reconstruction lets patients use a robotic prosthetic hand controlled by the mind Posted: 24 Feb 2015 04:26 PM PST Three Austrian men have become the first in the world to undergo a new technique called "bionic reconstruction", enabling them to use a robotic prosthetic hand controlled by their mind, according to new research. All three men suffered for many years with brachial plexus injuries and poor hand function as a result of motor vehicle and climbing accidents.

Tissue engineering: Scientists grow leg muscle from cells in a dish Posted: 24 Feb 2015 03:25 PM PST Scientists have generated mature, functional skeletal muscles in mice using a new approach for tissue engineering. The scientists grew a leg muscle starting from engineered cells cultured in a dish to produce a graft. The subsequent graft was implanted close to a normal, contracting skeletal muscle where the new muscle was nurtured and grown. In time, the method could allow for patient-specific treatments for a large number of muscle disorders.

Yellowstone: Geysers erupt periodically because they have loops in their plumbing Posted: 24 Feb 2015 11:31 AM PST Volcanologists threaded sensors and cameras into the superheated water of geysers in Chile and Yellowstone, and have come up with an explanation for why geysers erupt periodically. They've even built a laboratory geyser that erupts every 20 minutes to demonstrate that loops and bends in the underground plumbing trap steam bubbles that slowly leak out, heating the water above until it suddenly boils from the top down.

Ocean circulation change: Sea level spiked for two years along Northeastern North America Posted: 24 Feb 2015 08:37 AM PST Sea levels from New York to Newfoundland jumped up about four inches in 2009 and 2010 because ocean circulation changed. The unusual spike in sea level caused flooding along the northeast coast of North America and was independent of any hurricanes or winter storms. A new article documents that the extreme increase in sea level rise lasted two years, not just a few months.

Kenyan fossils show evolution of hippos Posted: 24 Feb 2015 08:34 AM PST A French-Kenyan research team has just described a new fossil ancestor of today's hippo family. This discovery bridges a gap in the fossil record separating these animals from their closest modern-day cousins, the cetaceans. It also shows that some 35 million years ago, the ancestors of hippos were among the first large mammals to colonize the African continent, long before those of any of the large carnivores, giraffes or bovines.

Great Barrier Reef corals eat plastic Posted: 24 Feb 2015 07:41 AM PST Researchers in Australia have found that corals commonly found on the Great Barrier Reef will eat micro-plastic pollution. Microplastics are tiny fragments of plastic in the environment and are a widespread contaminant in marine ecosystems, particularly in inshore coral reefs.

Massive amounts of Saharan dust fertilize the Amazon rainforest Posted: 24 Feb 2015 07:28 AM PST Every year, millions of tons of nutrient-rich Saharan dust cross the Atlantic Ocean, bringing vital phosphorus and other fertilizers to depleted Amazon soils. For the first time, scientists have an accurate estimate of how much phosphorus makes this trans-Atlantic journey.

Peanut consumption in infancy prevents peanut allergy, study finds Posted: 24 Feb 2015 05:38 AM PST Introduction of peanut products into the diets of infants at high risk of developing peanut allergy was safe and led to an 81 percent reduction in the subsequent development of the allergy, a clinical trial has found. "Food allergies are a growing concern, not just in the United States but around the world," said an expert. "For a study to show a benefit of this magnitude in the prevention of peanut allergy is without precedent. The results have the potential to transform how we approach food allergy prevention."

Asian tree rings explain historical plague outbreaks in Europe Posted: 24 Feb 2015 05:31 AM PST Climate-driven plague outbreaks in Asia were repeatedly transmitted over several centuries into southern European harbors, an international team of researchers has found. This finding contrasts the general belief that the second plague pandemic "Black Death" was a singular introduction of Yersinia pestis from Asia to Europe in 1347 AD.

Neuroscientists literally change the way we think: Advantages of a wandering mind Posted: 23 Feb 2015 01:45 PM PST Does your mind wander when performing monotonous, repetitive tasks? Of course! But daydreaming involves more than just beating back boredom. In fact, according to a new study, a wandering mind can impart a distinct cognitive advantage.