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cm0002@lemmy.world
@cm0002@lemmy.world
Posts
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Neurons can communicate via hidden network of nanotubes, study finds -
Transdisciplinary science: Early- and mid-careers shaping the future of scienceTransdisciplinary science: Early- and mid-careers shaping the future of science
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Cassini Proves Complex Chemistry in Enceladus OceanIn 2005, Cassini found the first evidence that Enceladus has a hidden ocean beneath its icy surface. Jets of water burst from cracks close to the moon’s south pole, shooting ice grains into space. Smaller than grains of sand, some of the tiny pieces of ice fall back onto the moon’s surface, whilst others escape and form a ring around Saturn that traces Enceladus’s orbit.
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8 Bizarre (and Terrifying) Deep-Sea CreaturesThis post did not contain any content. -
New AI Tool Detects Hidden Warning Signs of DiseaseThis post did not contain any content. -
Universities, freedom of speech, and freedom and responsibility in scienceUniversities, freedom of speech, and freedom and responsibility in science
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Scientists Studied the Genes of a Woman Who Lived 117 Years. Here's What They LearnedThis post did not contain any content. -
A blue jay and a green jay mated, researchers say. Their offspring is a scientific marvelThis post did not contain any content. -
Frontiers Planet Prize, Fourth edition: Call for peer reviewersFrontiers Planet Prize, Fourth edition: Call for peer reviewers
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Frontiers Planet Prize, Fourth edition: Applications openFrontiers Planet Prize, Fourth edition: Applications open
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Exciton-Condensate-Like Amplification of Energy Transport in Light HarvestingA groundbreaking University of Chicago study published in April 2023 revealed unexpected similarities between photosynthesis and quantum physics[^9]. The research team discovered that excitons - paired electrons and holes that carry energy in leaves during photosynthesis - can form patterns similar to those seen in Bose-Einstein condensates, a quantum state previously only observed at extremely cold temperatures[^9].
“As far as we know, these areas have never been connected before, so we found this very compelling and exciting,” said study co-author Professor David Mazziotti[^9].
The study, published in PRX Energy, found that these exciton patterns can form “islands” of condensate-like behavior even at room temperature in disordered plant systems, potentially doubling energy transfer efficiency[^9]. This contrasts with traditional exciton condensates that require near-absolute zero temperatures and highly ordered materials[^9][^15].
The findings open new possibilities for developing synthetic materials that could harness this effect. As Mazziotti noted, “A perfect ideal exciton condensate is sensitive and requires a lot of special conditions, but for realistic applications, it’s exciting to see something that boosts efficiency but can happen in ambient conditions”[^9].
[^9]: UChicago News - Scientists find link between photosynthesis and ‘fifth state of matter’ [^15]: CBS News - New University of Chicago study discovers similarities between photosynthesis, supercooling of atoms
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Orbitofrontal Gray-White Interface Injury and the Association of Soccer Heading With Verbal LearningA new study by Columbia University researchers found that soccer heading causes damage to the brain’s orbitofrontal region where gray and white matter meet, leading to reduced verbal learning ability[^1].
The research examined 352 adult amateur soccer players in New York City, using advanced diffusion MRI techniques to analyze the gray-white matter interface. Players who performed frequent headers (over 1,000 per year) showed blurring of the normally sharp boundary between gray and white matter in the orbitofrontal region[^2].
Key findings:
- Greater heading exposure directly correlated with less distinct gray-white matter boundaries
- Changes in brain structure mediated poorer performance on verbal learning tests
- Damage concentrated in outer brain layers rather than deep white matter
- Effects most pronounced in players doing over 1,000 headers annually
“What’s important about our studies is that they show, really for the first time, that exposure to repeated head impacts causes specific changes in the brain that, in turn, impair cognitive function,” said study leader Michael Lipton[^3].
The research team plans to investigate potential links between these brain changes and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), while also studying whether cardiovascular exercise might help protect against heading-related brain damage[^3].
[^2]: Columbia University - Soccer Heading Does Most Damage to Brain Area Critical for Cognition
[^3]: Columbia Radiology - Soccer Heading Linked to Measurable Decline of Brain Structure and Function
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Antisemitism—but not criticism of Israel—associated with support for political violenceA new study published in Studies in Conflict & Terrorism provides evidence that antisemitic attitudes, rather than anti-Israel sentiment alone, are linked to support for political violence in the United States. The findings suggest that while criticism of Israel can motivate legal activism, it is antisemitic prejudice that tends to predict a willingness to support illegal or violent political actions and general aggression.
The research was led by Sophia Moskalenko of Georgia State University, along with co-authors Tomislav Pavlović and Mia Bloom. The team aimed to address a gap in the literature by empirically distinguishing between attitudes toward Jews and attitudes toward Israel, especially in how they relate to political radicalization and violence.
Antisemitism—but not criticism of Israel—associated with support for political violence
Research in Studies in Conflict & Terrorism finds that while anti-Israel sentiment may motivate legal protest, it is antisemitism that tends to predict support for violent or illegal political actions, offering insight into distinct psychological pathways to radical behavior.
PsyPost - Psychology News (www.psypost.org)
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Emerging trends shaping scientific careersEmerging trends shaping scientific careers
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A people-first approach to building digital pathwaysA people-first approach to building digital pathways
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Honouring science’s principles in a troubled worldHonouring science’s principles in a troubled world
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A tool to assess the “digital maturity” of science organizationsA tool to assess the “digital maturity” of science organizations
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EEG-based brain-computer interface enables real-time robotic hand control at individual finger levelThis post did not contain any content. -
World’s first AI-designed viruses a step towards AI-generated lifeThis post did not contain any content. -
Scientists find that ice generates electricity when bentThis post did not contain any content.