SciGlow | All Science News In One Place
SciGlow is a newsletter of science stories from the major research labs. Headlines link to in-depth articles and editorials. SciGlow keeps scientists and others up-to-date on current research.
The stability of democracies worldwide could be vulnerable if certain cultural values continue to decline, according to a new study published in Nature Human Behaviour. The findings by researchers from the United States and New Zealand are based on an analysis of survey data from 476,583 individuals in 109 countries. “It is often taken for granted … Read more
In this work, we present a case system that can achieve rapid structural rearrangement of the whole lattice of a metal–organic framework (MOF) through a ‘domino’ alteration of the bond connectivity under mild conditions. Topological transitions between significantly different phases typically require extreme conditions to collectively break chemical bonds and overcome the stress caused to … Read more
A new tool that simultaneously compares 1.4 million genetic sequences can classify how species are related to each other at far larger scales than previously possible. Described today in Nature Biotechnology by researchers from the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona, the technology can reconstruct how life has evolved over hundreds of millions of years … Read more
Reproduction is one of the most relevant processes in nature. However, not all organisms present the same patterns of reproduction. In many plants species, a bizarre reproductive phenomenon has been described: mast seeding. These plant species tend to alternate between years of massive production of seeds with years of very low production. Why this reproductive … Read more
This week, Nature Geoscience released an article co-authored by Laurentian University Professor Alessandro Ielpi which could reshape the way we think about the interplay between plant life, water and the earth. The article, entitled ‘A tenfold slowdown in river meander migration driven by plant life’, is about a data model developed by both Professor Ielpi … Read more
The new approach to ion exchange membrane design, which is published today in Nature Materials, uses low-cost plastic membranes with many tiny hydrophilic (‘water-attracting’) pores. They improve on current technology that is more expensive and difficult to apply practically. Current ion exchange membranes, known as Nafion, are used to purify water and store renewable energy output … Read more
Quantum information technologies is a revolutionary paradigm based on the law of quantum mechanics. Developed for the last 4 decades, it is poised on revolutionizing our information age, from cracking very hard computational problems (quantum computing, with the recent demonstration of quantum supremacy), simulating difficult physical problems, to communications secured by fundamental quantum mechanics laws. … Read more
In contrast to most other species, reef-dwelling parrotfish populations boom in the wake of severe coral bleaching. The surprise finding came when researchers led by Perth-based Dr Brett Taylor of the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) looked at fish populations in severely bleached areas of two reefs – the Great Barrier Reef in the … Read more
Brushing teeth frequently is linked with lower risks of atrial fibrillation and heart failure, according to a study published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Previous research suggests that poor oral hygiene leads to bacteria in the blood, causing inflammation in the body. Inflammation increases … Read more
The “Habsburg jaw”, a facial condition of the Habsburg dynasty of Spanish and Austrian kings and their wives, can be attributed to inbreeding, according to new results published in the Annals of Human Biology. The new study combined diagnosis of facial deformities using historical portraits with genetic analysis of the degree of relatedness to determine whether … Read more