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.
Researchers in China have developed a rewriteable paper coating that can encrypt secret information with relatively low-tech invisible ink – water. A message printed out by a water-jet printer on a manganese-complex-coated paper is invisible to the naked eye, but the message reveals itself under 254 nm UV light. The paper can be ready for … Read more
If scientists could give living cells magnetic properties, they could perhaps manipulate cellular activities with external magnetic fields. But previous attempts to magnetize cells by producing iron-containing proteins inside them have resulted in only weak magnetic forces. Now, researchers reporting in ACS’ Nano Letters have engineered genetically encoded protein crystals that can generate magnetic forces many times … Read more
The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change paints a grim picture of the future of Australia’s coastal areas, but there’s still time to avoid the worst scenario, experts from The Australian National University (ANU) say. Associate Professor Nerilie Abram, a climate change scientist from ANU, is a Co-Ordinating Lead Author of the … Read more
This is the first study in the Mediterranean to combine boat and marina sampling data with crew surveys to better understand the role these boats play in spreading alien species. The researchers from the University of Pavia, Italy found that boats traveling to new marinas were likely to be transporting alien species in the biofouling: … Read more
The birds are known to recognise individual people, and respond differently to those they see as a threat. In the new study, by the University of Exeter, a person unknown to the jackdaws approached their nest, and scientists played a recording of either a warning call or “contact calls” (suggesting no threat). The next time … Read more
Being able to accurately forecast how much solar energy reaches the surface of the Earth is key to guiding decisions for running solar power plants. While day-ahead forecasts have become more accurate in recent years, the solar community lacks a unified verification procedure, and assessing how one forecast compares to another is difficult. New work … Read more
In 1999, West Nile virus was detected in the United States for the first time, and within five years it had spread from New York across the contiguous United States and into Canada, Mexico, and Central and South America. Transmitted to humans by mosquitoes that feed on infected birds, West Nile virus has served as … Read more
A study led by The University of Queensland and James Cook University reveals at the DNA level how coral interacts with partners like algae and bacteria to share resources and build healthy, resilient coral. UQ’s Dr Steven Robbins said the research may aid in the revival of the world’s embattled coral reefs. “Symbiotic relationships are … Read more
The study, published today in Advanced Theory and Simulations, shows that digital computers cannot reliably reproduce the behaviour of ‘chaotic systems’ which are widespread. This fundamental limitation could have implications for high performance computation (HPC) and for applications of machine learning to HPC. Professor Peter Coveney, Director of the UCL Centre for Computational Science and study … Read more
Diving seabirds watch each other to work out when to dive, new research shows. Scientists studied European shags and found they were twice as likely to dive after seeing a fellow bird go underwater. The study is the first to investigate why large groups (known as “rafts”) of shags dive together at sea. University of Exeter … Read more