Physicists solve puzzle about ancient galaxy found by Webb telescope

Physicists solve a puzzle linked to JWST-ER1g, a massive ancient galaxy that formed when the universe was just a quarter of its current age.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240415110447.htm

Cell's 'garbage disposal' may have another role: Helping neurons near skin sense the environment

The typical job of the proteasome, the garbage disposal of the cell, is to grind down proteins into smaller bits and recycle some of those bits and parts. That's still the case, for the most part, but researchers, studying nerve cells grown in the lab and mice, say that the proteasome's role may go well beyond that.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240412125428.htm

Where have all the right whales gone?

Marine researchers have mapped the density of one of the most endangered large whale species worldwide, the North Atlantic right whale, using new data to help avoid right whales' harmful exposure to commercial fisheries and vessel strikes. The resulting maps, spanning 20 years of whale observations, are publicly available to inform risk assessments, estimations of whale harm/disturbance, marine spatial planning, and industry regulations to mitigate risk to right whales.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240412125422.htm

A novel machine learning model for the characterization of material surfaces

Machine learning (ML) enables the accurate and efficient computation of fundamental electronic properties of binary and ternary oxide surfaces, as shown by scientists. Their ML-based model could be extended to other compounds and properties. The present research findings can aid in the screening of surface properties of materials as well as in the development of functional materials.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240412113453.htm

Bonobos are more aggressive than previously thought

Chimpanzees and bonobos are often thought to reflect two different sides of human nature -- the conflict-ready chimpanzee versus the peaceful bonobo -- but a new study shows that, within their own communities, male bonobos are more frequently aggressive than male chimpanzees. For both species, more aggressive males had more mating opportunities.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240412113444.htm

Stellar winds of three sun-like stars detected for the first time

An international research team has for the first time directly detected stellar winds from three Sun-like stars by recording the X-ray emission from their astrospheres, and placed constraints on the mass loss rate of the stars via their stellar winds.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240412113407.htm

Melanomas resist drugs by 'breaking' genes

A study has disentangled the mechanisms behind one of the ways melanoma cancer cells develop resistance to treatment. The study found that, in response to some drugs, melanomas can 'break' parts of their BRAF gene, which is mutated in 1 in 2 melanomas. This helps the tumor create alternative versions of the protein which lack regions targeted by one BRAF inhibitors, one of the main drugs used to treat this type of cancer, making treatment less effective. The findings pave the way for alternative strategies to treat BRAF-mutated melanoma, which leads to relapse in 50% of patients within a one-year period.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240412113036.htm

Artificial intelligence can help people feel heard

New research reveals AI-generated responses can make humans 'feel heard' but an underlying bias toward AI devalues its effectiveness.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240411165916.htm

Beautiful nebula, violent history: Clash of stars solves stellar mystery

When astronomers looked at a stellar pair at the heart of a stunning cloud of gas and dust, they were in for a surprise. Star pairs are typically very similar, like twins, but in HD 148937, one star appears younger and, unlike the other, is magnetic. New data suggest there were originally three stars in the system, until two of them clashed and merged. This violent event created the surrounding cloud and forever altered the system's fate.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240411165905.htm

Breakthrough promises secure quantum computing at home

The full power of next-generation quantum computing could soon be harnessed by millions of individuals and companies, thanks to a breakthrough guaranteeing security and privacy. This advance promises to unlock the transformative potential of cloud-based quantum computing.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240411130238.htm

People who use willpower alone to achieve goals, resist temptation, deemed more trustworthy

People who use willpower to overcome temptations and achieve their goals are perceived as more trustworthy than those who use strategies that involve external incentives or deterrents -- such as swear jars or internet-blocking apps -- according to new research.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240411130119.htm

Scientists create octopus survival guide to minimize impacts of fishing

Scientists have created a step-by-step aging guide for octopus to ensure fisheries remain sustainable, protecting the longevity of this ancient animal while guaranteeing the world doesn't go hungry.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240410234256.htm

New way to generate human cartilage

University of Montana researchers and their partners have found a new method to generate human cartilage of the head and neck.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240410161547.htm

A faster, better way to prevent an AI chatbot from giving toxic responses

A new technique can more effectively perform a safety check on an AI chatbot. Researchers enabled their model to prompt a chatbot to generate toxic responses, which are used to prevent the chatbot from giving hateful or harmful answers when deployed.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240410125617.htm

Researchers discover how we perceive bitter taste

A new study reveals the detailed protein structure of the TAS2R14, a bitter taste receptor that allows us to perceive bitter taste. In addition to solving the structure of this taste receptor, the researchers were also able to determine where bitter-tasting substances bind to TAS2R14 and how they activate them. The findings may lead to the development of drugs that targeting taste receptors.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240410112824.htm

A microbial plastic factory for high-quality green plastic

Engineered bacteria can produce a plastic modifier that makes renewably sourced plastic more processable, more fracture resistant and highly biodegradable even in sea water. The development provides a platform for the industrial-scale, tunable production of a material that holds great potential for turning the plastic industry green.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240409205601.htm

The genomic architecture of inherited DNA variants

In a study that spans more than a decade, researchers have looked at generations of families in a specific population to reveal the role newly inherited DNA variants play on recessive disease traits, and in the process, they have created a population specific database revealing unique DNA information unseen in larger cohorts.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240409184033.htm

Beating back bitter taste in medicine

The bitter taste of certain drugs is a barrier to taking some medications as prescribed, especially for people who are particularly sensitive to bitter taste. A team found that the diabetes drug rosiglitazone could partially block the bitter taste of some especially bad-tasting medications. The hope is that repurposed drugs could be added in small doses to other medicines to make them less bitter and taste better, thereby encouraging compliance with bitter drug regimens.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240409170152.htm

Nasal spray safely treats recurrent abnormal heart rhythms, clinical trial suggests

A clinical trial showed that a nasal spray that patients administer at home, without a physician, successfully and safely treated recurrent episodes of a condition that causes rapid abnormal heart rhythms. The study provides real-world evidence that a wide range of patients can safely and effectively use the experimental drug, called etripamil, to treat recurrent paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) episodes at home, potentially sparing them the need for repeated hospital trips for more invasive treatments.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240409152324.htm

Birdfeeders are designed to keep unwanted guests away

The first birdfeeders were made in the 19th century, and their design rapidly evolved during the 20th century. Researchers at the consider the evolution of the birdfeeder to be an example of multispecies design, where unwanted guests have shaped the human-made artifact.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240409124025.htm