‘Technoference’: We’re more tired and less productive because of our phones
A QUT study finds problematic phone use is getting worse in Australia; Frontiers in Psychiatry [...]
Featured News
Highly-qualified staff at state preschools overcome private sector staffing advantage
UK study reveals that staff to child ratios and more importantly, staff qualifications and in-service training, can predict the quality of preschool childcare settings; Frontiers in Education [...]
Can stress in the womb lead to mental resilience later in life?
When a mother is exposed to intimate partner violence during pregnancy, her children are less likely to suffer depression and PTSD symptoms if they live in violent communities, than otherwise; Frontiers in Genetics [...]
The unbeatable lightness of being
Is fostering our innate capacity for levity the ultimate antidote to stress and unhappiness? Frontiers in Psychology [...]
Gender-biased protein may play role in autism
A study suggests that autism-related brain proteins are more tightly regulated in females than in males; Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience [...]
Germ-fighting catheter coating may help prevent infections
For the first time researchers have incorporated auranofin -- an antibiotic with low resistance potential -- into a coating for intravascular catheters; Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology [...]
Scientists clarify what probiotics are and what they are not
Frontiers in Microbiology: A new scientific paper calls for strict adherence to the scientific definition, ensuring improper use of the term doesn't mislead consumers or limit advancements in the emerging field of microbiome science [...]
Honey, I ate the kids: the sweet side of filial cannibalism
Why do some animals eat or abandon their offspring? According to researchers at the University of Tennessee and the University of Oxford, these might actually be forms of parental care; Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]
Urban biodiversity to reduce chronic disease
'Rewilding' the urban environment with native microbes could restore the human microbiome and reduce our risk of chronic disease; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]
Underwater forests a treasure trove of new drugs
Scientists recover dozens of antimicrobial and anticancer compounds from seaweed; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]
Stressed? Take a 20-minute nature pill
Just 20 minutes of contact with nature will lower stress hormone levels, reveals new study; Frontiers in Psychology [...]
Floodplain forests under threat
A floodplain forest dominated by oaks. Credit: Albert Reif. — by University of Freiberg, Germany A team from the Institute of Forest Sciences at the University of [...]
Love Island: Flamboyant males get the girls on Madagascar
In two new species of rare giant stick insects, males turn livid blue or multicolored at sexual maturity; Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]
Quantum physics and origami for the ultimate get-well card
Scientists have combined the simplicity of paper with the complexity of quantum physics for point-of-care testing in low-resource environments; Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology [...]
More scrutiny needed for less-deadly foodborne bacteria
Foodborne pathogens in the Bacillus cereus group cause diarrhea and vomiting. Credit: Penn State. — by Penn State University, USA Employing advanced genetic-tracing [...]
New drug resistance process found in bacteria
This is the research team in charge of the study. From left to right: Ivan Erill, Pilar Cortés, Jordi Barbé and Miquel Sánchez-Osuna. Credit: UAB. — by Autonomous [...]
Can you ‘catch’ cancer?
Parasitic worms cause cancer – and could help cure it; Frontiers in Medicine [...]
Will cyborg circuits be made from melanin?
Scientists have achieved a billion-fold increase in the electrical conductivity of melanin, that could unleash its potential in safe, sustainable bioelectronics; Frontiers in Chemistry [...]
Superbugs have colonized the International Space Station – but there’s a silver lining
An antimicrobial coating made of precious metals reduced growth of bacteria on contamination-prone surfaces inside the ISS, where extreme conditions can foster antibiotic-resistant superbugs; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]
Slower runners benefit most from high-tech shoes
Researchers re-examined treadmill studies of runners dating back decades, recalculating the effect of performance strategies to account for things like air resistance and oxygen uptake velocity; Frontiers in Physiology [...]
Dormant viruses activate during spaceflight – NASA investigates
The stress of spaceflight gives viruses a holiday from immune surveillance, putting future deep-space missions in jeopardy; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]
Brain training app improves users’ concentration, study shows
Cambridge researchers have developed and tested 'Decoder', a new game that is aimed at helping users improve their attention and concentration; Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience [...]
A lawn is better than fertilizer for growing healthy blueberries
Intercropping with grasses is an effective and sustainable alternative to chemical treatments for maximizing blueberry yield and antioxidant content in limey soils; Frontiers in Plant Science [...]
Toward more energy-efficient cruise ships
An EPFL researcher has developed a system based on fuel cells to reduce the carbon footprint and energy consumption of cruise ships, which are increasingly popular among vacation goers around the world; Frontiers in Energy Research [...]
Tomato plant aroma to protect crops
Spraying crops with the tomato compound hexenyl butyrate could be a cheap, safe and straightforward means to prevent bacterial infection and improve drought tolerance; Frontiers in Plant Science [...]
New method uses AI to screen for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Scientists have developed a new AI tool that can screen children for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder quickly and affordably: Frontiers in Neurology [...]
Bedtime protein for bigger gains? Here’s the scoop
Downing a casein shake just before sleep increases muscle mass and strength gains from resistance training, without 'making you fat' -- but is the effect any different to your regular post-workout protein supplement? Frontiers in Nutrition [...]
Researchers discover a flipping crab feeding on methane seeps
Researchers have documented a group of tanner crabs vigorously feeding at a methane seep on the seafloor off British Columbia - one of the first times a commercially harvested species has been seen using this energy source; Frontiers in Marine Science [...]
Want to save the planet? Stop trying to be its friend
People tend to judge their environmental impact using moral intuition that evolved to handle social exchange -- but these tree huggers may be doing more harm than good, say researchers; Frontiers in Psychology [...]
New target could help protect vision following optic nerve trauma
A new study sheds light on the mechanism of prolonged neuronal degeneration following optic nerve injury, which could provide treatment targets for preserving eyesight; Frontiers in Neuroscience [...]
Clues to Martian life found in Chilean desert
A trial NASA rover mission in the Mars-like Atacama desert has successfully recovered subterranean organisms -- strange, scattered, salt-resistant bacteria that could lead the search for Martian life deeper underground; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]
UK prejudice against immigrants amongst lowest in Europe
New study challenges prevailing attitudes on Brexit, the nature of prejudice, and the social impact of modernization; Frontiers in Sociology [...]
Responsible innovation key to smart farming
The so-called 'fourth agricultural revolution' must provide social benefits and address potentially negative side-effects of agri-tech; Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems [...]
Squid could provide an eco-friendly alternative to plastics
Self-healing fabric, abrasion-resistant coatings, precision drug delivery and smart textiles are among the potential applications of squid 'ring tooth' protein; Frontiers in Chemistry [...]
Climate-friendly labriculture depends on an energy revolution
Comparison of the greenhouse gases produced by lab-grown and farm-raised beef in the current energy system suggests that the benefits of reducing methane could be outweighed by increased CO2; Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems [...]
Blindfolded training could help doctors save young lives
Doctors' leadership in pediatric resuscitation improved most when they wore a blindfold during simulation training; Frontiers in Pediatrics [...]
Oral contraceptives could impair women’s recognition of complex emotions
Healthy women who use birth control pills are poorer judges of subtle facial expressions than non-users, according to new research; Frontiers in Neuroscience [...]
Tat vaccine could provide a functional cure for HIV
Recipients of the vaccine develop characteristics of spontaneous ‘post-treatment controllers’, whose immune system can control the reactivation of HIV after discontinuing therapy; Frontiers in Immunology [...]
Warning over deep-sea ‘gold rush’
Harmful deep sea mining could be avoided altogether if humanity moves towards a "circular economy" that focuses on reuse and recycling of metals, reduces overconsumption and limits built-in obsolescence of technology; Frontiers in Marine Science [...]
Sleeping safe and sound with new hypnotics
Japanese scientists have shown that a new class of sleeping pill preserves the ability to wake in response to threats like earthquakes or intruders – unlike Ambien, Halcion and other market leaders; Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience [...]
What can a snowflake teach us about how cancer spreads in the body?
Studying fractals could lead to novel approaches in drug therapy to treat cancer and other diseases; Frontiers in Physiology [...]
What can worms tell us about human aging?
A community-developed blueprint of worm metabolism holds promise for greater understanding of aging; Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences [...]
Salivary RNA test for early autism diagnosis
Results from multi-institutional research collaboration show saliva-based RNA panel distinguishes children on autism spectrum from non-autistic peers; Frontiers in Genetics [...]
Scientists identify ‘origin’ of cancer spread
Research suggests that "high energy" stem cells born from old, dying parents are responsible for cancer growth and spread; Frontiers in Oncology [...]
Understanding water’s role in antibiotic resistance in Africa
Scientists have studied antibiotic resistance emergence and dissemination in the Chobe River, northern Botswana's only permanent surface water resource; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]
Virtual reality field trips to inspire climate action
Stanford researchers took a virtual reality experience into a variety of educational settings, including high school classrooms, to test the impact on awareness and understanding of ocean acidification; Frontiers in Psychology [...]
Antarctic researchers enter a state of ‘psychological hibernation’, study finds
Researchers experiencing the dark and lonely Antarctic winter abandon even passive coping mechanisms like denial and depression; Frontiers in Psychology [...]
Toxins override key immune system check
S. aureus bacterial toxins can cause a deadly immune system overreaction -- but could be harnessed to enhance immune responses to tumors; Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology [...]
Comparing the world’s mega-canals
Researchers have compiled a database of all the water transfer megaprojects currently existing and planned by 2050; Frontiers in Environmental Science [...]
Which animals will win and lose in a warming Antarctic?
Seafloor predators and open-water feeding animals will benefit from climate change, while those associated with sea ice for food or breeding are most at risk; Frontiers in Marine Science [...]
