New 'genomic' method reveals atomic arrangements of battery material

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, Stony Brook University (SBU), the Materials Project at DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), the University of California, Berkeley, and European collaborators have developed a new way to decipher the atomic-level structure of materials based on data gleaned from ground-up powder samples. They describe their approach and demonstrate its ability to solve the structure of a material that shows promise for shuttling ions through sodium-ion batteries in a paper just published in the journal Chemistry of Materials.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-genomic-method-reveals-atomic-battery.html

Researchers find a way to turn glass into smart surfaces

ITMO researchers have created a surface that can turn normal glass into a smart surface. This technology can be used in the production of AR screens that equip users with additional information about what is happening around. The surface will also be able to convert solar energy into electricity. The research has been published in Laser & Photonics Reviews.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-glass-smart-surfaces.html

Europa glows: Radiation does a bright number on Jupiter's moon

As the icy, ocean-filled moon Europa orbits Jupiter, it withstands a relentless pummeling of radiation. Jupiter zaps Europa's surface night and day with electrons and other particles, bathing it in high-energy radiation. But as these particles pound the moon's surface, they may also be doing something otherworldly: making Europa glow in the dark.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-europa-bright-jupiter-moon.html

Apps win, labor frets after Uber-led 'gig worker' measure passes

A victory for the "gig economy" in California is likely to echo across the US, in a boon for app-based services while igniting fear that big business is rewriting labor laws.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-11-apps-labor-frets-uber-led-gig.html

Fortnite could soon return to Apple iPhones: report

The popular Fortnite videogame could be restored to Apple mobile devices through a gaming program that runs on a browser, allowing it to evade a ban by Apple amid a dispute over fees, the BBC reported.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-11-fortnite-apple-iphones.html

Video platforms tested as election misinformation runs rampant

Amid an intense effort by social media platforms to curb misinformation around the US election, political operatives were finding loopholes in YouTube and other video platforms.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-11-video-platforms-election-misinformation-rampant.html

Policy, not tech, spurred Danish dominance in wind energy: study

In emerging renewable energy industries, are producers' decisions to shut down or upgrade aging equipment influenced more by technology improvements or government policies?

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-11-policy-tech-spurred-danish-dominance.html

'Electronic skin' promises cheap and recyclable alternative to wearable devices

Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder are developing a wearable electronic device that's "really wearable"—a stretchy and fully-recyclable circuit board that's inspired by, and sticks onto, human skin.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-11-electronic-skin-cheap-recyclable-alternative.html

The problem of selling Quibi: How marketing exposed division at the streamer

Shortly after Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman launched Quibi on April 6, it was clear something needed to change. The company had sold itself as the next big media brand but consumers were not taking the bait. App downloads were dropping fast and the name Quibi—which stands for "quick bites"—had become a running joke online.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-11-problem-quibi-exposed-division-streamer.html

Australia constructing giant 300-megawatt battery

Australia is poised to construct one of the world's largest batteries, using Tesla's technology for lithium-ion batteries. The football-field sized battery will provide up to 300 megawatts of power output and 450 megawatts-hours of storage in a country that has been struggling to meet energy demands during skyrocketing power usage triggered by record-breaking temperatures. Last year, Australia suffered its hottest and driest year ever, with temperatures topping 121 degrees Fahrenheit last December.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-11-australia-giant-megawatt-battery.html

New insights into 3-D printing of spacers and membranes for water treatment

3-D printing has seen great advancements in various aspects over the past few decades, and many industries have witnessed innovative breakthroughs in their respective fields. Amongst them, the water treatment industry in particular has reaped the benefits of 3-D printing. High performance spacers and membranes can be fabricated by 3-D printing technologies, and they help increase production while minimizing energy consumption in purification processes.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-11-insights-d-spacers-membranes-treatment.html

Rolls-Royce UK staff strike over possible Singapore switch

Staff at a factory in northwest England run by engines maker Rolls-Royce on Friday began a three-week strike over the possible relocation of operations to Singapore, the British aerospace giant confirmed.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-11-rolls-royce-uk-staff-singapore.html

Loneliness a leading cause of depression in older adults

Loneliness is responsible for 18% of depression among people over 50 in England, according to a new study led by UCL researchers.

'Diseases of despair' have soared over past decade in US

'Diseases of despair', such as substance abuse, alcohol dependency, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors, have soared in the US over the past decade, reveals an analysis of health insurance claims data published in the online journal BMJ Open.

Severe COVID-19 infection rare in newborns

Severe COVID-19 infection appears rare in newborn babies, suggests a new study.

Think 'virtual' for family gatherings during the holidays

(HealthDay)—Virtual gatherings are the best choice for family get-togethers this holiday season, an expert says.

Russia sees record surge in virus cases

Russia registered a record number of new coronavirus infections on Monday with cases in Moscow surpassing a previous high set in May.

iPhone contractor in China admits student labor law contraventions

A Taiwan company crucial for the production of iPhones for tech giant Apple admitted Monday that working conditions for some students employed at a factory in China contravened agreed labor terms.

Lung symptoms common among users of e-cigarettes and related products

One-third of people using e-cigarettes or related products reported symptoms associated with lung or respiratory tract impact or injury, according to an analysis of a 2016 national survey, to be presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2020.

Researchers find link between food insecurity and cardiovascular death risk

Food insecurity is one of the nation's leading health and nutrition issues—about 13.7 million (10.5 percent) of households in the United States were food insecure at some time during 2019, a trend likely to increase in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to preliminary research conducted by researchers at Penn Medicine, increasing rates of food insecurity in counties across the United States are independently associated with an increase in cardiovascular death rates among adults between the ages of 20 and 64.

New medication may treat underlying causes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

The new, investigational heart medication mavacamten may improve key structural abnormalities of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition characterized by thickened heart muscle that obstructs pumping of blood through the heart, according to research from the Phase 3 EXPLORER-HCM trial, to be presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2020.

Biden to name virus team as worldwide cases top 50 million

The global tally of people infected by the coronavirus shot past 50 million on Monday, as United States President-elect Joe Biden geared up to name the scientists who will lead the country's response to its disastrous outbreak.

Virgin's Hyperloop carries passengers for the first time

The Virgin Hyperloop made its first journey carrying passengers Sunday, in a test the company claimed represented a major step forward for the "groundbreaking" technology capable of transporting people at 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) an hour.

Fresh off election victory, Biden turns to virus response

As he begins his transition to the presidency, Joe Biden is pivoting from a bitter campaign battle to another, more pressing fight: reining in the pandemic that has hit the world's most powerful nation harder than any other.

Prescriptions of antipsychotic medications in young children is declining

The use of antipsychotics in young children is declining but doctors continue to prescribe these medications off-label for conditions not approved by the Food and Drug Administration and without the recommended psychiatric consultation, a Rutgers study found.

More economic worries mean less caution about COVID-19

Workers experiencing job and financial insecurity are less likely to follow the CDC's guidelines for COVID-19, such as physical distancing, limiting trips from home and washing hands, according to a Washington State University study.

E-cigarettes can be 'gateway' to cigarettes for teens with no prior intention to smoke

Cigarette smoking remains a leading preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. And while adolescent cigarette smoking has declined over the past several decades, e-cigarette use presents a new risk for nicotine use disorder. a new study, published Nov. 9 in the journal Pediatrics, finds that e-cigarette use is associated with a higher risk of cigarette smoking among adolescents who had no prior intention of taking up conventional smoking. These findings have strong implications for practice and policy, researches say.

New cancer drugs saved over 1.2 million people in the US over 16 years, new study shows

More than 1.2 million people in the US prevented facing death following a cancer diagnosis, between the year 2000 and 2016, thanks to ever improving treatment options—a large new national study shows.

People with inflammatory bowel disease still die earlier despite increase in life

A study comparing life expectancy of people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and without found that, while life expectancy increased for both groups, people with IBD generally died sooner. The study is published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Study examines health literacy and shared decision-making in prostate cancer screening

New research examines the dynamics between men's health literacy, their discussions with their doctors, and their decisions on whether to get tested for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a potential marker of prostate cancer. The findings are published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society (ACS).

Virgin's Hyperloop carries passengers for the first time

The Virgin Hyperloop made its first journey carrying passengers Sunday, in a test the company claimed represented a major step forward for the "groundbreaking" technology capable of transporting people at 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) an hour.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2020-11-virgin-hyperloop-passengers.html

Already flooded, South Florida feeling wrath of Eta

Beaches and coronavirus testing sites were closed, public transportation shut down and some evacuations in place early Monday after Tropical Storm Eta made landfall in the Florida Keys, bringing heavy rains to already flooded city streets after leaving scores of dead and over 100 missing in Mexico and Central America.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-south-florida-wrath-eta.html

Do spoilers harm movie box-office revenue?

Researchers from Western University and University of Houston published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that examines whether spoiler movie reviews harm box office revenue.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-spoilers-movie-box-office-revenue.html

Scientists create hybrid tissue construct for cartilage regeneration

Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine scientists (WFIRM) have developed a method to bioprint a type of cartilage that could someday help restore knee function damaged by arthritis or injury.

source https://phys.org/news/2020-11-scientists-hybrid-tissue-cartilage-regeneration.html