Monday, September 27, 2021

New computational platform to study biological processes

Agent-based simulations (ABS) are powerful computational tools that help scientists understand complex biological systems. These simulations are an inexpensive and efficient way to quickly test hypotheses about the physiology of cellular tissues, organs, or entire organisms. However, many ABS do not take full advantage of available computational power, and the majority of ABS platforms on the market are designed with a particular use case in mind.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-platform-biological.html

Our climate projections for 2500 show an Earth that is alien to humans

There are many reports based on scientific research that talk about the long-term impacts of climate change—such as rising levels of greenhouse gases, temperatures and sea levels—by the year 2100. The Paris Agreement, for example, requires us to limit warming to under 2.0 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century.

Urgent action must be taken to save the critically endangered Sumatran rhino

Indonesia manage to conserve two of the world's five rhinoceros species. Both the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) and the Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) still exist today, uniquely only in the country.

Not all men's violence prevention programs are effective: Why women's voices need to be included

In the opening panel of the National Summit on Women's Safety 2021, Professor Marcia Langton called for a separate national plan to address violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

Galactic panspermia: How far could life spread naturally in a galaxy like the Milky Way?

Can life spread throughout a galaxy like the Milky Way without technological intervention? That question is largely unanswered. A new study is taking a swing at that question by using a simulated galaxy that's similar to the Milky Way. Then they investigated that model to see how organic compounds might move between its star systems.

Political bias on social media emerges from users, not platform

In this era of political polarization, many accuse online social media platforms such as Twitter of liberal bias, intentionally favoring and amplifying liberal content and users while suppressing other political content.

Our climate projections for 2500 show an Earth that is alien to humans

There are many reports based on scientific research that talk about the long-term impacts of climate change—such as rising levels of greenhouse gases, temperatures and sea levels—by the year 2100. The Paris Agreement, for example, requires us to limit warming to under 2.0 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-climate-earth-alien-humans.html

Urgent action must be taken to save the critically endangered Sumatran rhino

Indonesia manage to conserve two of the world's five rhinoceros species. Both the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) and the Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) still exist today, uniquely only in the country.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-urgent-action-critically-endangered-sumatran.html

Not all men's violence prevention programs are effective: Why women's voices need to be included

In the opening panel of the National Summit on Women's Safety 2021, Professor Marcia Langton called for a separate national plan to address violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-men-violence-effective-women-voices.html

Galactic panspermia: How far could life spread naturally in a galaxy like the Milky Way?

Can life spread throughout a galaxy like the Milky Way without technological intervention? That question is largely unanswered. A new study is taking a swing at that question by using a simulated galaxy that's similar to the Milky Way. Then they investigated that model to see how organic compounds might move between its star systems.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-galactic-panspermia-life-naturally-galaxy.html

Political bias on social media emerges from users, not platform

In this era of political polarization, many accuse online social media platforms such as Twitter of liberal bias, intentionally favoring and amplifying liberal content and users while suppressing other political content.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-political-bias-social-media-emerges.html

Done with Facebook? Here's how to deactivate or permanently delete your Facebook account

Finally ready to unfriend Facebook?

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-09-facebook-deactivate-permanently-delete-account.html

5.7-magnitude quake shakes Philippines' main island: USGS

A strong earthquake hit off the Philippines' main island Monday, but there were no immediate reports of damage, the US Geological Survey and local officials said.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-magnitude-quake-philippines-main-island.html

Google in court to appeal EU's 2018 Android antitrust case

Google is heading to a top European Union court Monday to appeal a record EU antitrust penalty imposed for stifling competition through the dominance of its Android operating system.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-09-google-court-appeal-eu-android.html

'Back to basics' approach helps unravel new phase of matter

A new phase of matter, thought to be understandable only using quantum physics, can be studied with far simpler classical methods.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-basics-approach-unravel-phase.html

Research reveals potential of an overlooked climate change solution

Earlier this month, President Biden urged other countries to join the U.S. and European Union in a commitment to slashing methane emissions. Two new Stanford-led studies could help pave the way by laying out a blueprint for coordinating research on methane removal technologies, and modeling how the approach could have an outsized effect on reducing future peak temperatures.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-reveals-potential-overlooked-climate-solution.html

5.7-magnitude quake shakes Philippines' main island: USGS

A strong earthquake hit off the Philippines' main island Monday, but there were no immediate reports of damage, the US Geological Survey and local officials said.

'Back to basics' approach helps unravel new phase of matter

A new phase of matter, thought to be understandable only using quantum physics, can be studied with far simpler classical methods.

Research reveals potential of an overlooked climate change solution

Earlier this month, President Biden urged other countries to join the U.S. and European Union in a commitment to slashing methane emissions. Two new Stanford-led studies could help pave the way by laying out a blueprint for coordinating research on methane removal technologies, and modeling how the approach could have an outsized effect on reducing future peak temperatures.

Finger tracing enhances learning: Evidence for 100-year-old practice used by Montessori

Finger tracing has been used by teachers to help students learn for more than a century. In the early 1900s, education pioneer Montessori encouraged young children to trace over letters of the alphabet made from sandpaper with their index fingers, based on the intuition that a multi-sensory approach (i.e., visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic) to learning would be most effective. In 1912, Montessori noticed that children, after mastering the sequence of tracing a letter with their index finger, "took great pleasure" in closing their eyes and trying to recall it.

Finger tracing enhances learning: Evidence for 100-year-old practice used by Montessori

Finger tracing has been used by teachers to help students learn for more than a century. In the early 1900s, education pioneer Montessori encouraged young children to trace over letters of the alphabet made from sandpaper with their index fingers, based on the intuition that a multi-sensory approach (i.e., visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic) to learning would be most effective. In 1912, Montessori noticed that children, after mastering the sequence of tracing a letter with their index finger, "took great pleasure" in closing their eyes and trying to recall it.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-finger-evidence-year-old-montessori.html