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We normally consider liquid water as disordered with the molecules rearranging on a short time scale around some average structure. Now, however, scientists at Stockholm University have discovered two phases of the liquid with large differences in structure and density. The results are based on experimental studies using X-rays, which are now published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (US). Most of us know that water is essential for our existence on planet Earth....

The scientists published their findings in the journal Physical Review Letters. In space, light always travels at 300,000,000 meters per second. In materials like glass, light is slower and it depends upon the material’s index of refraction. Scientists have begun to manipulate the interactions of light and matter by tuning the refractive index in strange ways, like making it negative. This leads to an unusual bending of light. In this study, scientists have developed a nanoscale device in which the index of refraction for visible light is zero, implying that light waves of a particular wavelength travel infinitely fast....

Over 6,000 study participants, who lost more than 50 pounds and kept the weight off more than three years, offer tips to succeed. About one in five Americans who have lost weight have done it permanently. A recent Cal Poly study using machine learning shows some tips on how individuals may lose weight and keep it off: including perseverance in the face of obstacles, constantly reflecting on their lives before the weight loss, and maintaining a health-focused mindset....

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has changed the way people live around the world. As of October 14, 2021, more than 716,000 people have died in the United States alone. Health experts agree that COVID-19 vaccines are one important way to help bring an end to the pandemic. But getting a vaccine can be scary for both kids and adults. Plus, there is lot of information about how the COVID-19 vaccines work, but some of it can be hard to understand....

Video Transcript: Greetings from the International Space Station. We, the members of Expedition 68, would like to wish you and your loved ones a happy Thanksgiving and also share with you why Thanksgiving is special to us here in space. Here we are onboard the International Space Station, our home away from home. Today, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the hundreds and thousands of people who support the human space program And to our family and friends and all those following along with the mission....

New research published in Nature Medicine reveals willingness to get a COVID-19 vaccine was considerably higher in developing countries (80% of respondents) than in the United States (65%) and Russia (30%). The study provides one of the first insights into vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in a broad selection of low- and-middle income countries (LMIC), covering over 20,000 survey respondents and bringing together researchers from over 30 institutions including the International Growth Centre (IGC), Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), WZB Berlin Social Science Center, the Yale Institute for Global Health, the Yale Research Initiative on Innovation and Scale (Y-RISE), and HSE University (Moscow, Russia)....

Climate change leads to longer growing seasons in the Arctic. A new study shows that predators like wolf spiders respond to the changing conditions and have been able to produce two clutches of offspring during the short Arctic summer. Climate change leads to longer growing seasons in the Arctic. A new study, which has just been published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, show that predators like wolf spiders respond to the changing conditions and have been able to produce two clutches of offspring during the short Arctic summer....

Chemical’s release in brain tied to processing of imagery, cells’ activation. “Look at me!” we might say while attempting to engage our children. It turns out there is a neurochemical explanation for why looking at mom or dad actually helps kiddoes pay better attention. In a paper published today (December 17, 2021) in the journal Science Advances, authors from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (also referred to as UT Health San Antonio) report that norepinephrine, a fundamental chemical for brain performance, is locally regulated in a brain region called the visual cortex....

Disposable plastics are everywhere in our lives, appearing in various forms such as food containers, coffee cups, and plastic bags. Although certain plastics are designed to biodegrade under controlled conditions, they are still problematic as they often resemble traditional plastics. When these compostable plastics are recycled improperly, they can contaminate plastic waste streams, leading to a reduction in recycling efficiency. Furthermore, recyclable plastics are often mistaken for compostable ones, resulting in polluted compost....

Scientists from the University of Cambridge have created, for the first time, a new type of microchip that allows information to travel in three dimensions. Currently, microchips can only pass digital information in a very limited way – from either left to right or front to back. The research was published today, 31 January, in the journal Nature. Dr. Reinoud Lavrijsen, an author on the paper from the University of Cambridge, said: “Today’s chips are like bungalows – everything happens on the same floor....

Shortages of virtually every type of product – from toilet paper and sneakers to pickup trucks and chicken – are showing up across the country. Looking for a book, bicycle, baby crib, or boat? You may have to wait weeks or months longer than usual to get your hands on it. I recently visited my local ski shop and they had hardly a boot, ski, goggle or pole to speak of – two full months before ski season begins....

In a new study, University of Colorado Boulder archaeologist Paola Villa and her colleagues surveyed tools excavated from a site in Italy where large numbers of elephants had died. The team discovered that humans at this site roughly 400,000 years ago appropriated those carcasses to produce an unprecedented array of bone tools—some crafted with sophisticated methods that wouldn’t become common for another 100,000 years. “We see other sites with bone tools at this time,” said Villa, an adjoint curator at the CU Boulder Museum of Natural History....

Sometimes ignorance is bliss. But blissful ignorance can bring about unnecessary suffering when it comes to drinking. Time to get your facts straight before you end up on the bathroom floor again. Myth #1 – Eating before drinking keeps you sober No matter how much you eat — or whether you drink milk or yogurt in an attempt to line your stomach — all of the alcohol you consume will eventually enter your bloodstream, through your mouth (a tiny percentage via the small blood vessels in the mouth and tongue), stomach (around 20%), and small intestine (around 80%)....

Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) researchers have constructed biological body mass index (BMI) measures that offer a more accurate representation of metabolic health and are more varied, informative, and actionable than the traditional, long-used BMI equation. The work will be published today (March 20) in the journal Nature Medicine. For decades, clinicians have relied on BMI as a crude tool to classify individuals as underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese....

Many do not recognize the symptoms A change in the color of the urine or the presence of blood in the urine is generally the first indicator of bladder cancer and should prompt an emergency visit to a doctor or healthcare professional. However, more than half (55%) of those polled were unaware that a change in the color of their urine might be an early sign of bladder cancer. An early diagnosis of bladder cancer may improve treatment results dramatically....

The new system, which does not rely on toxic and inefficient materials traditionally used for UVB production, offers a more sustainable and environmentally friendly solution for UVB applications. The findings were published in the journal Angewandte Chemie. It is hard to avoid talk about ultraviolet light—especially during the summertime. These high-energy rays produced by the sun are outside the visible light spectrum and a well-known culprit for suntans and sunburns....

New collaborative research from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and five partner institutions (University of Arizona, University of Washington, Pennsylvania State University, Desert Research Institute and University of Bergen), published on September 9, 2021, in Nature Geoscience, reveals that during past periods glaciers and ice caps in coastal west Greenland experienced climate conditions much different than the interior of Greenland. Over the past 2,000 years, these ice caps endured periods of warming during which they grew larger rather than shrinking....

This new Hubble image is a snapshot of NGC 986 — a barred spiral galaxy discovered in 1828 by James Dunlop. This close-up view of the galaxy was captured by Hubble’s Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2). NGC 986 is found in the constellation of Fornax (The Furnace), located in the southern sky. NGC 986 is a bright, 11th-magnitude galaxy sitting around 56 million light-years away, and its golden center and barred swirling arms are clearly visible in this image....

Because of global warming, air temperatures are rising, which leads to the melting of glaciers and polar ice caps. Yet, seemingly paradoxically, snow cover in some areas in northern Eurasia has increased over the past decades. However, snow is a form of water. Because global warming increases the quantity of moisture in the atmosphere, it also, therefore, increases the quantity and likelihood of rain and snow. Understanding where exactly the moisture comes from, how it is produced, and how it is transported south is relevant for better predictions of extreme weather and the evolution of the climate....

Instead, he is more concerned about adolescents who are disconnected due to limited access to the internet. “Teens who are disconnected from today’s technologies are more isolated from their peers, which can lead to problems,” Hampton said. “Many young people are struggling with their mental health. While adolescents often grapple with self-esteem issues related to body image, peers, family, and school, disconnection is a much greater threat than screen time....