In English – Sivu 45

2023-11-02 @ 16.56.56 ∈ In English

Water can evaporate with just light, no heat, says surprising study

Scientists at MIT have made the surprising discovery that light alone can evaporate water, and is even more efficient at it than heat. […] The team named the new phenomenon the “photomolecular effect,” and hypothesized that photons of light could potentially “cleave off” clusters of water molecules near the liquid’s surface.

2023-10-27 @ 18.01.18 ∈ In English

Bed bugs are a global problem, yet we still know little about how they spread

[A statistical model shows a significant peak in bed bug cases around August and September each year.] People assume they travel on luggage, but it's never been proven. My previous work in 2017 [proved] that they aggregate in dirty clothes in the absence of humans.

2023-10-25 @ 18.31.28 ∈ In English

First malaria vaccine slashes early childhood mortality

In a major analysis in Africa, the first vaccine approved to fight malaria cut deaths among young children by 13% over nearly 4 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported last week.

2023-10-24 @ 12.26.11 ∈ In English

(Lots of rambling about experiments, but the description in the quote I picked does feel familiar, tee-he.)

Déjà vu – a window on the past and a key to human survival | Aeon Essays

Déjà vu occurs when there is a hiccup in the system, and we notice the pull on our attention; it grabs hold of our focus, allowing us to catch a quick glimpse of our memory’s operation occurring in slow motion. What would ordinarily take place quickly beneath the surface […] suddenly has a light shining on the spot where the halt occurred, where the retrieval piece was not successful, and we find ourselves in a heightened state of searching our memory, trying to find out why the situation feels so familiar.

2023-10-21 @ 10.21.28 ∈ In English

Major Study Claims to Identify The Root Cause of Obesity: Fructose

[The study] found that the metabolism of fructose in the body causes a drop in a compound called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which provides energy for your body's cellular processes. When ATP falls to a low enough level, it's a signal to your body that you need more fuel. This makes you hungry, so you eat.

2023-10-19 @ 12.27.55 ∈ In English

This Predatory Mite is a Rising Star in Pest Management

The mite Amblyseius swirskii feeds on various insect and mite species, including many notorious pests of vegetable crops.

2023-10-19 @ 12.23.37 ∈ In English

New pill helps COVID smell and taste loss fade quickly

The antiviral drug ensitrelvir eases both smell and taste loss, and is one of the few COVID-19 drugs available to people not at high risk of grave illness.

2023-10-17 @ 17.29.45 ∈ In English

Roundup herbicide ingredient connected to epidemic levels of chronic kidney disease

A massive field study of the wells supplying drinking water to the Sri Lankan communities, conducted by researchers at Duke University, has identified a possible culprit [for incidence of kidney failure due to unclear causes, also known as CKDu:] glyphosate, the active compound in Roundup, the most widely used herbicide in the world.

2023-10-12 @ 19.18.30 ∈ In English

How morbid curiosity can lead people to conspiracy theories

Engaging with frightening media and the emotions it creates in a safe setting can help people alleviate anxiety and build psychological resilience. However, our recent research, published in the British Journal of Psychology, shows that a heightened interest in learning about threats can also lead people to be interested in less constructive types of stories: conspiracy theories.

2023-10-12 @ 18.59.11 ∈ In English

Bed Bugs Aren’t Just a Problem In Paris. Here’s Why

A number of factors keep bed bugs surviving and thriving, say entomologists, many of which are directly related to human behavior. Part of the problem may be the way we manage the pests. Unlike mosquitos and ticks, which government groups address with wide-scale, community-wide spraying and eradication efforts, bed bugs are seen more as an individual, rather than a societal, problem.