ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines -- for Sunday, November 20, 2011

ScienceDaily Top Science Headlines

for Sunday, November 20, 2011

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Light created from a vacuum: Casimir effect observed in superconducting circuit (November 19, 2011) -- Scientists have succeeded in creating light from vacuum – observing an effect first predicted over 40 years ago. In an innovative experiment, the scientists have managed to capture some of the photons that are constantly appearing and disappearing in the vacuum. ... > full story

Protection from severe malaria explained (November 19, 2011) -- Why do people with a hereditary mutation of the red blood pigment hemoglobin (as is the case with sickle-cell anemia prevalent in Africa) not contract severe malaria? Scientists have now solved this mystery. ... > full story

Great Plains river basins threatened by pumping of aquifers (November 19, 2011) -- Suitable habitat for native fishes in many Great Plains streams has been significantly reduced by the pumping of groundwater from the High Plains aquifer – and scientists analyzing the water loss say ecological futures for these fishes are "bleak." ... > full story

New tool saves time, reduces risk of mistakes in diabetes care (November 19, 2011) -- In the fast-paced world of health care, doctors are often pressed for time during patient visits. Researchers have now developed a tool that allows doctors to view electronic information about patients' health conditions related to diabetes on a single computer screen. A new study shows that this tool, the diabetes dashboard, saves time, improves accuracy and enhances patient care. ... > full story

Corn gene boosts biofuels from switchgrass (November 19, 2011) -- Introducing a special corn gene into switchgrass was found to significantly boost the viability of the switchgrass biomass as a feedstock crop for advanced biofuels. The gene, a variant of the Corngrass1 gene, holds the switchgrass in a perpetual juvenile state, more than doubling its starch content and making it easier to convert its polysaccharides into fermentable sugars. ... > full story

Paving the way for better prevention and management of delirium (November 19, 2011) -- Important clues to the prevention and management of delirium, a condition affecting an estimated seven million hospitalized Americans, are being ignored, according to a new study. ... > full story

Birth of famous black hole: Longstanding mysteries about object called Cygnus X-1 unraveled (November 18, 2011) -- A precise distance measurement by the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) allowed astronomers to accurately calculate the mass and spin of a famous black hole, thus providing a complete description of the object. ... > full story

Unraveling how a mutation can lead to psychiatric illness (November 18, 2011) -- A new study demonstrates how DISC1 variants impair signaling pathways and disrupt brain development. ... > full story

World's most difficult chemical experiment: The struggle to discover the secret of super-heavy elements (November 18, 2011) -- In order to find the chemical properties of super-heavy elements, chemists must conduct one of the world's most demanding chemical experiments in a matter of seconds. ... > full story

'Silent' stroke risk factors for children with sickle cell anemia (November 18, 2011) -- Factors such as low hemoglobin levels, increased systolic blood pressure, and male gender are linked to a higher risk of silent cerebral infarcts, or silent strokes, in children with sickle cell anemia, according to results from a large, first-of-its-kind study. ... > full story

Nanoparticles used as additives in diesel fuels can travel from lungs to liver (November 18, 2011) -- Recent studies have demonstrated that nanoparticles of cerium oxide -- common diesel fuel additives used to increase the fuel efficiency of automobile engines -- can travel from the lungs to the liver and that this process is associated with liver damage. ... > full story

Job market for college grads braced for slow but steady growth (November 18, 2011) -- After last year's rollercoaster ride, the job market for college graduates has settled down and appears braced for slow but steady growth, according to a new study. ... > full story