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February 12, 2013

Your World of Science News

Top Story

Asian stinging ants mount increasing invasion on U.S. soil
Stinging needle ants, originally from Asia, are becoming a menace in the U.S., experts say. The insect, which causes painful and itchy welts, is beginning to overtake Argentine ant populations in the country. According to research in the journal PLoS ONE, stinging ants can tolerate cooler temperatures than Argentine ants, and the more aggressive nature of the Asian ant allows the species to overtake the once-reigning Argentine ones. NBC News (2/11)

Science in the News

Scientists send Landsat satellite into space
Scientists launched a Landsat satellite from California this week, the eighth sent to space so far. The Landsat Data Continuity Mission will join 14-year-old Landsat 7 in space to continue the 40-year mission of photographing Earth's changing landscape. "LDCM will continue to describe the human impact on Earth and the impact of Earth on humanity, which is vital for accommodating 7 billion people on our planet," said an official with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Reuters (2/11)

Astronomers seek names for Pluto's two tiny moons
Scientists are seeking name suggestions for two of Pluto's recently discovered moons. The moons, no more than 15 to 20 miles across, will have to fit with the Greek underworld theme that Pluto and its three other moons have. ABC News/The Associated Press (2/11)

Study: Following sodium limits would save thousands of lives
Cutting back on salt intake from current levels to 2,300 milligrams a day -- the upper end of the federal guideline -- could save 500,000 to 850,000 lives over the next 10 years, according to research published in the journal Hypertension. Even a more gradual reduction in salt content among restaurant and processed foods could save 280,000 to 500,000 lives in 10 years, largely by reducing the risks of heart attack and stroke. U.S. News & World Report/HealthDay News (2/11)

Research supports screening for amblyopia before age 3
Photoscreening before age 3 was linked to a positive-predictive value of 86.6% for detecting amblyogenic risk factors, according to a study in the journal Pediatrics. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends vision screening at age 3, but the findings suggest that such screening is accurate and reliable enough to be extended to children as young as 1 year old. DoctorsLounge.com/HealthDay News (2/11)

Daylight hours linked to myopia progression in children
Myopia, or nearsightedness, among children progressed faster during the months with the least daylight compared with the sunniest months, according to a study in the journal Ophthalmology. Researchers looked at more than 200 nearsighted 8- to 14-year-olds in Denmark and found that the length of their eyeballs from front to back increased more during the winter than the summer months. Reuters (2/11)

Study: Lightning increases risk of headaches and migraines
Researchers have established a link between lightning and the onset of migraines and headaches in humans, according to a study published in the journal Cephalalgia, which found that days with lightning increased the risk of headaches by nearly one-third and migraines by 28 percent. One of the study's co-authors speculated that the electromagnetic waves that lightning emits could trigger the headaches, though the exact cause remains unknown. National Geographic News/Weird & Wild blog (2/11)

Computer program can decode dead languages
A computer algorithm may be the next step to systematically unlocking how dead "protolanguages" sound spoken aloud, according to a study. Historically, using human linguists have been the only method for reconstructing languages, but the study's authors believe this new software could be key to speeding up language analysis on a larger scale. TechNewsDaily.com (2/11)

Funding Watch

Florida Mayo clinic gets $7M for Parkinson's research
The NIH awarded Mayo Clinic Jacksonville with a $7 million grant toward its study of Parkinson's disease. The Florida-based clinic will use the five-year grant to continue its research into genetic causes of Parkinson's with hopes of developing prevention methods. The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville) (2/12)

N.C. center gets $500,000 to study alternative fuel stations
The North Carolina Solar Center will receive a $500,000 federal grant that will be used toward researching alternative fuel stations for the state. The Alternative Fuel Implementation Team is studying the most efficient way to encourage more stations providing high-ethanol blends, biodiesel fuel and electric charges for cars. American City Business Journals/Raleigh/Durham, N.C./Triangle BizBlog (2/8)

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Editor's Note

Correction
An item in the Feb. 11 Sigma Xi SmartBrief mischaracterized the Philippine island of Luzon. A study was conducted in a remote part of Luzon's Sierra Madre mountains. SmartBrief regrets the error.

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