A volcano on the Aleutian Islands in a remote part of Alaska suddenly erupted Sunday, spewing ash high enough to trigger flight warnings that continue today, officials said. The Pavlof Volcano's last eruption was in 2014.
Ancient volcanic eruptions in what is now Yellowstone Park may have been much larger than previously thought, according to a study published in the Geological Society of America Bulletin. The new research suggests there were 12 massive eruptions between 8 million and 12 million years ago. "While it is well-known that Yellowstone has erupted catastrophically in recent times, perhaps less widely appreciated is that these were just the latest in a protracted history of numerous catastrophic super-eruptions that have burned a track along the Snake River eastwards from Oregon to Yellowstone from 16 million years ago to the present," said lead study author Tom Knott.
Honeybees signal their neighbors when they sense danger, according to findings published in PLOS Biology. Researchers detected four different kinds of stop signals that can indicate the level of danger. "This is quite new and sophisticated. Before, we knew that bees could elicit stop signals, but we didn’t know it encoded any additional information," said researcher James Nieh.
A stretchable spinal implant that makes it possible for paralyzed rats to walk again has been developed by scientists in Switzerland. The silicone rubber e-dura implant mimics the elasticity and movement of the protective tissue of the spinal cord and brain, making it less likely to cause inflammation and rejection, researchers say. Scientists hope this may one day lead to implants for humans with spinal injuries and other kinds of nerve damage.
A new type of solar cell that employs an organic compound known as DBP as a light-absorbing material sandwiched between layers of parylene plastic is about as energy efficient as conventional cells but is so thin and light that it can be placed on a soap bubble. The MIT developers admit the cell is too light to be practical, but say the same technique can be used to produce somewhat heavier cells that could find a wide range of uses.
Men had a lower glucose infusion rate during low-dose insulin infusion after receiving 1 mg anastrozole daily for six weeks, compared to those on placebo, according to a study in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Researchers used a cohort of 17 healthy males and found those on anastrozole also had significant estradiol suppression and a more modest increase in total testosterone.
The University of Florida's Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy has received a $1 million grant from the Hyundai Hope on Wheels Foundation to study immunotherapy for pediatric brain tumors. The research will focus on how the immune system itself can identify and target cancer cells.
The University of Guam has been awarded a $4.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study cancer among Pacific Islanders. The University of Guam is working with the University of Hawaii Cancer Center to understand the reasons for cancer disparities in Pacific Islanders.
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