SCIENCE

Labour conference live: Pressure on Starmer as he faces union vote to reverse ‘cruel’ winter fuel payments cut

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Labour conference live: Pressure on Starmer as he faces union vote to reverse ‘cruel’ winter fuel payments cut

Reaction to Keir Starmer’s Labour conference speech Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Sir Keir Starmer is facing a vote from unions to reverse the controversial cut to the winter fuel payments. … Read more

Fruit-only diet improves bats’ immune response to viruses

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Fruit-only diet improves bats’ immune response to viruses

Fruit bats generate more diverse antibodies than mice, but overall have a weaker antibody response, according to a new study published September 24 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Dan Crowley from Cornell University, USA, and colleagues. Bats are well-known reservoirs for viruses with pandemic potential. While these viruses typically do not cause disease … Read more

Atmospheric methane increase during pandemic due primarily to wetland flooding, satellite data analysis finds

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Atmospheric methane increase during pandemic due primarily to wetland flooding, satellite data analysis finds

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A new analysis of satellite data finds that the record surge in atmospheric methane emissions from 2020 to 2022 was driven by increased inundation and water storage in wetlands, combined with a slight decrease in atmospheric hydroxide (OH). The results have implications for efforts to decrease atmospheric methane and mitigate its … Read more

Placebo pain relief and positive treatment expectations are not caused by dopamine, researchers find

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Fruit-only diet improves bats’ immune response to viruses

New findings argue against a direct causal role for dopamine during the experience of a treatment effect in the establishment of positive treatment expectations and placebo analgesia in healthy volunteers, according to a study published September 24 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Ulrike Bingel from University Hospital Essen, Germany, and colleagues. Dopamine-based reward … Read more

Study shows virtual reality may help pedestrians and cyclists avoid harmful pollutants

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Study shows virtual reality may help pedestrians and cyclists avoid harmful pollutants

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Physics-informed virtual reality could be key to reducing the exposure of pedestrians and cyclists to harmful, non-exhaust vehicle emissions, according to a study published 25 Sep in the Royal Society Open Science journal. The research led by the University of Birmingham targets the issue of major health risks and chronic diseases … Read more

Psychedelics excite cells in hippocampus to reduce anxiety

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Fruit-only diet improves bats’ immune response to viruses

A classic psychedelic, similar to LSD, psilocybin and mescalin, was found to activate a cell type in the brain that silences other neighboring neurons, a result that provides insight into how such drugs reduce anxiety, according to a new study. The findings show the psychedelic DOI (2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine) lessened anxiety in mice and rats while activating … Read more

Study explores hot electron tunneling and collection to enhance efficiency

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Study explores hot electron tunneling and collection to enhance efficiency

A hot carrier solar cell includes the absorption layer, the extraction layer, an energy selective contact, and the actual contact. Experiments showed the presence of a barrier inhibiting carrier extraction, as indicated between the absorption layer and the extraction layer, which are both n-type. Credit: Journal of Photonics for Energy (2024). DOI: 10.1117/1.JPE.15.012502 Hot carrier … Read more