MI weekly selection #239
Data assimilation to help predict volcano eruptions
A new method to forecast volcano activity using data assimilation is being developed by researchers in France. The method uses satellite data to gauge each volcano’s magma overpressure.
Bees exposed to pesticides even with untreated plants
Bees are exposed to neonicotinoid pesticides even with untreated plants and crops, according to a pair of studies published in Science that looked at the effects of long-term neonicotinoid exposure on colonies. The studies, which looked at bees at various sites throughout the world, show the pesticides’ environmental reach and the negative effects they have on bee colonies’ health.
Adenosine-blocking treatments might improve hearing
The ability to process sound, which decreases with age, might be restored with drugs or genetic treatments. Researchers found that older mice were better able to distinguish between similar tones when adenosine signaling in the thalamus was blocked, causing an increase in neurons in the auditory cortex.
A 40-nanometer carbon nanotube transistor
Researchers have created a carbon nanotube transistor with a 40-nanometer footprint. The transistor is being developed as a speedier, more efficient alternative to silicon transistors.
Researchers testing genomic vaccines
A number of research projects are testing genomics as a way to fight a number of diseases, including Ebola, HIV and cancer. Genomic vaccines encode proteins to boost the body’s own immune response.