MI weekly selection #170
Scientists find clues to suggest new type of neutrino
Hints of the existence of an elusive sterile neutrino have been detected in the Daya Bay nuclear reactor facility near Hong Kong. This would be the first discovery of a particle which cannot be accommodated in the framework of the so-called standard model.
Quantum dot solids arranged into superstructures
Scientists have created superstructures with quantum dots, a big step toward harnessing their technological potentials. One obstacle researchers have faced while working with quantum dot solids is getting them to directly meld without adding another substance, and scientists think they’ve solved that.
Turtle remains at ancient burial site suggest funeral ritual
The butchered remains of 17 soft-shelled turtles, not commonly eaten in Mesopotamia 2,500 years ago, have been found at an ancient burial site in Turkey, suggesting some kind of funeral ritual, researchers say. Turtle shells and bones were found around the remains of a woman and child buried at the bottom of an ancient silo.
Coral growth improved at Great Barrier Reef by altering seawater acidity
Coral growth improved in a section of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef after researchers lowered the seawater’s acidity there by adding an alkaline substance. The results suggest that increased carbon dioxide emissions are having a negative effect on the world’s coral reefs by raising the acidity levels of the ocean.
Squeezing embryos may indicate their viability
The viability of a human embryo can be determined by a gentle squeeze, which could have implications for in vitro fertilization. Researchers tried the technique on mice embryos and found it predicted with about 90% accuracy whether the embryo would grow successfully into viable blastocysts. They then tried it with human embryos, with the same results.