http://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. (Phys.org) —UCLA life scientists provide important new details on how climate change will affect interactions between species in research published online May 21 in the Journal of Animal Ecology. This knowledge, they say, is critical to making accurate predictions and informing policymakers of how species are likely to be impacted by rising temperatures. http://phys.org/news288382583.html Biology Tue, 21 May 2013 19:16:34 EST news288382583 Having the biggest playlist doesn't make a male songbird the brainiest of the bunch, a new study shows. http://phys.org/news288377107.html Biology Tue, 21 May 2013 19:00:01 EST news288377107 (Phys.org) —In Antarctica in January, 2013 – the summer at the South Pole – scientists released 20 balloons, each eight stories tall, into the air to help answer an enduring space weather question: when the giant radiation belts surrounding Earth lose material, where do the extra particles actually go? http://phys.org/news288379899.html Space & Earth Tue, 21 May 2013 18:31:49 EST news288379899 US online giant Amazon has unveiled plans for a futuristic greenhouse style headquarters "where employees can work and socialize in a more natural, park-like setting." http://phys.org/news288379001.html Technology Tue, 21 May 2013 18:16:47 EST news288379001 American teenagers are sharing more information about themselves on social media sites, but taking steps to protect their privacy online, a study showed Tuesday. http://phys.org/news288376471.html Technology Tue, 21 May 2013 18:10:01 EST news288376471 A high-tech startup is wading into the gun control debate with a cellphone controller that would allow gun owners to know when their weapon is being moved—and disable it remotely. http://phys.org/news288376342.html Technology Tue, 21 May 2013 18:00:01 EST news288376342 Wind, humidity and rainfall combined precisely to create Monday's massive killer tornado in Oklahoma. The awesome amount of energy released dwarfed the power of the atomic bomb that leveled Hiroshima. http://phys.org/news288376266.html Space & Earth Tue, 21 May 2013 17:50:02 EST news288376266 Using a "patient monitoring" device attached to a whale entangled in fishing gear, scientists showed for the first time how fishing lines changed a whale's diving and swimming behavior. The monitoring revealed how fishing gear hinders whales' ability to eat and migrate, depletes their energy as they drag gear for months or years, and can result in a slow death. http://phys.org/news288375876.html Biology Tue, 21 May 2013 17:26:14 EST news288375876 Environment is not the only factor in shaping regulatory patterns—and it might not even be the primary factor, according to a new Rice University study that looks at how cells' protein networks relate to a bacteria's genome. http://phys.org/news288375822.html Biology Tue, 21 May 2013 17:23:51 EST news288375822 Microsoft is the last of the three big video game console makers to unveil its latest gaming system. Tuesday's unveiling comes nearly eight years after the Xbox 360 went on sale. It follows last fall's debut of Nintendo's Wii U and a preview in February of the upcoming PlayStation 4 from Sony. http://phys.org/news288374760.html Electronics Tue, 21 May 2013 17:20:01 EST news288374760 Researchers at University of Cincinnati have developed and tested a solar-powered nano filter that is able to remove harmful carcinogens and antibiotics from water sources – lakes and rivers – at a significantly higher rate than the currently used filtering technology made of activated carbon. They report their results today at the 113th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. http://phys.org/news288374101.html Biology Tue, 21 May 2013 17:00:08 EST news288374101 How does the bacterium Shigella—the cause of a deadly diarrheal disease—detect that it's in a human host? Ohio University scientists have found that a biological "RNA thermometer" monitors whether the environment is right for the bacterium to produce the factors it needs to survive within the body, according to a study published May 21 in the journal PLOS ONE. http://phys.org/news288373970.html Biology Tue, 21 May 2013 17:00:05 EST news288373970 On May 20, 2013, NASA and NOAA satellites observed the system that generated severe weather in the south central United States and spawned the Moore, Okla., tornado. http://phys.org/news288373824.html Space & Earth Tue, 21 May 2013 16:50:33 EST news288373824 Ninety-seven teams from 28 Colorado schools participated in last week's car competitions hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). http://phys.org/news288373393.html Technology Tue, 21 May 2013 16:48:16 EST news288373393 A new report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) highlights the plight of great apes in the forest concessions of Central Africa and recommends actions to improve protection for gorillas and chimpanzees in these mixed-used landscapes, according to authors from the Wildlife Conservation Society, WWF, IUCN, Lincoln Park Zoo and Washington University. http://phys.org/news288368341.html Biology Tue, 21 May 2013 15:19:08 EST news288368341 The results of a new study led by George Washington University Professor Tianshu Li provide direct computational evidence that nucleation of ice in small droplets is strongly size-dependent, an important conclusion in understanding water's behavior at the nanoscale. The formation of ice at the nanoscale is a challenging, basic scientific research question whose answer also has important implications for climate research and other fields. http://phys.org/news288368224.html Physics Tue, 21 May 2013 15:17:12 EST news288368224 Duke University engineers have developed a novel method for producing clean hydrogen, which could prove essential to weaning society off of fossil fuels and their environmental implications. http://phys.org/news288368169.html Chemistry Tue, 21 May 2013 15:16:16 EST news288368169 The mighty T. rex may have thrashed its massive head from side to side to dismember prey, but a new study shows that its smaller cousin Allosaurus was a more dexterous hunter and tugged at prey more like a modern-day falcon. http://phys.org/news288368042.html Other Sciences Tue, 21 May 2013 15:14:29 EST news288368042 Concerns continue to grow about the effects of climate change on fire. Wildfires are expected to increase 50 percent across the United States under a changing climate, over 100 percent in areas of the West by 2050 as projected by some studies. Of equal concern to scientists and policymakers alike are the atmospheric effects of wildfire emissions on climate. http://phys.org/news288367644.html Space & Earth Tue, 21 May 2013 15:07:31 EST news288367644 About 12,800 years ago when the Earth was warming and emerging from the last ice age, a dramatic and anomalous event occurred that abruptly reversed climatic conditions back to near-glacial state. According to James Kennett, UC Santa Barbara emeritus professor in earth sciences, this climate switch fundamentally –– and remarkably –– occurred in only one year, heralding the onset of the Younger Dryas cool episode. http://phys.org/news288367533.html Space & Earth Tue, 21 May 2013 15:05:47 EST news288367533 (AP)—Best Buy Co. on Tuesday reported a loss for its fiscal first quarter as it sold its stake in Best Buy Europe and works on a turnaround plan that includes cutting costs and closing some stores. http://phys.org/news288367449.html Technology Tue, 21 May 2013 15:04:15 EST news288367449 The NFL and Microsoft, through its next generation Xbox console, are combining to enhance interactive TV viewing of pro football games. http://phys.org/news288367404.html Electronics Tue, 21 May 2013 15:03:38 EST news288367404 The Senate dragged Apple Inc., the world's most valuable company, into the debate over the U.S. tax code Tuesday, grilling CEO Tim Cook over allegations that its Irish subsidiaries help the company avoid billions in U.S. taxes. http://phys.org/news288367244.html Technology Tue, 21 May 2013 15:01:02 EST news288367244 When infections occur in the body, stem cells in the blood often jump into action by multiplying and differentiating into mature immune cells that can fight off illness. But repeated infections and inflammation can deplete these cell populations, potentially leading to the development of serious blood conditions such as cancer. Now, a team of researchers led by biologists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) has found that, in mouse models, the molecule microRNA-146a (miR-146a) acts as a critical regulator and protector of blood-forming stem cells (called hematopoietic stem cells, or HSCs) during chronic inflammation, suggesting that a deficiency of miR-146a may be one important cause of blood cancers and bone marrow failure. http://phys.org/news288364621.html Biology Tue, 21 May 2013 14:17:15 EST news288364621 (Phys.org) —A new analysis shows that the nation's land and water resources could likely support the growth of enough algae to produce up to 25 billion gallons of algae-based fuel a year in the United States, one-twelfth of the country's yearly needs. http://phys.org/news288363267.html Biology Tue, 21 May 2013 13:55:27 EST news288363267 A new branch of the Venezuela-to-Cuba undersea fiber-optic cable has reportedly come online, linking the island to nearby Jamaica, increasing Cuba's potential international communications bandwidth and providing a backup for the main line. http://phys.org/news288362850.html Technology Tue, 21 May 2013 13:47:56 EST news288362850 Microsoft thinks it has the one. The company unveiled the Xbox One, an entertainment console that wants to be the one system households will need for games, television, movies and other entertainment. It will go on sale later this year, for an undisclosed price. http://phys.org/news288362802.html Electronics Tue, 21 May 2013 13:46:51 EST news288362802 Twitter is booming as a social media destination for teenagers who complain about too many adults and too much drama on Facebook, according to a new study published Tuesday about online behavior. It said teens are sharing more personal information about themselves even as they try to protect their online reputations. http://phys.org/news288362442.html Technology Tue, 21 May 2013 13:40:47 EST news288362442 Villagers installing a water pipe in southwestern Mexico stumbled onto an ancient granite statue depicting a player from a pre-Hispanic ball game, the national anthropology institute said Monday. http://phys.org/news288362418.html Other Sciences Tue, 21 May 2013 13:40:24 EST news288362418 (Phys.org) —Northwestern University researchers have developed a new method for delivering molecules into single, targeted cells through temporary holes in the cell surface. The technique could find applications in drug delivery, cell therapy, and related biological fields. http://phys.org/news288361946.html Nanotechnology Tue, 21 May 2013 13:32:54 EST news288361946