Author Archives: Guest Post

Heat of mantle sets height of mid-ocean ridges

By  analyzing the speed of seismic waves generated by earthquakes, scientists have shown that temperature differences deep within Earth’s mantle control the elevation and volcanic activity along mid-ocean ridges, the colossal mountain ranges that line the ocean floor. Recent research sheds new light on how temperature in the depths of the mantle influences the contours of the Earth’s crust.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Scientists have shown that temperature differences deep within Earth’s mantle control the elevation and volcanic activity along mid-ocean ridges, the colossal mountain ranges that line the ocean floor. The findings, published April 4 in the journal Science, shed new light on how temperature in the depths of the mantle influences the contours of the Earth’s crust. (more…)

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Canal between Ears Helps Alligators Pinpoint Sound

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – By reptile standards, alligators are positively chatty. They are the most vocal of the non-avian reptiles and are known to be able to pinpoint the source of sounds with accuracy. But it wasn’t clear exactly how they did it because they lack external auditory structures.

In a new study, an international team of biologists shows that the alligator’s ear is strongly directional because of large, air-filled channels connecting the two middle ears. This configuration is similar in birds, which have an interaural canal that increases directionality. (more…)

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Potassium in brain could be key to fighting Huntington’s disease

Researchers were able to improve walking and prolong survival in a mouse model by tweaking potassium levels

By boosting the ability of a specific type of cell to absorb potassium in the brain, UCLA researchers were able to improve walking and prolong survival in a mouse model of Huntington’s disease.

Their findings, published March 30 in the online edition of the journal Nature Neuroscience, could point to new drug targets for treating the devastating disease, which strikes one in every 20,000 Americans. (more…)

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Das gute böse Internet

Zeynep Tufekci geht der Frage nach, ob das Internet gut oder schlecht sei – die Antwort ist die gleiche wie bei den meisten Menschen auch: Beides stimmt! Bei der Frage, welche gesellschaftliche Bedeutung die Technik nach der „Stunde Null“ hat, kommen wir jedoch weder mit moralischen „Gut-Böse“-Diskussionen weiter, noch mit überbordender Melodramatik. Dies fordert Jaron Lanier in der Debatte darum, wie „evil“ Google ist. Noch nicht genug von der aktuellen Debatte um das Wesen des Internets? Dann lesen Sie bitte weiter.

Video der Woche (more…)

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UA Researcher and Colleagues Discover the Birthplace of the Chili Pepper

Researchers have found that central-east Mexico gave birth to the domesticated chili pepper, which is now the world’s most widely grown spice crop.

In the Southwest, the chili pepper is practically a dietary staple. It gives salsa a spicy crunch, it brings depth to Mexican sauces, and it provides an extra kick to Sonoran hot dogs. (more…)

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Giving voice to Rwandan genocide survivors

As the world remembers the horrific genocide in Rwanda 20 years ago, a Michigan State University scholar is helping survivors tell their stories through a book of poems.

Laura Apol, an award-winning author and associate professor of education at MSU, wrote “Requiem, Rwanda” based on a series of workshops she organized for citizens in Rwanda to promote healing through writing, and her own experiences learning about the tragic events. (more…)

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Lesen wirkt: Psychologen erforschen, wie Lektüre das Verhalten ändern kann

Mit guten, subtilen Geschichten Menschen dazu bringen, weniger Süßes zu essen, auf das Rauchen zu verzichten und überhaupt gesundheitsbewusster zu leben – ein Psychologie-Team der Universität Kassel erforscht die Mechanismen, die Leser dazu bringen, Überzeugungen und Verhalten zum Positiven zu verändern.

Prof. Dr. Tobias Richter vom Institut für Psychologie der Universität Kassel und seine Mitarbeiterin Dr. des. Maj-Britt Isberner untersuchen bis Mitte 2016 in mehreren Experimenten das Potential von Geschichten, die Überzeugungen und das Verhalten von Probanden nachhaltig zu verändern. Die Kasseler arbeiten in dem Projekt mit dem Medienpsychologen Prof. Dr. Markus Appel von der Universität Koblenz-Landau  zusammen. (more…)

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