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Robot tentacles are gentle enough to ‘hug’ ants
A microrobotic tentacle demonstrated its utility when the tiny tube circled an ant’s thorax and gently trapped the insect. “Most robots use two fingers and to pick things up they have to squeeze,”...
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The no. 1 reason moms cut ties with an adult child
Researchers wanted to find out what causes mothers and adult children to part ways. The results suggest violations of societal norms, such as substance abuse, don’t cause the rift, but rather...
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Is low self-control a threat to security?
Researchers are using brain imaging to help companies determine which employees could pose a cybersecurity risk. To do that, they measured brain activity to identify what might motivate an employee to...
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Gonorrhea uses ‘pump’ to resist antibiotics
When gonorrhea bacteria detect an antibiotic, scientists suspect they use a protein to “pump it out” and survive the medication. Now scientists have described the structures of two protein pumps–one...
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Female chimps do more hunting with tools
In 2007, Jill Pruetz first reported savanna chimps at her research site in Fongoli, Senegal, were using tools to hunt prey. That was big news, but what also stood out to Pruetz was that female chimps...
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Retina scans could spot ‘mad cow’ faster
Examining eyeballs could be a faster way to detect the fatal neurological disease called “mad cow,” report researchers. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), known more commonly as mad cow disease,...
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Soybean farmers face a new foe: early aphids
Aphids, the tiny insects that can overwhelm soybeans and reduce yields, are appearing earlier than in previous years. Erin Hodgson, an associate professor of entomology at Iowa State University, says...
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Mom’s health takes back seat when adult child is sick
Older mothers with seriously ill adult children may find it necessary to continue to provide care at a time when they would normally expect to start getting care from others. It’s a situation that can...
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Fitness band accuracy not always on target
Activity trackers can provide a good overall estimate of calories burned, but are less accurate when measuring certain activities, such as strength training. For a new study, researchers tested four...
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‘Safe’ plastics leach toxins when they break down
Trace amounts of toxic substances used to make plastics don’t contaminate the food or beverages they contain and pose no immediate threat to consumers. That’s the good news. The bad news is those...
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How fertilizer alters soil microbes around the world
Adding nitrogen and phosphorous to the soil beneath grasslands shifts the natural communities of fungi, bacteria, and microscopic organisms called archaea that live in the soil. Scientists associated...
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‘Regulars’ at bird feeders spread eye infection
Diseases may spread faster in birds that visit bird feeders frequently, according to new research. A study of house finches in Virginia finds that birds that often visited feeders were more likely to...
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Is Saudi Arabia’s oil-water loop a warning?
Saudi Arabia’s search for water led to the discovery of oil. And that’s ironic, according to historian Michael Christopher Low, given the country’s current dependence on oil to produce drinking water....
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Scientists find the virus that makes piglets shake
A newly discovered virus is the reason why some piglets shake so uncontrollably that they aren’t able to nurse. Veterinarians have recognized the congenital tremors for decades but could never...
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Why the marketing dept. needs more power
Marketing departments are gaining, not losing, power, report researchers. And that’s good for business. Not only does marketing pay off in the short-term, but it also has a positive effect on...
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Adding this one gene gives crops more protein
A gene found in only one plant species can increase protein content when introduced into staple crops, a new study shows. The research has implications for a wide array of crops, especially for...
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The #1 way to fight climate change: Use LED lights
Replacing an old incandescent light bulb with new LED lighting might seem like an insignificant way to reduce energy consumption. It’s a simple step, but an effective one that shouldn’t be overlooked....
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Even ‘C-minus’ parents can keep kids off drugs
A healthy and open relationship with teens, not perfect parenting, is the best way to reduce the chance that kids will abuse drugs and alcohol, a new study finds. Teenagers are more likely to drink or...
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El Niño can be a blessing or curse for Midwest crops
Midwestern farmers usually fare well during years that El Niño weather patterns affect the growing season. But experts say that can change if El Niño is followed immediately by its antithesis—a...
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Male infertility linked to ‘housekeeping’ gene in mice
A “housekeeping” gene present in every cell of the body may have a link to male infertility. Ravindra Singh, a professor of biomedical sciences in the Iowa State University College of Veterinary...
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