The best from the science journals: moving a mountain to mapping brain cancer

Here are some the most interesting research works published in the top science journals last week

May 15, 2018 12:02 pm | Updated 12:12 pm IST

Nuke can move mountains

Published in Science

Mt. Mantap in North Korea has now been reported to have collapsed from its original state after an underground nuclear test was carried out under it at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site on Sept. 3, 2017. An international team of scientists used a special satellite radar imaging called synthetic aperture radar and seismic recordings to study the effects of the blast which caused a 5.2 magnitude earthquake. The surface of the mountain was pushed outward by almost 11 feet and then collapsed leaving the mountain about 20 inches shorter.

Brain cancer atlas

Published in Science

 File photo shows a section of a preserved human brain on display at the Museum of Neuroanatomy at the University at Buffalo, N.Y.

File photo shows a section of a preserved human brain on display at the Museum of Neuroanatomy at the University at Buffalo, N.Y.

 

Now you can take a peek at the different molecular features of brain cancer and know about the regions and genes involved with it. A new detailed atlas called Ivy Glioblastoma Atlas developed by a team of neurologists, bioinformaticians and pathologists maps out all the information about glioblastoma (brain cancer) which can help scientists and doctors in better diagnosis, treatment of glioblastoma, and even help find new drug targets.

Nifty nanodiamond

Published in Nature Communications

 A 118-carat white diamond is on display at a New York auction house

A 118-carat white diamond is on display at a New York auction house

 

By mixing tiny diamonds of just 2-5 nanometer diameter with molybdenum disulfide layers, scientists have created a dry lubricant that has very low friction(near-zero) and can last for a very long time. They write that this lube is required in very small quantities and can soon replace all others currently in use. They can find a wide range of applications from bearings, pumps, and wind turbines to even magnetic disc drives used in computers.

Squirrel’s winter-sleep strategies

Published in Cell

 Thirteen lined ground squirrel

Thirteen lined ground squirrel

 

Hibernating squirrels survive at less than 10°C without injury, and this extraordinary feat has baffled scientists for long. A new research looked at special stem cells called Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells(iPSC) obtained from ground squirrels and found differences between the iPSC-derived neurons of humans and squirrels. Even the way in which human mitochondrial and other related protein responded to cold varied widely from the squirrels. By copying these pathways from squirrels, researchers hope to improve the shelf life of organs for transplant.

The more I see

Published in Scientific Reports

Don’t believe your eyes and brain — they see and perceive more than just what is in front of them. A new study from Japan has shown that the brain can create a 360-degree world, and we are unaware of this. They report that the human visual system can extend beyond the limits of the visual field. The researchers demonstrated this by using a 6-panel-display around a viewer, and displaying letters on it and asking them to find a particular letter. They saw that the person was able to locate the letter even if it was shown on the screen behind him.

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