Research on beards, wads of gum wins 2021 Ig Nobel prizes

Beards aren't just cool and trendy—they might also be an evolutionary development to help protect a man's delicate facial bones from a punch to the face.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-beards-wads-gum-ig-nobel.html

Research on beards, wads of gum wins 2021 Ig Nobel prizes

Beards aren't just cool and trendy—they might also be an evolutionary development to help protect a man's delicate facial bones from a punch to the face.

Biden slams 'minority' preventing US from overcoming COVID

President Joe Biden on Thursday blamed vaccine hesitant Americans for preventing the United States from overcoming the COVID pandemic.

California wildfires at risk of sparking as wind blows in

A weather system approaching northwest California was expected to bring dry lightning and blustery winds by late Thursday, unleashing a risk of new wildfires as thousands of firefighters have been making headway against existing blazes.

California wildfires at risk of sparking as wind blows in

A weather system approaching northwest California was expected to bring dry lightning and blustery winds by late Thursday, unleashing a risk of new wildfires as thousands of firefighters have been making headway against existing blazes.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-california-wildfires.html

Biden administration targets 20% drop in aviation emissions

US President Joe Biden's adminstration on Thursday unveiled measures that aim to reduce aviation emissions by 20 percent by 2030 in its latest initiative to combat climate change.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-biden-administration-aviation-emissions.html

The seismic zone worrying quake-hit Mexico

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck southern Mexico this week originated near a section of a fault that experts worry has been building up tension for more than a century.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-seismic-zone-quake-hit-mexico.html

Reconfigurable metasurfaces provide nanoscale light control

Researchers have designed electromechanically reconfigurable ultrathin optical elements that can be controlled and programmed on a pixel-by-pixel level. These versatile metasurfaces could offer a new chip-based way to achieve nanoscale control of light, which could lead to better optical displays, information encoding and digital light processing.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-reconfigurable-metasurfaces-nanoscale.html

New spacesuit technology for moon and Mars exploration tested where Apollo astronauts once trained and tested spacesuits

The NASA Haughton-Mars Project (HMP) and collaborating organizations SETI Institute, Mars Institute, Collins Aerospace, and Ntention are announcing the successful field testing of new spacesuit technologies for future astronaut science and exploration operations on the Moon and Mars.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-spacesuit-technology-moon-mars-exploration.html

Biden administration targets 20% drop in aviation emissions

US President Joe Biden's adminstration on Thursday unveiled measures that aim to reduce aviation emissions by 20 percent by 2030 in its latest initiative to combat climate change.

The seismic zone worrying quake-hit Mexico

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck southern Mexico this week originated near a section of a fault that experts worry has been building up tension for more than a century.

Reconfigurable metasurfaces provide nanoscale light control

Researchers have designed electromechanically reconfigurable ultrathin optical elements that can be controlled and programmed on a pixel-by-pixel level. These versatile metasurfaces could offer a new chip-based way to achieve nanoscale control of light, which could lead to better optical displays, information encoding and digital light processing.

Decreased mortality for complex aortic aneurysm patients treated by fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repair

A recent study revealed that endovascular repair of complex aortic aneurysms using fenestrated and branched endografts provides a safe and effective alternative to open surgical repair, with the lowest ever reported mortality rate in this patient population, according to researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston) and Memorial Hermann Heart and Vascular Institute Aortic Center.

New spacesuit technology for moon and Mars exploration tested where Apollo astronauts once trained and tested spacesuits

The NASA Haughton-Mars Project (HMP) and collaborating organizations SETI Institute, Mars Institute, Collins Aerospace, and Ntention are announcing the successful field testing of new spacesuit technologies for future astronaut science and exploration operations on the Moon and Mars.

Soft components for the next generation of soft robotics

Soft robots driven by pressurized fluids could explore new frontiers and interact with delicate objects in ways that traditional rigid robots can't. But building entirely soft robots remains a challenge because many of the components required to power these devices are, themselves, rigid.

source https://techxplore.com/news/2021-09-soft-components-robotics.html

Marine Protected Area status can boost fish populations by almost 400%

Protecting areas of the ocean and coastlines with "whole-site" Marine Protected Area (MPA) status can result in four-fold increases in the abundance and diversity of fish populations, a new study has shown.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-marine-area-status-boost-fish.html

'MRI' scan reveals spectacular ice age landscapes beneath the North Sea

Spectacular ice age landscapes beneath the North Sea have been discovered using 3D seismic reflection technology. Similar to MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) the images reveal in unprecedented detail huge seafloor channels—each one 10 times wider than the River Thames.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-mri-scan-reveals-spectacular-ice.html

Have COVID-19 lockdowns affected passion and intimacy in relationships?

In a study of dating and married couples in India who were surveyed before and after India's COVID-19 lockdown, relationship satisfaction, love, intimacy, and passion were significantly lower post-lockdown compared with pre-lockdown.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-covid-lockdowns-affected-passion-intimacy.html

Is the nature of academic research changing?

An analysis in Learned Publishing indicates that the number of academic research articles using surveys and questionnaires has dramatically risen in the past 20 years; however, the quality of some of these articles (and therefore the research) may be in doubt.

source https://phys.org/news/2021-09-nature-academic.html

Have COVID-19 lockdowns affected passion and intimacy in relationships?

In a study of dating and married couples in India who were surveyed before and after India's COVID-19 lockdown, relationship satisfaction, love, intimacy, and passion were significantly lower post-lockdown compared with pre-lockdown.

Trends in aortic valve replacement among patients with dementia

For patients who have a narrowed aortic valve that fails to open properly, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a less invasive alternative to open surgical valve replacement. In a recent analysis published in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society that examined Medicare data from 2010 to 2016, rates of aortic valve replacement in individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias increased over time, largely driven by the use of TAVR.

Administrative tasks related to healthcare create burdens for U.S. patients

A new study published in Health Services Research found that many U.S. patients are burdened by administrative tasks related to their medical care. Such administrative tasks include appointment scheduling, obtaining information from an insurer or provider, obtaining prior authorizations, resolving insurance or provider billing issues, and resolving insurance premium problems.

Is the nature of academic research changing?

An analysis in Learned Publishing indicates that the number of academic research articles using surveys and questionnaires has dramatically risen in the past 20 years; however, the quality of some of these articles (and therefore the research) may be in doubt.

Can medical marijuana effectively treat childhood epilepsy?

Following media reports of children with epilepsies reportedly deriving benefits from medical marijuana (or cannabis-based medicinal products) accessed abroad, the UK government allowed clinicians to prescribe these products. A review published in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology explores the science behind cannabis-based medicinal products in pediatric epilepsies and highlights areas that warrant additional research.

New insights on sleep problems in older adults with chronic diseases

In a study of 120 older adults in southern Taiwan who had chronic diseases, 45.8% of participants experienced sleep problems.

Do choices related to breast reconstruction after mastectomy affect women's long-term perceptions of body image?

Results from a study published in Psycho-Oncology suggest that women with breast cancer recover from negative impacts of mastectomy on body image within four years of surgery, whether they have immediate, delayed, or no breast reconstruction.

A platelet-mediated, beneficial allergic response protects against yeast asthma

We think of asthma and other allergic diseases as unnecessary aberrant immune responses that do more harm than good. However, new evidence by an international team led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine shows that some allergic reactions provide necessary protection against highly invasive and potentially lethal infectious agents, such as yeast.