ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• Neandertal gene variants both increase and decrease the risk for severe COVID-19
• The smallest galaxies in our universe bring more about dark matter to light
• Planetary scientists discover evidence for a reduced atmosphere on ancient Mars
• Enormous ancient fish discovered by accident
• Luminescent windows generate energy from inside and out
• FRESH 3D-printing platform paves way for tissues, organs
• Supercomputer turns back cosmic clock
• Graphene 'nano-origami' creates tiniest microchips yet
• First humans in Tasmania must have seen spectacular auroras
• Moiré patterns facilitate discovery of novel insulating phases

Neandertal gene variants both increase and decrease the risk for severe COVID-19 Posted: 16 Feb 2021 11:43 AM PST Last year, researchers showed that a major genetic risk factor for severe COVID-19 is inherited from Neandertals. Now the same researchers show that Neandertals also contributed a protective variant. Half of all people outside Africa carry a Neandertal gene variant that reduces the risk of needing intensive care for COVID-19 by 20 percent.

The smallest galaxies in our universe bring more about dark matter to light Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST Our universe is dominated by a mysterious matter known as dark matter. Its name comes from the fact that dark matter does not absorb, reflect or emit electromagnetic radiation, making it difficult to detect.

Planetary scientists discover evidence for a reduced atmosphere on ancient Mars Posted: 16 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST The transition from a reduced planet to an oxidized planet is referred to as the Great Oxidation Event or GOE. This transition was a central part of our planet's evolution, and fundamentally linked to the evolution of life here -- specifically to the prevalence of photosynthesis that produced oxygen. Planetary geologists have discovered that Mars underwent a great oxygenation event of its own -- billions of years ago, the red planet was not so red.

Enormous ancient fish discovered by accident Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:51 AM PST Fossilised remains of a fish that grew as big as a great white shark and the largest of its type ever found have been discovered by accident.

Luminescent windows generate energy from inside and out Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:50 AM PST Engineers design and build windowpanes that redirect sunlight or illumination from indoors to edge-band solar cells.

FRESH 3D-printing platform paves way for tissues, organs Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:50 AM PST Research into 3D bioprinting has grown rapidly in recent years as scientists seek to re-create the structure and function of complex biological systems from human tissues to entire organs. Researchers now provide perspective on the Freefrom Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogels 3D bioprinting approach, which solves the issue of gravity and distortion by printing within a yield-stress support bath that holds the bioinks in place until they are cured.

Supercomputer turns back cosmic clock Posted: 16 Feb 2021 08:49 AM PST Astronomers have tested a method for reconstructing the state of the early Universe by applying it to 4000 simulated universes using the ATERUI II supercomputer. They found that together with new observations the method can set better constraints on inflation, one of the most enigmatic events in the history of the Universe. The method can shorten the observation time required to distinguish between various inflation theories.

Graphene 'nano-origami' creates tiniest microchips yet Posted: 16 Feb 2021 07:01 AM PST Experimental physicists have developed the smallest microchips ever - 100 times smaller than conventional microchips. They believe that this next generation of microchips could lead to computers and phones running thousands of times faster.

First humans in Tasmania must have seen spectacular auroras Posted: 16 Feb 2021 06:28 AM PST A small sub-alpine lake in western Tasmania has helped establish that 41,000 years ago Australia experienced the Laschamp geomagnetic excursion and that Tasmanian, Aboriginals, would've seen it.

Moiré patterns facilitate discovery of novel insulating phases Posted: 15 Feb 2021 08:03 AM PST Materials having excess electrons are typically conductors. However, moiré patterns -- interference patterns that typically arise when one object with a repetitive pattern is placed over another with a similar pattern -- can suppress electrical conductivity, a study by physicists has found.

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