Welcome to Overnight News Digest- Saturday Science. Since 2007 the OND has been a regular community feature on Daily Kos, consisting of science stories from around the world, sometimes coupled with a daily theme, original research or commentary. Editors of OND impart their own presentation styles and content choices, typically publishing each day near 12:00 AM Eastern Time.
Topics in tonight’s digest include:
- Light-speed radar developed by China
- Seabirds flying into hurricanes
- Ancient daggers found at Polish WWI battle site.
- Rock inscription possibly made by Muhammad’s companion.
- Cognitive decline may be foreshadowed by speech trait
- Gross behavior at Yosemite National Park
- Mosquito-borne illness coming to the US
- Chinese scientists develop cheap rechargeable battery
- Hidden health risks caused by shapewear
- Map reveals your climate in 2080.
- Hunt for most efficient heat pump
New Atlas
by Michael France
Light-speed radar can track multiple Mach-20 missiles
China has just made another move on the hypersonic missile war game board. An incredibly accurate laser-based radar system has been announced that would be able to track objects ripping through the sky at over four miles per second.
The radar system was developed by Zheng Xiaoping, a professor at Tsinghua University’s department of electronic engineering who has spent decades working on ultra-fast optical communication. The
South China Morning Post (SCMP) reports that a paper describing the research has been published in the Chinese journal,
Optical Communication Technology.
In it, Zheng and his team describe ground-based simulations that showed the system could track a missile traveling at almost 4.3 miles (7 km) per second with an error rate of just 11 inches (28 cm). The system was also able to estimate the missile's speed with a 99.7% accuracy rate. It can reportedly operate over a range of 373 miles (600 km).
New Atlas
by Bronwyn Thompson
Thrill-seeking seabirds are now enthusiastically flying into hurricanes
A daredevil seabird species has learnt to harness the insane power of hurricanes, seeking out storms over the ocean to 'ride' them for their own benefit. It's the first time this behavior has been observed, and now has scientists wondering if it's far more widespread in the avian world.
In October last year, we reported on the case of a streaked shearwater that had embarked on
a thrilling 700-mile (1,130-km) ride on a typhoon, revealed in great detail thanks to a GPS tracker. Scientists at the time thought it may have been taken by surprise by the storm, unable to escape the intense winds that flung the bird 15,000 feet (4,500 m) above its regular flying range.
But this new groundbreaking report from the Woods Hole Oceanogeaphic Institution (WHOI) upends that hypothesis, with the pelagic Desertas petrel seabirds flying towards hurricanes like Helen Hunt chasing down tornadoes in Twister.
Miami Herald
by Ilene Wright
Metal detectorists search WWI battleground in Poland — then find something much older
At the beginning of the 20th century, the forested mountains of Poland were the backdrop for battles of the Great War. The Bieszczady Mountains are part of the Baligród Forest District, and evidence of World War I is now obscured by the soil, roots and trees that have grown in the past century.
[…]
The Historical and Exploration Association “Galicja,” a non-profit organization based in Rzeszów, started working in the area a few years ago, according to a July 11 news release from the Ministerstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The organization’s work uncovered remains of soldiers from a winter battle in 1915, according to the release, leading to the creation of a soldier cemetery on Manyłowa Mountain. Then, in May and June, the organization found there were things much older hidden in the forest. Two ancient daggers and a 19th-century ring were discovered, the organization said in a July 9 Facebook post.
Live Science
by Soumya Sagar
Paleo-Arabic inscription on rock was made by Prophet Muhammad's unconverted companion, study finds
A Paleo-Arabic inscription on a boulder near an abandoned mosque in Saudi Arabia may have been carved by Ḥanẓalah bin Abī ʿĀmir, a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, a new study finds.
Although many inscriptions from the early days of Islam are known, their authorship remains unconfirmed, except for one in Saudi Arabia's al-Bahah region that can be securely attributed to Muhammad's companion, who later became the governor of Mecca. The inscription, which researchers analyzed in a new study published in the April issue of the Journal of Near Eastern Studies, is only the second confirmed inscription whose attribution connects to Muhammad. Unlike the former text, this one was carved in the early seventh century before Islam came to dominate Arabia, making it an important witness to the pre-Islamic Hijaz (the region where Mecca is located) and the religious background of the Quran's audience.
However, not everyone is fully convinced about the authors' identities.
Science Alert
by Claire Lancaster
Scientists Identify a Speech Trait That Foreshadows Cognitive Decline
Can you pass me the whatchamacallit? It's right over there next to the thingamajig.
Many of us will experience "lethologica", or difficulty finding words, in everyday life. And it usually becomes more prominent with age.
Frequent difficulty finding the right word can signal changes in the brain consistent with the early ("preclinical") stages of Alzheimer's disease – before more obvious symptoms emerge.
However, a recent study from the University of Toronto suggests that it's the speed of speech, rather than the difficulty in finding words that is a more accurate indicator of brain health in older adults.
KTLA5
by Mark Sternfield, Victoria Meza
Yosemite National Park says this gross behavior has become ‘too familiar’
When tourists visit California’s Yosemite National Park, they expect to see stunning waterfalls and towering rock formations in the pristine wilderness. Now, park rangers are warning of a less-than-pleasant sight.
In a social media post on Monday, the National Park shared photos of used toilet paper and a nearly full roll of unused TP recently discarded near Rancheria Falls.
“Unfortunately, this is a sight that’s become all too familiar in Yosemite, even in wilderness areas,” the post read. “Nobody wants to stumble upon a surprise package left behind by an anonymous outdoor enthusiast.”
The Cool Down
by Jenny Allison
Scientists issue critical warning after serious disease threatens to spread across borders and into US: 'The storm's comin', folks'
In the U.S., mosquito bites have always been a part of summertime. Now, with rising global temperatures expanding their habitat, deadly-disease-carrying mosquitoes are beginning to encroach on southern states.
The
Washington Post reported that
dengue fever, a common mosquito-borne virus, is surging worldwide. "[There are] a record 10 million people who have fallen ill with dengue so far this year," the Post reported. Put another way, that's approximately 1 in every 800 people on the planet.
These mind-boggling case numbers have been recorded everywhere from Puerto Rico to Nepal, and even in previously untouched countries, per the Post.
The skyrocketing numbers led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue a warning in June, alerting travelers and healthcare providers to be aware of increased dengue risk.
Tech Times
by John Lopez
Chinese Scientists Develop Cheap Solid-State Rechargeable EV Battery
Chinese scientists have developed a low-cost solid-state lithium battery that promises to transform the electric vehicle (EV) industry market.
The South China Morning Post reports that this new battery, developed by researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), matches the performance of other next-generation batteries at less than 10% of the cost.
Science Focus
by Dr. Nisch Manek
The hidden health risks caused by shapewear, explained by a doctor
Body-shaping undergarments, more commonly known as shapewear, have exploded in popularity in recent years. In a society increasingly focused on appearance and self-image, shapewear claims to offer a quick and relatively affordable solution to boost confidence by improving fit and appearance in various outfits.
[…]
Shapewear that’s tight around the stomach area can potentially cause digestive problems. If you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, for example, exerting pressure on your gut may aggravate your symptoms, especially after eating.
Most people who suffer from a degree of bloating will say how uncomfortable tight clothing of any kind can be when they are suffering from a bad episode. It could also make you constipated.
Belt compression has also been shown to make conditions like acid reflux worse, so it is likely that wearing shaping garments around the abdominal area wouldn’t be a great idea if you’re prone to it.
Science Alert
by Tessa Koumoundouros
This New Map Reveals The Predicted Future Climate Where You Live
As extreme storms, floods, fires, droughts, cold snaps, and heat waves hit us harder and more often than ever, more than half of our planet is predicted to shift into new climate zones by the end of the century.
A new interactive map, The Future Urban Climates, allows you to explore how your home's climate will be impacted.
Using data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), University of Maryland spatial ecologist Matthew Fitzpatrick matches 40,581 places around the globe to nearby locations currently experiencing their future predicted climate in 2080.
For example, a trip to northern Mississippi today would allow you to feel the equivalent climate New York City is expected to experience by 2080. However, under the low emissions scenario also modeled, the projected future climate is located far closer to home.
ars technica
by Chris Baraniuk
The hunt for the most efficient heat pump in the world
Outside a 100-year-old house on the edge of the Peak District in northern England, a heat pump’s fan blades are swiftly spinning. They’re drawing outdoor air over coils of refrigerant, harvesting warmth from that air. All air-source heat pumps do this—and they can glean heat even on cold days. But this heat pump is special. It is one of the most efficient installations of its kind in the country.
“I’m number two on there,” fizzes owner Rob Ritchie, a retired chemistry teacher, referring to the system’s position on HeatPump Monitor.org, a kind of online leaderboard for heat pumps around the UK and beyond. “I should say it isn’t important—but it is. It’s nice being there.”
At the time of writing, real-time data suggests that for every kilowatt-hour of electricity Ritchie’s heat pump consumes, it delivers 5.5 kilowatt-hours of heat—a coefficient of performance, or COP, of 5.5. Achieving a COP of 5 or above is “absolutely incredible,” says Emma-Louise Bennett, active transition support lead at Viessmann, the company that made Ritchie’s heat pump. In the UK, average heat pump COPs tend to be between 2 and 3.
This is an open thread where everyone is welcome, especially night owls and early birds, to share and discuss the science news of the day. Please share your articles and stories in the comments.