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How does a flood become a disaster?

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What are the causes, patterns and effects of disastrous river flood? An international group of researchers led by GFZ hydrologist Bruno Merz has investigated this question in a review article published in the journal Nature Reviews Earth and Environment. The short answer: It’s complicated.

What is certain, however, is that there is an opposing trend of property damage and personal injury. Since the 1990s, the number of fatalities from river floods has declined worldwide, but the amount of damage has risen sharply. The researchers attribute the decline in casualties to improved flood warning, technical protection measures and heightened hazard awareness.

Asia is the worst hit by floods worldwide: “More than ninety percent of the people affected by flood disasters live in Asia,” says Bruno Merz. The head of GFZ’s Hydrology Section cites a few reasons: “There are huge floodplains of large rivers there, and that’s exactly where many people live together.” [Read more…] about How does a flood become a disaster?

Motivation depends on how the brain processes fatigue

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How do we decide whether or not an activity which requires work is ‘worth the effort’? Researchers at the University of Birmingham & University of Oxford have shown that the willingness to work is not static, and depends upon the fluctuating rhythms of fatigue.

Fatigue – the feeling of exhaustion from doing effortful tasks – is something we all experience daily. It makes us lose motivation and want to take a break. Although scientists understand the mechanisms the brain uses to decide whether a given task is worth the effort, the influence of fatigue on this process is not yet well understood.

The research team conducted a study to investigate the impact of fatigue on a person’s decision to exert effort. They found that people were less likely to work and exert effort – even for a reward – if they were fatigued. The results are published in Nature Communications. [Read more…] about Motivation depends on how the brain processes fatigue

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  • 'Feel good' brain messenger can be willfully controlled, new study reveals
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    'Feel good' brain messenger can be willfully controlled, new study revealsFrom the thrill of hearing an ice cream truck approaching to the spikes of pleasure while sipping a fine wine, the neurological messenger known as dopamine has been popularly described as the brain's "feel good" chemical related to reward and pleasure. A ubiquitous neurotransmitter that carries signals between brain cells,…
    Tags: researchers, study, news, brain
  • Rules of brain architecture revealed in large study of neuron shape and electrophysiology
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    Rules of brain architecture revealed in large study of neuron shape and electrophysiologyTo understand our brains, scientists need to know their components. This theme underlies a growing effort in neuroscience to define the different building blocks of the brain – its cells. With the mouse's 80 million neurons and our 86 billion, sorting through those delicate, microscopic building blocks is no small…
    Tags: brain, researchers, study, activity, team, news
  • Is sitting always bad for your mind? A new study suggests maybe not
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    Is sitting always bad for your mind? A new study suggests maybe notIt's generally accepted health advice that adults of all ages should sit less, move more, and engage in regular exercise to feel better and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. However, when it comes to the brain and cognition, a new study of older adults from Colorado State University suggests…
    Tags: activity, study, people, researchers, brain, news
  • Touch-and-know: Brain activity during tactile stimuli reveals hand preferences in people
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    Touch-and-know: Brain activity during tactile stimuli reveals hand preferences in peopleHave you ever wondered whether the brains of right-handed people work differently from those of left-handers? Is it possible to distinguish between them by observing their brain activity in response to stimuli or tasks? These are important questions from the perspectives of both basic sciences and application-based fields such as…
    Tags: brain, study, people, activity, work, team
  • Brain activity foreshadows changes in stock prices
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    Brain activity foreshadows changes in stock pricesSociety for Neuroscience Activity in the brains' risk circuits can forecast changes in stock prices Forecasting changes in stock prices may be possible with the help of brain activity in regions associated with how people feel before making investment choices. Scientists could accurately forecast market price changes based on the…
    Tags: activity, brain, news

Two-thirds of romantic couples start out as friends, study finds

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Movies and television often show romance sparking when two strangers meet. Real-life couples, however, are far more likely to begin as friends. Two-thirds of romantic relationships start out platonically, a new study in Social Psychological and Personality Science finds.

This friends-first initiation of romance is often overlooked by researchers. Examining a sample of previous studies on how relationships begin, the authors found that nearly 75 percent focused on the spark of romance between strangers. Only eight percent centered on romance that develops among friends over time.

“There are a lot of people who would feel very confident saying that we know why and how people choose partners and become a couple and fall in love, but our research suggests that is not the case,” says lead author Danu Anthony Stinson, a psychology professor at the University of Victoria, Canada. [Read more…] about Two-thirds of romantic couples start out as friends, study finds

Scientists create rechargeable swimming microrobots using oil and water

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By combining oil drops with water containing a detergent-like substance, the scientists found they could produce artificial swimmers that are able to swim independently and even harvest energy to recharge.

The oil droplets use fluctuating temperature changes in their surrounding environment to store energy and to swim. When cooled, the droplets release thin ‘tail-like’ threads into the environment. The friction generated between the tails and surrounding fluid, pushes the droplet causing them to move.

On heating, the droplets then retract their tails returning to their original state, and harness the heat from their environment to recharge. [Read more…] about Scientists create rechargeable swimming microrobots using oil and water

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  • Better batteries start with basics – and a big computer
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    Better batteries start with basics – and a big computerTo understand the fundamental properties of an industrial solvent, chemists with the University of Cincinnati turned to a supercomputer. UC chemistry professor and department head Thomas Beck and UC graduate student Andrew Eisenhart ran quantum simulations to understand glycerol carbonate, a compound used in biodiesel and as a common solvent.…
    Tags: water, energy, study, simple, basic, people, chemical, physical, news

AR can improve the lives of older adults, so why are apps designed mainly with youngsters in mind?

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Augmented reality (AR) is poised to revolutionise the way people complete essential everyday tasks, yet older adults – who have much to gain from the technology – will be excluded from using it unless more thought goes into designing software that makes sense to them.

The danger of older adults falling through the gaps has been highlighted by research carried out by scientists at the UK’s University of Bath and the Bath-based charity Designability.

A Paper describing their work has received an honourable mention at this year’s Human Computer Interaction Conference (CHI2021) – the world’s largest conference of its kind. [Read more…] about AR can improve the lives of older adults, so why are apps designed mainly with youngsters in mind?

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  • Estonian company Auve Tech launches ‘world’s first’ autonomous hydrogen vehicle
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    Estonian company Auve Tech launches ‘world’s first’ autonomous hydrogen vehicleWhat has been described as “the world’s first autonomous hydrogen vehicle” has now been officially launched. Created by the Estonian enterprise Auve Tech in cooperation with University of Tartu researchers, the vehicle was presented to the public for the first time in Tartu, a city in eastern Estonia. The first…
    Tags: features, technology
  • Experiences of loneliness may differ by age
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    Experiences of loneliness may differ by ageLoneliness in adult life is experienced differently depending on age, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health.   The research concludes that there can be no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to reducing loneliness, as factors associated with it, such as contact with friends and family, perceived…
    Tags: adults, features
  • The Earth is flat. Everything else is just fake news. Or is it?
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    The Earth is flat. Everything else is just fake news. Or is it?‘Is Western culture balancing on a tightrope between science and humanities?’ asks Carlos Elias, author of new book Science on the Ropes, which explains why science has been dethroned from its prestigious position in Western culture and replaced by pseudoscientific conjecture and fake news Pseudoscience is on the rise and…
    Tags: technology, features

Red Dead Redemption 2 teaches players about wildlife

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Players of the popular game Red Dead Redemption 2 learn how to identify real American wildlife, new research shows.

The game, set in the American West in 1899, features simulations of about 200 real species of animals.

The new study, by the University of Exeter and Truro and Penwith College, challenged gamers to identify photographs of real animals. [Read more…] about Red Dead Redemption 2 teaches players about wildlife

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  • The first human settlers on islands caused extinctions
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    The first human settlers on islands caused extinctionsThough some believe prehistoric humans lived in harmony with nature, a new analysis of fossils shows human arrival in the Bahamas caused some birds to be lost from the islands and other species to be completely wiped out. The researchers examined more than 7,600 fossils over a decade and concluded…
    Tags: people, species, study, wildlife, animals

How long can a person live? The 21st century may see a record-breaker

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The number of people who live past the age of 100 has been on the rise for decades, up to nearly half a million people worldwide.

There are, however, far fewer “supercentenarians,” people who live to age 110 or even longer. The oldest living person, Jeanne Calment of France, was 122 when she died in 1997; currently, the world’s oldest person is 118-year-old Kane Tanaka of Japan.

Such extreme longevity, according to new research by the University of Washington, likely will continue to rise slowly by the end of this century, and estimates show that a lifespan of 125 years, or even 130 years, is possible. [Read more…] about How long can a person live? The 21st century may see a record-breaker

Did the ancient Maya have parks?

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The ancient Maya city of Tikal was a bustling metropolis and home to tens of thousands of people.

The city comprised roads, paved plazas, towering pyramids, temples and palaces and thousands of homes for its residents, all supported by agriculture.

Now researchers at the University of Cincinnati say Tikal’s reservoirs – critical sources of city drinking water – were lined with trees and wild vegetation that would have provided scenic natural beauty in the heart of the busy city. [Read more…] about Did the ancient Maya have parks?

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  • Ancient Maya built sophisticated water filters
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    Ancient Maya built sophisticated water filtersAncient Maya in the once-bustling city of Tikal built sophisticated water filters using natural materials they imported from miles away, according to the University of Cincinnati. UC researchers discovered evidence of a filter system at the Corriental reservoir, an important source of drinking water for the ancient Maya in what…
    Tags: water, ancient, maya, uc, archaeology

Cities ‘must become car-free to survive’

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Cities must become fully car-free in order to be liveable in the future, according to the UCL experts behind a new modelling report looking at urban car use.

The experts have called for a shift in collective behaviour to reduce the number of private cars in cities. Globally, the number of cars produced is increasing faster than the population; 80m cars were produced in 2019, while the population increased by 78m.

The researchers said future city planning must include a focus on reducing dependence on cars, promoting fewer and shorter trips and encouraging walking and cycling as primary modes of local transport. [Read more…] about Cities ‘must become car-free to survive’

Anti-gay statements trigger elevated stress in lesbian, gay and bisexual study participants

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Previous research has suggested that the stress of discrimination may play a role in the development of health problems that disproportionately affect lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals.

A study published today finds that when lesbian, gay and bisexual adults are exposed to even mild anti-gay prejudice, it triggers bodily changes such as increases in blood pressure that can contribute to heart disease.

“This study provides strong evidence that when LGB people experience anti-gay prejudice, their bodies respond with increases in heart rate and blood pressure, and in the stress hormone cortisol,” David M. Huebner, a professor of prevention and community health at the George Washington University and lead author of the study, said. [Read more…] about Anti-gay statements trigger elevated stress in lesbian, gay and bisexual study participants

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  • Stretching more effective than walking to lower high blood pressure: USask study
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    Stretching more effective than walking to lower high blood pressure: USask studyA new University of Saskatchewan (USask) study has found that stretching is superior to brisk walking for reducing blood pressure in people with high blood pressure or who are at risk of developing elevated blood pressure levels. Walking has long been the prescription of choice for physicians trying to help…
    Tags: blood, pressure, study, people, news, health
  • 5-minute workout lowers blood pressure as much as exercise, drugs
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    5-minute workout lowers blood pressure as much as exercise, drugsWorking out just five minutes daily via a practice described as "strength training for your breathing muscles" lowers blood pressure and improves some measures of vascular health as well as, or even more than, aerobic exercise or medication, new CU Boulder research shows. The study, published June 29 in the…
    Tags: blood, pressure, people, group, study, health, news
  • Is sitting always bad for your mind? A new study suggests maybe not
    33
    Is sitting always bad for your mind? A new study suggests maybe notIt's generally accepted health advice that adults of all ages should sit less, move more, and engage in regular exercise to feel better and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. However, when it comes to the brain and cognition, a new study of older adults from Colorado State University suggests…
    Tags: physical, study, adults, health, participants, people, researchers, news
  • One cup of leafy green vegetables a day lowers risk of heart disease
    32
    One cup of leafy green vegetables a day lowers risk of heart diseaseNew Edith Cowan University (ECU) research has found that by eating just one cup of nitrate-rich vegetables each day people can significantly reduce their risk of heart disease. The study investigated whether people who regularly ate higher quantities of nitrate-rich vegetables, such as leafy greens and beetroot, had lower blood…
    Tags: disease, people, heart, blood, study, health, pressure
  • People who eat a plant-based dinner could reduce their risk of heart disease by 10 percent
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    People who eat a plant-based dinner could reduce their risk of heart disease by 10 percentPeople who eat too many refined carbs and fatty meats for dinner have a higher risk of heart disease than those who eat a similar diet for breakfast, according to a nationwide study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Cardiovascular diseases like congestive heart failure,…
    Tags: heart, disease, people, study, news, health