1,088 news posts in Featured news

Featured news

25 Jan 2023

Using running to escape everyday stresses may lead to exercise dependence instead of mental wellbeing

By Angharad Brewer Gillham, Frontiers science writer Image/Shutterstock.com Different kinds of escapism can motivate people to take part in running, but using running to escape from negative experiences rather than using it to escape to positive ones may lead to exercise dependence. Recreational running offers a lot of physical and mental health benefits – but some people can develop exercise dependence, a form of addiction to physical activity which can cause health issues. Shockingly, signs of exercise dependence are common even in recreational runners. A study published in Frontiers in Psychology investigated whether the concept of escapism can help us understand the relationship between running, wellbeing, and exercise dependence. “Escapism is an everyday phenomenon among humans, but little is known regarding its motivational underpinnings, how it affects experiences, and the psychological outcomes from it,” said Dr Frode Stenseng of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, lead author of the paper. Running to explore or to evade? “Escapism is often defined as ‘an activity, a form of entertainment, etc. that helps you avoid or forget unpleasant or boring things’. In other words, many of our everyday activities may be interpreted as escapism,” said Stenseng. “The psychological reward from escapism is […]

Featured news

24 Jan 2023

‘Golden boy’ mummy was protected by 49 precious amulets, CT scans reveal

By Mischa Dijkstra, Frontiers science writer The ‘Golden boy’ digitally unwrapped, stepwise. Image credit: SN Saleem Scientists used CT scans to ‘digitally unwrap’ the approximately 2,300-year-old undisturbed mummy of a teenage boy of high socioeconomic status. The body was equipped with 49 amulets of 21 different types, many of which were made of gold, which had been carefully placed on or inside the body. These included a two-finger amulet next to the uncircumcised penis, a golden heart scarab placed inside the thoracic cavity, and a golden tongue inside the mouth. He was clad in sandals and garlanded with ferns, with ritual significance. This mummy is a showcase of Egyptian beliefs about death and the afterlife during the Ptolemaic period. The ancient Egyptians believed that when we died, our spiritual body sought out an afterlife similar to this world. But entry into this afterlife wasn’t guaranteed: it first required a perilous journey through the underworld, followed by an individual last judgment. For this reason, relatives and embalmers did everything they could to ensure that their loved one might reach a happy destination. Here, scientists from Egypt used computerized tomography (CT) to ‘digitally unwrap’ the intact, never-opened mummy of a 2,300-year-old teenage […]

Featured news

19 Jan 2023

Microalgae could be the future of sustainable superfood in a rapidly changing world, study finds

By Peter Rejcek, science writer The global population recently hit eight billion people. Yet climate change and human environmental impacts threaten our long-term food security. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, recently published a scientific review demonstrating that microalgae and other microscopic, plant-like organisms could help feed the world’s growing population more sustainably than current agricultural systems. Algae. It’s what’s for dinner. This variation on the iconic US advertising slogan from the beef industry may sound funny, but it’s no joke that the current agriculture system is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and environmental pollution. In turn, the climate crisis and ecosystem degradation threaten long-term food security for billions of people around the world. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), believe algae could be a new kind of superfood thanks to its high protein and nutrition content. They make their case in a paper recently published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition that examines the current scientific literature on microalgae, a catch-all term for the thousands of microscopic algal species and other photosynthetic organisms like cyanobacteria found in various aquatic environments. A more efficient food source The review highlights the current technologies for […]

Featured news

17 Jan 2023

Rare fossilized feathers reveal secrets of paleontology hotspot during Cretaceous period

by Angharad Brewer Gillham, Frontiers science writer Fossil STM 15-36, photographed by Xuwei Yin at the Shangdong Tianyu Museum of Natural History. Photograph courtesy of the authors. Rare preserved soft tissue – feathers from early Cretaceous birds at Jehol Biota – sheds new light on the world in which they died, millions of years ago. The site of Jehol Biota in China is famous for stunning fossils which preserve soft tissue – skin, organs, feathers, and fur. These fossils offer rare insights into the evolution of characteristics like flight, but they need careful interpretation to understand what the soft tissue looked and behaved like in life, and how decomposition may have affected it. A study published in Frontiers in Earth Science analyzed five fossils of an early Cretaceous bird, Sapeornis chaoyangensis, in order to study how the environment they were buried in changed the preservation of their soft tissue. “Jehol Biota provides the most informative source for understanding Mesozoic ecology,” said corresponding author Dr Yan Zhao, based at the Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Linyi University. “Better understanding of the diverse taphonomy of Jehol terrestrial vertebrates can help us finally understand more about the past and future of biological evolution.” […]

Featured news

16 Jan 2023

Frontiers in Chemical Engineering 2022 Awards

We are very happy to announce the Frontiers in Chemical Engineering Awards for its second edition. These Awards are meant to highlight our editorial board and its members who have significantly contributed to the growth of Frontiers in Chemical Engineering by safeguarding the quality of the published articles, as well as by leading article collections to shape the future of the journal. We are incredibly proud of our journal community; we want to express our gratitude for each member’s support in growing a robust journal regarding Chemical Engineering and helping us in our mission to make science open. Many congratulations to our finalists and a big thank you to all our Editors! Frontiers in Chemical Engineering – 2022 Outstanding Editors Awards Yan Li Biochemical Engineering Florida State University associate editor Jingwen Zhou Biochemical Engineering Jiangnan University review editor Florent Allais Catalytic Engineering AgroParisTech Institut des Sciences et Industries du Vivant et de L’environnement associate editor Qineng Xia Catalytic Engineering Jiaxing University review editor Juan Gabriel Segovia Hernandez Separation Processes University of Guanajuato associate editor Emma Kendrick Electrochemical Engineering University of Birmingham associate editor Luis Fernando Arenas Electrochemical Engineering Clausthal University of Technology review editor Stefania Specchia Chemical Reaction Engineering Polytechnic University of Turin review editor Rosa Turco Chemical Reaction Engineering University of Naples Federico II associate editor Costas Tsouris Sustainable Process Engineering Oak Ridge National Laboratory associate editor Aditya Kumar Surface and Interface Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Dhanbad associate editor Priya Varshney Surface and Interface Engineering National Institute of Technology […]

Featured news

16 Jan 2023

Frontiers in Nanotechnology 2022 Awards

We are delighted to announce the second edition of Frontiers in Nanotechnology Awards. With these Awards, we want to highlight members of our editorial board, who have significantly contributed to the growth of Frontiers in Nanotechnology going above and beyond in safeguarding the quality of the published articles, as well as by suggesting and leading article collections in the journal. We are very proud of our journal community and grateful for each member’s support in growing a robust Nanotechnology journal and helping us in our mission to make science open. Many congratulations to our finalists and a big thank you to all our Editors! Frontiers in Nanotechnology – 2022 Outstanding Editors Awards Ying-Chen ChenComputational Nanotechnology Northern Arizona University associate editor Jiyong Woo Computational Nanotechnology Kyungpook National University review editor Yogendra Kumar Mishra Biomedical Nanotechnology Mads Clausen Institute, Faculty of Engineering, University of Southern Denmark associate editor Suresh K. Verma Biomedical Nanotechnology School of Biotechnology, KIIT University review editor Soubantika Palchoudhury Nanotechnology for Energy Applications Department of Chemical, Materials and Bioengineering, School of Engineering, University of Dayton review editor Karthik Ramasamy Nanotechnology for Energy Applications UbiQD Inc. associate editor Andreas Rosenkranz Nanomaterials University of Chile guest associate editor Cristina Satriano Nanomaterials University of Catania associate editor Takeaki Yajima Nanoelectronics Kyushu University review editor Manoj Saxena Nanoelectronics Department of Electronics, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, University of Delhi associate editor Min Wang Environmental Nanotechnology Northeastern University review editor Shu Zhang Environmental Nanotechnology Nanjing Forestry University associate editor Dimitra G. Georgiadou Nanodevices University of Southampton associate editor Robert A. Nawrocki Nanodevices Polytechnic […]

Featured news

16 Jan 2023

Our toilets can yield excellent alternatives for widespread polluting fertilizers

By Mischa Dijkstra, Frontiers science writer Scientists show that the yield of cabbages grown on soils supplied with two modern nitrified urine fertilizers recycled from human urine is approximately equal to the yield when soils are fertilized with commercial vinasse. The exclusive use of compost recycled from human feces gave a slightly lower yield, but such compost is expected to give extra carbon to soils when combined with nitrified urine fertilizers. Importantly, pharmaceuticals in feces ended up in the edible plant parts only in negligible amounts, implying that fertilizers recycled from human excreta are not only productive but also safe. To tackle the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and pollution, humanity will need to move to a circular economy, where all resources are recycled. Why not recycle our own body waste too as fertilizer, provided there is no risk that harmful microbes or traces from pharmaceuticals end up in the consumed crops? Most nutrients needed for plant growth occur in human urine and feces. Urine is especially rich in nitrogen and potassium, and also contains trace amounts of metals such as boron, zinc, and iron. Feces could in theory supply other nutrients such as phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium or valuable organic […]

Featured news

12 Jan 2023

Simple blood test shows promise for screening common and dangerous pregnancy complications

By Angharad Brewer Gillham, Frontiers science writer Image/Shutterstock.com Scientists find that short-chain fatty acids in blood can be used as biomarkers in testing for dangerous pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. Scientists at Ningbo University, China have identified biomarkers that could provide an early warning system for three common and dangerous pregnancy complications: pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, and a liver condition called intrahepatic cholestasis. All three conditions are dangerous; early diagnosis and treatment is key to preventing poor outcomes and lifelong consequences. Their causes are not fully understood, and nor is their connection to the gut microbiome, which is affected by pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions. A team led by Dr Siqian Chen at the Affiliated Hospital of Medical School decided to investigate whether specific changes in the microbiome — detected using levels of short-chain fatty acids, metabolites which are produced following the fermentation of microbiota — could be used as biomarkers for pregnancy complications. “We analyzed and correlated the distribution of short-chain fatty acids during normal pregnancy and during three specific types of complicated pregnancy, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and intrahepatic cholestasis,” said Dr Rongrong Xuan, senior author of the study, published today in Frontiers in […]

Featured news

10 Jan 2023

Technische Universität Clausthal forms publishing agreement with Frontiers

Technische Universität Clausthal (TU Clausthal) formed an institutional membership agreement for open access publishing with Frontiers. This institutional agreement means that TU Clausthal supported researchers may publish in any Frontiers journal at no cost to them and with a simplified process. The university library TU Clausthal its researchers in making their research more widely available. This agreement will further encourage TU Clausthal researchers to publish open access, increasing the volume of research openly available. While this reduces costs for the researcher, it also benefits the wider research community and the public at large. For more information on Frontiers’ institutional agreements please visit our institutional memberships page or contact institutions@frontiersin.org to discuss the possibilities for your own organization. Information for researchers If you are a TU Clausthal researcher, please select Technische Universität Clausthal in the payment information section (“Frontiers institutional members”) when submitting your article. Frontiers will verify your eligibility with the library and, if confirmed, the APC will be paid by TU Clausthal upon acceptance. For information on whether your article is eligible under this agreement, or if you require any further details, please visit TU Clausthal open access page or contact florian.strauss@tu-clausthal.de.

Featured news

09 Jan 2023

Science platform Frontiers at the World Science Forum in Cape Town

Inaugurated in 2003, the World Science Forum series fosters and maintains a dialogue between the scientific community, society, policymakers, and industry. Arriving from over 100 countries, around a thousand leading scientists, decision-makers from the world of politics, industry, representatives of civil society, and the media express their views on the new challenges facing science in the 21st century. In December, the World Science Forum 2022 was hosted in Cape Town under the theme “Science for Social Justice”. Taking place in Africa for the first time, the gathering deliberated on the social and economic relevance, influence, and responsibilities of science and covered the topics like climate change, science for human dignity, the Sustainable Development Goals, science for Africa, and science diplomacy. The list of notable speakers included, among others, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation in South Africa Dr Blade Nzimande, co-chair of the Global Young Academy Prof Roula Inglesi-Lotz, president of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Prof Tamás Freund, president of the African Academy of Sciences Prof Felix Dakora, president of the International Science Council Sir Peter Gluckman, assistant director-general for Natural Sciences at UNESCO Dr Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, and president of Jordan’s Royal Scientific Society Princess Sumaya […]

Featured news

09 Jan 2023

Eating almonds daily boosts exercise recovery molecule by 69% among ‘weekend warriors’

By Mischa Dijkstra, Frontiers science writer A new randomized controlled trial showed that participants who daily ate 57g almonds over four weeks had a 69% higher level of the beneficial oxylipin molecule 12,13-dihydroxy-9Z-octadecenoic acid in their blood after a 90 minute session of eccentric exercise than control volunteers. In contrast, they had a 40% lower level of the mildly toxic 9,10-Dihydroxy-12-octadecenoic acid in their blood after exercise than control participants. The authors conclude that daily consumption of almonds changes the metabolism to recover faster after strenuous exercise. For those who exercise regularly, eating almonds each day might be the ideal new year’s resolution. A randomized controlled trial in Frontiers in Nutrition showed that female and male participants who ate 57g almonds daily for one month had more of the beneficial fat 12,13-dihydroxy-9Z-octadecenoic acid (12,13-DiHOME) in their blood immediately after a session of intense exercise than control participants. This molecule, a so-called oxylipin (oxidized fat) is synthetized from linoleic acid by brown fat tissue, and has a beneficial effect on metabolic health and energy regulation. Corresponding author Dr David C Nieman, a professor and director of the Appalachian State University Human Performance Laboratory at the North Carolina Research Campus, said: “Here […]

Featured news

21 Dec 2022

Frontiers in Signal Processing Editor Awards 2022

We are pleased to announce the first edition of Frontiers in Signal Processing Editors Awards. With these awards we wish to highlight the members of our editorial board who have gone above and beyond in the past year in support of the journal. During the first full year of publication for Frontiers in Signal Processing in 2022 over 70 new articles were accepted and published, and our content received over 120,000 views and downloads this year alone. We could not have achieved this without the dedication and collaboration of our chief, associate, and review editors. We especially want to thank those editors who have made an outstanding contribution to the journal in safeguarding the quality of the articles published through a high-quality and fair reviewing process, and/or collaborating closely with the journal to develop new collections to help bring the most impactful content to the signal processing community. Leadership award – Prof. Frederic Dufaux, Universite Paris Sarclay CNRS. Specialty Chief Editor for Image Processing Awarded for Prof. Dufaux’s proactive leadership of his section, supporting the journal team and topic editors on the development and improvement of new timely collections, resulting in Image Processing receiving the most submissions in 2022. Outstanding associate editor award – Prof Hagit Messer, Tel Aviv University. […]

Featured news

20 Dec 2022

Lonely heart-failure patients face worse outcomes than sociable peers

by Tania Fitzgeorge-balfour, science writer Social frailty, which includes the loss of social roles, social networks, and social activities, is widely identified as a risk to healthy aging. A new study is the first to show a close association between the loss of perceived social role amongst friends and family and poor clinical outcomes for older heart failure patients. These findings suggest that social engagement and activities should form part of the aftercare program for these patients. Older heart failure patients who feel that they have lost their social role amongst friends and family are more likely to suffer poor clinical outcomes. This is the finding of a new study in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine that has examined the specific aspects of social interaction that can lead to a poor prognosis for these patients. “We are the first to show a close association between the loss of perceived social role and long-term poor clinical outcomes in older heart failure patients,” said Dr Satoshi Katano, first author of this research, based at Sapporo Medical University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan. “Our study highlights the real need to develop a management program that includes a social approach to the care of these patients.” Read […]

Featured news

16 Dec 2022

2022 in review: a message from our CEO

As CEO of Frontiers, and on behalf of my colleagues, it is my pleasure to share with you some of the insights gained and lessons learned from the events of 2022.  Thanks to science, the threat of COVID-19 to our day-to-day lives has waned.  The record-breaking development of effective vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 was accomplished by openly sharing scientific research articles through initiatives such as the CORD-19 Open Research dataset. Open science has proven what we can achieve if collaboration can flourish. It has shown that free, immediate, and unrestricted access to all publicly funded research for innovators, doctors, scientists, journalists, you, me, and people everywhere is absolutely critical if we are to find solutions to today’s most pressing global challenges at speed. Earlier this year, new policy guidance from the United States White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) stated that the results of taxpayer-supported research should be made immediately available to the American public, without restriction. It is a moment that encapsulates the lessons of COVID-19 and represents the progress we are now making. It is also one of celebration for everyone who has been fighting for open access to publicly funded research results for more […]

Featured news

16 Dec 2022

Screening a puppy’s DNA methylome may help predict how energetic or fearful they will be

By Mischa Dijkstra, Frontiers science writer Scientists found that differences in the epigenome, in particular the DNA methylome, are predictably associated with differences in the temperament of dogs, especially their energy and fearfulness. The DNA methylome predicted these traits better than Single-Locus Polymorphisms or age. In future, breeders could screen the epigenome of puppies to find the best candidates for companion or service dogs. Anyone who’s ever had a dog knows how different one can be from another. For example, they can be reserved or friendly, playful or calm, fearful or bold, and prone to bark or fetch or not. Research has shown that some of these differences are genetically determined. But even within dog breeds, where line breeding and artificial selection have led to the loss of much of the original genetic variation, the behavior of individuals can differ widely. Now, researchers show that part of the differences in temperament – in particular their ‘energy’ level and fear-related behaviors – depend on acquired differences in the epigenome. The epigenome, an individual’s unique set of chemical tags on DNA and its associated histone complexes (nucleosomes), can dial the expression of local genes up or down. Because the epigenome is known […]