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Science stories of the week: July 22, 2016

Scientists prove mutual attraction in electrons
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Electrons normally repel one another due to the same negative charge on them. However, under certain circumstances, they can attract each other new research shows. Shahal Ilani, a physicist at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, and his colleagues, produced the effect in a bare-bones system of electrons in carbon nanotubes kept perpendicular to each other at near absolute zero temperatures.
The flip in the behavior of electrons was due to the nature of the second nanotube called the ‘polarizer.’ Scientists are hopeful that this phenomenon may help produce new types of superconductors in the future and open up a host of technological possibilities for efficiently transmitting and storing energy at room temperature.

Nail biting may help fight allergens
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Parents have often rebuked their kids for biting nails and sucking their thumbs during the formative years for the fear of catching infections or altering the teeth alignment, among other concerns. But results from a new study shows that children may develop immunity towards common allergens because of this habit.
More than 1000 kids with nail biting or thumb sucking habits were selected for a skin prick test at the age of 13. Respiratory doctor Robert Hancox from the University of Otago in New Zealand reported that they were less likely to react to allergens like dust mites, fungus, wool or pet danger in a skin prick test. And this benefit seemed to last till the age 32. According to hygiene hypothesis, early life exposure to germs can train the immune system to become resistant, thus preventing overreactions, allergies or asthma.
So, should parents encourage these habits in children? Hancox said, “We don’t have enough evidence to suggest that...Perhaps if children have habits that are difficult to break, there is some consolation for parents that there might be a reduced risk of developing allergy.”
Mystery behind moon’s vast crater revealed
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Astronomers have performed a detailed analysis of one of the most famous craters on the moon, the Imbrium basin (top left), and found that it was created by a protoplanet of the size of New Jeresy. Mare Imbrium, a crater clearly visible with the aid of a backyard telescope, is also known as the right eye of the "Man in the Moon". It is now believed that the giant dent on the lunar surface was formed when an asteroid more than 250km (150 miles) in size smashed into its surface about 3.8 billion years ago.
"At that time, the Moon would have been much closer (to the Earth), only half of its present distance, if even that. So anything coming off the Moon would have covered us in lunar debris," lead author Prof Peter Schultz, a planetary geologist from Brown University, US, explained. "The previous estimate for the Imbrium asteroid was in the order of 80km, and we've increased that by a factor of three," he added.
Google saves big on power using AI
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The amount of energy expended to keep data centers cool have always been a cause of concern for tech companies. Besides increasing operation costs, it leads to emission of greenhouse gases. But a smart move by internet giant Google has decreased the cost of cooling in its data centers by 40 percent and overall energy consumption by 15 percent.
This was possible with the help of an artificial intelligence (AI) technology from DeepMind that Google acquired in 2014. DeepMind AI system, a self-learning software, manages power usage in parts of its data centers now. It works out the most efficient methods of cooling by analyzing data from sensors among the server racks, taking into account information like temperatures and pump speeds as well.
"It controls about 120 variables in the data centers. The fans and the cooling systems and so on, and windows and other things," DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis said. "We are already talking to non-Google partners about using the same algorithm," said fellow co-founder Mustafa Suleyman. Google is planning to roll out this AI system to all of its data centers by the end of this year.
Genetic findings raise hope for asthma cure
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Scientists have discovered a gene that can be switched off to prevent an asthma attack. The gene ADAM33 has been identified in this regard as contributing to twitchiness and inflammation of airways that triggers an attack. This gene makes an enzyme in the body which causes ‘airway remodelling’ or unnecessary production of muscle and blood vessels around the airways, which makes breathing difficult when coupled with an allergen, like pollen or dust.
Experiments on human tissue samples and mice show that if the gene is switched off the enzyme can’t harm. Prof Hans Michel Haitchi, associate professor in respiratory medicine at University of Southampton said, “This finding radically alters our understanding of the field, to say the least. For years we have thought that airway remodelling is the result of the inflammation caused by an allergic reaction, but our research tells us otherwise."


Source:MSN
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