Researchers generate the first complete, gapless sequence of a human genome

Scientists have published the first complete, gapless sequence of a human genome, two decades after the Human Genome Project produced the first draft human genome sequence. According to researchers, having a complete, gap-free sequence of the roughly 3 billion bases (or 'letters') in our DNA is critical for understanding the full spectrum of human genomic variation and for understanding the genetic contributions to certain diseases.

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Deserts 'breathe' water vapor, study shows

Deserts may seem lifeless and inert, but they are very much alive. Sand dunes, in particular, grow and move -- and according to a decades long research project, they also 'breathe' humid air.

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When worlds collide: Studying impact craters to uncover the secrets of the solar system

While for humans the constants might be death and taxes, for planets the constants are gravity and collisions. Astronomers are using information about impacts to understand the history and the composition of planets, moons, asteroids and meteorites throughout the solar system.

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Flowers' unseen colors can help ensure pollination, survival

You can't see it, but different substances in the petals of flowers create a 'bulls-eye' for pollinating insects, according to a scientist whose research sheds light on chemical changes in flowers which helps them respond to environmental changes, including climate change, that might threaten their survival.

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Researchers discover source of super-fast electron 'rain'

Scientists have discovered a new source of super-fast, energetic electrons raining down on Earth's atmosphere, a phenomenon that contributes to the colorful aurora borealis and poses hazards to satellites, spacecraft and astronauts.

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European earthworms reduce insect populations in North American forests

Earthworms introduced into northern North America have a negative impact on the insect fauna above ground. Soil ecologists found this impact for abundance as well as for biomass and species richness of insects. Their results indicate that changes in insect communities can have causes that have previously received little attention.

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Mounds of ice in craters give new insight into Mars’ past climate

Newly discovered deposits of layered ice in craters scattered around Mars' southern hemisphere provide insights into how the planet's orientation controlled the planet's climate over the past 4 million years, according to a new study. The findings help scientists understand what controlled Mars' past climate, which is essential for predicting when the planet could have been habitable.

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Good hydration may reduce long-term risks for heart failure

Staying well-hydrated may be associated with a reduced risk for developing heart failure. New findings suggest that consuming sufficient amounts of fluids throughout life not only supports essential body functioning but may also reduce the risk of severe heart problems in the future.

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Researchers discover a mysterious, new type of wave in the Sun whose speed defies explanation

Researchers have discovered a new set of waves in the Sun that, unexpectedly, appear to travel much faster than predicted by theory. The high-frequency retrograde (HFR) waves -- which move in the opposite direction of the Sun's rotation -- appear as a pattern of vortices (swirling motions) on the surface of the Sun and move at three times the speed established by current theory.

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Record broken: Hubble spots farthest star ever seen

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has established an extraordinary new benchmark: detecting the light of a star that existed within the first billion years after the universe's birth in the big bang -- the farthest individual star ever seen to date.

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Unravelling the mystery of parrot longevity

Bigger brains have led some species of parrot to live surprisingly long lives, new research shows.

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Spiders use webs to extend their hearing

A newly published study of orb-weaving spiders has yielded some extraordinary results: The spiders are using their webs as extended auditory arrays to capture sounds, possibly giving spiders advanced warning of incoming prey or predators.

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Scientists observe mysterious death of a star emitting six rings

Astrophysicists studying in unprecedented detail a red giant star named V Hydrae have witnessed the star's mysterious death throes. Researchers discovered that the carbon-rich star has expelled six slowly expanding molecular rings and two hourglass-shaped structures ejecting matter out into space at high speeds.

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