Curated News: Scientific Meetings

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Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, has a dense atmosphere and weather cycles like Earth. Now, researchers have recreated the moon’s conditions in small glass cylinders, revealing properties of two molecules believed to exist as minerals on Titan. They will present their results at ACS Fall 2021.

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Many paper cartons and wraps for food have a noncompostable plastic coating. Plastic-free products are available but can transmit grease and oil, creating a mess. Now, scientists have created a degradable coating that can block this seepage. They will present their results at ACS Fall 2021.

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Many products release molecules that drift through the air. Some can potentially cause health problems. Researchers now report a personal air-sampling system that can detect an unprecedented range of these compounds from a special badge or pen. They will present their results at ACS Fall 2021.

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Herbivorous insects are a threat to gardeners’ hard work, and are increasingly resistant to pesticides. Today, scientists report they have bottled the “smell of fear” from predators to repel destructive insects without the need for harsh substances. They will present their results at ACS Fall 2021.

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Carbon dioxide dissolves in oceans, lakes and ponds, forming bicarbonate ions that can reenter the atmosphere as carbon dioxide later. Now, researchers have developed tiny “nanojars” that split bicarbonate into carbonate and capture it. They will present their results at ACS Fall 2021.

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Before the Nazis could develop nuclear technology, Allied forces captured the uranium cubes central to Germany’s research. The fate of most is unknown, but a few are thought to be in the U.S. Scientists developing methods to confirm the cubes’ provenance will present their results at ACS Fall 2021.

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Coffee drinkers can recognize a smooth, rich brew versus a watery one. Now, researchers report compounds in coffee that contribute to its mouthfeel, astringency and chalkiness, which could be used to tune processing conditions for specialty coffees. They will present their results at ACS Fall 2021.

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A new technology developed by electrical engineers at UC San Diego might one day allow more people to have access to 5G connectivity that provides ultra-fast download speeds along with widespread, reliable coverage—all at the same time. The technology enables millimeter wave signals to overcome blockages while providing high throughput.

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Many people are open to trying plant-based meat, as long as it smells, tastes, looks and feels like real beef. Now, scientists have compared aroma compounds between actual hamburger and several brands of plant-based burgers. They will present their results at ACS Fall 2021.

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Nylon 6-6 is used to make many products that require strength, durability and weather resistance, but its synthesis requires the endangered element zinc as a catalyst. Now, researchers have developed “greener” methods that use different metals. They will present their results at ACS Fall 2021.

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As photovoltaic technology continues to progress, PV devices' applications in harvesting energy from indoor ambient light have become more realistic. Some combinations of PV material and light source can be more efficient in converting power than the same material under solar illumination, and a better understanding of these relationships is needed to fully characterize the behavior of solar cells under very low illumination conditions.

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As more devices require recharging their batteries, researchers are looking to ambient lighting as a potential source of generating small amounts of power for indoor devices. The researchers used one lighting source, a white LED akin to normal brightness for indoor lights, to test three different modules -- a gallium indium phosphide semiconductor, a gallium arsenide semiconductor, and a silicon semiconductor. The light source peaked in intensity on the shorter wavelengths of light.

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Traditionally used energy harvesting technologies, like photovoltaic panels or wind turbines, suffer from several limitations. In the absence of daylight and wind, neither of the two can supply any power. In the case of ocean buoys, a potential solution is omnipresent: wave energy. Abundant, predictable, and consistent, the ocean's waves can be used to power navigation buoys. Researchers have developed sphere-based triboelectric nanogenerators that can be incorporated directly into navigational buoys to provide electricity from ocean waves.

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Achieving Net Zero energy, where the total amount of energy used is equal to the amount of renewable energy created, is closer than ever before, and hydrogen technologies will play an important role in achieving that goal, but needs and gaps need to be addressed before a true hydrogen-powered future can take form. There are many opportunities in the global public and private sectors for research, development, and deployment collaboration.

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LEDs are commonly used for sterilization, and in the continued effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic, LEDs can also help inactivate SARS-CoV-2. A team in Pakistan designed far-ultraviolet LEDs at a targeted wavelength of 222 nanometers, chosen both for its ability to inactivate the virus and for being safe on human skin. They based their design on the material aluminum gallium nitride, part of a set of materials called III-nitrides which are efficient, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly.

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Advances in artificial intelligence, specifically reinforcement learning, are proving beneficial to accelerating the pace of data-intensive challenges. The methods used by researchers with RL are techniques often used in video games, and by applying gamification to scientific processes, RL agents can learn as they are used in experiments, in effect, leveling up their rates of discovery as they work. Researchers are using trained RL agents at NSLS-II to accelerate the analysis of data-heavy measurements.

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Twelve distinguished speakers will be covering critical topics impacting energy storage and conversion at the upcoming AIP Publishing Horizons Virtual Conference on Aug. 4-6. The three-day event is organized by the journal Applied Physics Reviews and brings together leaders in the field of energy science to present their latest research in six sessions

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Shark Week is many things.

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Challenges and progress toward the holy grail of geothermal energy—tapping into the superhot rock deep beneath our feet that could help wean the world from fossil fuels—were the focus of two hour-long sessions at PIVOT21, a geothermal conference July 19-23 featuring more than 165 experts in the field from around the world.

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A new study published by the University of South Australia provides overwhelming evidence in favour of using virtual reality in the courtroom, effectively dropping jurors right in the middle of a car accident or murder scene.

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A new study from computer scientists at Columbia Engineering reveals what may be the first way to encrypt personal images on popular cloud photo services, such as those from Google, Apple, Flickr and others, all without requiring any changes to — or trust in — those services.

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Energy conversion and storage is a critical part of modern society as applications continue to develop at a rapid pace. At the 2021 AIP Publishing Horizons Virtual Conference, researchers will unveil and discuss the latest advances in energy science and how the field will change over the next decades. In addition to speaker sessions, a poster program will provide a wide view of the exciting research going on now by scientists around the world.

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To advance effective public communication of basic science, the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science and The Kavli Foundation’s Science Public Engagement Partnership (SciPEP) will host a virtual conference on why and how scientists and science communicators connect with the broader public around discovery science.

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New Columbia Engineering study unveils a computer vision technique for giving machines a more intuitive sense for what will happen next by leveraging higher-level associations between people, animals, and objects.“Our algorithm is a step toward machines being able to make better predictions about human behavior, and thus better coordinate their actions with ours,” said Computer Science Professor Carl Vondrick. “Our results open a number of possibilities for human-robot collaboration, autonomous vehicles, and assistive technology.”

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UW researchers have developed a deep learning method that can produce a seamlessly looping, realistic looking video from a single photo.

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Researchers used the giant W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii to observe a nearby brown dwarf in infrared light. They found that the dwarf’s atmosphere has a layer-cake structure with clouds of different composition at different altitudes.

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The prolonged impact of the COVID-19 pandemic created widespread lockdown fatigue and increased social tension in multiunit housing, but small improvements in quality-of-life routines may help people cope. During the 180th ASA Meeting, Braxton Boren from American University will discuss noise prevention techniques and the use of alterative acoustic stimulation to help those who find themselves in pandemic-related lockdowns. The session, "The Soundscape of Quarantine," will take place Wednesday, June 9.

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In the battle between hunter and hunted, sound plays an integral part in success or failure. In the case of bats vs. moths, the insects are using acoustics against their winged foes. During the 180th ASA Meeting, Thomas Neil from the University of Bristol will discuss how moth wings have evolved in composition and structure to help them create anti-bat defenses. The session, "Moth wings are acoustic metamaterials," will take place Wednesday, June 9.

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The world is filled with myriad sounds that can overwhelm a person with relentless acoustics. Noise is so prevalent in everyday life that the concept and achievement of comfortable quiet is hard to define. During the 180th ASA Meeting, Aggelos Tsaligopoulos from the University of the Aegean will describe how quiet could be measured in the hopes of better understanding its impact on people. The session, "Towards a new understanding of the concept of quietness," will take place Wednesday, June 9.

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Many voice actors use a variety of speech vocalizations and patterns to create unique and memorable characters. How they create those amazing voices could help speech pathologists better understand the muscles involved for creating words and sounds. During the 180th ASA Meeting, Colette Feehan from Indiana University will talk about how voice actor performances can lead to better understanding about the speech muscles under our control. The session, "Articulatory and acoustic phonetics of voice actors," will take place Tuesday, June 8.

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Due to strict lockdowns, many of us have seen and heard our family and neighbors much more than ever before. During the 180th ASA Meeting, Ayca Sentop Dümen and Konca Saher from the Turkish Acoustical Society will discuss the effects of pandemic-related noise on people's satisfaction with their homes and how this may inform future design choices. Their presentation, "Noise annoyance in dwellings during the first wave of Covid-19," will take place Tuesday, June 8.

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The COVID-19 pandemic created numerous changes and challenges for many people. During the 180th ASA Meeting, Andrew Morrison from Joliet Junior College will reveal lessons learned by educators during remote teaching caused by the pandemic and what techniques they can use in the return to classroom instruction. The session, "Lessons learned teaching through a pandemic and looking forward to a post-COVID-19 classroom," will take place Tuesday, June 8.

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A better understanding of the impacts of face masks and shields on acoustic transmission in classrooms could help optimize educational settings. During the 180th ASA Meeting, Laura and Rich Ruhala from Kennesaw State University will talk about how various types of face coverings may affect students' understanding of their teacher. Their presentation, "Acoustical transmission of face coverings used to reduce coronavirus transmission in a classroom environment," will take place Tuesday, June 8.

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Unmanned aerial vehicles may help emergency crews find those in need and provide situational awareness over a large area. During the 180th ASA Meeting, Macarena Varela from Fraunhofer FKIE will describe how a system using an array of microphones and advanced processing techniques could be a lifesaver for disaster victims. The session, "Bearing Estimation of Screams Using a Volumetric Microphone Array Mounted on a UAV," will take place Tuesday, June 8.

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Produced in a sustainable way, synthetic fuels contribute to switching mobility to renewable energy and to achieving the climate goals in road traffic. In the mobility demonstrator "move" Empa researchers are investigating the production of synthetic methane from an energy, technical and economic perspective – a project with global potential.

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Press conferences at the 180th ASA Meeting will cover the latest in acoustical research during the Acoustics in Focus meeting. The virtual press conferences will take place each day of the meeting and offer reporters and outlets the opportunity to hear key presenters talk about their research. To ensure the safety of attendees, volunteers, and ASA staff, Acoustics in Focus will be hosted entirely online.

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The 180th ASA Meeting, being held virtually June 8-10, will feature sessions on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted hearing health, affected noise annoyance in urban settings, and adjusted how teachers talked and listened to their students. There will be presentations on how acoustics shapes speech in children, impacts mental health, and potentially signals health problems.

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Nobody likes driving in a blizzard, including autonomous vehicles. To make self-driving cars safer on snowy roads, Michigan Tech engineers look at the problem from the car’s point of view--its sensors.

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A special livestream event at the 239th ECS Meeting with IMCS18 features representatives of a subcommittee of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Basic Energy Science Advisory Committee (BESAC) reporting on research and requesting input on the future of international scientific research. “Benchmarking Innovation: The Future of International Scientific Research” takes place on June 1, from 1400-1500h EDT, after which the content will be available through June 26, 2021.

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To really understand how people type on touchscreens, researchers have created the first artificial intelligence model that predicts how people move their eyes and fingers while typing.

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Science symposium to address food safety and nutrition topics of current interest

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Today at the Microbiology Society's Annual Conference, Yang Liu, researcher at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, will discuss a new technique to trap and recover microplastics.

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The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology has launched an honorific program to recognize members who have made outstanding contributions to the field through their research, teaching and mentoring, or other forms of service. It will announce the 30 members of its first class of fellows Tuesday at the society’s annual meeting, held in conjunction with the Experimental Biology conference.

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How has the field of nutrition changed how we eat and live? What new discoveries and advances may be just over the horizon? Get the latest insights from leading nutrition scientists and practitioners at NUTRITION 2021 LIVE ONLINE, the flagship online meeting of the American Society for Nutrition.

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A technology-packed tank top offers a simple, effective way to track astronauts’ vital signs and physiological changes during spaceflight, according to research being presented at the American Physiological Society annual meeting during the Experimental Biology (EB) 2021 meeting, held virtually April 27–30.

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Corals are part of a highly complex ecosystem, but it remains a mystery if and how they might communicate within their biological community. In a new study, researchers found evidence of sound-related genes in corals, suggesting that the marine invertebrates could use sound to interact with their surroundings.

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The two major types of cetaceans appear to have evolved their characteristic blowholes through different anatomical transformations, according to a study being presented at the American Association for Anatomy annual meeting during the Experimental Biology (EB) 2021 meeting, held virtually April 27-30.

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The first emergence and persistence of continental crust on Earth during the Archaean (4 billion to 2.5 billion years ago) has important implications for plate tectonics, ocean chemistry, and biological evolution, and it happened about half a billion years earlier than previously thought, according to new research being presented at the EGU General Assembly 2021.