#sciencemag

[nicholasrossis]

How Many Bits In A Word?

How Many Bits In A Word?

The world has known many languages; some 7,000 are currently spoken. And we use language to inform others. So, are some languages better than others when it comes to how fast we convey information?

A group of intrepid linguists set out to find out.

How many bits per syllable?

Their thinking was simple: words are, basically, bits of information. Some languages have many syllables; some few. Some…

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[minyoongothic]

Brazil's biodiversity researchers need help

Between 2006 and 2014, Brazil experienced a boom in its national science and technology budget that fomented local research groups and enhanced international collaboration, resulting in the rise of Brazil in scientific rankings. During that period, Brazil engaged in environmental conservation, earning recognition as a global biodiversity leader. However, recently elected president Jair Bolsonaro gutted the budget for science and higher education, causing funding agencies to run out of cash by July 2019 and universities to struggle to pay maintenance bills. (...)

[cheshirecat-rabbit]

Substantial undocumented infection facilitates the rapid dissemination of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV2)

Per person, the transmission rate of undocumented infections was 55% of documented infections ([46%–62%]), yet, due to their greater numbers, undocumented infections were the infection source for 79% of documented cases. These findings explain the rapid geographic spread of SARS-CoV2 and indicate containment of this virus will be particularly challenging.

Overall, our findings indicate that a large proportion of COVID-19 infections were undocumented prior to the implementation of travel restrictions and other heightened control measures in China on 23 January, and that a large proportion of the total force of infection was mediated through these undocumented infections (Table 1). This high proportion of undocumented infections, many of whom were likely not severely symptomatic, appears to have facilitated the rapid spread of the virus throughout China. Indeed, suppression of the infectiousness of these undocumented cases in model simulations reduces the total number of documented cases and the overall spread of SARS-CoV2 (Fig. 2). In addition, the best-fitting model has a reporting delay of 9 days from initial infectiousness to confirmation; in contrast line-list data for the same 10–23 January period indicates an average 6.6 day delay from initial manifestation of symptoms to confirmation (17). This discrepancy suggests pre-symptomatic shedding may be typical among documented infections. The relative timing of viremia and shedding onset and peak versus symptom onset and peak has been shown to potentially affect outbreak control success (18).

Our findings also indicate that a radical increase in the identification and isolation of currently undocumented infections would be needed to fully control SARS-CoV2. Increased news coverage and awareness of the virus in the general population have already likely prompted increased rates of seeking medical care for respiratory symptoms. In addition, awareness among healthcare providers, public health officials and the availability of viral identification assays suggest that capacity for identifying previously missed infections has increased. Further, general population and government response efforts have increased the use of face masks, restricted travel, delayed school reopening and isolated suspected persons, all of which could additionally slow the spread of SARS-CoV2.

[jolleiq-chan]

Science | AAAS

In light of all the disingenuous misinformation spreading about COVID-19 (and many other things) here’s a link to the website I usually draw my information from. 

Peer-reviewed amongst scientists for factual accuracy ^.^

[cheshirecat-rabbit]

Bees ‘get’ addition and subtraction, new study suggests

Honey bees can add and subtract using colors as symbols

Though the results came from just 14 bees, researchers say the advance is exciting. If a brain about 20,000 times smaller than ours can perform arithmetic using symbols, it could pave the way to novel approaches in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Just don’t ask the bees to do your homework anytime soon.

[derfoto]

#Repost @paulzizkaphoto (@get_repost) ・・・ The aurora-related phenomenon called "Steve" is making the headlines once more, with a great article published in Science Magazine yesterday. Here's what it looks like in-camera! :) #AlbertaAuroraChasers #Canada #ScienceMag #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights

[wordskillz]

But in an ironic twist, protecting the furry, dark-brown carnivore requires killing its main competitor, the equally winsome American mink

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/08/scientists-think-they-can-save-european-mink-killing-its-ruthless-rivals

[oylays]

Red Palm Weevil. Rhynchophorous ferrugineus, or, more commonly, the palm weevil, is one of two species of snout beetle. The beetles are typically between 2–4 centimetres in length and a dark red in colour (the “ferrugineus” part of the biological name literally means “rust-coloured”). Alternative names include the red palm weevil, the Asian palm weevil, and the sago palm weevil. The insects are a widely known pest in coconut, date, and oil palm plantations around the world, because their larvae bore into the trunks of palm trees. The resulting holes, which can be up to one metre in length, damage the living tissue housed within the trunk of the tree, which causes the crown of palm leaves to wilt. In time, the infestation kills the host plant. Read more in OYLA Youth Science magazine! First New Zealand and Australian scientific magazine designed for school children, students and their parents! www.oyla-science.com #oyla #auckland #newzealand #sciencemag #sciencemagazine #KidsSience #OylaScience #OylaYouthScience #school #newzealandschool #aucklandschool #education #australia #biology #insects #beetle #micro #weevil #bug #plant #larvae #ground #palms #infestation (at Auckland Region)