By studying neutron ‘starquakes’, scientists hope to transform their understanding of nuclear matter

The study of ‘starquakes’ (like earthquakes, but in stars) promises to give us important new insights into the properties of neutron stars, improving our understanding of the universe and advancing the way we live.

University of Bath

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The study of ‘starquakes’ (like earthquakes, but in stars) promises to give us important new insights into the properties of neutron stars (the collapsed remnants of massive stars), according to new research led by the University of Bath in the UK.

Such explorations have the potential to challenge our current approaches to studying nuclear matter, with important impacts for the future of both nuclear physics and astronomy. Longer term, there may also be implications in the fields of health, security and energy.

The value of studying asteroseismology – as these vibrations and flares are known – has emerged from research carried out by an international team of physicists that includes Dr David Tsang and Dr Duncan Neill from the Department of Physics at Bath, along with colleagues from Texas A&M and the University of Ohio.

The team’s study, published in the impactful journal Physical Review C, examines how asteroseismology in neutron stars can test predictions about nuclear matter.

The scientists found that measuring these quakes from Earth using powerful telescopes provides detailed information about what is happening inside a neutron star. This helps test and validate a theory called Chiral Effective Field Theory, which in turn is key to improving our understanding of the universe and advancing the way we live on our planet.

A key objective for today’s nuclear scientists is to deepen their understanding of the properties and behaviours of nuclear matter, such as protons and neutrons. This refined understanding is crucial for enhancing their knowledge of the universe's basic building blocks and the forces that govern them.

“Our findings promise to add to, or change, the tools used by nuclear physicists, and bringing astronomy and nuclear physics closer together,” said lead author, postdoctoral researcher Dr Neill. "These results make clear the significance that astronomical observations could have for nuclear physics, helping the connect fields of research that have traditionally been separate."

By aiding the development of nuclear theory, the findings from this study contribute to efforts that may eventually yield benefits for health, security, and energy solutions in the following ways:

• Health: By enhancing techniques like radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging
• National Security: By ensuring the safe and secure maintenance and development of nuclear weapons
• Nuclear Energy: By helping with the development of safe and efficient nuclear energy, leading to improved nuclear reactors and potentially new energy sources

The significance of starquakes in neutron stars

Neutron stars are the dead remnants of massive stars that have burnt through all of their fuel. These objects collapse under their own gravity, becoming compact objects containing the densest matter in the universe.

These extreme conditions mean that the properties of matter inside them may provide key information about the fundamental nature of matter that cannot be obtained by studying matter in Earth-bound experiments.

At present, one of the most popular techniques for modelling nuclear matter in extreme conditions is a method called ‘Chiral Effective Field Theory’. As with any theory, it is important to test its predictions to check that it is consistent with real physics.

However, accurately measuring neutron stars, which are incredibly far away, is very challenging. Because of these challenges, scientists often focus on studying their basic, large-scale characteristics rather than the finer details. As a result, it's hard to thoroughly test specific scientific theories about neutron stars.

“We propose that, in the near future, asteroseismology could be used to obtain granular detail about matter inside neutron stars, and thus test theories like Chiral Effective Field Theory,” said Dr David Tsang, co-author of the study.

Duncan Neill added: “The asteroseismic techniques we propose have the advantage of using instruments already in operation, giving new applications to existing telescopes and expanding the tools of nuclear physics without requiring expensive new developments.

"As this work develops, we may find that we are able to use asteroseismology to pinpoint properties of matter at various densities within neutron stars, allowing astronomy to lead the way in guiding the development of new nuclear physics techniques. We hope to expand our research in asteroseismology at Bath, seeing just how much it could tell us."

The research team for this work included Dr Christian Drischler from Ohio University and FRIB at Michigan State University, Dr Jeremy Holt from Texas A&M University, College Station, and Dr William Newton from Texas A&M University-Commerce.

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Journal

Physical Review C

DOI

10.1103/PhysRevC.111.015809 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

https://journals.aps.org/prc/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevC.111.015809

 

Is cellular concrete a viable low-carbon alternative to traditional concrete for earthquake-resistant structures?

Wiley

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Investigators have found that a product called cellular concrete may be an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional concrete for constructing earthquake-resistant buildings.

In research published in Structural Concrete, the team analyzed the environmental impact of constructing a seven-story archetype residential building in Quito-Ecuador with cellular concrete, which is produced by incorporating a foaming agent that generates air pockets within the concrete matrix to decrease the material’s density while maintaining sufficient structural integrity.

Compared with the production of traditional concrete, the production of cellular concrete required significantly less cement per unit volume and demonstrated notable reductions in energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, emphasizing its potential as a low-carbon alternative.

In addition to its environmental benefits, cellular concrete reduces a building’s overall weight, which is particularly advantageous in earthquake-prone areas as a building’s mass plays a critical role in the forces that act on the structure during seismic events.

“While promising for developing cities, further research is essential to inform sustainable construction practices without compromising safety in seismic zones,” the authors wrote.

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/suco.202400892

 

Additional Information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com.

About the Journal
Structural Concrete, the official journal of the International Federation for Structural Concrete (fib – fédération internationale du béton), features peer-reviewed articles on the design, construction, assessment, maintenance, intervention, demolition and reuse of concrete structures. Also Short Project Notes on realized projects featuring innovative and original applications of concrete are published.

About Wiley      
Wiley is one of the world’s largest publishers and a trusted leader in research and learning. Our industry-leading content, services, platforms, and knowledge networks are tailored to meet the evolving needs of our customers and partners, including researchers, students, instructors, professionals, institutions, and corporations. We empower knowledge-seekers to transform today’s biggest obstacles into tomorrow’s brightest opportunities. For more than two centuries, Wiley has been delivering on its timeless mission to unlock human potential. Visit us at Wiley.com. Follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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Journal

Structural Concrete

DOI

10.1002/suco.202400892 

Article Title

Cellular Concrete: A Viable Low-Carbon Alternative for Developing Countries in seismic regions?

Article Publication Date

5-Feb-2025

 

How does light affect citrus fruit coloration and the timing of peel and flesh ripening?

Wiley

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Citrus fruit rind color has long been used as an indicator of ripeness, but for some fruits such as mandarin fruit in the Chongqing region of China, the peel and flesh do not ripen synchronously, with the flesh usually reaching maturity while the peel is still green. This is a characteristic that seriously affects its commercial value. In new research published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, investigators have discovered how red and blue LED light can stimulate color change in mandarin fruit.

Experiments showed that this light exposure causes fruit color change by promoting chlorophyll degradation and carotenoid synthesis. A protein called CcUNE10, which is part of the bHLH transcription factor family, played an important role by binding to and activating certain genes involved in chlorophyll degradation.

“The above results provide a theoretical basis for the further study of the postharvest coloration of mandarin fruit and enhance research on the bHLH transcription factor family's function,” the authors wrote.

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jsfa.14119

 

 

Additional Information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com.

About the Journal
The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture publishes peer-reviewed original research, reviews, mini-reviews, perspectives and spotlights in these areas, with particular emphasis on interdisciplinary studies at the agriculture/ food interface.

About Wiley      
Wiley is one of the world’s largest publishers and a trusted leader in research and learning. Our industry-leading content, services, platforms, and knowledge networks are tailored to meet the evolving needs of our customers and partners, including researchers, students, instructors, professionals, institutions, and corporations. We empower knowledge-seekers to transform today’s biggest obstacles into tomorrow’s brightest opportunities. For more than two centuries, Wiley has been delivering on its timeless mission to unlock human potential. Visit us at Wiley.com. Follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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Journal

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture

DOI

10.1002/jsfa.14119 

Article Title

Functional analysis of the transcription factor CcUNE10 in red and blue LED light irradiation promoted coloration of mandarin fruit

Article Publication Date

5-Feb-2025

THEY CAN'T

How parents can protect children from mature and adult content

Experts highlight key strategies to protect kids from R-rated movies and violent video games

University of Toronto

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Toronto, ON – As children's screen time continues to rise, so does their exposure to age-inappropriate content, including R-rated movies and violent video games. A new study published in BMC Pediatrics underscores the critical role parents play in shaping their children’s media consumption.

As child media consumption increases along with their exposure to mature media content, a new study finds that parent media practices play a key role in shaping preteens’ consumption of mature video games and R-rated movies.

Researchers found that parents’ own screen habits—such as using screens in front of their children and allowing screens during meals or bedtime—significantly increased the likelihood of preteens engaging with mature media.

“Bedroom screen use emerged as the strongest predictor of mature media consumption,” says lead author Jason M. Nagata, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. “When children have unrestricted access to screens, particularly in the privacy of their bedrooms, it opens the door to unchecked exposure to age-inappropriate content.”

On the other hand, proactive parental monitoring and clear media rules were linked to lower consumption of mature content. Interestingly, the study found that using screen time as a reward was associated with less mature media exposure, while taking screens away as a punishment was linked to more exposure—suggesting that how parents regulate screen time matters.

“Our findings reinforce the importance of setting clear, consistent rules around media use,” says Nagata. “The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that families create a family media plan to set limits and encourage screen-free time, especially at meals and bedtime.”

The study analyzed data from 10,054 children ages 12-13 in the nationwide Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, the largest long-term study of brain development in the U.S. A related ABCD study recently revealed that nearly two-thirds of preteens (ages 11-12) have underage social media accounts, despite most platforms requiring users to be at least 13.

“Given that R-rated movie and mature video game consumption by teens has been linked to poor academic performance, mental health struggles, substance use, and behavioral issues, this study reveals the critical role that parents play in influencing children’s screen use patterns,” says co-author Kyle T. Ganson, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. “We hope our findings will empower parents by providing actionable steps they can take to help their teens develop healthier screen use habits.”

“One key factor in a child’s exposure to mature content is how much screen time their parents use,” says Nagata. “Children often model their screen habits after their parents, so setting a positive example can make a big difference.”

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Journal

BMC Pediatrics

DOI

10.1186/s12887-024-05367-w 

Article Title

Associations between media parenting practices and early adolescent consumption of R-rated movies and mature-rated video games

Article Publication Date

4-Feb-2025

School bans alone not enough to tackle negative impacts of phone and social media use

First study of its kind finds that restrictive school policies don’t lead to lower phone and social media use overall, nor better outcomes among students

University of Birmingham

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Students attending schools that ban the use of phones throughout the school day aren’t necessarily experiencing better mental health and wellbeing, as the first worldwide study of its kind has found that just banning smartphones is not enough to tackle their negative impacts.

 

In a landmark study published today (Wednesday 5 Feb) in Lancet Regional Health Europe, 1227 students from 30 schools across England provided data about smartphone and social media usage and a range of mental health, wellbeing and other outcomes. Among the schools that took part in the study, 20 had various forms of restrictive phone policies in place.

 

The study, which was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), found that there was no difference in outcomes for students who attend schools that ban smartphones throughout the school day, including:

• Mental wellbeing, anxiety and depression

• Physical Activity and Sleep 

• Educational Outcomes – English and Maths attainment and levels of disruptive classroom behaviour 

 

Smartphone bans in schools did lead to a slight decrease in students using phones (of approximately 40 minutes) and social media (approx. 30 minutes) in school, but the study suggests that the impact is small and that school policies banning recreational phone use didn’t lead to a meaningful reduction in the overall time spent using phones and social media.

 

Dr Victoria Goodyear, Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham and lead author of the study said:

 

“This is the first worldwide study of its kind to evaluate the impact of school phone policies on adolescent mental health and wellbeing, and other health and educational outcomes.

 

“We did find a link between more time spent on phones and social media and worse outcomes, with worse mental wellbeing and mental health outcomes, less physical activity and poorer sleep, lower educational attainment and a greater level of disruptive classroom behaviour.

 

“This suggests that reducing this time spent on phones is an important focus. But we need to do more than focus on schools alone, and consider phone use within and outside of school, across a whole day and the whole week.”

 

Data from students was collected more than a 12-month period ending in November 2023 from 20 schools with restrictive phone policies and 10 schools with permissive policies, where a phone could be used at breaks, lunch or in certain zones (such as outside areas). The 2:1 ratio of restrictive and permissive schools was used, as among schools in the study sampling area, the majority (n=1245) had restrictive policies while few (n=96) had permissive policies.

 

Health and related outcomes included validated measures of mental wellbeing, anxiety and depressive symptoms, educational attainment in English and Maths, and disruptive classroom behaviour, and objective measures of physical activity and sleep.

 

Among all students in both permissive and restrictive policy schools, smartphone use was on average between 4-6 hours per day.

 

Professor Miranda Pallan from the University of Birmingham, and a senior author of the paper said:

 

“Our study suggests that school policies are not the silver bullet for preventing the detrimental impacts of smartphone and social media use.

 

“The paper shows that restrictive policies on recreational phone use in schools do not lead to better outcomes among students, but that addressing overall phone use should be a priority for improving health and wellbeing among adolescents.”

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Journal

The Lancet Regional Health - Europe

DOI

10.1016/j.lanepe.2025.101211 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

School phone policies and their association with mental wellbeing, phone use, and social media use (SMART Schools): a cross-sectional observational study

Article Publication Date

4-Feb-2025

 

Cutting emissions in buildings and transport: Key strategies for 2050

CMCC Foundation - Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change

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Key findings: a roadmap to transform energy use by 2050

• Electrification (e.g., switching to electric vehicles, heat pumps) alone could cut direct emissions by 45-77% in buildings and 22-86% in transport by 2050.

• Combining electrification, efficiency improvements, and behavioral changes could reduce emissions even further: 51-85% for buildings and 37-91% for transport by 2050.

• A multi-strategy approach would lower overall electricity demand by 8-33% per year, making the transition more cost-effective and reducing strain on power grids.

• The findings align with global climate goals, showing that integrating these strategies can significantly contribute to limiting global warming to 1.5°C by 2050.

“These results demonstrate that the transition to clean energy in buildings and transport can be more manageable than previously thought,” explains Johannes Emmerling, Senior Scientist at CMCC. “By combining electrification with improved efficiency and smarter energy use, we can achieve dramatic emissions reductions while actually reducing strain on electricity systems—leading to lower costs and fewer infrastructure challenges as we tackle climate change.”

By focusing on how we heat our buildings and move around, the research provides a practical roadmap for addressing climate change. It shows that major emissions reductions are possible through three key strategies: electrification, which includes electric vehicles and heat pumps; improving energy efficiency through actions like better insulation and more efficient air conditioning systems; and altering how we use energy, such as by reducing dwelling sizes or adjusting thermostat settings.

Crucially, this work suggests that these key strategies can be implemented using existing technologies, like electric vehicles and energy-efficient building materials, without having to wait for future innovations.

Why this matters: a science and policy challenge

Unlike previous studies that examined individual measures in isolation, this research takes a comprehensive approach, using multiple Integrated Assessment Models to explore how different strategies interact, providing more robust and reliable results than previous single-model studies.

“Our study highlights the often-overlooked demand side of decarbonization,” says Alice Di Bella, PhD candidate and affiliated researcher at CMCC. “By comparing results from multiple models, we provide robust evidence that electrification, efficiency, and behavioral shifts are practical and effective solutions for climate mitigation.”

The study used seven global integrated assessment models, including the WITCH model developed at CMCC, to evaluate emissions reductions across different regions and policy scenarios. CMCC researchers played a key role in analyzing strategy interactions, emission scenarios, and cost evaluations, drawing on the center’s expertise in climate research and economic modeling.

Next steps: turning research into action

The study provides critical insights for policymakers, emphasizing that relying solely on electrification could create unnecessary burdens on electricity systems. Instead, a balanced mix of efficiency improvements, behavioral shifts, and electrification offers the most effective and economically viable path toward decarbonization.

“Our work highlights that the tools to cut emissions are already in our hands,” says Emmerling. “The main challenge lies not in technology but in policy and strategic implementation. By combining these strategies smartly, we can achieve significant reductions while making the transition more affordable, reducing strain on electricity grids, and ensuring a more sustainable future.”

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Journal

Nature Energy

DOI

10.1038/s41560-025-01703-1 

Article Publication Date

5-Feb-2025

Colombia's president orders national oil company to cancel US venture over environmental concerns

Story by Manuel Rueda

 • 3h • 

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Tuesday ordered the state-run oil company Ecopetrol to cancel a joint venture with a U.S.-owned company that was expected to produce around 90,000 barrels of oil per day, citing environmental concerns.

In a nationally televised speech, Petro said he opposed the recent extension of a deal between Ecopetrol and Occidental Petroleum, or Oxy, because it involved extracting oil through fracking, a controversial technique used to extract oil and gas from shale rock that has been criticized by environmental groups.

“I want that operation to be sold, and for the money to be invested in clean energies,” Petro said in a meeting with his Cabinet that was livestreamed on social media. “We are against fracking, because fracking is the death of nature, and the death of humanity.”

Ecopetrol had announced on Monday it would renew its operations with Oxy in the Permian basin, an oil producing region that spans Texas and New Mexico, to develop 91 oil wells, investing over $880 million.

Ecopetrol said its projects in the Permian basin produced an average of 95,200 barrels of oil per day in the first nine months of last year. Operations in the Permian basin made up around 12% of Ecopetol’s total production last year.

Ecopetrol, controlled by the Colombian government but also listed on the New York Stock Exchange, saw its shares rise 2% on Tuesday following the announcement of its deal with Occidental. However, they fell slightly after Petro called for the agreement's cancellation.

Colombia has refused to approve fracking projects on its territory, though it had not previously blocked Ecopetrol from taking part in fracking ventures overseas.

Environmentalists argue that fracking can pollute water sources and cause tremors.

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Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Manuel Rueda, The Associated Press