Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily

1. A nearby supernova could end the search for dark matter
   Axions are the most likely candidate for enigmatic dark matter that dominates the universe. Astrophysicists are searching for evidence of high-mass axions produced during supernovae. Scientists propose that a quick way to find these axions is to look for a gamma ray burst coincident with a neutrino burst from a nearby core collapse supernova. But we need a fleet of gamma ray telescopes to insure we capture these rare events.
2. Chemists create world's thinnest 'spaghetti'
   The world's thinnest spaghetti, about 200 times thinner than a human hair, has been created.
3. Empowering neuroscience: Large open brain models released
   Scientists have developed the largest and most detailed computational models of rat hippocampal and somatosensory cortex regions to date. They have released these models and the tools for their use to the public.
4. Scientists implicate a novel cellular protein in hepatitis A infection
   Scientists have long been trying to tease apart hepatitis A virus, to understand its inner workings and how it functions in the human body. Infectious disease researchers have discovered that a little-known protein, PDGFA-associated protein 1 (PDAP1), is used as a pawn by hepatitis A virus to replicate and infect cells in the liver.
5. Fewer than 7% of global hotspots for whale-ship collisions have protection measures in place
   A new study has quantified the risk for whale-ship collisions worldwide for four geographically widespread ocean giants that are threatened by shipping: blue, fin, humpback and sperm whales. Researchers report that global shipping traffic overlaps with about 92% of these whale species' ranges. Only about 7% of areas at highest risk for whale-ship collisions have any measures in place to protect whales from this threat. These measures include speed reductions, both mandatory and voluntary, for ships crossing waters that overlap with whale migration or feeding areas.