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YouTube as peer support for severe mental illness

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Australian volcanic mystery explained: ANU media release

Scientists have solved a long-standing mystery surrounding Australia's only active volcanic area, in the country's southeast.

The research explains a volcanic region that has seen more than 400 volcanic events in the last four million years. The 500 kilometre long region stretches from Melbourne to the South Australian town of Mount Gambier, which surrounds a dormant volcano that last erupted only 5,000 years ago.

Physicists warning to 'nail beauty fans' applies to animals too

The daily trimming of fingernails and toenails to make them more aesthetically pleasing could be detrimental and potentially lead to serious nail conditions. The research, carried out by experts in the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science at The University of Nottingham, will also improve our understanding of disease in the hooves of farm animals and horses.

Physicists sound warning to 'nail beauty fanatics'

The daily trimming of fingernails and toenails to make them more aesthetically pleasing could be detrimental and potentially lead to serious nail conditions.

This is according to researchers at the University of Nottingham who have devised equations to identify the physical laws that govern nail growth, and used them to throw light on the causes of some of the most common nail problems, such as ingrown toe nails, spoon-shaped nails and pincer nails.

Shrinking resource margins in Sahel region of Africa

The need for food, animal feed and fuel in the Sahel belt is growing year on year, but supply is not increasing at the same rate. New figures from 22 countries indicate falling availability of resources per capita and a continued risk of famine in areas with low 'primary production' from plants. Rising temperatures present an alarming prospect, according to a study from Lund University in Sweden.

Journey to the center of the earth

A UC Santa Barbara geochemist studying Samoan volcanoes has found evidence of the planet's early formation still trapped inside the Earth. Known as hotspots, volcanic island chains such as Samoa can ancient primordial signatures from the early solar system that have somehow survived billions of years.

Major Hurricane Gonzalo gives an 'eye-opening' performance

On Thursday, Oct. 16 at 8 a.m. EDT, Hurricane Gonzalo was still a major hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 140 mph (220 kph). Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 45 miles (75 km) from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 150 miles (240 km).

Fluctuations in intensity are common in major hurricanes. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) cautioned that "Slow weakening is forecast but Gonzalo is expected to be a dangerous hurricane when it moves near Bermuda."

Light bending material facilitates the search for new particles

Particle physicists have a hard time identifying all the elementary particles created in their particle accelerators. But now researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have designed a material that makes it much easier to distinguish the particles.

To investigate the matter's smallest constituents, physicists have particles colliding with each other at very high speeds, for example in the particle accelerator LHC at Cern. The collisions create bursts of common and rare particles, all invisible to the eye.

Slow and steady does not win the weight loss race

Led by Joseph Proietto, Sir Edward Dunlop Professor of Medicine at the University of Melbourne and Head of the Weight Control Clinic at Austin Health, the study also found that substantial weight loss is more likely to be achieved if undertaken rapidly.

"This randomised study highlights the urgent need for committees that develop clinical guidelines for the management of obesity to change their advice," he said.

Magnetic mirrors enable new technologies by reflecting light in uncanny ways

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16—As in Alice's journey through the looking-glass to Wonderland, mirrors in the real world can sometimes behave in surprising and unexpected ways, including a new class of mirror that works like no other.

Oh brother! Having a sibling makes boys selfless

A new study brings good news to all the brothers out there: Having a sibling is just as good for you as it is for your sister.

That's surprising to family scholars because boys typically report that they benefit less than girls from peer relationships.

"In our study, most relationships were not as important for boys as they were for girls," said study co-author Laura Padilla-Walker. "But the sibling relationship was different – they seemed to report relying on sibling affection just as much as girls do. It's an area where parents and therapists could really help boys."

Satellite eyes first major Atlantic Hurricane in 3 years: Gonzalo

Ocean swells however, will be felt over a much larger area, reached the U.S. east coast on Oct. 16. Large swells generated by Gonzalo are affecting portions of the Virgin Islands, the northern coasts of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic and portions of the Bahamas. Swells will reach much of the east coast of the United States and Bermuda on Thursday.

By late Oct. 16, Gonzalo is expected to turn to the northeast and the center is expected to approach Bermuda sometime on Oct. 17.

Leisure time physical activity linked to lower depression risk

Being physically active three times a week reduces the odds of being depressed by approximately 16%, according to new UCL (University College London) research undertaken as part of the Public Health Research Consortium.

The study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, found a two-way relationship between depression and physical activity. People who increased their weekly activity reported fewer depressive symptoms but those with more depressive symptoms were less active, particularly at younger ages.

New study shows the importance of jellyfish falls to deep-sea ecosystem

This week, researchers from University of Hawai'i, Norway, and the UK have shown with innovative experiments that a rise in jellyfish blooms near the ocean's surface may lead to jellyfish falls that are rapidly consumed by voracious deep-sea scavengers. Previous anecdotal studies suggested that deep-sea animals might avoid dead jellyfish, causing dead jellyfish from blooms to accumulate and undergo slow degradation by microbes, depleting oxygen at the seafloor and depriving fish and invertebrate scavengers, including commercially exploited species, of food.

Researchers solve riddle of the rock pools

Research from the University of Exeter has revealed that the rock goby (Gobius paganellus), an unassuming little fish commonly found in rock pools around Britain, southern Europe, and North Africa, is a master of camouflage and can rapidly change colour to conceal itself against its background.

Whether hiding from predators or from families hunting in rock pools, the rock goby can change both its colour and brightness to match its background in just one minute.