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ICYMI - February’s Research News Highlights from NSF
02/28/2022

ICYMI - February’s Research News Highlights from NSF



'Fitbit for the face' can turn any face mask into smart monitoring device

FaceBit can monitor wearer's health, sense heartbeat through the face

Ancient discovery reveals new knowledge of early Mesopotamian farming

Earliest definitive evidence of broomcorn millet in Mesopotamia



Gemini South captures remarkably clear images of two sidewinding stellar jets

Astronomers use adaptive optics system that reduces distortion



Microplastic pollution lingers in rivers for years before entering oceans

Water dynamics can trap lightweight microplastics that otherwise might float



Black-eyed peas could help eliminate need for fertilizer

Popular legume attracts beneficial nitrogen-fixing bacteria

January freeze dates becoming the norm for many northern US lakes

Climate change is driving later freeze dates and earlier thaws in lakes




Shape of melting ice depends on water temperature

Scientists discovered that ice formations are shaped by external forces

When should someone trust an AI assistant's predictions?

Researchers help workers collaborate with artificial intelligence systems



Facemasks halve the distance airborne pathogens travel

Findings could inform recommended social distancing measures



Finding the salt-stress tipping point for coastal wetlands

Salt is poisoning soils past a point of no return for some marsh plants


Keep up with today’s research news from the U.S. National Science Foundation. This is a daily look at noteworthy scientific findings from researchers around the country.


Mon, 28 Feb 2022
Brainy birds may fare better under climate change

Study is first to directly link cognitive power to a physical response to warming

Many North American migratory birds are shrinking in size as temperatures have warmed over the past 40 years. But birds with big brains relative to their body size did not shrink as much as smaller-brained birds, according to research from ...

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Mon, 28 Feb 2022
Researchers develop 3D model to predict abnormal heart rhythms

Individualized models could improve arrhythmia treatment for patients with genetic heart disease

U.S. National Science Foundation researchers at Johns Hopkins University have developed a personalized 3D heart modelling technique that can accurately predict abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias, in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic ...
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Keep up with today’s research news from the U.S. National Science Foundation. This is a daily look at noteworthy scientific findings from researchers around the country.



Tue, 01 Mar 2022
Future hurricanes likely to pose much greater flood risk to US East and Gulf coasts

Extreme flooding events spawned by hurricanes likely to become more frequent
Extreme flooding events spawned by hurricanes are likely to become far more frequent along the eastern and southern U.S. coastlines because of a combination of sea level rise and storm intensification. Findings from ...

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Tue, 01 Mar 2022
A not-so-solid lake ice season

Alpine lake ice cover responds to a changing climate


Mountain lakes provide freshwater for roughly half the world's population. Yet a shifting climate could impact the reliability of this resource by altering the temperature patterns that govern lake conditions and influence lake biota.

Lake ice phenology, or the timing ..
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Dear Colleague Letter: Incorporating Human Behavior in Epidemiological Models (IHBEM)

Available Formats:
HTML: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2022/nsf22054/nsf22054.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_38&WT.mc_ev=click
PDF: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2022/nsf22054/nsf22054.pdf?WT.mc_id=USNSF_38&WT.mc_ev=click

Document Number: nsf22054
Keep up with today’s research news from the U.S. National Science Foundation. This is a daily look at noteworthy scientific findings from researchers around the country.



Wed, 02 Mar 2022
New DNA computer assesses water quality

Genetic networks mimic electronic circuits

Synthetic biologists at Northwestern University have developed a low-cost, easy-to-use, hand-held device that can let users know -- within minutes -- if their water is safe to drink.
The new device works by using powerful and programmable genetic networks, which mimic ...
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Wed, 02 Mar 2022
For female yellowthroats, there's more than one way to spot a winning mate

Showy features of males attract females because they signal high-quality male genes
For female common yellowthroats, small songbirds found throughout the U.S., beauty isn't just skin -- or features -- deep. New research provides evidence that large or showy physical features of males attract females because they signal high-quality male genes, such as those ...
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for NSF Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I Programs

Available Formats:
HTML: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2022/nsf22053/nsf22053.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_38&WT.mc_ev=click
PDF: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2022/nsf22053/nsf22053.pdf?WT.mc_id=USNSF_38&WT.mc_ev=click

Document Number: nsf22053
Public Comment: These Frequently Asked Questions are related to program solicitation NSF 22-551, NSF Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) / Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs Phase I (SBIR/STTR Phase I)
Earth Sciences Instrumentation and Facilities (EAR/IF)

Available Formats:
HTML: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2022/nsf22577/nsf22577.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_32&WT.mc_ev=click
PDF: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2022/nsf22577/nsf22577.pdf?WT.mc_id=USNSF_32&WT.mc_ev=click

Document Number: nsf22577
Keep up with today’s research news from the U.S. National Science Foundation. This is a daily look at noteworthy scientific findings from researchers around the country.



Thu, 03 Mar 2022
Scientists develop gel that delivers drugs directly to diseased joints

Discovery could revolutionize osteoarthritis treatment
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive condition affecting the lives of more than 32 million Americans. Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA), a major subset of osteoarthritis that comprises 10% of diagnoses and disproportionally affects injured military personnel, has no ...
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Thu, 03 Mar 2022
As tectonic plates pull apart, what drives the formation of rifts?

Research on a young rift in Iceland sheds new light on the process
At the boundaries between tectonic plates, narrow rifts can form as Earth's crust slowly pulls apart. But how, exactly, does this rifting happen?
Does pressure from magma rising from belowground force the land apart? Or is a rift just a rip, created mainly by the ...
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NSF Small Business Innovation Research Phase II (SBIR)/ Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs Phase II

Solicitation: NSF 22-552
Due Date: July 01, 2022
Institutional Limit: 1
Limit Summary:per Phase I award.
NSF Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/ Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs Phase I

Solicitation: NSF 22-551
Due Date: July 01, 2022
Institutional Limit: 1
Limit Summary:

An organization may submit one NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I proposal per submission window (e.g., January 11, 2022 – March 3, 2022). An organization must wait for a determination from NSF (e.g., Award, Decline, or Returned Without Review) on the pending NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I proposal before submitting a new proposal in the next window. This eligibility constraint will be strictly enforced. In the event that an organization exceeds this limit, the first proposal received will be accepted, and any additional proposals submitted will be Returned Without Review. Declined proposals require a new invitation to submit (via the Project Pitch process) and significant revision, while proposals Returned Without Review may be submitted using the same invited Project Pitch (assuming that the proposal is received within one year of original the Project Pitch invitation).



Friday, March 4, 2022
Funding opportunities for minority-serving institutions

Scientist and educators at minority-serving institutions, or MSIs, are crucial to advancing the frontiers of knowledge in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics enterprise. NSF has many programs designed to support researchers at MSIs and broaden participation of outstanding researchers from across a diverse group of regions, institutions and demographic groups. In addition to core research programs, NSF offers numerous funding opportunities that specifically support faculty members, researchers and educators at MSIs. Here are some tips on how to apply for these opportunities.
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