Here's what to build your nuclear fusion reactor out of

+ cyber vs. military attacks, bees vs. monoculture fields, and solar tariffs US Edition - Today's top story: Revolutionary changes in transportation, from electric vehicles to ride sharing, could slow global warming – if they’re done right, IPCC says [View in browser]( US Edition | 6 April 2022 [The Conversation]( This week’s report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change focused on ways humanity can lower emissions and limit global warming. Researcher Alan Jenn of the University of California, Davis, contributed to that document and writes for The Conversation that “deep, immediate cuts” in greenhouse gas emissions are needed. Transformations in transportation – like more electric vehicles, more renewable energy to power them and more ride-sharing – could help get us there. But the necessary “drastic reduction would require a [major, rapid rethinking of how people get around globally](.” A common refrain is that electricity generated by nuclear fusion is “always 20 years away.” But nuclear researchers David Donovan and Livia Casali from the University of Tennessee explain how a recent experiment brought the field one step closer to proving that fusion can be an energy source. As a reader, I was surprised to see that they credit the advance to something as prosaic as [what the walls of the nuclear reactor are made of]( – tungsten and beryllium instead of the graphite used previously. If you’re a longtime consumer of science news, you likely remember the headlines from 2003 when researchers with the Human Genome Project announced it had sequenced our species’ genetic blueprint. But it’s taken almost 20 more years to fill in a few gaps that were left in those DNA instructions. Gabrielle Hartley is a genome biologist at the University of Connecticut and part of the team of researchers who have now characterized these tricky chunks of “[repetitive dark matter](.” Also in this week’s science and research news: - [How hedgerows with a variety of flowers help bees]( - [What characterizes the small proportion of vaccine-hesitant doctors]( - [Finding new uses for already-approved drugs]( If there’s a subject you’d like our team of science editors to investigate, reply to this email. Maggie Villiger Senior Science + Technology Editor Electric vehicle sales are growing quickly. Michael Fousert/Unsplash [Revolutionary changes in transportation, from electric vehicles to ride sharing, could slow global warming – if they’re done right, IPCC says]( Alan Jenn, University of California, Davis A new international report on climate change finds rapid changes could cut emissions from transportation by 80% to 90%. Three behavior change trends could bring big improvements. Magnetic fusion reactors contain super hot plasma in a donut-shaped container called a tokamak. dani3315/iStock via Getty Images [Nuclear fusion hit a milestone thanks to better reactor walls – this engineering advance is building toward reactors of the future]( David Donovan, University of Tennessee; Livia Casali, University of Tennessee In January 2022, the JET fusion experiment produced more power over a longer period of time than any past attempt. Two physicists explain the engineering advancements that made the result possible. Over half of the human genome contains repetitive DNA sequences whose functions are still not fully understood. Malte Mueller/fStop via Getty Images [The Human Genome Project pieced together only 92% of the DNA – now scientists have finally filled in the remaining 8%]( Gabrielle Hartley, University of Connecticut Advances in technology have enabled researchers to sequence the large regions of repetitive DNA that eluded the Human Genome Project. - [Cyberattacks have yet to play a significant role in Russia’s battlefield operations in Ukraine – cyberwarfare experts explain the likely reasons]( Nadiya Kostyuk, Georgia Institute of Technology; Erik Gartzke, University of California San Diego Cyberattacks can be devastating, just not on the battlefield, according to researchers who looked at 10 years of armed conflicts around the world. - [Planting mixes of flowers around farm fields helps keep bees healthy]( Hamutahl Cohen, University of Florida Huge single-crop fields attract bees in such numbers that they spread parasites to one another. Planting diverse mixes of flowers around fields helps spread out pollinators and keep them healthy. - [Repurposing generic drugs can reduce time and cost to develop new treatments – but low profitability remains a barrier]( Jonathan Sexton, University of Michigan Drug repurposing can redeem failed treatments and squeeze out new uses from others. But many pharmaceutical companies are hesitant to retool existing drugs without a high return on investment. - [To understand why Biden extended tariffs on solar panels, take a closer look at their historical impact]( David J. Feldman, National Renewable Energy Laboratory The tariffs targeting cheap Chinese imports mean prices in the US are higher than average, at the same time Biden is pushing for more renewable energy. But their effect might surprise you. - [The 1 in 10 U.S. doctors with reservations about vaccines could be undermining the fight against COVID-19]( Matt Motta, Oklahoma State University; Timothy Callaghan, Texas A&M University Many COVID-19 vaccination campaigns encourage doctors to serve as a trusted source of vaccine information. But certain vaccine-hesitant providers may stymie these efforts. - [Much of the cost of dementia care in aging Native American adults is due to hospitalization]( Joan O'Connell, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; Luohua Jiang, University of California, Irvine A clearer understanding of the true treatment costs of dementia for American Indian and Alaska Native adults could help health services better meet the needs of the populations they serve. - [These energy innovations could transform how we mitigate climate change, and save money in the process – 5 essential reads]( Stacy Morford, The Conversation From pulling carbon dioxide out of the air to turning water into fuel, innovators are developing new technologies and pairing existing ones to help slow global warming. Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our other weekly emails: [Politics Weekly]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Weekly Highlights]( Enjoy reading The Conversation? 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