Science In flow

Scientists have revealed the significant roles of anthropogenic low-volatility organic vapors on the secondary organic aerosols (SOA) formation in four megacities in China, providing new insights for effectively mitigating the urban air pollution issues. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/TmCgouq

In the desert of New Mexico, a centrifuge taller than the Statue of Liberty is being tested as an energy-efficient way to send satellites to space from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/fqYrpib

Chemical dispersants are some of the best tools to clean up after an oil spill. However, scientists do not fully understand how well they work. A new study validated their efficacy in order to better prepare for the next disaster. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/4CPgUBf

Plant fossils dating back 55 to 40 million years ago, during the Eocene epoch reveal details about the warmer and wetter climate. These conditions meant there were palms at the North and South Pole and predominantly arid landmasses like Australia were lush and green. By focusing on the morphology and taxonomic features of 12 different floras, the researchers developed a more detailed view of what the climate and productivity was like in the ancient hothouse world of the Eocene epoch. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/CHhsobY

An analysis of zinc isotopes in ancient shark teeth suggests megalodon and great whites ate the same foods, potentially contributing to megalodon’s mysterious extinction from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/EVo5p9m

A damaged liver that was kept alive and repaired in a machine for three days outside the body before transplantation is functioning normally in the recipient a year later from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/Kc9YqJW

Researchers investigated genes connected to lifespan. Their research uncovered specific characteristics of these genes and revealed that two regulatory systems controlling gene expression -- circadian and pluripotency networks -- are critical to longevity. The findings have implications both in understanding how longevity evolves and in providing new targets to combat aging and age-related diseases. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/PLAQmFJ

A synthetic membrane that contains key proteins used in cell division could one day help artificial cells replicate themselves from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/29hSipF

The sudden dimming of Betelgeuse in 2019 has been puzzling astronomers ever since, but now we have nailed down the cause from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/jLKWS5G

Most pulsars rotate once every couple of seconds, but one pulsar completes a revolution just once every 76 seconds from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/uBb4FwL

Lycopene, which makes fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes red, improves the efficiency of perovskite solar cells from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/IYqNM27

Society must balance the pros and cons of nuclear energy and work out the massive issue of who foots the bills when power stations go over budget from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/3j6CnEJ

During heavy storms, the normally stratified layers of water in ocean fjords get mixed, which leads to oxygenation of the fjord floor. But these storm events also result in a spike in methane emissions from fjords to the atmosphere. Researchers have estimated that the total emissions of this climate-warming gas are as great from fjords as from all the deep ocean areas in the world put together. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/GI5dDrB

Researchers have established the sea urchin species Temnopleurus reevesii as a new model for genetic research. Unlike urchins previously used as biological models, T. reevesii has a short breeding cycle and other features that make it ideal for genetic studies. The team created two genome databases that will contribute to numerous fields, and enable future studies to find an even better model for medical and life science research. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/CAsOcH1

Recent intense heatwaves in India and widespread US droughts have highlighted the need for a global approach to tackling chronic water shortages. Now, new research has drawn together expert voices from across the globe to help address current and future water challenges. Key areas identified include water scarcity, sanitation and climate dynamics. But the main concern is the way governments are equipped to deal with these challenges. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/oXDw29x

Finding out how acidic or alkaline your soil is means you can select the right plants for it, and maximise their chance of thriving, says Clare Wilson from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/6XO5pPR

The history books say the infamous plague pandemic of the 14th century killed at least half of the population of Europe. But recent scientific investigations have called that figure into question from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/YX9Rd1Q

Replacing faulty genes with healthy ones has enabled several children with rare genetic disorders to have typical life experiences, such as attending school and living with their families from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/soFHA3k

Many ancient Romans died when the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum were buried by hot volcanic ash, but the high temperatures didn’t destroy proteins in their skeletons from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/4VzbMA9

New Scientist's weekly round-up of the best books, films, TV series, games and more that you shouldn't miss from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/ipWZC8s

Blockades and supply issues limit access to life-saving medical devices in war zones. Companies are creating open-source 3D-printed products to fill the gap from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/Tv0DOQB

The understanding of the clustering and movement of microswimmers has a range of applications from human health to tackling ecological problems. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/uLREsn5

A recently developed catalyst for breaking down plastics continues to advance plastic upcycling processes. In 2020, scientists developed the first processive inorganic catalyst to deconstruct polyolefin plastics into molecules that can be used to create more valuable products. Now, the team has developed and validated a strategy to speed up the transformation without sacrificing desirable products. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/ot2Eg6e

Plastic packaging waste is everywhere. Our plastic bottles, food wrappings, and grocery bags litter the landscape and pollute the global environment. A new study explores the global patterns of plastic packaging waste. The study finds three countries -- the U.S., Brazil, and China -- are the top suppliers of waste. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/VtyGmg6

The percentage of water in arc volcanoes, which form above subduction zones, may be far more than many previous studies have calculated. This increased amount of water has broad implications for understanding how Earth's lower crust forms, how magma erupts through the crust, and how economically important mineral ore deposits form, according to a new article. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2gh5niX

Researchers are using light in novel ways to better image biological samples. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/lS26xFg

Even the smallest marine invertebrates -- some barely larger than single-celled protists -- are home to distinct and diverse microbial communities, or microbiomes, according to biologists. The study underscores that a vast diversity of animals have microbiomes, just as humans do. But more surprisingly, there's little correlation between how closely related most animals are and how similar their microbiomes are -- something widely assumed to be true based on the study of humans, larger mammals, and insects. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/X9cVEv1

Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs), commonly obtained from salmon nasal cartilage, are a key ingredient of various health foods. As the popularity of health foods increases, scientists are searching for alternative sources of CSPGs. Now, researchers have analyzed the PGs and their CS structures in the head cartilage of 10 edible bony fishes, including sturgeons. Their findings point to several new fishes that can serve as alternatives to salmon as a source of CSPGs. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/JZc67Sw

DNA molecules called plasmids -- some of which protect bacteria from antibiotics -- can spread rapidly through bacterial 'communities' that are treated with antibiotics, new research shows. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/hEvifMa

A technique used in chemical synthesis is called hydrogen atom transfer, or HAT. It's a potentially powerful and versatile chemical tool, but technical constraints have limited its use. Now chemists have borrowed a technique from the chemistry of energy storage to accomplish HAT with fewer chemicals and less cost. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/aVtOQ0u

In addition to audio recordings and laser scanning, a thermal imaging camera has been adopted for use in research focused on threatened mammals that hide from poachers in Kenya's Taita Hills. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/O9bjrxc

About 41 million people in live in U.S. Atlantic coastline counties. There isn't an effective way to identify the impact of urban growth on tidal flats -- the guardians of beachfront communities. Researchers have developed a new way to quantify these impacts from a geographic lens focused on place and space using data over three decades. Analyzing the annual dynamics of three highly urbanized coastal counties in the southeastern U.S., results show that tidal flats in these three counties urgently need a sustainable plan of management in response to the rapid expansion of urban areas. Importantly, their new technique can be revised and applied to the entire U.S. as research now is limited to individual cities. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/ZISMKOU

A new study shows how the brains of Egyptian fruit bats are highly specialized for echolocation and flight, with motor areas of the cerebral cortex that are dedicated to sonar production and wing control. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/xJsRAdP

Researchers have now designed a micro-sized artificial cilial system using platinum-based components that can control the movement of fluids at such a scale. The technology could someday enable low-cost, portable diagnostic devices for testing blood samples, manipulating cells or assisting in microfabrication processes. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/OtkgXMj

Several hundred settlements from the time between 500 and 1400 AD lie in the Bolivian Llanos de Mojos savannah and have fascinated archaeologists for years. Researchers have now visualized the dimensions of the largest known settlement of the so-called Casarabe culture. Mapping with the laser technology LIDAR indicates that it is an early urbanism with a low population density -- the only known case so far from the Amazon lowlands. The results shed new light on how globally widespread and diverse early urban life was and how earlier societies lived in the Amazon. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/LdbHNrK

Scientists settle debate surrounding species that laid eggs exploited by early Australian people around 50,000 years ago. Shell proteins point to Genyornis, which was among the 'mega-fauna' to go extinct a few thousand years after humans arrived on the continent. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/6Gr8B2S

Young children who grow up with a dog or in a large family may have some protection later in life from a common inflammatory bowel disease known as Crohn's disease, according to a new study. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/GEYCzX2

A team of researchers has found that the tiny defects which limit the efficiency of perovskites -- cheaper alternative materials for solar cells -- are also responsible for structural changes in the material that lead to degradation. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/tOyLvm8

Scientists found that incorporating sugar units into polymers makes them more degradable when exposed to UV light. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/BjHPpfb

Slashing emissions of carbon dioxide by itself isn't enough to prevent catastrophic global warming, a new study shows. But if we simultaneously also reduce emissions of methane and other often overlooked climate pollutants, we could cut the rate of global warming in half by 2050 and give the world a fighting chance. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/EZMhW3u

A research team reveals the reason behind hot and wet winters in northwest Russia from 2019/20 winter. Anthropogenic influence found to be the reason for widespread warming according to the CMIP6 data. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/8mkbVoC

Mustelids are the most ecologically and taxonomically diverse family within the order Carnivora. From the tayra in the neotropics to the wolverine in the subarctic, they inhabit a variety of ecological niches and developed corresponding species-specific traits related to their diet, reproductive strategy and morphology. An international team of scientists conducted a comparative analysis of whole genomes of several mustelids to obtain insights into the molecular basis of these adaptations. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/WBbeQtz

A new energy-efficient way to produce hydrogen gas from ethanol and water has the potential to make clean hydrogen fuel a more viable alternative for gasoline to power cars. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/Yb9xVZc

A comprehensive family tree, based on DNA sequences, has revealed that drywood termites have made at least 40 oceanic journeys over the last 50 million years to reach far flung landmasses. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/t87NKFP

Voters chose to decisively kick out the pro-coal Coalition government in favour of candidates that support stronger action on climate change from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/cImMQGa

A UAB research team has managed to track the behaviour of microplastics during their 'journey' through the intestinal tract of a living organism and illustrate what happens along the way. The study, carried out on Drosophila melanogaster using electron microscopy equipment developed by the researchers themselves, represents a significant step towards a more precise analysis of the health risks of being exposed to these pollutants. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/i82fs53

It is widely understood that thawing permafrost can lead to significant amounts of methane being released. However, new research shows that in some areas, this release of methane could be a tenth of the amount predicted from a thaw. A crucial, yet an open question is how much precipitation the future will bring. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/a4wAj1y

Amid war, energy shortages and inflation spikes, nations are showing little sign of making good on the their emissions promises. That must change from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/4oWlt3A

A 30-year-old genetic mystery has been solved. It has previously been established that touch can trigger stress reactions in plants. However, the molecular models for explaining this process have been quite spartan so far. Now researchers have found genetic keys that explain how plants respond so strongly to mechanical stimuli. Cracking this code could help lead to higher yields and improved stress resistance in crops in the future. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/obN4Hzp

A study using 10 years of citizen science data has found that a variety of targeted conservation approaches are needed to protect UK bumblebee species. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/IsPuAlS

Researchers have found that a carefully orchestrated act of X-chromosome 'yoyo' predicts the successful and efficient development of mammalian egg cells. The findings could pave the way for generating artificial oocytes in the laboratory, helping researchers study the causes and treatments of infertility disorders and test the impact of drugs and chemicals on women's reproduction. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/FpAcoIx

Here's hoping that a meteor shower predicted by astronomers for almost a century will be seen this month, says Abigail Beall from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/ITeEjzy

Biologists say nighttime light pollution can interfere with the remarkable navigational abilities of monarchs, which travel as far as Canada to Mexico and back during their multi-generational migration. Researchers found that butterflies roosting at night near artificial illumination such as a porch or streetlight can become disoriented the next day because the light interferes with their circadian rhythms. Artificial light can impede the molecular processes responsible for the butterfly's remarkable navigational ability and trigger the butterfly to take wing when it should be resting. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/MAofeC9

Researchers have reported a nano-sized neuromorphic memory device that emulates neurons and synapses simultaneously in a unit cell, another step toward completing the goal of neuromorphic computing designed to rigorously mimic the human brain with semiconductor devices. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/U0SZsHW

Most research looking at the impact of climate change on human life has focused on how extreme weather events affect economic and societal health outcomes on a broad scale. Yet climate change may also have a strong influence on fundamental daily human activities -- including a host of behavioral, psychological, and physiological outcomes that are essential to wellbeing. Investigators now report that increasing ambient temperatures negatively impact human sleep around the globe. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/Tzh2JkK

Scientists have discovered a novel biochemical mechanism explaining how immune proteins defend plants against invading microorganisms. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/08GHiTp

Scientists have uncovered how one type of T cell creates two genetically identical, but functionally different, daughter cells. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/Opqs249

What are the barriers to the adoption of electric cars? Although the main financial and technological obstacles have been removed, their market share still needs to increase. In a recent study, a team investigated the cognitive factors that still dissuade many people from switching to electric cars. They found that car owners systematically underestimate the capacity of electric driving ranges to meet their daily needs. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/qnRGAWN

Here's another good reason for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to eat their fruits and vegetables: It may help reduce inattention issues, a new study suggests. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/Qq1OAps

In most mammals, females have two X chromosomes and males have one X and one Y chromosome in each of their cells. To avoid a double dose of X-linked genes in females, one of the Xs is silenced early in the developmental process. This silencing is critical, yet how it happens has been relatively mysterious. Two new studies reveal more about this silencing process and insights that could improve stem cell research. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/do2ywK9

If a human comes down with a rash, they might go to the doctor and come away with some ointment to put on it. Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins get skin conditions, too, but they come about their medication by queuing up nose-to-tail to rub themselves against corals. Researchers now show that these corals have medicinal properties, suggesting that the dolphins are using the marine invertebrates to medicate skin conditions. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/U1eds4q

More than 98 percent of U.S. waters outside the central Pacific Ocean are not part of a marine protected area, and the ones that are tend toward 'lightly' or 'minimally' protected from damaging human activity, research shows. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/xtqVjwz

A new study has found contaminants, banned decades ago, are still imperiling critically endangered California condors. The condors may be at increased risk for reproductive impairment because they consume dead marine mammals along the California coast. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/d5pQCHP

Once humans discovered how to tame fire, they began using it for heat, cooking, to scare away animals and to alter their environs, especially burning areas to plant and to restore grazing land. In Madagascar, scientists and conservationists have long believed that fire is a leading cause of high landscape degradation, but an international team of researchers have found that medium to large fires on the island are similar to those on other tropical locations. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/OLBt2sw

Commensal fungi need to be alive and actively making proteins that stimulate our immune cells to elicit that commensal benefit, according to new findings. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/uM7DSvW

New research in plants that colonized the base of an active stratovolcano reveals that two simple molecular steps rewired nutrient transport, enabling adaptation. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/D8kh3tB

Wetlands across the globe are in danger of drowning from rising seas. But for decades, scientists held out hope that another aspect of climate change -- rising carbon dioxide (CO2) -- could trigger extra plant growth, enabling coastal wetlands to grow fast enough to outpace sea-level rise. That helpful side effect is disappearing, scientists have discovered. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/hbmXK2u

Declining native species could be planted in urban green spaces. Researchers now describe how to use this great potential for species protection. They recommend practical conservation gardening methods in a bid to restructure the horticultural industry and reverse plant species declines. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/PDxX8eq

Based on similar technology to night-vision goggles, researchers have developed a device that can generate electricity from thermal radiation. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/UT2J4OB

Researchers assessed the potential impact of a rocket launch on atmospheric pollution by investigating the heat and mass transfer and rapid mixing of the combustion byproducts. The team modeled the exhaust gases and developing plume at several altitudes along a typical trajectory of a standard present-day rocket. They did this as a prototypical example of a two-stage rocket to transport people and payloads into Earth's orbit and beyond and found the impact on the atmosphere locally and momentarily in the mesosphere can be significant. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/ZkeUVxf

Scientists determined that by increasing the accuracy of weather forecasts over the last decade, consumers netted at least $384 million in energy savings. The researchers based their predictions on NOAA's High Resolution Rapid Refresh model, which provides daily weather forecasts for every part of the U.S. These include wind speed and direction data, which utilities can use to gauge how much energy their turbines will produce. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/PsDI6Xr

Antibiotic resistance represents a major public health challenge, associated with a high mortality rate. While bacteriophages -- viruses that kill bacteria -- could be a solution for fighting antibiotic-resistant pathogens, various obstacles stand in the way of their clinical development. To overcome them, researchers have developed a model to better predict the efficacy of phage therapy and possibly develop more robust clinical trials. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/vRMihwa

Human beings, like most organisms, are constantly exposed to alternating colder or warmer temperatures. These environmental variations cause striking metabolic effects and require constant adaptations. While some of these adaptations confer certain beneficial effects on health, the impact of cold and warmth on the various organs in a whole-body context was not known. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/oCGHpfl

The capabilities of complex microbial communities are used for numerous biotechnological processes. This requires special compositions of the microbial communities. However, these are often unstable and susceptible to disruption. Researchers have now developed a 'mass transfer method with a loop' that can stabilize microbial communities in the long term. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/DcTN7ag

Compared to the complex use of human language, the way animals communicate with each other appears quite simple. How our language evolved from such a simple system, remains unclear. A group of researchers has now recorded thousands of vocalizations from wild chimpanzees in Taï, Ivory Coast. They found that the animals produced hundreds of different vocal sequences containing up to ten different call types. The order of calls in these sequences followed some rules, and calls were associated with each other in a structured manner. The researchers will now investigate if this structure may constitute a step towards human syntax and if chimpanzees use these sequences to communicate a wider range of meanings in their complex social environment. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/KGn1d8e

A human rights activist and a group of anthropologists and human biologists are casting a critical lens on the way that microbiome research is conducted with Indigenous peoples. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/mypXNtu

Many animal species bury their eggs, for a number of different reasons. While it is firmly established that Eurasian penduline tits bury them because of sexual conflict, their Chinese counterparts seem to have an entirely different reason. Experimental manipulations show that for these birds burial prevents the eggs from falling out of the nest in strong winds. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/VzNka1S

Ending abortion protections in the US could start the unravelling of many hard-won rights – with dire consequences for health and equality from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/JVyToRc

The new-to-science Chiriquí fire salamander was found by a Panamanian team that has been investigating one of the least-explored regions of Central America from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/1H56Xf7

New gene-editing techniques are shedding light on how hormones impact social behavior in animals and possibly, humans. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/X0FlyQu

Eliminating air pollution emissions from energy-related activities in the United States would prevent more than 50,000 premature deaths each year and provide more than $600 billion in benefits each year from avoided illness and death, according to a new study. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/QfTptEi

The benefits of yogurt are manifold, and the best part is you can grow as much of it as you want, says Sam Wong from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/ChFVgMt

Redness, swelling, pain -- these are signs of inflammation. It serves to protect the body from pathogens or foreign substances. Researchers were able to show that inflammatory reactions of an important sensor protein proceed in a specific spatial direction. This finding has the potential to conceivably stop inflammation at the 'growing end', and thus bring chronic inflammatory diseases to a halt. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/XjC39wL

New research examines how cavefish, surface-dwelling river fish that flooded into underground cave systems over 100,000 years ago, developed unique metabolic adaptations to survive in nutrient-scarce environments. The study created a genome-wide map of liver tissue for two independent colonies of cavefish along with river fish to understand how cavefish metabolism evolved and how this may be applicable for humans. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2OyG7z9

The genetic origins of the first agriculturalists in the Neolithic period long seemed to lie in the Near East. A new study shows that the first farmers actually represented a mixture of Ice Age hunter-gatherer groups, spread from the Near East all the way to south-eastern Europe. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/C1X2tH6

In 'proof of concept' experiments with mouse and human cells and tissues, researchers say they have designed tiny proteins, called nanobodies, derived from llama antibodies, that could potentially be used to deliver targeted medicines to human muscle cells. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/itNB1r2

Water treatment and environmental decontamination experts have reviewed current and emerging water treatment technologies. Through this review, the team determined the removal efficiency of a particular type of contaminant that causes hormonal disruption: endocrine disruptors. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/MnUAxVN

An algorithm that can speed up by years the ability to identify from among thousands of possibilities, two or more drugs that work synergistically against a problem like cancer or a viral infection has been developed by bioinformatics experts. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/zoZK8tY

All of that carbon in trees and forests worldwide could be thrown back into the atmosphere if the trees burn up in a forest fire. Trees also stop scrubbing carbon dioxide from the air if they die due to drought or insect damage. The likelihood of those threats impacting forests is increasing nationwide, making relying on forests to soak up carbon emissions a much riskier prospect. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/6tR9cOC

A new study has discovered the functions of hundreds of genes in algae, some of which are also present in plants. The achievement will help efforts to genetically engineer algae for biofuel production and develop strains of agricultural crops that can withstand climate change. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/Md3WuZK

The first whole genome sequences of the ancient people of Uruguay provide a genetic snapshot of Indigenous populations of the region before they were decimated by a series of European military campaigns. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/w3gQ9Mj

Scientists explore the growing threat that extreme heat poses to workforce health in three of the hottest cities in North America -- Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. Their study results hold important findings for outdoor workers, their employers, and policymakers across the Southwestern U.S. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/wZnIRhV

Primary fluid inclusions in bedded halite from the 830-million-year-old Browne Formation of central Australia contain organic solids and liquids, as documented with transmitted light and UV-vis petrography. These objects are consistent in size, shape, and fluorescent response to cells of prokaryotes and algae, and aggregates of organic compounds. This discovery shows that microorganisms from saline depositional environments can remain well preserved in halite over hundreds of millions of years and can be detected in situ with optical methods alone. This study has implications for the search for life in both terrestrial and extraterrestrial chemical sedimentary rocks. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2DqjEHb

A study has identified a binding protein in cancer cell's nucleus, known as CHD4, as a critical agent keeping Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) dormant and undetected by the body's immune system. CHD4 is linked to cancer cell growth in many types of cancers. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/i9Ymolx

In addition to increased morbidity and impaired lung function after a Streptococcus pneumoniaeinfection in older mice, the researchers also found elevated levels of gut-derived bacteria in the lungs, suggesting that bacteria that migrate from the intestine to the lungs may partially be responsible for the poor outcomes in older individuals. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/S8bmNiM

A national study that enrolled a highly diverse group of pregnant women over 12 years found rising exposure to chemicals from plastics and pesticides that may be harmful to development. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/bMQBF3N

In Finland, climate change is causing the pine pest Panolis flammea, or pine beauty moth, to shift its range northward 50 years ahead of predictions. Changes in both the distribution and size of the pine beauty moth population are linked to higher temperatures, a new study shows. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2cz9TlN

Researchers have discovered that before cells start to divide, they toss waste products. Using a new method they developed for measuring the dry mass of cells, the researchers found cells suddenly lose mass as they enter cell division. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/yuocaqI

Perovskite materials may hold the potential to play an important role in a process to produce hydrogen in a renewable manner, according to a recent analysis. Hydrogen has emerged as an important carrier to store energy generated by renewable resources, as a substitute for fossil fuels used for transportation, in the production of ammonia, and for other industrial applications. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/1xyzbJg

In a recent study,botanists investigated the effects of increasing the amount of carbon dioxide channels in plant membranes, but could not detect any impact on photosynthesis in model tobacco plants. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/7A8CHiR

Healthy adults who eat a diverse diet with at least 8-10 grams of soluble fiber a day have fewer antibiotic-resistant microbes in their guts, according to a new study. The results lead directly to the idea that modifying the diet has the potential to be a new weapon in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. And this does not require eating some exotic diet, but eating a diverse diet, adequate in fiber, a diet that some Americans already eat. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/AXbgr8v

Scientists used an unprecedented technique to detect that levels of helium are rising in the atmosphere, resolving an issue that has lingered among atmospheric chemists for decades. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/6IpdqFb

The activation and inactivation mechanisms of a key protein involved in the circadian clock system of cyanobacteria -- an important organism in the evolution of such internal clocks -- have long eluded scientists. But researchers have now identified how the system is driven. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/EQxYtqK

Young men with a poor diet saw a significant improvement in their symptoms of depression when they switched to a healthy Mediterranean diet, a new study shows. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/uKvYj7S

Various technologies, networks and institutions benefit from or require accurate time keeping to synchronize their activities. Current ways of synchronizing time have some drawbacks that a new proposed method seeks to address. The cosmic time synchronizer works by synchronizing devices around cosmic ray events detected by those devices. This could bring accurate timing abilities to remote sensing stations, or even underwater, places that other methods cannot serve. Early tests show promise, but the real challenge may lie in the adoption of this new technique. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/hPlDr8G

Copper is one of the most widely used metals on the planet today due to its electrical and thermal conduction properties. The greatest natural resources of this metal are the so-called 'porphyry' deposits that come from magmas deep in the Earth. In recent research, scientists demonstrate that these deposits are largely produced by mechanisms similar to those causing large volcanic eruptions. At a time when current copper resources are dwindling and this metal plays a key role in the energy transition, this discovery opens up new avenues for the development of tools to find new deposits. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/BaECdRF

In Batesian mimicry, a harmless species imitates a more dangerous one in an evolutionary 'ruse' that affords the mimic protection from would-be predators. Now, researchers have discovered the first case of acoustic Batesian mimicry in mammals and one of very few documented in any species: greater mouse-eared bats imitate the buzzing sound of a stinging insect to discourage predatory owls from eating them. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/0p9ocvf

Researchers have identified rare genetic markers in M. tuberculosis that could improve early detection of drug-resistant strains of the disease, helping prevent their spread. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/5HWcB26

Cells have certain proteins that help them adhere to each other while covering body surfaces and organs. Loss of these identifying proteins could result in cellular progression towards cancer and, subsequently, metastasis. However, lipids may play a role in maintaining cellular identity as well. Scientists have now identified the role of PIP2, a phospholipid, in maintaining epithelial cell-cell adhesion and cellular identity. Their findings will help develop strategies aimed at suppressing metastasis. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/EtvwTyV

Young adults who were at risk of food insecurity had increased incidence of diabetes 10 years later, according to a new study. While previous research has associated food insecurity with a range of health issues including diabetes, obesity and hypertension, this study showed a connection over time, suggesting a causal relationship. Researchers analyzed data on nearly 4,000 people from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. They found that adults ages 24-32 who said they'd been worried about food running out in the last year showed greater incidence of diabetes, either through blood glucose tests or self-reports, at ages 32-42, compared to those who did not report food insecurity risk. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/7NbcIY9

People don't want science anywhere near their delicious chocolate chip cookies. But they're happy to have science create body wash that fights odor-causing bacteria. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/LOXfzYr

A new study has revealed super cyclones, the most intense form of tropical storm, are likely to have a much more devastating impact on people in South Asia in future years. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/ndDh7Ca

Comb through observations from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite to help find new planets, says Layal Liverpool from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/wJK3PZW

Scientists have conducted a thorough examination of international trade in agricultural goods, finding that consumers in wealthy countries enjoy the produce while people in less-developed nations endure heightened greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/KpbLvMt

Farmlands across Europe are potentially the biggest global reservoir of microplastics due to the high concentrations found in fertilizers derived from sewage sludge, new research has shown. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/kzOWoCK

People from societally advantaged groups think equality-promoting policies will affect them negatively, even if they would actually benefit from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/ExRZ1pP

A new estimate by the World Health Organization suggests that deaths from the pandemic are much higher than official figures – but that is because these figures are unreliable in many places from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/0l5gczF

Historic graffiti of ships carved in an African fort were drawn by soldiers on guard duty watching the sea, experts believe. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/pQHxjMP

Oliver Langmead’s science fiction novel Glitterati starts out as a comedy stuffed with buffoonery and self-inflicted miseries you can chortle at, but it ends somewhere much darker, finds Sally Adee from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/gPQq9xS