Science In flow

Life comes in all shapes in sizes, but some sizes are more popular than others, new research has found. A survey of body sizes of all Earth's living organisms has uncovered an unexpected pattern. Contrary to what current theories can explain, our planet's biomass -- the material that makes up all living organisms -- is concentrated in organisms at either end of the size spectrum. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/XlA2Kta

Using a model of a human small intestine, researchers found that microplastics in high-fat foods significantly increase the absorption of fat from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/HlYZCRf

These images from a companion book to David Attenborough's new documentary series celebrate the wildlife of Britain and Ireland from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/8kWOVYq

Many people feel an uncanny "presence" when no one is there. Ben Alderson-Day explores why this is, in a lively and comprehensive book from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/Nnmoshg

Indigenous peoples as far north as Wyoming and Idaho may have begun to care for horses by the first half of the 17th Century, according to a new study by researchers from 15 countries and multiple Native American groups. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/urcgv8z

New research has shown that bursting bubbles coated by a thin oil layer produce drops with smaller sizes, greater overall number of drops, and are ejected at a higher velocity, compared to bubbles generated in clean water. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/6s2x4vA

It would be the ultimate in personalised medicine: a digital version of your body, which doctors could use to predict what diseases might befall you and your future health. A new book from Peter Coveney and Roger Highfield asks if it is possible from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/4o7ztUL

Lower electricity costs for consumers and more reliable clean energy could be some of the benefits of a new study by researchers who have examined how predictable solar or wind energy generation is and the impact of it on profits in the electricity market. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/UAZt8q9

Putting less sugar in sodas and reducing the package size of sodas sold in supermarkets may help reduce our collective sugar intake and thus lower the associated health risks. Good news for consumers, but how does it affect manufacturers? Research conducted in the US has shown that marketing diet or sugar-free varieties does not lead to an increase in the overall turnover of soda manufacturers. This is because consumers tend to switch from sugary to sugar-free versions of the same brand. However, reducing the package size of soda does have a positive effect on the sales figures of the brand as a whole. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/HcblJL0

Carbon emissions within the next 50 years could lead to a tipping point where large parts of the Greenland ice sheet melt over the next 10,000 years from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/6bmhOSr

OpenAI’s ChatGPT labelled text samples used in AI training with more accuracy than people did. The approach could automate some of the human labour involved in AI development from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/JslOXpP

[tbc] The record for the maximum human lifespan has stayed unbroken since the 1990s but that might change, according to a new way of analysing mortality records from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/brdwfNE

Researchers have uncovered a key role for a new type of cell in touch detection in the skin of the fruit fly. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/BOGF1kp

A gamma ray burst observed in 2022 was brighter than any explosion ever spotted before, and follow-up observations are threatening to break our understanding of how these blasts work from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/p9ySgj0

New research has shown that methane emissions from urban areas are underestimated by a factor of three to four and that untreated wastewater may be a contributing factor. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/1xeNs42

Researchers have developed a new method that can easily purify contaminated water using a cellulose-based material. This discovery could have implications for countries with poor water treatment technologies and combat the widespread problem of toxic dye discharge from the textile industry. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/zuPYGox

Researchers identify the most promising advancements and greatest challenges of artificial mitochondria and chloroplasts. The team describes the components required to construct synthetic mitochondria and chloroplasts and identifies proteins as the most important aspects for molecular rotary machinery, proton transport, and ATP production. The authors believe it is important to create artificial cells with biologically realistic energy-generation methods that mimic natural processes; replicating the entire cell could lead to future biomaterials. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/4bwO93Q

Filters fitted to vehicle exhaust systems to remove particulate matter pollution have limited impact on ultrafine particles, new research shows. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/5E9iwA6

Researchers have discovered how a South African daisy makes fake lady flies on its petals to trick male flies into pollinating it. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/5vpSwax

Microplastic pollution reduces energy production in a microscopic creature found in freshwater worldwide, new research shows. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/6t8djSn

An experiment with soap bubbles shows how they assume different shapes when two of them touch, and at which size they will merge into one from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/fipXbFz

The physicist’s final theorem, about why the universe seems fine-tuned for life, contains some provocative predictions. Will they be as fruitful as his insights into black holes? from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/d9i7jyh

A projection of how the global population will change by the Club of Rome is far below United Nations estimates and numbers could drop even faster if we invest more in reducing poverty and inequality, it says from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/Qfg5m4i

Detailed 3D scans of embryos in the first three months of pregnancy may shed more light on whether they are delayed in growth, a possible sign of an impending miscarriage from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/FENdZbV

A facility in Massachusetts has been analysing thousands of wastewater samples from across the US every week, looking for viruses and signs of disease. It could soon become permanent from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/lMEvLYc

A material made from two forms of cellulose, which is found in wood, reflects heat and can be made in a variety of colours from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/B3Uz9nC

The flavour of fresh lemon is delicious, but this citrus fruit becomes even more wonderful when it is preserved in salt, says Sam Wong from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/oTKDE3G

Applying hydrostatic pressure as an external stimulus, researchers demonstrate a new way to regulate singlet fission (SF), a process in which two electrons are generated from a single photon, in chromophores, opening doors to the design of SF-based materials with enhanced (photo)energy conversion. Their method overrides the strict requirements that limit the molecular design of such materials by realizing an alternative control strategy. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/kWVdiwT

Continued warming of the climate would see a rise in the number and spread of potentially fatal infections caused by bacteria found along parts of the coast of the United States. Vibrio vulnificus bacteria grow in warm shallow coastal waters and can infect a cut or insect bite during contact with seawater. The researchers predict that by 2041--2060 infections may spread to encompass major population centers around New York. Combined with a growing and increasingly elderly population, who are more susceptible to infection, annual case numbers could double. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/uOGyeqM

A 2022 measurement of the mass of the W boson threatened to upend particle physics as we know it, but new results from CERN indicate the standard model was right all along from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/t6u8cve

Four films make up Atomic Light by video and installation artist David Blandy, a work marred by overstatement, but saved by the story of two solar astronomers who drew the sun on the day of the Hiroshima blast from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/qkwg6AU

Some plants can survive months without water, only to turn green again after a brief downpour. A recent study shows that this is not due to a 'miracle gene.' Rather, this ability is a consequence of a whole network of genes, almost all of which are also present in more vulnerable varieties. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/OCt0TrV

Variations driven by pairs of particles and antiparticles that form and then annihilate can be used to generate random numbers up to 200 times faster than available commercial devices can from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/I0LauH2

A new study found drought and heat waves could make air pollution worse for communities that already have a high pollution burden in California, and deepen pollution inequalities along racial and ethnic lines. The study also found financial penalties for power plants can significantly reduce people's pollution exposure, except during severe heat waves. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/98H6Bdt

Researchers have developed a temperature-modulating robotic system that can be seamlessly integrated into notoriously sensitive honeybee hives, providing both a never-before-seen view of honeybee behavior and a means to influence it. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/JQw58so

Scientists have created a comprehensive 'roadmap' to guide global efforts to convert waste energy into clean power. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/p0X4cfZ

This striking image shows the fleeting moment that the Sonoran desert in a parched corner of North America was blanketed in 10 centimetres of snow from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/jWZvEfi

From a virtual-reality snowscape used for pain relief for burns to immersive art to boost your mood, we all gain from aesthetic engagement, argues a book from Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross that needed a little more science to make it a great read from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/mNQp7aZ

Research has revealed that diversity in genes coding for immunity may have facilitated adaptation to farming lifestyles in prehistoric periods. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/9Mg1QuD

If you live near a busy road you might feel like the constant sound of roaring engines, honking horns and wailing sirens makes your blood pressure rise. Now a new study confirms it can do exactly that. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/hXZUVxH

As a way to reduce seed counterfeiting, researchers developed a silk-based tag that, when applied to seeds, provides a unique code that cannot be duplicated. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/V32scIo

It is well known that the microbiomes of athletes are different from of those who are sedentary. To investigate how exercise shapes the gut microbiota in non-athletes, the study assessed information on the type, time and intensity of exercise in relation to microbiomes in a large cohort of middle-aged adults. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/05xr4NW

Just a few days after hatching, zebrafish larvae can discriminate between bigger and smaller numbers, suggesting they may have an innate numerical ability from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/Kv4qeSR

For mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever, the abundance of the insects in places where people gather has long served as the main barometer for infection risk. A new study, however, suggests that the number of 'hidden' infections tied to a place, or cases of infected people who show no symptoms, is the key indicator for dengue risk. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/heWqFup

Deleting a gene that promotes magnesium transport into mitochondria (which are cells' power plants) resulted in more efficient metabolism of sugar and fat in the energy centers. The result: skinny, healthy mice. Now the research team, has developed a small-molecule drug that accomplishes the same effect in mice. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/cY6Qa8u

Temperature influences how badly pesticides affect bees' behavior, suggesting uncertain impacts under climate change, according to a new study. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/rG8xfKb

Researchers find stem cells use a surprising system for discarding misfolded proteins. This unique pathway could be the key to maintaining long-term health and preventing age-related blood and immune disorders. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/ZADO1wE

A superconducting ink made through a simple process called chemical exfoliation could be used to print the cold circuits inside quantum computers and MRI machines from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/SYFnrBt

Samples from the asteroid Ryugu collected by the Hayabusa2 mission contain nitrogenous organic compounds, including the nucleobase uracil, which is a part of RNA. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/ptVzLf2

Cooking devices that incorporate three-dimensional (3D) printers, lasers, or other software-driven processes may soon replace conventional cooking appliances such as ovens, stovetops, and microwaves. But will people want to use a 3D printer -- even one as beautifully designed as a high-end coffee maker -- on their kitchen counters to calibrate the exact micro- and macro-nutrients they need to stay healthy? Will 3D food printing improve the ways we nourish ourselves? What sorts of hurdles will need to be overcome to commercialize such a technology? Researchers explore the benefits and drawbacks of 3D-printed food technology, cooking 3D-printed food with lasers as part of the system, how 3D-printed food compares to the 'normal' food we eat, and the future landscape of our kitchens. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3huTYa7

A new study investigates how an extinct, carnivorous marsupial relative with canines so large they extended across the top of its skull could hunt effectively despite having wide-set eyes, like a cow or a horse. The skulls of carnivores typically have forward-facing eye sockets, or orbits, which helps enable stereoscopic (3D) vision, a useful adaptation for judging the position of prey before pouncing. Scientists studied whether the 'marsupial sabertooth' Thylacosmilus atrox could see in 3D at all. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/DZrdHRq

Researchers have built and tested a bushfire safe room that exceeds current Australian standards and could keep people alive or protect valuables when evacuation is no longer an option. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/ZiVWuDL

Fewer parasites in U.S. waters might be seen by many as a good thing, but a biologist says the trend signals potential danger for fish and other wildlife. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/rf8SCjQ

Researchers have found that the spread of the spotted lanternfly population is largely due to human-mediated dispersal via transportation. In other words, these expert hitchhikers are catching rides on our cars, trucks and trains. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/pR0CFLs

Calculating Ramsey numbers is so difficult that one mathematician once said he'd rather fight off an alien invasion. Now, mathematicians have made the first major advance in nearly a century from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/YVRaWMI

Analysis of wild mammals infected with H5N1 bird flu in the US found that many had brain infections and neurological symptoms, including lack of fear of people from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/kZ36KNX

Some asteroids appear to accelerate in ways that can’t be accounted for by gravity, suggesting they might be firing out invisible jets of gas from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/TcdEYgr

Billions of years ago, crushed quartz reacting with water could have created the conditions needed for the evolution of the photosynthetic microbes responsible for most of the oxygen now in Earth’s atmosphere from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/tRcS94q

Researchers confirmed what was already known: jellyfish eat bigger prey as they grow, which means they also occupy a higher position in the food web as they grow. They also found that some of the concentrations of 'healthy fats,' increase as jellyfish grow. These changes might be influenced by their diet, and as they feed on bigger prey with higher levels of fatty acids, the jellyfish accumulate more of these fatty acids. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/e8Rx4Gk

Muscle degeneration, the most prevalent cause of frailty in hereditary diseases and aging, could be caused by a deficiency in one key enzyme in a lipid biosynthesis pathway. Researchers now characterize how the enzyme PCYT2 affects muscle health in disease and aging in laboratory mouse models. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/9OVbFWR

A global mapping project has revealed the major stressors placed upon global coastlines by human activity. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/kRGvjUQ

Parasitic infections in salmonid fish can increase or decrease their vulnerability to angling, depending on their body condition. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/AYwc8xQ

Synecoculture, a new farming method, involves growing mixed plant species together in high density. However, it requires complex operation since varying species with different growing seasons and growing speeds are planted on the same land. To address this need, researchers have developed a robot that can sow, prune, and harvest plants in dense vegetation growth. Its small, flexible body will help large-scale Synecoculture. This is an important step towards achieving sustainable farming and carbon neutrality. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/cAmz5F1

Researchers show that rivers in the Andean mountains contribute 35% and 72% of riverine emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) and methane (CH4 ) in the Amazon basin, the world's largest river. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/z5iNAR0

In his final years, Stephen Hawking tackled the question of why the universe appears fine-tuned for life. His collaborator Thomas Hertog explains the radical solution they came up with from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/0Bk4d5W

The sixth synthesis report from the IPCC once again warns that without immediate and massive emissions reductions, limiting global warming to 1.5°C will be beyond reach from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/4AU7WuC

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change isn't due to produce its next report until 2027, which could allow political focus to move away from global warming, campaigners have warned from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/1IkCeQ7

The 2023 vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere occurs on 20 March, but it’s not strictly true that this means day and night are the same length from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/CyUaoVq

From mice with two fathers to cures for debilitating diseases, the transformative power of genomic technology requires some big decisions on what we want to do with it from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/pxiHReu

To celebrate the launch of our new Essential Guide all about exercise, New Scientist editors have selected some of our most insightful premium articles about the science of physical fitness from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/0W5RquE

The presence of territorial farmerfish that look after algae gardens seems to help branching corals recover after heat stress has bleached them, but we aren't sure why from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/b6fuEHd

Biopsy reports of nearly 5 million people suggest that markers that are thought to be signs of ageing, such as inflammation and the formation of giant cells, occurred two decades earlier in the female participants than in the male participants from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/mqnGgML

Sign up to a project called Infection Inspection and help researchers confront the rogue microbes that threaten to unleash an apocalypse of untreatable disease from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/301Tl7E

A new discovery, reported in a global study that encompassed more than a decade of research, could lead to the breeding of corn crops that can withstand drought and low-nitrogen soil conditions and ultimately ease global food insecurity. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/9RVNxPB

Researchers have reported a novel method of harvesting water from naturally occurring sources such as fog and dew. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/oTqAMW2

Saturn’s moon Titan is too cold for many types of chemical reactions, but quantum tunnelling could present a loophole that would allow reactions that are crucial for life from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/YAztoF8

H5N1 cases in birds are expected to rise in the coming weeks as migratory species wing their way across the planet. Veterinary epidemiologist Victoria Hall explains why this outbreak is different – and what it could mean for humans from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/6y1DUVP

New research has looked at the long-term environmental impact of different methods to control Japanese knotweed. Different ways of trying to control the invasive species have developed over the years but now, as sustainability becomes increasingly important, understanding the effect of these management methods is vital.This new study examines at the entire life cycle and long-term impacts of different management approaches. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/PEoyZXU

The ability of a cell to divide, to proliferate, is essential for life and gives rise to the formation of complex organisms from a single cell. It also allows the replacement of used cells from a limited number of 'stem' cells, which then proliferate and specialize. In cancer, however, cell proliferation is no longer controlled and becomes chaotic. Researchers have discovered that, in a healthy individual, certain blood immune cells, the monocytes, also have this ability to proliferate, with the aim to replace tissue macrophages, which are essential for the proper functioning of our body. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/1kbCmJn

Dissolvable glass made from amino acids can be used to create 3D-printed components that aren’t harmful to organisms – they could one day be used to make medical devices that dissolve in the body after use from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/4281TwC

An international research team produced the first large-scale analysis of more than 400 newly sequenced and existing Omnitrophota genomes, uncovering new details about their biology and behavior. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/vn91sIG

A new study is providing an unprecedented examination of oxygen loss on coral reefs around the globe under ocean warming. The study captures the current state of hypoxia -- or low oxygen levels -- at 32 different sites, and reveals that hypoxia is already pervasive on many reefs. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/Mfr2VxJ

The World Health Organization says the coronavirus is likely to be no longer seen as a public health emergency within 2023, as long as a more dangerous variant does not evolve from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/sKqaCFW

A form of oestrogen known to be related to positive mood was found to be 43 per cent lower in premenopausal women with depression than those without the condition from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/lXV8APw

Amphibians with vivid colours to warn predators they are poisonous or bad-tasting typically evolve from species that only show their colours when they flee or deliberately display them from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/vmgafCY

Solar cells made from metal halide perovskites achieve high efficiencies and their production from liquid inks requires only a small amount of energy. Scientists are investigating the production process. At the X-ray source BESSY II, the group has analyzed the optimal composition of precursor inks for the production of high-quality FAPbI3 perovskite thin films by slot-die coating. The solar cells produced with these inks were tested under real life conditions in the field for a year and scaled up to mini-module size. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/Np6dFvM

The coveted metal copper and a sheltered location turned the Cypriot village of Hala Sultan Tekke into one of the most important trade hubs of the Late Bronze Age. Recent excavations confirm the importance of the Bronze Age city in the first period of international trade in the Mediterranean. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/vGuIwN6

There's been a well-documented shift toward earlier springtime flowering in many plants as the world warms. The trend alarms biologists because it has the potential to disrupt carefully choreographed interactions between plants and the creatures -- butterflies, bees, birds, bats and others -- that pollinate them. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/gnUtj58

The androgen receptor is a key transcriptional factor for the proper sex development -- especially in males -- and the physiological balance of all the tissues that express this receptor. The androgen receptor is involved in several pathologies and syndromes, such as the spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy or androgen insensitivity syndrome, among others, for which there is no specific treatment. Regarded as the main initial and progression factor in prostate cancer -- the second most common malignant disease in men in industrialized countries -- this receptor has been, for decades, the main therapeutical target for the treatment against this disease. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/N5dI27O

New research has established a link between western diets high in fat and sugar and the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the leading cause of chronic liver disease. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/qeEnDvy

A new study represents a first step towards generating highly detailed 3-dimensional maps of lung tumors using genetically engineered mouse models. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/DSnvxby

A spacesuit designed for the Artemis moon missions is much lighter than those worn by the Apollo astronauts, and allows a greater range of motion from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/KwSI0vt

Astronomers have spotted an object with all the hallmarks of a galaxy cluster, but containing only one galaxy – hinting it may have swallowed up all of its neighbours from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/Hl1jcma

In a step forward for genetic engineering and synthetic biology, researchers have modified a strain of Escherichia coli bacteria to be immune to natural viral infections while also minimizing the potential for the bacteria or their modified genes to escape into the wild. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/KuQNV4C

Astronomers have spotted an object with all the hallmarks of a galaxy cluster, but containing only one galaxy – hinting it may have swallowed up all of its neighbours from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/Hl1jcma

Bald Eagles and dairy farmers exist in a mutually beneficial relationship in parts of northwestern Washington State. According to a new study, this 'win-win' relationship has been a more recent development, driven by the impact of climate change on eagles' traditional winter diet of salmon carcasses, as well as by increased eagle abundance following decades of conservation efforts. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/IYZN0PO

Eating a traditional Mediterranean-type diet -- rich in foods such as seafood, fruit, and nuts -- may help reduce the risk of dementia by almost a quarter, a new study has revealed. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/Qnzr4dG

In the event of dry weather and high winds, power system-ignited incidents are more likely to develop into wildfires. The risk is greater if vegetation is nearby. A new study provides the methodology for predicting at what point during a high wind storm, powerline ignition is likely. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/01H97mC

The US operates drones in international airspace around Ukraine, and a Russian fighter jet has hit one – an MQ-9 Reaper drone – in an incident the US military is calling “unsafe and unprofessional” from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/e6Gmrf3

Researchers compared a new genetic animal model of Down syndrome to the standard model and found the updated version to be enhanced. The new mouse model shows milder cognitive traits compared to a previously studied Down syndrome mouse model. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/lt3iZCJ

The world’s largest example of an office building constructed to passive house standards – using airtight construction and high levels of insulation to cut energy use – is soon to open in Boston, Massachusetts from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/ut4SZTY

A new study of Antarctic minke whales reveals a minimum size limit for whales employing the highly efficient 'lunge-feeding' strategy that enabled the blue whale to become the largest animal on Earth. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/pw1h7fx

Black widow spiders are waning in the southern US and brown widows may be the culprit – in lab tests, they were more than six times as likely to kill southern black widows than other arachnids they were offered from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/m0Rv3Yo

Climate models used by the UN's IPCC and others to project climate change are not accurately reflecting what the Arctic's future will be, experts say. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/GVYHhBo

Surprisingly, bitter taste receptors are not only located in the mouth, but also elsewhere in the body, including the airways. Activating those receptors opens up lung passageways, so they're a potential target for treating asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Now, researchers report that they have designed a potent and selective compound that could lead the way to such therapies. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/YE0LsKP

Scientists successfully quantified the total reactive polysulfide content of 22 different types of vegetables, including onions and garlic. They also revealed that reactive polysulfides are not only found in the leek genus (Allium), such as onions and garlic but also in the cruciferous family of vegetables (Brassicaceae), such as broccoli and cabbage. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/6VzBowO

A “grand unifying theory” of brain ageing suggests malfunctioning mitochondria might be to blame for Alzheimer’s and other brain conditions. And this new avenue of exploration already has some potential therapies at the ready from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/p7UDkdJ

A “grand unifying theory” of brain ageing suggests malfunctioning mitochondria might be to blame for Alzheimer’s and other brain conditions. And this new avenue of exploration already has some potential therapies at the ready from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/p7UDkdJ

A computer game being developed by Amazon, called Alexa Arena, is designed to harvest information on how humans interact with robots so the firm can train the machines on how best to go about their duties in offices and homes from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/TNr1nmb

People who reported feeling the most disgusted or frightened after watching a series of videos had a more acidic stomach pH compared with other study participants. It is unclear if these emotions cause the acidity or if an acidic pH makes people feel emotions more intensely from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/fgiRbD0

People who reported feeling the most disgusted or frightened after watching a series of videos had a more acidic stomach pH compared with other study participants. It is unclear if these emotions cause the acidity or if an acidic pH makes people feel emotions more intensely from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/fgiRbD0

Earthworms are a great indicator of the state of soil. Science of gardening columnist Clare Wilson explains how to tell how many you have - and how to entice more naturally, if needed from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/K7wBa0s

A team of investigators has identified metabolic strategies used by Clostridioides difficile to rapidly colonize the gut. The findings identify methods to better prevent and treat the most common cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs). The team's approach has implications for understanding broader aspects of microbial metabolism, including responses to antibiotics, and production of important metabolites. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/n6zg0U3

A robot that is controlled by Google’s PaLM-E artificial intelligence language model can process images and text, respond to queries and even grab a bag of food for you from the kitchen from New Scientist - Home https://ift.tt/Ipj8NGq

In the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, southern resident orcas have experienced no net population growth since the 1970s, with just 73 left at the most recent count. But northern resident orcas, which have a similar diet, territory and social structure, have grown steadily, now numbering more than 300. A new study may help explain why: The two populations differ in how they hunt for salmon, their primary and preferred food source, a key difference that conservationists will have to take into account when designing interventions to help southern residents. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/pH9R6Dj

As almost 200 countries agree a legally-binding treaty to protect the High Seas, a collaboration of experts in ocean plastic pollution and satellite technology has urged world leaders to learn lessons from the management of the High Seas and act now to protect Earth's orbit. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/BmYuCxW

Disconnected from the energy of the sun, the permanently ice-covered Arctic deep sea receives miniscule amounts of organic matter that sustains life. Bacteria which can harvest the energy released from submarine hydrothermal sources could thus have an advantage. Scientists found bacteria uniquely adapted to this geo-energy floating in deep-sea waters. They describe the role of these bacteria for biogeochemical cycling in the ocean. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/twHgu73

Most cells in the bodies of living things duplicate their contents and physically separate into new cells through the process of cell division. But across many species, germ cells, those that become eggs or sperm, don't fully separate. They remain interconnected through small bridges called ring canals and cluster together. In a new study, researchers uncover how it is that germ cells in fruit flies form these ring canals, a finding that they say will provide new insights into a widely shared feature of development and into diseases in which cell division is disrupted. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/ty5jKH8

Research into the ability of a wildfire to improve the health of a forest uncovered a Goldilocks effect -- unless a blaze falls in a narrow severity range, neither too hot nor too cold, it isn't very good at helping forest landscapes return to their historical, more fire-tolerant conditions. from Top Environment News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/cvaf0wy