Dental procedures during pandemic are no riskier than a drink of water, study finds
A new study's findings dispel the misconception that patients and providers are at high risk of catching COVID-19 at the dentist's office......»»
Study suggests statistical "noise" affects perceived evolutionary rates
For decades, researchers have observed that rates of evolution seem to accelerate over short time periods—say five million years versus fifty million years. This broad pattern has suggested that "younger" groups of organisms, in evolutionary terms,.....»»
Qualitative study examines how ordinary people "sense" water quality
Seeing—and tasting—is believing: A qualitative study of communities living along the Philippines' bustling Marikina River underscores the importance of taking into account local peoples' everyday experiences, practices, and perceptions in establi.....»»
Scientists develop novel method for strengthening PVC products
Researchers have developed a way to make one type of plastic material more durable and less likely to shed dangerous microplastics. Their study has identified a secure way to attach chemical additives to polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The work is publishe.....»»
Liquefied natural gas carbon footprint is worse than coal, study finds
Liquified natural gas leaves a greenhouse gas footprint that is 33% worse than coal, when processing and shipping are taken into account, according to a new Cornell study......»»
The true global impact of species-loss caused by humans is far greater than expected, study reveals
The extinction of hundreds of bird species caused by humans over the last 130,000 years has led to substantial reductions in avian functional diversity—a measure of the range of different roles and functions that birds undertake within the environm.....»»
Study identifies compounds that extend longevity of Japanese morning glory flowers
The longevity of plant flowers is controlled by genetically programmed mechanisms. After a certain amount of time after flowering, the expression of genes associated with programmed cell death is induced and cellular components such as proteins and n.....»»
Engineers create a chip-based tractor beam for biological particles
MIT researchers have developed a miniature, chip-based "tractor beam," like the one that captures the Millennium Falcon in the film "Star Wars," that could someday help biologists and clinicians study DNA, classify cells, and investigate the mechanis.....»»
Lunar mission data analysis finds widespread evidence of ice deposits
Deposits of ice in lunar dust and rock (regolith) are more extensive than previously thought, according to a new analysis of data from NASA's LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) mission. Ice would be a valuable resource for future lunar expeditions. W.....»»
Study sheds light on limitations of zooplankton for inactivating pathogen contaminated water
Scientists at The University of Texas at El Paso and Stanford University were recently surprised to find that the natural community of zooplankton—tiny, aquatic animals known to graze on bacteria—present in freshwater and saltwater do not clean w.....»»
Economists recognized early on in the pandemic that working from home is here to stay
When Amazon told staffers last month to come back to the office five days a week, many observers reacted as if an earthquake struck the post-pandemic world of work. To Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom, the news barely registered......»»
Scientists design silver nanoparticle–based self-hygienic resin for use in dental applications
The oral cavity is home to a rich ecosystem of microorganisms that are found in both healthy and diseased states. In the area of dental restoration, highly specialized materials are used to fulfill specific functions so that the patient recovers thei.....»»
Miami-Dade study questions reliability of land surface temperature for heat risk assessment
A study published in the journal PLOS Climate on October 2, 2024, examines the effectiveness of using land surface temperatures (LSTs) as proxies for surface air temperatures (SATs) in subtropical, seasonally wet regions......»»
Return-to-office mandates may not be the solution to downtown struggles that Canadian cities are banking on
In recent months, many Canadian employers in both the public and private sectors have implemented return-to-office mandates, requiring workers that transitioned to remote or hybrid work during the COVID-19 pandemic to work in-person again......»»
People infer the past better than the future, study finds
If you started watching a movie from the middle without knowing its plot, you'd likely be better at inferring what had happened earlier than predicting what will happen next, according to a new Dartmouth-led study published in Nature Communications......»»
Mathematicians and climate researchers build new models for understanding polar sea ice
Polar sea ice is ever-changing. It shrinks, expands, moves, breaks apart, reforms in response to changing seasons, and rapid climate change. It is far from a homogenous layer of frozen water on the ocean's surface, but rather a dynamic mix of water a.....»»
Study: Wildfires will make the land absorb much less carbon, even if warming is kept below 1.5°C
One of the aims of the Paris Agreement was to "pursue efforts" to keep global warming below 1.5°C, but even this ambitious target would not stop the land's ability to absorb carbon weakening as wildfires become fiercer and more frequent, according t.....»»
There were more black holes in the early universe than we thought, research finds
Supermassive black holes are some of the most impressive (and scary) objects in the universe—with masses around 1 billion times more than that of the sun. And we know they've been around for a long time......»»
As Wildfires Rage, California’s Insurance Market Is in Crisis
Providers are offering fewer and fewer policies because of costlier climate-fueled fires, homeowners moving into riskier areas, and outdated regulation of the insurance industry......»»
Bird Flu Fears Stoke the Race for an mRNA Flu Vaccine
Researchers have been working on mRNA flu vaccines since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but we may get one for bird flu first......»»
Mexico leader worried about drinking water after Hurricane John
Mexico's new President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday expressed concern about supplies of drinking water in the country's west after Hurricane John hit the Pacific coast, killing at least 16 people......»»