Geographic differences in US homicide rates have decreased since the 1970s, study finds
A new study finds that, counter to expectations, geographic disparities in rates of homicides in the US have decreased in recent decades. Richard Boylan of Rice University in Houston, Texas, US, presents these findings in the open-access journal PLOS.....»»
Seals" iceberg strategies: Navigating icy habitats for survival
Harbor seals in icy regions use icebergs shed by glaciers as safe platforms to give birth, care for young and molt. New research finds that as glaciers change with the climate, the resulting changes in size, speed and number of icebergs affect seals'.....»»
Illegal ritualistic hunts in West Bengal kill thousands of animals each year
A new study in the journal Nature Conservation highlights the grave impacts of illegal ritualistic hunts in West Bengal, India, where thousands of hunters gather during cultural or religious festivals to kill wildlife using traditional weapons such.....»»
Fashion police dictated gender norms in early modern Genoa, historian finds
While fashion magazines and social media strongly influence how people dress today, there were literally fashion police in most early modern European cities, according to art history scholar Ana Cristina Howie, with local laws dictating—down to the.....»»
Once-endangered Kirtland"s warblers show extensive signs of inbreeding in genome
The genome of a once-endangered songbird shows extensive signs of inbreeding, according to a new study by Penn State researchers. Because inbreeding can negatively impact survival and reproduction, the results could guide continuing conservation effo.....»»
Ozone recovery delayed 17 years by feedstock emissions, old gear
A new study published in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics reveals a 17-year delay in the projected recovery of the ozone layer since 2006, underscoring the need for enhanced global environmental policies and enforcement......»»
AI"s power demands driving toxic air pollution, study finds
Computer processing demands for artificial intelligence, or AI, are spurring increasing levels of deadly air pollution from power plants and backup diesel generators that continuously supply electricity to the fast-growing number of computer processi.....»»
Study finds increased income boosts birthweight outcomes
Higher incomes are often correlated with healthier pregnancies and babies, but is it really the money that matters? Sedimentary rocks that formed 390 million years ago, surprisingly, help provide the answer, at least for those who live above the Marc.....»»
Obesity rates are down. Is that because of weight-loss drugs?
Results from a recent survey have prompted questions. Earlier this fall, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported data showing that adult obesity rates—long trend.....»»
"We live in a universe that is just right for us": Study proposes a test for the Anthropic Principle
The Anthropic Principle—stating that the universe we live in is fine-tuned to host life—was first proposed by Brandon Carter in 1973. Since then, it has sparked significant debate......»»
You Asked: cinematic TV sizes and 4K Blu-ray-quality digital downloads
On today’s You Asked: The differences between HDMI 2.1, 2.1a, and 2.1b? Why 4K Blu-ray-quality digital downloads don’t exist? Best screen sizes for achieving a cinematic experience at home? Plus, TCL’s Bruce Walker joins Caleb in the studio......»»
New study reveals link between owner demographics and canine nutrition
Dog owners have quite a bit of control over their pets' diets, and many have strong opinions on what kinds of diets are best for their canine friends......»»
Many hybrids rank as most reliable of all vehicles, Consumer Reports finds
Many hybrid vehicles stand out as the most reliable vehicles offered on the market, according to Consumer Reports' year-end survey......»»
Lizards and snakes are 35 million years older than we thought
Reanalysis of a fossil finds that reptiles' traits go back earlier than we thought. Lizards are ancient creatures. They were around before the dinosaurs and persisted long after d.....»»
Plankton study investigates how marine food webs respond to increasing alkalinity
The ocean naturally absorbs a quarter to a third of man-made CO2 emissions, but this process also leads to the acidification of seawater. By increasing the alkalinity of seawater through the addition of certain minerals (e.g., carbonates and silicate.....»»
Robots give scientists unprecedented access to study coral reef biodiversity
Mesophotic coral ecosystems have some of the highest diversity of stony corals (Scleractinia) in the world, making them particularly important for researchers. These ecosystems are also unique because they host more native species compared to shallow.....»»
Record-low Antarctic sea ice can be explained and forecast months out by patterns in winds
Amid all the changes in Earth's climate, sea ice in the stormy Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica was, for a long time, an odd exception. The maximum winter sea ice cover remained steady or even increased slightly from the late 1970s through 2015,.....»»
Pioneering survey methodology sets new standards for gauging global scientific consensus
An international study led by Professor Peter Vickers of Durham University introduces a novel methodology for rapidly assessing scientific consensus on a global scale......»»
High heat is preferentially killing the young, not the old, research finds
Many recent studies assume that elderly people are at particular risk of dying from extreme heat as the planet warms. A new study of mortality in Mexico turns this assumption on its head: it shows that 75% of heat-related deaths are occurring among p.....»»
Experiment verifies a connection between quantum theory and information theory
Researchers from Linköping University together with colleagues from Poland and Chile have confirmed a theory that proposes a connection between the complementarity principle and entropic uncertainty. Their study is published in the journal Science A.....»»
Interdisciplinary research reveals impressive adaptation mechanisms of microscopic algae
Researchers from the University of Jena and the Leibniz Institutes in Jena have published new findings on the adaptability of the microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The interdisciplinary study, largely carried out by scientists from the Cluster of.....»»