Hitchhiking viruses can survive on microplastics in freshwater
Scientists have proven for the first time that viruses can survive and remain infectious by binding themselves to plastics in freshwater—raising concerns about the potential impact on human health......»»
The wasps that tamed viruses
Some insects have transformed wild viruses into tiny biological weapons. Enlarge / Xorides praecatorius is a parasitoid wasp. (credit: TorriPhoto via Getty) If you puncture the ovary of a wasp called Microplitis demolito.....»»
Saving the Mary River turtle: How the people of Tiaro rallied behind an iconic species
Australian freshwater turtles are facing an alarming trend. Almost half of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered......»»
Limited adaptability is making freshwater bacteria vulnerable to climate change
Freshwater bacteria with small genomes frequently undergo prolonged periods of adaptive stagnation. Based on genomic analyses of samples from Lake Zurich and other European lakes, researchers at the University of Zurich have uncovered specific evolut.....»»
What are nanoplastics? An engineer explains concerns about particles too small to see
It's become common to read that microplastics—little bits of plastic, smaller than a pencil eraser—are turning up everywhere and in everything, including the ocean, farmland, food and human bodies. Now a new term is gaining attention: nanoplastic.....»»
"Everywhere we looked, we found evidence": Microplastics expert on 20 years of pollution research
Thirty years ago, while counting barnacles, limpets and seaweeds along rocky shores, I started noticing a daily tide of litter, mostly plastic. As a marine biology Ph.D. student at Liverpool University, I kept removing it, but the next day, there'd b.....»»
Bigger brains allow cliff-nesting seagull species to survive and thrive in urban environments
Seagull species that have bigger brains are more likely to nest on coastal cliffs and may also be better adapted to breed in urban environments such as on the roofs of buildings......»»
Two small NASA satellites will measure soil moisture, volcanic gases
Two NASA pathfinding missions were recently deployed into low-Earth orbit, where they are demonstrating novel technologies for observing atmospheric gases, measuring freshwater, and even detecting signs of potential volcanic eruptions......»»
Researchers discover key functions of therapeutically promising jumbo viruses
Antibiotic medicines became a popular treatment for bacterial infections in the early 20th century and emerged as a transformational tool in human health. Through the middle of the century, novel antibiotics were regularly developed in the medication.....»»
How polyps of the moon jellyfish repel viral attacks on their microbiome
Bacteriophages, or phages for short, are viruses that infect bacteria and kill them through a lysis process. Phages can kill bacteria on or in a multicellular host organism, such as the polyp of the moon jellyfish. Phages specialize in specific bacte.....»»
Machine learning classifies 191 of the world"s most damaging viruses
Researchers from the University of Waterloo have successfully classified 191 previously unidentified astroviruses using a new machine learning-enabled classification process......»»
Better reservoir management could aid food security and fisheries conservation in US
After nearly a century of people building dams on most of the world's major rivers, artificial reservoirs now represent an immense freshwater footprint across the landscape. Yet, these reservoirs are understudied and overlooked for their fisheries pr.....»»
Plant science research paves the way for deeper understanding of how the plant immune system functions
Researchers in the laboratory of Tessa Burch-Smith, Ph.D. at the Danforth Plant Science Center and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, are conducting pioneering work to discover how plants transmit information, important molecules, and viruses be.....»»
Reforestation study finds only a few tree species can survive a century of rapid climate change
Europe's forests have already been severely affected by climate change. Thousands of hectares of trees have already died due to drought and bark beetles. Scientists from the University of Vienna and the Technical University of Munich TUM have now inv.....»»
Swimming and spinning aquatic spiders use slick survival strategies
Some make nests inside seashells, others tote bubbles of air on their backs. Enlarge / Of all the aquatic spiders, the diving bell spider is the only one known to survive almost entirely underwater, using bubbles of air it bring.....»»
Study details a common bacterial defense against viral infection
One of the many secrets to bacteria's success is their ability to defend themselves from viruses, called phages, that infect bacteria and use their cellular machinery to make copies of themselves......»»
Study shows the longer spilled oil lingers in freshwater, the more persistent compounds it produces
Oil is an important natural resource for many industries, but it can lead to serious environmental damage when accidentally spilled. While large oil spills are highly publicized, every year, there are many smaller-scale spills into lakes, rivers, and.....»»
Engineers muffle invading pathogens with a "molecular mask"
Vaccines remain the gold standard of protection against dangerous pathogens, but take considerable time and vast resources to develop. Rapidly mutating viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 can blunt their effectiveness and even render them obsolete......»»
Japan"s moon lander wasn"t built to survive a weekslong lunar night. It"s still going after 3
Japan's first moon lander has survived a third freezing lunar night, Japan's space agency said Wednesday after receiving an image from the device three months after it landed on the moon......»»
F1 24 Editions: Which Should You Buy?
In this guide we’ll take you though EA’s F1 24 editions and help you determine which is the right one for your interest level and budget. Thanks to the success of Netflix’s F1 Drive to Survive series, the sport’s popularity ha.....»»
Australia"s Great Barrier Reef struggles to survive
Australia's famed Great Barrier Reef is suffering one of the most severe coral bleaching events on record, leaving scientists fearful for its survival as the impact of climate change worsens......»»