How "sleeping" microorganisms can determine the fate of a population
Microorganisms that temporarily "go to sleep" play an important role in the evolution and survival of a population. Mathematician Shubhamoy Nandan conducted research on the effect of this characteristic called "dormancy" in a novel mathematical model.....»»
Millions in the US may rely on groundwater contaminated with PFAS for drinking water supplies
Approximately 71 to 95 million people in the Lower 48 states—more than 20% of the country's population—may rely on groundwater that contains detectable concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, for their drinking.....»»
A new test can determine if you have the right attitude to achieve your goals
It takes a lot to succeed with ambitious goals. Among other things, we need passion and belief that we will succeed, and we usually need support from others. However, we also need to have the right attitude—the right mindset, one that makes us will.....»»
Microbes feed on iron: New study reveals how they do it
Pipelines, sprinklers, and other infrastructure in oxygen-free environments are vulnerable to microbially induced corrosion (MIC)—a process where microorganisms degrade iron-based structures, potentially leading to costly damages or even collapses......»»
Students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities face barriers to medical school admission, study finds
There are 45.3 million African Americans living in the United States and they represent 13.6% of the U.S. population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But only 5.7% of physicians in the United States self-identify as Black, despite multiple effor.....»»
Right whale population grows 4% but extinction remains a threat
One of the rarest species of whale in the world has increased slightly in population, encouraging conservationists to call on the federal government and the shipping and fishing industries to do more to bring the giant animals back from the brink of.....»»
Genomic study offers hope for endangered Oriental stork
A new genomic study of the endangered Oriental stork reveals that the population's genetic health is still surprisingly strong, with high genetic diversity and low levels of inbreeding. This is an uncommon finding in most endangered species populatio.....»»
Understanding the relationship between food waste, climate change and an aging population
Producing food and getting it to people's plates entails a significant expenditure of energy and resources. Unfortunately, approximately one third of all food produced globally is not consumed and discarded. Hence, to build sustainable societies, it.....»»
Scientists find southern killer whales of the Pacific have access to enough food, deepening mystery of their struggles
A pair of marine mammal scientists at The University of British Columbia, has found that claims that a lack of access to salmon is what is driving the crash in population numbers for southern resident killer whales of the Pacific are wrong......»»
Cellular senescence research identifies key enzyme to promote healthy aging
A team at Kumamoto University has made a discovery that could help promote healthy aging. As the world's population ages, Japan's aging population in particular is growing at an unprecedented rate, making it crucial to extend healthy lifespans rather.....»»
American lobster population and habitat preferences shifting, study finds
American lobsters along Maine's coast have relocated to new habitats, while the population simultaneously shrunk in abundance and grew older, according to a new study by University of Maine researchers......»»
Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer helps researchers determine shape of black hole corona
New findings using data from NASA's IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) mission offer unprecedented insight into the shape and nature of a structure important to black holes called a corona. The findings are published in The Astrophysical Journ.....»»
Environmental DNA and epidemics in wood frogs: Collaboration examines eDNA"s precision in population size estimation
Tracy Rittenhouse, associate professor of natural resources and the environment in UConn's College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), was doing an experiment to study ranavirus epidemics in wood frogs. When Meghan Parsley, then a P.....»»
Microbiome studies in humans and zoo animals pave the way for new drug development
Microorganisms do not just colonize the body of mammals during infections. Billions of microbes can be found on and in healthy humans and animals at any given time, communicating with each other via chemical signals and thus influencing their health......»»
Researchers achieve tunable coherent population trapping in a double quantum dot system
A research team has achieved coherent population trapping (CPT) in a semiconductor double quantum dot (DQD) system......»»
Nano-nutrients can blunt effects of soil contamination, boost crop yields
One of the pressing problems that the world faces in the era of climate change is how to grow enough healthy food to meet the increasing global population, even as soil contamination rises. Research recently published in Nature Food by an internation.....»»
A unified theory for predicting pathogen competition: Exploring how emerging new strains replace previous ones
The COVID-19 pandemic showed that predicting the invasion of a novel pathogen into the human population and its evolutionary potential to generate new variants is crucial for preventing future outbreaks. New research conducted at Princeton University.....»»
Study shows wild birds" health and likely survival is affected by the gut microbiome
Researchers at University College Cork (UCC) have found that the gut microbiome affects the health of wild birds, which could impact their survival rates and ultimately population sizes......»»
Rangers lead effort to monitor Uganda"s lion population in critical stronghold
In a new study, wildlife rangers from the Uganda Wildlife Authority have demonstrated their ability to generate precise and reliable data on lion populations in Uganda's Nile Delta, a critical stronghold for African lions......»»
Compound drought–heat wave events under-recognized in global soils, finds study
Soil is essential for life and plays a crucial role in the Earth's ecosystem, providing support for plant roots and hosting countless microorganisms. In a warming world, it is important to understand how soil hydrothermal conditions, particularly the.....»»
Evolution in real time: Scientists predict—and witness—evolution in a 30-year marine snail experiment
Snails on a tiny rocky islet evolved before scientists' eyes. The marine snails were reintroduced after a toxic algal bloom wiped them out from the skerry. While the researchers intentionally brought in a distinct population of the same snail species.....»»