How this summer"s heat waves may impact the economy
This sweltering summer has brought record-breaking high temperatures to 63 countries, all but cementing 2024's status as the world's hottest year on record (even though we're barely past the halfway point). Such extreme weather trends are bound to ha.....»»
New electron microscopy technique reveals complex spin structures at femtosecond timescales
Plasmons are collective oscillations of electrons in a solid and are important for a wide range of applications, such as sensing, catalysis, and light harvesting. Plasmonic waves that travel along the surface of a metal, called surface plasmon polari.....»»
Intense ribbons of rain also bring the heat, scientists say
The environmental threat posed by atmospheric rivers—long, narrow ribbons of water vapor in the sky—doesn't come only in the form of concentrated, torrential downpours and severe flooding characteristic of these natural phenomena. According to a.....»»
Latest gravitational wave observations conflict with expectations from stellar models
Almost 300 binary mergers have been detected so far, indicated by their passing gravitational waves. These measurements from the world's gravitational wave observatories put constraints on the masses and spins of the merging objects such as black hol.....»»
Journal that published faulty black plastic study removed from science index
Chemosphere cut from Web of Science, which calculates impact factors. The publisher of a high-profile, now-corrected study on black plastics has been removed from a critical index.....»»
Plasma heating efficiency in fusion devices boosted by metal screens
Heating plasma to the ultra-high temperatures needed for fusion reactions requires more than turning the dial on a thermostat. Scientists consider multiple methods, one of which involves injecting electromagnetic waves into the plasma, the same proce.....»»
How prepared are we for another pandemic? Study provides mathematical insights into airborne viral transmission
Half a decade on from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a study by the University of Surrey highlights the significant impact of combined public health measures in reducing airborne viral transmission. High-quality face masks were shown to reduce t.....»»
Change management shows us how we all can become climate leaders
'Tis the season for resolutions, and if yours are all about reducing your impact on the planet then you may find yourself at loggerheads this holiday season with friends whose 2025 goals are a bit less green......»»
More than 1,300 Hajj pilgrims died this year when humidity and heat pushed past survivable limits—it"s just the start
Every year, hundreds of thousands of Muslims undertake the Hajj—the sacred pilgrimage to Mecca. In 2024, the pilgrimage took place in mid-June, the start of the Saudi summer......»»
Prototype sunscreen uses TiO₂ nanoparticles to cool skin while blocking UV rays
Wearing sunscreen is important to protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV radiation but doesn't cool people off. However, a new formula, described in Nano Letters, protects against both UV light and heat from the sun using radiative cooling......»»
NASA payload aims to probe moon"s depths to study heat flow
Earth's nearest neighboring body in the solar system is its moon, yet to date, humans have physically explored just 5% of its surface. It wasn't until 2023—building on Apollo-era data and more detailed studies made in 2011–2012 by NASA's automate.....»»
Optical spring enables programmable defect mode in new mechanical crystal
Mechanical crystals, also known as phononic crystals, are materials that can control the propagation of vibrations or sound waves, just like photonic crystals control the flow of light. The introduction of defects in these crystals (i.e., intentional.....»»
Storm fears overshadow India coast decades after tsunami
The deadly tsunami that swamped India's southern coast two decades ago was a one-off disaster, but storms that are growing ever more intense spark panic each time howling gales whip up waves......»»
Parental identity, not ethnicity, influences education spending patterns: Study
How much parents spend on their children's education has a big impact on family well-being and a country's overall development. While past studies have suggested that ethnic and racial backgrounds affect this spending, they lacked solid experimental.....»»
Study finds aquatic vegetation removal benefits health and economy
Turning aquatic vegetation near agricultural land into compost simultaneously eradicates habitat for disease-carrying snails while improving agricultural output and increasing incomes in northern Senegal, Cornell researchers have found......»»
Astronaut-on-a-chip: Multi-organ tissue chips simulate space radiation"s impact on human health
As astronauts venture further into space, their exposure to harmful radiation rises. Researchers from Columbia University are simulating the effects of space radiation here on Earth to determine its impact on human physiology using multi-organ tissue.....»»
Aerosols could be weakening summertime circulation in the Northern Hemisphere
Over the past several decades, summer jet streams (or west to east wind flow) and weather systems in the Northern Hemisphere have weakened. Projections suggest the trend will continue, which could make extreme heat events more likely and affect air q.....»»
Astonishing 32TB hard drive uses lasers to heat and cool platters within a nanosecond
Seagate is finally offering its largest-ever hard drive – a staggering 32TB in a single drive, made possible by tech which uses lasers to heat and cool tiny sections of a platter in a nanosecond … more….....»»
Western meritocracy traps people in emotions of envy, shame and fear, philosophers say
The rich are getting richer, and poverty is rapidly increasing in Western countries with market economies. This growing inequality has a significant impact on the well-being of citizens......»»
Research reveals mental health"s impact on parole rearrest likelihood
Individuals who have a mental illness are more likely to be rearrested after being released from prison than those without a mental illness, according to a new study by a University at Buffalo School of Social Work researcher......»»
Is a lack of corporate competition stifling the US economy?
Economist Ali Yurukoglu has some encouraging news for anyone who fears that an overconcentration of corporate power is hurting the U.S. economy, stifling innovation, and harming consumers: Dig deep into the data, and you'll see that competition is, i.....»»