Human-induced drying trend in Central Asia since the 1950s
The economies of northern Central Asia rely heavily on agriculture and are particularly affected by changes in the local hydrological cycle. However, this region is one of the largest dryland regions in the Northern Hemisphere and is facing a crisis.....»»
Climate change worsened deadly Africa floods, scientists say
Human-caused climate change worsened floods that have killed hundreds of people and displaced millions in Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Nigeria and Sudan this year, according to a study published on Wednesday......»»
ScaleVoice"s AI ‘workers" can contact customers and seem human
The startup is seeking new venture capital to help fuel an expansion of its AI "workers" designed to automate outbound dealership calls and texts......»»
EV shipments to Europe soar ahead of planned EU tariffs
Automakers from Asia’s biggest economy shipped 60,517 EVs to the 27 nations in the European trade bloc last month, up 61 percent from last year, according to customs data......»»
Was organized society an agitating or pacifying force in ancient Andes populations?
The extent to which "civilization" heightens or lessens the likelihood of violent conflict throughout human history has remained one of the most enduring questions among anthropologists. But a new collaborative study of archaeological groups from the.....»»
Study suggests frogs and toads will face new risks as water habitats dry up due to global warming
A small international team has found that anurans such as frogs and toads will be facing increased risks to their survival in the coming years due to water habitats drying up as a result of global warming......»»
Rare fossils of extinct elephant document the earliest known instance of butchery in India
During the late middle Pleistocene, between 300 and 400 thousand years ago, at least three ancient elephant relatives died near a river in the Kashmir Valley of South Asia. Not long after, they were covered in sediment and preserved along with 87 sto.....»»
Accurately weighing costs and benefits of different methods for controlling invasive species
Invasive insect species bring a host of health, social, ecological and economic consequences, including crop damage, food insecurity, biodiversity loss, ecosystem disruption, human disease transmission and rising allergy rates......»»
Artificial "nose" can sniff out damaged fruit and spoiled meat
Although smell has historically played an important role in the fight against diseases such as the plague and tuberculosis, the human nose is generally not sensitive enough to be used as a reliable diagnostic tool. However, a new artificial "nose" in.....»»
Satellite-derived data on artificial light at night indicate rapidly increasing industrial activities in the Arctic
More than 800,000 km2 of the Arctic were affected by human activity in 2013, according to an analysis of satellite-derived data on artificial light at night. On average, 85% of the light-polluted areas are due to industrial activities rather than urb.....»»
Loss of "nitrogen fixers" threatens biodiversity, ecosystems, say biologists
Mississippi State University is part of a European-American collaboration studying how human activities, like fertilizer use and pollution, are impacting nitrogen-fixing plants which are crucial for maintaining healthy ecosystems by adding nitrogen t.....»»
EU delays on dangerous chemicals threaten health, environment: watchdog
The European Commission's long delays in deciding whether some dangerous chemicals can be used pose a threat to human health and the environment, the EU's rights watchdog said on Monday......»»
Distressed about climate change, a "supermajority" of young Americans across the political spectrum want bolder action
A "supermajority" of young Americans across the political spectrum feel distressed about human-made climate change and want bolder action from the government and corporations, a new study has found. Experiencing the worsening effects of a rapidly cha.....»»
On New Jersey"s Burlington Island, human nature has been at odds with nature for 400 years: What"s next?
Beautiful and artificial, the 100-acre lake on Burlington Island embodies the sort of complexities that for centuries have helped make this storied piece of South Jersey real estate alluring, inspiring—and a periodic source of controversy......»»
Research finds 1.1 billion people in multidimensional poverty, with nearly a half-billion in conflict settings
New research from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) has found that poverty rates in conflict-affected nations are almost three times higher than in countries free from conflic.....»»
Scientists identify potential deep-ocean greenhouse gas storage solution
As the planet continues to warm and the ramifications of human-driven climate change continue to amplify, the need to find ways to mitigate climate change is growing. In Nature Communications, University of California, Irvine scientists describe a ne.....»»
First results from the Axion Dark-Matter Birefringent Cavity experiment establish a new technique for axion search
Researchers at MIT recently published the first results of an experiment aimed at searching for axion dark matter by probing the axion-induced birefringence of electromagnetic waves. While these findings, published in Physical Review Letters, did not.....»»
New fabrication strategy enhances graphene aerogel sensitivity and durability for human-machine interfaces
In recent years, researchers have synthesized various new materials that could be used to develop more advanced robotic systems, devices and human-machine interfaces. These materials include graphene aerogels, ultralight, porous and graphene-based ma.....»»
Biofabrication should be sustainable: Researcher calls for a rethink in current practices
Miriam Filippi, a researcher in the field of soft robotics working on developing bioinspired artificial muscle tissues, believes we can make human activities more ecologically sound by harnessing the power of living cells for bio-hybrid materials......»»
In search of evidence of ancient human existence, researchers traverse the inhospitable Namib desert
Strewn across the Namib desert is a treasure trove of stone tools of which little is known because getting to them is so difficult. There are few roads and vehicles have limited access in this protected area that lies in the desert of western Namibia.....»»
Identifying the genes that viruses "steal" from ocean microbes
The microbes that cycle nutrients in the ocean don't do the work on their own—the viruses that infect them also influence the process. It's a vital job for the rest of the planet, enabling oceans to absorb half of the human-generated carbon in the.....»»