Increasing levels of humidity are here to make heat waves even worse
This summer's heat is only a preview of what's in store for our future. Enlarge / A tourist refreshes at a vapor barrier in Budapest, Hungary, on July 16, 2023. (credit: Arpad Kurucz/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Be.....»»
What oxygen levels in the Tijuana River estuary tell us about the impacts of the sewage crisis
Researchers Jeff Crooks and Stephany Garcia checked the minnow traps left at the murky mouth of the Tijuana River on a sunny October morning......»»
Student fees set to rise in UK but at what cost to graduates" mental health?
After months of discussion and speculation about how British universities will fill budget deficits, the UK government confirmed that tuition fees will be increasing to £9,535 a year in England in 2025. The impact of this price rise on graduates' me.....»»
Heat hardiness: Scientists identify key phase for tomato heat tolerance
By studying tomato varieties that produce fruit in exceptionally hot growing seasons, biologists at Brown University identified the growth cycle phase when tomatoes are most vulnerable to extreme heat, as well as the molecular mechanisms that make th.....»»
Everything you need to know before buying a space heater
Space heaters are a popular way to heat up your home, but they come with serious risks. Here's what to know before adding one to your home......»»
Chemists find easier way to produce biodiesel from waste oil
UC Santa Cruz chemists have discovered a new way to produce biodiesel from waste oil that both simplifies the process and requires relatively mild heat. This discovery has the potential to make the alternative fuel source much more appealing to the m.....»»
How prisons fall short in protecting the incarcerated from climate disasters
Blistering heat, freezing cold, and overflowing sewage water: These were the living conditions that formerly incarcerated people in Colorado said they suffered inside the state's prisons and jails......»»
Team develops non-invasive biosensor for early kidney disease detection
Traditionally, kidney health has been monitored by measuring blood creatinine levels, which indicate muscle breakdown. High creatinine levels can suggest that the kidneys are not filtering waste efficiently. However, creatinine levels can be affected.....»»
Making "stressed" potatoes more climate-resilient
Heat, dry spells and flooding—the whole of nature is under stress, and potatoes are no exception. As a food staple, there is particular interest in getting potatoes fit for the new climate reality. As part of the EU's four-year ADAPT project, an in.....»»
Soil sampling in Houston"s greater Fifth Ward reveals toxic levels of lead in yards, play areas
Houston, like many American cities, has areas with soil contaminated by non-biodegradable and persistent pollutants such as arsenic, lead, nickel and cadmium, known as heavy metals and metalloids. These are both naturally occurring in the atmosphere.....»»
Helping the most vulnerable stay cool in extreme heat
The health effects of heat waves hit some communities harder than others. People with preexisting health conditions, as well as those who have low income or are physically or socially isolated, very old or very young, from racial or ethnic minority g.....»»
Scientists have figured out why Martian soil is so crusty
On November 26, 2018, NASA's Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy, and Heat Transport (InSight) mission landed on Mars. This was a major milestone in Mars exploration since it was the first time a research station had been deplo.....»»
Moon waves goodbye to Hera
As ESA's Hera mission for planetary defense departed its homeworld, it looked back to Earth to show the moon orbiting around it. In this sequence of images the terrestrial disk gradually shrinks as the spacecraft recedes away from it, and the moon mo.....»»
Spraying rice with zinc oxide nanoparticles protects yields during heat waves, study finds
A small team of horticulturists in China and the U.S. has found that spraying rice plants with a zinc oxide nanoparticle solution helps them better handle the stress of a heat wave. In their study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of.....»»
Valencia floods: Warming climate is making once-rare weather more common and more destructive, says researcher
In the last few days, a seasonal weather system known in Spain as the "cold drop" or DANA (an acronym of "depresión aislada en niveles altos": isolated depression at high levels) has caused heavy rain and flooding across Spain's Mediterranean coast.....»»
How many trees does it take to cool a city? Researchers develop tool to set urban tree canopy goals
Cities around the globe are increasingly experiencing dangerous heat as urban concrete and asphalt amplify rising temperatures. Tree-planting programs are a popular, nature-based way to cool cities, but these initiatives have been largely based on gu.....»»
Research highlights biofortification"s role in tackling malnutrition
A series of research papers and a free online data dashboard seek to boost the use of biofortification—an affordable, sustainable and climate-smart way to address global malnutrition by increasing the concentrations of essential nutrients in staple.....»»
How to boost Asian American voter turnout in Los Angeles: A new study points the way
Improving the quality of translated voting materials, broadening government outreach to potential voters and increasing the number of in-person voting sites are key to boosting voter turnout among Asian Americans in Los Angeles, according to a newly.....»»
Unlocking next-gen chip efficiency: Researchers confirm thermal insights for tiny circuits
In a leap toward more powerful and efficient computer chips, researchers at the University of Virginia have confirmed a key principle governing heat flow in thin metal films—a critical component in the race to design faster, smaller and more effici.....»»
Is Donald Trump preying on his supporters" death fears? What terror management theory offers us
Death and destruction from climate crises—flooding, fires, hurricanes and heat......»»
Dams have taken half the water from Australia"s second biggest river—and climate change will make it even worse
The largest wetland on Australia's second longest river, the Murrumbidgee in the southern Murray-Darling Basin, is drying up. This is bad news for the plants, animals and people who rely on the vast Lowbidgee Floodplain. So it's important to understa.....»»