Microplastics could make other pollutants more harmful
Microplastics—small plastic pieces less than five millimeters in length—are becoming a ubiquitous ecological contaminant. Studies suggest that on their own, these tiny bits are potentially harmful, and it's unclear what effect they could have on.....»»
Aluminum mining waste could be a source of green steel
After the extraction, the remaining waste is less harmful to the environment. Enlarge / A red mud retaining pond in Germany. (credit: Wikimedia Commons) The metals that form the foundation of modern society also cause a.....»»
Galápagos penguin is exposed to and may accumulate microplastics at high rate within its food web, modeling suggests
Modeling shows how microplastics may bioaccumulate in the Galápagos Islands' food web, with Galápagos penguins most affected, according to a study published in PLOS ONE by Karly McMullen from the University of British Columbia, Canada, under the su.....»»
Bloom-forming cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates in five Argentinian reservoirs: A multi-year sampling
Harmful algal blooms (HABs), characterized by the proliferation of detrimental algae and cyanobacteria, occur worldwide. HABs include any event causing adverse effects on human health, socioeconomic interests, or aquatic systems. The consequences of.....»»
Tiny water-walking bugs provide scientists with insights on how microplastics are pushed underwater
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that can cause big problems when they enter the water supply. One way my fluid dynamics lab explores microplastic movement is by studying how tiny water-walking insects are pushed underwater by raindrops......»»
Sexual minority young people in Canada more likely to experience harmful police contact, finds study
While there has been much public scrutiny and research on police interactions and violence towards sexual minorities in the United States, there is a gap in the current literature on how sexual minorities fare with law enforcement contact in Canada......»»
Exploding kamikaze bacteria: How a few "soldier" cells confer virulence to a population by sacrificing themselves
You suddenly feel sick—pathogenic bacteria have managed to colonize and spread in your body. The weapons they use for their invasion are harmful toxins that target the host's defense mechanisms and vital cell functions. Before these deadly toxins c.....»»
Jinglinxi, China: Ditches and ponds could be used in upland catchments to balance drainage and intercept pollutants
Globally, non-point source pollution is an important source of water quality deterioration in rivers and lakes. A ditch-pond system, consisting of ditches and ponds, is considered to be similar to free-surface wetlands, linking pollution sources to t.....»»
New material opens up possibility of converting water pollutants into hydrogen gas
WPI Researchers have developed a material to remove urea from water and potentially convert it into hydrogen gas. By building these materials of nickel and cobalt atoms with carefully tailored electronic structures, the group has unlocked the potenti.....»»
Education and understanding is vital when tackling rising reports of harmful sexual behavior by children
An analysis of data from 42 police forces across England and Wales has found that over half of the 106,984 child sexual abuse cases in 2022 involved reported offenses by young people aged between ten and 17. This is a rise of 7.6% from 2021......»»
Global collaboration of scientists needed to solve polycrisis, say researchers
Heightened global interconnectivity and human pressures on planetary boundaries generate increasingly harmful and extensive crisis interactions that make it impossible to solve any one problem alone, findings published in Global Sustainability reveal.....»»
Molecular sensor enables water bear hardiness by triggering dormancy, study finds
Tardigrades—hardy, microscopic animals commonly known as "water bears"—use a molecular sensor that detects harmful conditions in their environment, telling them when to go dormant and when to resume normal life. A team led by Derrick R. J. Kollin.....»»
Small-scale study finds microplastics from natural fertilizers are blowing in the wind more often than once thought
Though natural fertilizers made from treated sewage sludge are used to reintroduce nutrients onto agricultural fields, they bring along microplastic pollutants too. And according to a small-scale study published in Environmental Science & Technology.....»»
Laundry is a top source of microplastic pollution—here"s how to clean your clothes more sustainably
Microplastics are turning up everywhere, from remote mountain tops to deep ocean trenches. They also are in many animals, including humans......»»
Obtaining hydrogen from vine shoots for biofuel production
A research team from the universities of Jaén and São Paulo in Brazil has confirmed that hydrogen can be obtained from vine shoots through a process that does not require fossil fuels and does not emit pollutants. With their work, they manage to gi.....»»
Cellular clean energy: Can mitochondria make more energy without collateral damage?
Is it possible to amp up the energy production of mitochondria without also boosting potentially harmful byproducts? If so, such a method could be used to treat a host of neurodegenerative diseases in which impaired mitochondria are believed to play.....»»
Researchers explore the impact of microplastics and toxin exposure on goldfish
The presence of plastics in our oceans and waterbodies is one of the most significant threats to marine ecosystems. In 2022, plastic production exceeded 400 million tons globally, which continues to rise. The presence of microplastics, ranging in siz.....»»
Plastic is everywhere, including in our food and bottled water
Microplastics in our steak and tofu are washed down with nanoplastics from bottled water. Enlarge (credit: RunPhoto via Getty) If we are what we eat, there’s growing evidence to help explain how nanoplastics and microp.....»»
Viruses aren"t always harmful. Six ways they"re used in health care and pest control
We tend to just think of viruses in terms of their damaging impacts on human health and lives. The 1918 flu pandemic killed around 50 million people. Smallpox claimed 30% of those who caught it, and survivors were often scarred and blinded. More rece.....»»
Facebook, Instagram block teens from sensitive content, even from friends
Meta hiding harmful content from teens isn’t enough, whistleblower says. Enlarge Meta has begun hiding sensitive content from teenagers under the age of 18 on Facebook and Instagram, a company blog announced on Tuesda.....»»
Teen Instagram and Facebook accounts will have harmful content blocked
Meta has announced that teen Instagram and Facebook accounts will in future block a wide range of harmful content, including posts about self-harm, graphic violence, and eating disorders. The move is being made in response to lawsuits by the majority.....»»