More naturally occurring trees and less clustering could benefit urban forests
Excessive clustering of tree species in urban forests and overreliance on introduced species may make urban forests more vulnerable to pests or disease and reduce their ecosystem benefits, a study published today in eLife shows......»»
Study reveals key strategies to combat urban heat vulnerability
A QUT study analyzing five decades of research and thousands of studies has identified five critical areas needed to tackle urban heat vulnerability (UHV), a growing issue impacting millions in increasingly heat-prone cities......»»
Nanoplastics put stress on trees and impair photosynthesis
It is well known that more and more plastic waste is ending up in soil and bodies of water. Researchers are particularly concerned about tiny micro- and nano-sized particles. It remains unclear how and to what extent they are able to enter living org.....»»
Minnesota, US are losing valuable wetlands at an increasing rate
Marshes were drained and replaced by shallow, lifeless ponds. Old floodplain forests were cut down with no plan for them to grow back. Swamps and bogs were permanently drowned by open water......»»
Monsoon floods in India"s Gujarat kill at least 28 people
Intense monsoon rains and floods in India's Gujarat state killed at least 28 people in the past three days, some drowning and others hit by falling trees, government officials said......»»
There"s more to accessibility than availability of recreational spaces, says study
Urban planners and developers have predetermined markers of accessibility for recreational spaces, such as parks and playgrounds that might include ramps or the ability to travel to the space using public transportation......»»
"Silent" mutations found to have repercussions beyond their own gene
Genetic disorders—like cystic fibrosis and Huntington's disease—are considered incurable, with gene mutations occurring in essentially every cell of the body. Gene mutations occur when one nucleotide in a codon is switched. In non-synonymous muta.....»»
Killings of invasive owls to ramp up on US West Coast in a bid to save native birds
U.S. wildlife officials beginning next year will drastically scale up efforts to kill invasive barred owls that are crowding out imperiled native owls from West Coast forests, under a plan finalized Wednesday that faces challenges from barred owls re.....»»
Q&A: Rwanda is creating shiny, modern cities after the genocide—but this won"t help communities heal from the past
Over the past 17 years, Rwanda has cleared informal settlements to make way for modern urban construction. Kigali's ambitious city master plan is expected to be fully realized by 2050. But what about the people who are pushed out in the process, and.....»»
Most food waste happens at home—new research reveals the best ways to reduce it
The EU and UK pledged to reduce food waste, in line with the UN's goal to halve global food waste by 2030. With most (approximately 53%) of total food waste in European countries occurring in homes, this stage of the food chain presents the most sign.....»»
Researchers study carbon capture in Upper Newport Bay salt marshes
Despite covering just 2% of the ocean, coastal wetlands—such as tidal salt marshes, mangrove forests and seagrass beds—are responsible for storing nearly half of all carbon found in ocean sediment. These "blue carbon" ecosystems naturally absorb.....»»
Old and new Ryzen CPUs speed boost from optional Windows update
And it turns out that old Ryzen CPUs benefit almost as much as newer ones. Enlarge / AMD's Ryzen 7 7700X. (credit: Andrew Cunningham) Among AMD’s explanations for the somewhat underwhelming Ryzen 9000 performance repor.....»»
Algorithm raises new questions about Cascadia earthquake record
The Cascadia subduction zone in the Pacific Northwest has a history of producing powerful and destructive earthquakes that have sunk forests and spawned tsunamis that reached all the way to the shores of Japan......»»
From antiquity to adaptation: Tracing the genetic journey of east Asian chestnut varieties
Uncovering the genetic saga of Castanea trees, a study maps their evolutionary journey and local climate adaptations. This research reveals the genetic markers and molecular mechanisms that have allowed these nut fruit trees to adapt and flourish acr.....»»
New research shows that online ads have limited impact on consumer valuations for Facebook
Policymakers are increasingly debating the relative social costs and benefits of digital advertising. While ads typically benefit platforms and advertisers, do they disadvantage consumers? In a new study, researchers have analyzed advertising on Face.....»»
How engineered walnuts combat drought through grafting
Drought is a major threat to walnut production globally, often resulting in lower yields and weaker trees. While grafting has traditionally been used to improve the resilience of fruit and nut trees, the exact mechanisms of signal transfer between ro.....»»
Satellites reveal ecosystems most vulnerable to drought
More severe droughts that will also last longer: this will primarily be a problem for irrigated croplands, as discovered by environmental scientist Qi Chen. Mixed forests with a variety of plant species will be the least vulnerable. Chen compared the.....»»
Unconventional interface superconductor could benefit quantum computing
A multi-institutional team of scientists in the United States, led by physicist Peng Wei at the University of California, Riverside, has developed a new superconductor material that could potentially be used in quantum computing and be a candidate "t.....»»
Carbon emissions from forest soil will likely grow with rising temperatures
The soils of northern forests are key reservoirs that help keep the carbon dioxide that trees inhale and use for photosynthesis from making it back into the atmosphere. But a unique experiment led by Peter Reich of the University of Michigan is showi.....»»
Chalk-based coating creates a cooling fabric
In the scorching heat of summer, anyone who spends time outside—athletes, landscapers, kids at the park or beachgoers—could benefit from a cooling fabric. While there are some textiles that reflect the sun's rays or transfer heat away from the bo.....»»
Saving the vanishing forests of Iraq"s Kurdistan
In a plant nursery in northern Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, hundreds of pine, eucalyptus, olive and pomegranate saplings grow under awnings protecting them from the fierce summer sun......»»