Natural clean-up: Bacteria can remove plastic pollution from lakes
A study of 29 European lakes has found that some naturally-occurring lake bacteria grow faster and more efficiently on the remains of plastic bags than on natural matter like leaves and twigs......»»
Presence of bacteria in soil makes flowers more attractive to pollinators, study shows
Bacteria that live in soil and help roots fix nitrogen can boost certain plants' capacity to reproduce, according to an article published in the American Journal of Botany describing a study of this mechanism in Chamaecrista latistipula, a legume bel.....»»
Bulrush once kept NZ"s wetlands and lakes thriving—now it could help restore them
With about 90% of New Zealand's natural wetlands drained or severely damaged during the past decades, we need to understand the role of native plants in the restoration of these important habitats......»»
Entire town could have kids go smartphone-free until age 14
A group of parents are trying to get the agreement of an entire town to have their kids go without smartphones until they are 14 years old. The hope is that if enough parents sign up to the initiative, it will remove the danger of isolating childr.....»»
Injecting manure into growing cover crops can cut pollution, support corn crops
Nitrogen in the soil, where plants can readily utilize it, benefits crop growth and health. However, nitrogen leaving the soil—whether through leaching into the groundwater table, flowing with surface runoff into streams or escaping into the air as.....»»
Key negotiator Norway sees "positive signals" ahead of plastic talks
In the single week that world leaders convened for high-level UN talks in New York, nearly 100,000 water bottles' worth of microplastics swirled through the city's air, posing known and still unknown risks to human health......»»
Semimetal-induced covalency achieves high-efficiency electrocatalysis for platinum intermetallic compounds
Compared with other types of batteries, proton exchange membrane fuel cells have the advantages of high discharge power and no pollution, which is also an important carrier for hydrogen energy conversion and utilization. Platinum intermetallic compou.....»»
Meta rolls out its own version of Advanced Voice Mode at Connect 2024
Meta announced Natural Voice Interactions at its Connect 2024 event. It's a new feature that will allow users to speak directly with the company's chatbot......»»
Talking to ChatGPT for the first time is a surreal experience
Listen to our first audio demo with OpenAI's new natural voice chat features. Enlarge / Putting the "chat" in ChatGPT (credit: Getty Images) In May, when OpenAI first demonstrated ChatGPT-4o's coming audio conversation c.....»»
Do you feel eco-guilt or eco-shame? Emotions reveal how much we care about the environment
Air travel, meat in the shopping cart, waste sorting, plastic toys—consumers are faced with a barrage of everyday decisions and priorities when navigating environmental concerns. But what drives these choices?.....»»
Citizen scientists help discover microplastics along the entire German coastline
The global production of plastics and the resulting plastic waste has increased to such an extent that plastics have become ubiquitous in our environment. Plastics of various sizes are also found along the German North Sea and Baltic coasts......»»
Ice cores show pollution"s impact on Arctic atmosphere
A Dartmouth-led study on ice cores from Alaska and Greenland found that air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels reaches the remote Arctic in amounts large enough to alter its fundamental atmospheric chemistry. The findings illustrate the long.....»»
Bacterial "flipping" allows genes to assume different forms
Imagine being one cartwheel away from changing your appearance. One flip, and your brunette locks are platinum blond. That's not too far from what happens in some prokaryotes, or single-cell organisms, such as bacteria, that undergo something called.....»»
Climatologists develop more accurate El Niño Southern Oscillation forecasts
Australian climatologists closely monitor atmospheric and oceanic conditions to assess the risk of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events occurring, which can lead to devastating natural disasters, however these predictions have become somewhat.....»»
Ultra-high speed camera for molecules: Attosecond spectroscopy captures electron transfer dynamics
In nature, photosynthesis powers plants and bacteria; within solar panels, photovoltaics transform light into electric energy. These processes are driven by electronic motion and imply charge transfer at the molecular level. The redistribution of ele.....»»
Morphology study paves the way for spider fang-inspired cutting tools
When we think of spiders, the first thing that comes to mind is their ability to weave intricate and robust webs. But their ability to cut their own silk—the toughest natural material—and strong or tough synthetic fibers such as carbon or Kevlar,.....»»
Ford CEO: Being kind not ‘natural to me"
Ford's CEO, at a dinner honoring the 2024 Automotive News Rising Stars, gave advice on identifying talent, managing time and improving himself......»»
Better together: Gut microbiome communities found to have enhanced resilience to drugs
Many human medications can directly inhibit the growth and alter the function of the bacteria that constitute our gut microbiome. EMBL Heidelberg researchers have now discovered that this effect is reduced when bacteria form communities......»»
Graphene spike mat uses ordinary fridge magnet tech to fight antibiotic resistance
With strong bactericidal properties, graphene has the potential to become a game changer in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. So far there have been no efficient ways to control these properties—and thus no way to make use of graphen.....»»
Researchers are commercializing technology to turn waste into plastic-free, biodegradable packaging
Seafood is a major industry in New England. It generates a lot of revenue for coastal communities, but with that productivity can come a lot of waste......»»
Traces of 10 common pharmaceuticals detected in corals in the Gulf of Eilat
A new study from Tel Aviv University and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History detected traces of 10 common medications in coral samples collected from both shallow and deep sites in the Gulf of Eilat. Sulfamethoxazole, an antibiotic used for resp.....»»