Plastic creates "evolutionary trap" for young sea turtles
Plastic pollution creates an "evolutionary trap" for young sea turtles, new research shows......»»
Cuffing season: An evolutionary explanation for why people want to settle down for the winter months
Does the effort you invest in seeking a romantic partner intensify as summer ends? During the colder, darker months, people have been known to engage in "cuffing season," which means attaching yourself to or having a physical relationship with someon.....»»
How future heat waves at sea could devastate UK marine ecosystems and fisheries
The oceans are warming at an alarming rate. 2023 shattered records across the world's oceans, and was the first time that ocean temperatures exceeded 1°C over pre-industrial levels. This led to the emergence of a series of marine heat wave events ac.....»»
Study suggests statistical "noise" affects perceived evolutionary rates
For decades, researchers have observed that rates of evolution seem to accelerate over short time periods—say five million years versus fifty million years. This broad pattern has suggested that "younger" groups of organisms, in evolutionary terms,.....»»
Scientists develop novel method for strengthening PVC products
Researchers have developed a way to make one type of plastic material more durable and less likely to shed dangerous microplastics. Their study has identified a secure way to attach chemical additives to polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The work is publishe.....»»
New species of clearwing moth from Guyana discovered in Wales
A new species of moth has been described far away from home following a cross-continent detective journey that included Natural History Museum scientists from separate fields, a budding young ecologist with a knack for community science, a globe-trot.....»»
Mathematicians and climate researchers build new models for understanding polar sea ice
Polar sea ice is ever-changing. It shrinks, expands, moves, breaks apart, reforms in response to changing seasons, and rapid climate change. It is far from a homogenous layer of frozen water on the ocean's surface, but rather a dynamic mix of water a.....»»
Wastewater bacteria can break down plastic for food, yielding new possibilities for cleaning up plastic waste
Researchers have long observed that a common family of environmental bacteria, Comamonadacae, grow on plastics littered throughout urban rivers and wastewater systems. But exactly what these Comamonas bacteria are doing has remained a mystery......»»
Bacteria-derived enzyme shows potential for polyethylene biodegradation
Every year, 400 million tons of plastic products are produced worldwide, half of which are single-use items discarded within a year. In particular, non-biodegradable plastic waste, which takes over 500 years to decompose naturally, is mostly treated.....»»
Scientists Figured Out How to Recycle Plastic by Vaporizing It
A new technique could prevent tons of waste in the future—if it can scale......»»
Why plastic bottles in the EU now have their caps attached
You may have bought a drink recently and noticed something odd: the once removable cap is now tethered to the bottle by a small strip of plastic......»»
Poor countries recycle far more imported plastic than previously thought—but it"s not enough
Countries like Malaysia import many metric tons of plastic waste from Europe each year, paying a few pennies per kilo. This might seem strange, but according to Kai Li, it makes sense......»»
Scientists find plausible geological setting that may have sparked life on Earth
Researchers have discovered a plausible evolutionary setting in which nucleic acids—the fundamental genetic building blocks of life—could enable their own replication, possibly leading to life on Earth......»»
What’s new on HBO and Max in October 2024
HBO and Max's October 2024 lineup includes Salem's Lot, The Franchise, MaXXXine, Gremlins: The Wild Batch, Doctor Sleep, Trap, and more......»»
Only 5 women have won the Nobel Prize in physics—recent winners share advice for young women in the field
Out of 225 people awarded the Nobel Prize in physics, only five have been women. This is a very small number, and certainly smaller than 50%—the percent of women in the human population......»»
Hurricane Helene creates experiment with reopening of Sarasota County"s Midnight Pass
Hurricane Helene creates experiment with reopening of Sarasota County"s Midnight Pass.....»»
The evolutionary history of rats has more holes than Swiss cheese, but researchers are trying to close them
Rats and humans have lived together for thousands of years. However, written historical records of rats migrating alongside people are sparse and some are entangled with myth and folklore......»»
Why we need to talk about older people and climate change in Africa
Africa is often viewed as a relatively young continent, with less than 7% of the population over 60. But this is set to change. Declining fertility rates and increasing life expectancy mean that by 2050, the number of people over 60 in Africa is proj.....»»
New synthesis strategy could speed up PFAS decontamination
Rice University engineers have developed an innovative way to make covalent organic frameworks (COFs), special materials that can be used to trap gases, filter water and speed up chemical reactions. COFs have the potential to address significant envi.....»»
Exxon Mobil says advanced recycling is the answer to plastic waste: But is it really?
When California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed suit against Exxon Mobil and accused the oil giant of misleading the public about the effectiveness of plastic recycling, many of the allegations surrounded the company's marketing of a process called.....»»
The boomer generation hit the economic jackpot. Young people will inherit their massive debts
Young people in Britain could be forgiven for despairing at the financial pressures they face—and feeling that previous generations enjoyed a much fairer economic environment. Then just to add to their worries about home ownership and a precarious.....»»