Plate tectonics in the twenty-first century
The emergence of plate tectonics in the late 1960s led to a paradigm shift from fixism to mobilism of global tectonics, providing a unifying context for the previously disparate disciplines of Earth sciences. Although plate tectonics was originally d.....»»
Beef industry can reduce emissions by up to 30%, says new research
Greenhouse gases resulting from human activity have been the largest driver of climate change since the mid-20th century—especially from agriculture. The U.S. beef industry alone is responsible for 3.3% of the nation's total emissions, and even wit.....»»
Research shows 50-year generation gap in the bigmouth buffalo, Minnesota"s longest-lived fish
A recent study in one of the most pristine spawning grounds for a Minnesota fish has found a half-century gap between successful broods, and that number's climbing......»»
The best Western of the 21st century is now on Netflix. Here’s why you should watch it
This 2007 movie with Christian Bale and Russell Crowe, is one of the best of its genre. It's now streaming on Netflix, and here's why you should watch it......»»
Q&A: Scientist discusses the MESSENGER mission to Mercury
Twenty years ago, the MESSENGER mission revolutionized our understanding of Mercury. We sat down with project head and former Carnegie Science director Sean Solomon to talk about how the mission came together and the groundbreaking work it enabled......»»
Twenty-six states may soon need to regulate cannabis—here"s what they can learn from Colorado and Washington
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has made moves to reclassify marijuana, making it a type of legal but regulated medicine, like Tylenol with codeine or some steroids......»»
From rhino horn snuff to pangolin livestock feed: A half-century of patents reveals the wildlife trade"s evolution
The bright blue blood of the horseshoe crab is used around the world to detect bacterial contamination in vaccines. Synonymous with luxury, sturgeon caviar has been patented as an antidote to impotency in China. Rhino horn is used in traditional Asia.....»»
Exploring Darwin"s longstanding interest in biological rhythms
A close reading of Darwin's work suggests a deep interest in cyclical events. Rhythmic phenomena in nature—today the subjects of the field of chronobiology—have been studied since at least the 18th century. In a perspective, Tiago Gomes de Andrad.....»»
This bird species was extinct in Europe. Now it"s back, and humans must help it migrate for winter
How do you teach a bird how, and where, to fly? The distinctive Northern Bald Ibis, hunted essentially to extinction by the 17th century, was revived by breeding and rewilding efforts over the last two decades. But the birds—known for their distinc.....»»
Will the ‘Car-Free’ Los Angeles Olympics Work?
Organizers of the 2028 Summer Games will attempt to re-create the city’s public transport heyday of the early 20th century, but ousting the car—even for just a few weeks—will be costly......»»
Research team designs AI approach to drought zoning in Canada
A recent study by the University of Ottawa and Laval University shows that climate change may cause many areas in Canada to experience significant droughts by the end of the century. In response, the researchers have introduced an advanced AI-based m.....»»
Modeling study suggests heat-related deaths in Europe could triple by century"s end under current climate policies
Deaths from heat could triple in Europe by 2100 under current climate policies, mostly among people living in southern parts of the continent, according to a study published in The Lancet Public Health journal......»»
Study finds "DNA scavengers" can stop some antibiotic resistance from spreading
For nearly a century, scientists have waged war on antibiotic-resistant microbes. Michigan State University researchers say they've found a new way to prevent it—by unleashing "DNA scavengers" in wastewater treatment plants......»»
Lithospheric oddities may be sculpting continental interiors
Interactions between neighboring tectonic plates can push parts of Earth's surface up or down to form notable features, such as the Andes and the Himalayas. The forces that sculpt the Earth's surface far from plate edges are less well understood. For.....»»
New research shows agricultural impacts on soil microbiome and fungal communities
New research from Smithsonian's Bird Friendly Coffee program highlights a type of biodiversity that often gets overlooked: soil bacteria and fungal communities. For over twenty years, Smithsonian research has shown that coffee farms with shade trees.....»»
Seoul residents sweating with record "tropical nights" weather
Residents of South Korea's capital are resorting to novel ways to beat the heat as a century-old weather record fell Friday following a 26th "tropical night" in a row—when the temperature stays above 25 degrees Celsius (77 Fahrenheit)......»»
Cactus dreams: Revealing the secrets of mescaline making
Mescaline, a natural hallucinogen known since ancient times, was not only a favorite of artists and bohemians but also a mainstay of brain research throughout the first half of the 20th century, until it was eclipsed in the 1950s by the much more pot.....»»
Explore the ‘Sound of Apple’ in new two-part podcast series
The excellent podcast Twenty Thousand Hertz recently published a two-part series exploring “The Sound of Apple.” The episodes include conversations with multiple Apple Design Team members, audio engineers, and more, highlighting Apple’s work on.....»»
First biogeographic map of ants reveals nine global realms
The distribution of species around the globe is not a random process but an outcome resulting from several evolutionary mechanisms as well as past and current environmental limitations. As a result, since the mid-19th century, biologists have identif.....»»
House call: A new study rethinks early Christian landmark
Since its discovery by modern researchers a century ago, an ancient structure known as the "Christian building" has become widely considered the cornerstone of early Christian architecture. Constructed around 232 C.E. in the ancient city of Dura-Euro.....»»
Are Andromeda and the Milky Way doomed to collide? Maybe not
Scientists discovered the Andromeda galaxy, known as M31, hundreds of years ago, and around a century ago, we realized that it had negative radial velocity toward the Milky Way. In other words, eventually, the two galaxies would merge spectacularly......»»