Scientists discover crude oil decimates sea otter buoyancy
Sea otters are famed for their luscious pelts, but the fur almost led to their extinction. By 1938, only a tiny population of ~50 remained clinging to the central California coast. Since then, the mammals have battled back. However, the charismatic c.....»»
Stem cell transplants could save the world"s corals, say researchers
Climate change is bleaching and killing off vast amounts of the world's coral due to rising sea temperatures. Dr. Benyamin Rosental of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and his colleagues have proposed an out of the box potential solution: transplan.....»»
Yeast cell wall proteins offer possible alternative to emulsifiers derived from milk
Mention emulsifiers and many people might be unaware of what they are used for, but they are present in many daily products, from food to cosmetics. They keep substances that don't usually mix, like water and oil, from separating and are either synth.....»»
Scientists can now predict how climate change will alter plant growth cycles
On February 2, 1887, residents of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, consulted a large rodent regarding the arrival of spring, marking the first official celebration of Groundhog Day. According to Rob Guralnick, curator of biodiversity informatics at the Fl.....»»
Scientists propose strategy for increasing rice yield while reducing fertilizer use
Researchers from the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences (RCEES) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a sustainable technology to selectively reduce nitrate to ammonium. This innovation delivers three benefits: It increases ri.....»»
Q&A with archaeologist: Are climate-related calamities erasing Illinois" cultural history?
In a new report, scientists with the Illinois State Archaeological Survey describe how increased flooding, erosion and other effects of human-induced climate change are degrading many of the state's cultural sites. ISAS research archaeologist Andrew.....»»
New blood test evaluates nanomedicines for safer, personalized cancer treatment
Scientists from RMIT University and the Doherty Institute have developed a new blood test that could screen cancer patients to help make their treatment safer and more effective......»»
New data from "the last ice area" may help long-term conservation efforts in the Arctic
Earlier this year our international team of scientists from the Refuge Arctic consortium departed Iqaluit, Nvt. on a 56-day research expedition in the far north. We were sailing aboard the icebreaker CCGS Amundsen and our main objective was to study.....»»
Sea sponge-inspired microlenses offer new possibilities in optics
Beneath the ocean's surface, simple marine animals called sea sponges grow delicate glass skeletons that are as intricate as they are strong. These natural structures are made of a material called silica—also known as bioglass—that is both lightw.....»»
Scientists learn how to make nanotubes that point in one direction
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have made tungsten disulfide nanotubes which point in the same direction when formed, for the first time. They used a sapphire surface under carefully controlled conditions to form arrayed tungsten disul.....»»
Scientists struggle to explain record surge in global heat
The world has been getting hotter for decades but a sudden and extraordinary surge in heat has sent the climate deeper into uncharted territory—and scientists are still trying to figure out why......»»
Ancient genes pinpoint when humans and Neanderthals mixed and mingled
Neanderthals and humans likely mixed and mingled during a narrow time frame 45,000 years ago, scientists reported Thursday......»»
Saturday Citations: M87* lashes out; a deep sleep discovery; proposal to build a digital cell
I love it when researchers observe an extra-weird particle, and this week, scientists reported the observation of a particle that only has mass when it's moving in a single direction. Good enough! An ancient DNA analysis suggests that Neanderthals an.....»»
A new twist: The molecular machines that loop chromosomes also twist DNA
Scientists from the Kavli Institute of Delft University of Technology and the IMP Vienna Biocenter have discovered a new property of the molecular motors that shape our chromosomes. While six years ago they found that these so-called SMC motor protei.....»»
Buried landforms reveal North Sea"s ancient glacial past
An international team of researchers, including a glaciologist at Newcastle University, UK, has discovered remarkably well-preserved glacial landforms buried almost 1 km beneath the North Sea......»»
M87"s powerful jet unleashes rare gamma-ray outburst
Also known as Virgo A or NGC 4486, M87 is the brightest object in the Virgo cluster of galaxies, the largest gravitationally bound type of structure in the universe. It came to fame in April 2019 after scientists from EHT released the first image of.....»»
New Zealand scientists suspect specimen of world"s rarest whale died from head injuries
Scientists suspect the first complete specimen ever recorded of the world's rarest whale died from head injuries, an expert said Friday......»»
California researchers find sea otter population helps stop invasion of green crabs
Though sea otters are an unofficial mascot of Monterey County and popular among tourists and locals alike, they are also described as voracious predators that help keep problematic invaders out of coastal waters......»»
Seabed seismographs unlock mysteries of longest runout sediment flows
Durham University scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in marine geoscience, revealing unprecedented insights into the dynamics of Earth's longest runout sediment flows......»»
King tides are back and what they"re telling us
King tides return this weekend and with them a reminder of rising sea levels......»»
How much permafrost will melt this century, and where will its carbon go?
Among the many things global warming will be melting this century—sea ice, land glaciers and tourist businesses in seaside towns across the world—is permafrost. Lying underneath 15% of the northern hemisphere, permafrost consists of accumulating.....»»