Sewer slime can hang on to SARS-CoV-2 RNA from wastewater
During the COVID-19 pandemic, monitoring the levels of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater entering treatment plants has been one way that researchers have gauged the disease's spread. But could the slimy microbial communities that line most sewer pipes aff.....»»
No, the Fukushima water release is not going to kill the Pacific Ocean
Japanese authorities are preparing to release treated radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean, nearly 12 years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster. This will relieve pressure on more than 1,000 storage tanks, creating much-needed space for oth.....»»
Bridge between hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity of flax fiber offers breakthrough in multipurpose oil-water separation
The large number of oily wastewater discharges and oil spills are bringing about severe threats to environment and human health. Corresponding to this challenge, a number of functional materials have been developed and applied in oil-water separation.....»»
Researchers develop a new way to identify bacteria in fluids
Shine a laser on a drop of blood, mucus, or wastewater, and the light reflecting back can be used to positively identify bacteria in the sample......»»
China stalls Softbank deal to hang on to Arm
Ten months after Arm filed to transfer ownership of its Arm China subsidiary to Softbank so it could pull out of the country, Chinese regulators are reportedly delaying the paperwork in order to keep the country's connection to the chip design firm.A.....»»
Wastewater sector emits nearly twice as much methane as previously thought
Municipal wastewater treatment plants emit nearly double the amount of methane into the atmosphere than scientists previously believed, according to new research from Princeton University. And since methane warms the planet over 80 times more powerfu.....»»
A dozen exotic bacteria are found to passively collect rare earth elements from wastewater
Rare earth elements (REEs) are a group of 17 chemically similar metals, which got their name because they typically occur at low concentrations (between 0.5 and 67 parts per million) within Earth's crust. Because they are indispensable in modern tech.....»»
Slime molds are not actually fungi at all, but they are brainless predators
In HBO's post-apocalyptic drama "The Last of Us," human civilization has fallen in the face of a fungal takeover triggered by climate change......»»
New method for the detection of RNA viruses such as SARS-CoV-2
Experts from the University of Barcelona, the Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), the Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona (IMB-CNM-CSIC) and the Aragon Nanoscience and Materials Institute of Aragon (INMA)—a joint insti.....»»
Extinct-in-the-wild species in conservation limbo
For species classified as "extinct in the wild", the zoos and botanical gardens where their fates hang by a thread are as often anterooms to oblivion as gateways to recovery, new research has shown......»»
81% of international flights into NYC had SARS-CoV-2 in waste, small trial finds
The study demonstrated feasibility as COVID surveillance nose-dives worldwide. Enlarge / Passengers on an Air France flight on April 20, 2021. (credit: Getty | Francois LOCHON) In a small trial, aircraft wastewater prov.....»»
Multiple mutations may help omicron variant escape antibodies
An array of different mutations or combinations of mutations may help the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 escape immune responses or therapeutic antibodies, according to a study published today in eLife......»»
Researchers study first stem cells from a bat species known to harbor SARS-CoV-2
Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have generated the first induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from bats, gaining valuable insights into the close relationship between bats and viruses. This research opens the door to st.....»»
How Apple captured Generation Z, and how it will hang on to them
The iPhone is so popular among in the US that platform loyalty can even affect dating choices. Here's how Apple captured Gen Z, and how it will hang on to an entire generation.Gen Z users like their iPhonesGeneration Z refers to people born after 199.....»»
Study identifies novel host protease determinants for SARS-CoV-2 infection
Researchers from Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has identified novel host protease determinants that facilitate the infection of SARS-CoV-2, including the omicro.....»»
Using biochar to remove antibiotics from wastewater
To feed the world's growing population, farmers need to grow a lot of crops. Crops need water to grow and thrive, and the water used to irrigate crops makes up an estimated 70% of global freshwater use. But many areas across the world are plagued by.....»»
Weaponizing part of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein against itself to prevent infection
The virus that causes COVID-19, called SARS-CoV-2, uses its spike protein in order to stick to and infect our cells. The final step for the virus to enter our cells is for part of its spike protein to act like a twist tie, forcing the host cell's out.....»»
Artificial sweetener as a wastewater tracer
Acesulfame is a sweetener in sugar-free drinks and foods. As it cannot be metabolized in the human body, the sweetener ends up in wastewater after consumption and remains largely intact even in sewage treatment plants. A new study by the University o.....»»
Freak infection with an eradicated form of polio shows virus’ craftiness
Without wastewater sampling, the eradicated virus could have easily spread. Enlarge / Transmission electron micrograph of poliovirus type 1. (credit: Getty | BSIP) An eradicated form of wild polio surfaced in routine was.....»»
Researchers find deer carry SARS-CoV-2 variants that are extinct in humans
Cornell University researchers have found that white-tailed deer—the most abundant large mammal in North America—are harboring SARS-CoV-2 variants that were once widely circulated, but no longer found in humans......»»
UV lamps used for disinfection may impair indoor air quality
Using ultraviolet germicidal radiation (UVGI) to disinfect indoor spaces is a demonstrably effective way of deactivating various pathogens (including the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus). It deactivates bacteria and viruses by exposing them to high-energy UV.....»»