Some colleges are mammals, others are cities
Higher education in the United States spans five orders of magnitude, from the tiny institutions like the 26-person Deep Springs College in the high desert of eastern California to behemoths, like Arizona State University's city-sized 130,000. A new.....»»
Study details toxic elements found in stranded whales, dolphins over 15 years
Whales and dolphins get their nutrients and essential elements through their diet. While eating fish, squid, octopus, crustaceans, and other marine mammals, they are also exposed to heavy metal contaminants......»»
The 400-year-old story of oaks: From cultural icons to invaders and victims
The nearly 400-year-old history of oaks in South Africa may be coming to an end, forever changing the treescape of towns and cities such as Cape Town, George, Paarl, Stellenbosch, and Swellendam......»»
Study reveals molecular mechanisms behind hibernation in mammals
Researchers have shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying hibernation, publishing their findings today as a Reviewed Preprint in eLife......»»
Georgia cities face tall task to meet new air pollution standard
Environmental regulators have decided to set a tighter standard for a tiny, but insidious class of air pollution particles linked to serious illnesses and thousands of premature deaths......»»
Researchers identify human activities as drivers of biodiversity decline in central Mexico"s reserves
New research shows the diversity of plant and animal life in 14 tropical reserves in Mesoamerica has plummeted since 1990 as roads and cattle ranches have expanded into protected areas. Large mammals, birds, and reptiles are disappearing, while disea.....»»
New study reveals four critical barriers to building healthier Canadian cities
Many streets around the globe are becoming increasingly inhospitable to children and the elderly due to compounding traffic and road safety concerns which deter these groups from active transport, like walking or cycling. The recent emphasis on desig.....»»
City Council Unwittingly Approves Pirate IPTV Scheme and Documents Everything
Mapleton, Utah, is one of the most idyllic cities imaginable. Its crime rate is 80% below average, and its council operates with complete transparency. Public meetings are streamed live on YouTube, and details of every meeting appear on the city's we.....»»
Studying the otherworldly sounds in Antarctic waters
In freezing Antarctic waters, amid bobbing chunks of floating ice, the hums, pitches and echoes of life in the deep are helping scientists understand the behavior and movements of marine mammals......»»
Boston"s approach to "problem properties" could help improve cities across the US, new research finds
Communities across the country have been trying to tackle "problem properties," centers for crime, violence and other public safety concerns. For the first time, research proves how effective these strategies can be......»»
University rankings are unscientific and bad for education: Experts point out the flaws
We rank almost everything. The top 10 restaurants in our vicinity, the best cities to visit, the best movies to watch. To understand whether the rankings were any good you'd want know who was doing the ranking. And what it was they were looking for......»»
Roads, farming threaten Ecuador "lost city" complex
Shielded by the jungle for hundreds of years, the remains of a massive 2,500-year-old network of Ecuadoran cities are being threatened by road and farm encroachment just as its long-held secrets are being revealed, researchers say......»»
In the Cerrado, crop diversification has beneficial effects on wildlife and reduces the presence of boars
There are no substitutes for native vegetation, but replacing large areas of monoculture with diversified crops in places where agricultural activities are widespread can have beneficial effects on the mammals that still inhabit the region......»»
Surprising behavior in one of the least studied mammals in the world
Some animals live in such remote and inaccessible regions of the globe that it is nearly impossible to study them in their natural habitats. Beaked whales, of which 24 species have been found so far, are among them: They live far from land and in dee.....»»
Ghana: Kumasi city"s unplanned boom is destroying two rivers—sewage, heavy metals and chemical pollution detected
Ghana's urban population has more than tripled in the past three decades, from 4 million to nearly 14 million people. Competition for land in cities has increased among various land uses. These trends have led to encroachment in ecologically sensitiv.....»»
Poland"s "Bat-mum" saving bats from climate change
A Polish pensioner has been dubbed "Bat-mum" for taking care of ailing bats from her ninth-floor flat as the nocturnal mammals increasingly struggle with the effects of climate change......»»
The wetland model of urban sustainability
Writing in the International Journal of Global Environmental Issues, a team from Japan explains that "wetlands play an important role in a sustainable urban future." They add that these environmental regions provide ecological services to the cities.....»»
How to avoid a "winner"s curse" for social programs
Back in the 1980s, researchers tested a job-training program called JOBSTART in 13 U.S. cities. In 12 locations, the program had a minimal benefit. But in San Jose, California, results were good: After a few years, workers earned about $6,500 more an.....»»
Sedimentary records of contaminant inputs in Frobisher Bay provide record of changes in contaminant levels over decades
Although contaminant levels in Arctic environments are often lower than those in temperate locations close to cities and industrial areas, contaminant studies in the Arctic remain important due to the potential for bioaccumulation and biomagnificatio.....»»
Fooled: Herbivorous animals "led by the nose" to leave plants alone
University of Sydney researchers have shown it is possible to shield plants from the hungry maws of herbivorous mammals by fooling them with the smell of a variety they typically avoid......»»
How the microbes in wastewater can make our cities more sustainable
COVID-19 showed us how useful monitoring wastewater can be. But the genetic material in our wastewater, namely DNA and RNA, is a treasure trove of other useful information. It reveals the presence of thousands of different types of weird and wonderfu.....»»