South Africa: Gold mine pollution is poisoning Soweto"s water and soil—study finds food gardens are at risk
For 140 years, gold mines in Johannesburg, South Africa have been leaking wastewater contaminated with heavy metals. The acid mine drainage from Johannesburg's estimated 278 abandoned mines and 200 mine dumps includes uranium (a radioactive metal), t.....»»
Week in review: JetBrains GitHub plugin vulnerability, 20k FortiGate appliances compromised
Here’s an overview of some of last week’s most interesting news, articles, interviews and videos: Users of JetBrains IDEs at risk of GitHub access token compromise (CVE-2024-37051) JetBrains has fixed a critical vulnerability (CVE-2024-37051) tha.....»»
Searching for a female partner for the world’s “loneliest” plant
AI assists in the pursuit for one threatened plant species. Enlarge / Map from drone mission search for the Encephalartos Woodii in the Ngoye Forest in South Africa. (credit: CC BY-NC) “Surely this is the most solita.....»»
Will price, charging headaches send EV owners back to the ICE age?
The findings from a new McKinsey & Co. study suggest a big complication lays ahead on the path toward an electrified future. Nearly half of EV owners are likely to return to internal combustion engine vehicles......»»
Suicide threats are a weapon of family violence. How can police balance mental health needs with protecting victims?
It's relatively common for perpetrators of family violence to threaten suicide to control a victim-survivor's actions. A study by the Australian Institute of Criminology suggests 39% of women who experience coercive control are subject to perpetrator.....»»
Saturday Citations: Bacterial warfare, a self-programming language model, passive cooling in the big city
There's a lot of science news in seven days, so just because a new study isn't cited here on Saturday morning doesn't mean it didn't happen. A lot more has happened. But also, check out these four stories:.....»»
Nitrous oxide emissions surge in climate threat: Study
Global emissions of nitrous oxide—a potent greenhouse gas—are outpacing expectations and putting climate change goals in peril, a major study published on Wednesday found......»»
Improving soil health yields unexpected benefits for farmers
In the U.S., as farmers wrestle with extreme heat and drought, heavy rainfall and flooding, and erosion—all factors of climate change which can take a toll on crops—there's been a lot of buzz over regenerative agriculture over the past few years,.....»»
Blue Origin joins SpaceX and ULA in new round of military launch contracts
"Lane 1 serves our commercial-like missions that can accept more risk." Enlarge / Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket on the launch pad for testing earlier this year. (credit: Blue Origin) After years of lobbying, protests an.....»»
Why some plant diseases thrive in urban environments
Rachel Penczykowski, an assistant professor of biology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, and five WashU graduate and undergraduate students tracked infestations of powdery mildew on common broadleaf weeds. Their study, publish.....»»
Study examines educational and career disparities among minoritized students
New research from the University at Buffalo offers groundbreaking insights into the strategies that help students from underrepresented groups succeed academically and in their careers......»»
Study indicates Pennsylvania private forest landowners value fire as tool to manage woodlands
Fire can help shape ecosystems, and after a century of suppressing naturally occurring fire that has thrown forests out balance, some states—including Pennsylvania—are using controlled burns to help manage forests on public lands. Now, a new four.....»»
Researchers investigate presence of endangered sea cucumbers for sale in NYC food markets
After surveying food market retailers in three New York City Chinatown districts, Cornell researchers have found genetic evidence that some endangered species of sea cucumbers—considered a pricey but nutritious dried delicacy—are being sold to co.....»»
Study reveals how invasive submerged macrophytes affect sediment nitrogen cycle under complex environments
Removal of excess nitrogen is a critical step in the ecological restoration of eutrophic lakes. Microbially mediated dissimilatory nitrate reduction processes in lakes represent an important mechanism for nitrogen removal. However, lake ecosystems ar.....»»
Study shows impact of Russian social media campaigns less pronounced than often assumed
Most people do not believe the disinformation spread by Russia about the war in Ukraine, even if they regularly use social media. Instead, the decisive factor in the efficacy of this propaganda is whether a person is fundamentally receptive to conspi.....»»
New study provides first nationwide window on juvenile "lifer" population
More than 2,900 minors have been given juvenile life-without-parole sentences since the first was meted out in the late 1940s. Now, a new study published in the Journal of Criminal Justice provides the most comprehensive picture to date of this uniqu.....»»
Genomic insights into the tea gray geometrid"s survival strategy
A study has shed light on the genetic makeup of the tea gray geometrid, Ectropis grisescens. Through the re-sequencing of 43 genomes, scientists have mapped out the pest's population structure and its remarkable adaptation to tea crops, offering new.....»»
Upper surface of coastal waters can accumulate bacteria and antibiotics, study finds
Antibiotics in the uppermost water surface, known as the sea surface microlayer, can significantly affect the number of bacteria present and contribute to the adaptation of marine bacteria against widely used antibiotics. In new research presented at.....»»
AI enables faster, more effective antibiotic treatment of sepsis
Sepsis is a life-threatening infection complication and accounts for 1.7 million hospitalizations and 350,000 deaths annually in the U.S. Fast and accurate diagnosis is critical, as mortality risk increases up to 8% every hour without effective treat.....»»
Study explores how key gene modulates terpene aroma in grapes
A study explores the ethylene-responsive gene VviERF003's influence on glycosylated monoterpenoid synthesis in grapes, which are pivotal for the fruity and floral notes in wines. Understanding this genetic regulation provides insights into how wine a.....»»
Antarctic cold spells shatter records amid global heat waves in late winter 2023
While 2023 is noted for breaking global temperature records (State of the Global Climate 2023), the year also brought an unexpected twist with extreme cold events in Antarctica. A new study published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences reveals the su.....»»