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.....»»
Robots give scientists unprecedented access to study coral reef biodiversity
Mesophotic coral ecosystems have some of the highest diversity of stony corals (Scleractinia) in the world, making them particularly important for researchers. These ecosystems are also unique because they host more native species compared to shallow.....»»
In vivo electrochemistry could provide early detection of high-altitude hypoxic brain injury
People who climb too fast or too high risk acute altitude sickness, which can lead to life-threatening hypoxic brain injury. By using in vivo electrochemistry, researchers have demonstrated that characteristic changes occur in the oxygen content of v.....»»
Less is more: Why an economical iridium catalyst works so well
Iridium-based catalysts are needed to produce hydrogen using water electrolysis. Now, a team at HZB has shown that the newly developed P2X catalyst, which requires only a quarter of the iridium, is as efficient and stable over time as the best commer.....»»
Pioneering survey methodology sets new standards for gauging global scientific consensus
An international study led by Professor Peter Vickers of Durham University introduces a novel methodology for rapidly assessing scientific consensus on a global scale......»»
High heat is preferentially killing the young, not the old, research finds
Many recent studies assume that elderly people are at particular risk of dying from extreme heat as the planet warms. A new study of mortality in Mexico turns this assumption on its head: it shows that 75% of heat-related deaths are occurring among p.....»»
Experiment verifies a connection between quantum theory and information theory
Researchers from Linköping University together with colleagues from Poland and Chile have confirmed a theory that proposes a connection between the complementarity principle and entropic uncertainty. Their study is published in the journal Science A.....»»
Interdisciplinary research reveals impressive adaptation mechanisms of microscopic algae
Researchers from the University of Jena and the Leibniz Institutes in Jena have published new findings on the adaptability of the microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The interdisciplinary study, largely carried out by scientists from the Cluster of.....»»
Finding traces of fish with DNA from water samples
Silje Halvorsen bends down and fills a plastic bottle with water from Gillsvannet lake, a sheltered bathing spot just outside the center of Kristiansand......»»
Beaver survey aims to show the urban benefits of Chicago"s "ecosystem engineers"
As the boat zipped down the Chicago River on a nippy November morning, Sammie Clark stood up and pointed at a creature swimming in the water, its brown fur slick and its head bobbing just above the surface. It kept close to the edge, a sheet metal wa.....»»
Entrepreneurs who take funding from close family and friends are more likely to pursue lower-risk growth options
Entrepreneurs often lack resources and funding needed to launch a venture and reach out to family and friends for initial support. But is it always good for a startup when individuals close to the founder are asked if they want to "be on the ground f.....»»
Study reveals presence of fentanyl in Gulf of Mexico dolphins
A team of faculty and student researchers at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC), in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Precision Toxicological Consultancy, have detected traces of human pharmaceuticals.....»»
The moon"s biggest and most ancient crater is more circular than previously thought
The South Pole-Aitken basin is the moon's oldest and largest visible crater—a massive geological wound 4 billion years old that preserves secrets about the moon's early history, much like a lunar time capsule......»»
Copenhagen takes on its biggest climate threat—water
In low-lying Copenhagen where rising sea levels, groundwater and rainfall pose a risk to infrastructure, the Danish capital is trying to adapt and protect urban areas from climate change......»»
Feral female buffalo build friendships based on similar personality traits, study reveals
Similar social personalities strongly influence friendships in humans, yet we know relatively little about how animals choose their friends. But a new study by researchers at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) investigating a unique free-ranging.....»»
Spatial transcriptomic analysis toolkit can extract biological relationships to better investigate cellular processes
In a recent study published in Nature Communications, a team of researchers at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology reports a new, robust computational toolset to extract biological relationships from large transcriptomics datasets. These.....»»
Developing a cyclic molecule that captures phosphate in harmony with water molecules
Researchers at University of Tsukuba, Osaka University, and Kitasato University developed a novel amide cyclodextrin (cyclic oligosaccharide) that can selectively capture phosphate ions in water. In addition, the researchers revealed the mechanism by.....»»
UN report: Invest in nature to cut billion-dollar costs of droughts
As droughts fueled by human destruction of the environment are projected to affect 3 in 4 people by 2050, investing in sustainable land and water management is essential to reduce their costs, which already exceed $307 billion per year globally, acco.....»»
Providing performance information of peers is effective management tool if done in correct setting, study finds
More and more companies are gathering performance data on their employees and sharing that data among their staff. Their hope: that those employees who receive feedback that their own performance is lower than their colleagues' will be more motivated.....»»
Method enhances solubility of pea protein for use in food and beverages
Research conducted at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in São Paulo state, Brazil, shows that heat treatment of pea protein and addition of guarana extract result in a compound with significant potential to be used as an ingredient of plan.....»»
Navigating crises: The financial adaptations of NGOs during the COVID-19 pandemic
Demand for NGO services usually increases in times of crisis. However, a new study led by Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) in Lithuania has found that the COVID-19 pandemic had a mixed impact on NGOs working in Lithuania, Croatia, Poland and the.....»»