Studies Suggest Why Omicron Is Less Severe: It Spares the Lungs
A spate of new studies on lab animals and human tissues are providing the first indication of why the Omicron variant causes milder disease than previous versions of the coronavirus. From a report: In studies on mice and hamsters, Omicron produced le.....»»
Critical Splunk flaw can be exploited to grab passwords (CVE-2024-36991)
A recently fixed vulnerability (CVE-2024-36991) affecting Splunk Enterprise on Windows “is more severe than it initially appeared,” according to SonicWall’s threat researchers. Several PoC exploits have been published, including one.....»»
Researchers identify structural characteristics of newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 variants
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to adapt to the herd immunity background and evolve into numerous sub-variants......»»
One more way to die: Tremors when Vesuvius erupted collapsed shelter walls
Two male skeletons showed signs of severe fracture and trauma injuries. Enlarge / Two skeletons found in the ruins of a Pompeii building may have been crushed by wall collapses triggered by earthquakes. (credit: Pompeii Archaeolo.....»»
Ten years of data preceding a rockfall in the French Alps suggest the need for more comprehensive monitoring systems
In August 2023, 14,000 cubic meters of sandstone and shale detached from a slope in the French Alps. This rockslide at La Praz closed a road and a major railway between France and Italy at least until the end of 2024......»»
Enzyme-powered "snot bots" help deliver drugs in sticky situations
Snot might not be the first place you'd expect nanobots to be swimming around. But this slimy secretion exists in more places than just your nose and piles of dirty tissues—it also lines and helps protect the lungs, stomach, intestines and eyes. An.....»»
Logged forests can still have ecological value—if not pushed too far
Researchers have analyzed data from 127 studies to reveal 'thresholds' for when logged rainforests lose the ability to sustain themselves. The results could widen the scope of which forests are considered 'worth' conserving, but also show how much lo.....»»
Japanese honeybees slap nest-invading ants with their wings to knock them away
A trio of environmental specialists at the National Institute for Environmental Studies, in Japan, has found that Japanese honeybees sometimes resort to slapping ants with their wings to prevent their entry into their nest......»»
Intel CPUs may get even hotter
New leaks about Intel Arrow Lake and Panther Lake suggest that these next-gen CPUs will have a higher maximum temperature......»»
Study shows frogs can quickly increase their tolerance to pesticides
Although there is a large body of research on pests evolving tolerances for the pesticides meant to destroy them, there have been considerably fewer studies on how non-target animals in these ecosystems may do the same......»»
Studies investigate the impact of agriculture on air quality in Lombardy
In the wake of the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns, researchers in northern Italy noticed that notwithstanding the partial suspension of travel and industrial production in the region, the level of particulate matter in the atmosphere remained high......»»
Researchers forge more open access data for studies of the Earth"s lithosphere
Crust and lithospheric mantle—the thinnest and thickest layers of the Earth's lithosphere—and a wide range of dynamic processes that deform them can be studied by using high precision geodetic data taken directly from Global Navigation Satellite.....»»
Irish peat soils are far more vast than previously known, suggests study
New figures suggest peat soils cover 13% more area than previous peat soil maps, which are useful in land use planning—with peat soils critical in absorbing greenhouse gases (GHG) and helping to meet some of Ireland's most pressing environmental ch.....»»
Q&A: "We lost instruments chewed or crunched by bears and sea otters"—how a researcher listens for elusive belugas
Dr. Manuel Castellote studies the behavior and conservation of whales and dolphins. After beginning his academic career in Spain, he now works in the United States, applying acoustic techniques to learn more about cetaceans—especially beluga whales.....»»
Will space-based solar power ever make sense?
Years of talk have now moved to design studies and hardware in space. Enlarge (credit: Pgiam) Is space-based solar power a costly, risky pipe dream? Or is it a viable way to combat climate change? Although beaming solar.....»»
Solar flares and solar magnetic reconnection get new spotlight in two blazing studies
Two recent studies published in The Astrophysical Journal discuss findings regarding solar flare properties and a new classification index and the sun's magnetic field, specifically what's called solar magnetic reconnection......»»
Weather satellite passes bake and shake tests with flying colors
As climate change drives more frequent and severe weather events, the need for accurate and timely forecasting has never been more critical. And now, the next Meteosat Third Generation weather satellite has passed its environmental test campaign with.....»»
America’s Aging Dams Are a Catastrophe Waiting to Happen
Climate change presents a growing threat to the nation’s nearly 92,000 dams, many of which are more than 100 years old, as heavy rainfall, flooding, and other forms of extreme weather become more common and severe......»»
Melting high-mountain glaciers would release greenhouse gases into atmosphere, suggest scientists
The retreat of high mountain glaciers has accelerated since the 1980s, resulting in increased glacier runoff. However, it remains uncertain whether melting mountain glaciers enhance or release greenhouse gases, and whether areas exposed to glacier re.....»»
Studies unravel climate pattern impacts on the Antarctic Ice Sheet
New Monash research has untangled the influence of regional climate drivers, including the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (El Niño), on the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Snow accumulation and surface melting are two importa.....»»
Study shows severe droughts limit Amazonian communities" access to basic services
Severe droughts in the Amazon basin over the past two decades have caused low water level periods to last around a month longer than usual, triggering profound impacts on the local population......»»