Study: Humans responsible for over 90% of world"s oil slicks
A team of U.S. and Chinese scientists mapping oil pollution across the Earth's oceans has found that more than 90% of chronic oil slicks come from human sources, a much higher proportion than previously estimated......»»
The best AMD processors for 2024
The best AMD CPUs are some of the best processors in the world, period. Here are our top AMD chips, whether you're a gamer, worker, or a little bit of both......»»
Research reveals how media coverage helped successfully mitigate forest fires in the Brazilian Amazon
A new study from the University of California San Diego's School of Global Policy and Strategy reveals that public outcry can lead to significant environmental action, even when public administrations are openly hostile to environmental priorities......»»
Study suggests statistical "noise" affects perceived evolutionary rates
For decades, researchers have observed that rates of evolution seem to accelerate over short time periods—say five million years versus fifty million years. This broad pattern has suggested that "younger" groups of organisms, in evolutionary terms,.....»»
Qualitative study examines how ordinary people "sense" water quality
Seeing—and tasting—is believing: A qualitative study of communities living along the Philippines' bustling Marikina River underscores the importance of taking into account local peoples' everyday experiences, practices, and perceptions in establi.....»»
Scientists develop novel method for strengthening PVC products
Researchers have developed a way to make one type of plastic material more durable and less likely to shed dangerous microplastics. Their study has identified a secure way to attach chemical additives to polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The work is publishe.....»»
Liquefied natural gas carbon footprint is worse than coal, study finds
Liquified natural gas leaves a greenhouse gas footprint that is 33% worse than coal, when processing and shipping are taken into account, according to a new Cornell study......»»
Ants learned to farm fungi during a mass extinction
Ants learned to work with fungi back in a world where only fungi could thrive. We tend to think of agriculture as a human innovation. But insects beat us to it by millions of year.....»»
The true global impact of species-loss caused by humans is far greater than expected, study reveals
The extinction of hundreds of bird species caused by humans over the last 130,000 years has led to substantial reductions in avian functional diversity—a measure of the range of different roles and functions that birds undertake within the environm.....»»
Genetic database shows some fungal crops became completely reliant on ants 27 million years ago
When humans began farming crops thousands of years ago, agriculture had already been around for millions of years. In fact, several animal lineages have been growing their own food since long before humans evolved as a species......»»
Study identifies compounds that extend longevity of Japanese morning glory flowers
The longevity of plant flowers is controlled by genetically programmed mechanisms. After a certain amount of time after flowering, the expression of genes associated with programmed cell death is induced and cellular components such as proteins and n.....»»
Scientists offer a detailed look at the skeleton of an ancient predator that thrived in extreme conditions
Imagine a world on the brink of collapse: volcanic eruptions spewing toxic gases, oceans turning acidic, and up to 90% of Earth's species vanishing in the blink of an eye. This was the reality at the end of the Permian Period, around 252 million year.....»»
Engineers create a chip-based tractor beam for biological particles
MIT researchers have developed a miniature, chip-based "tractor beam," like the one that captures the Millennium Falcon in the film "Star Wars," that could someday help biologists and clinicians study DNA, classify cells, and investigate the mechanis.....»»
The darker side of human rights for great apes
The Spanish government has announced plans to ban harmful experiments on great apes as part of a wider initiative to give them increased rights closer to the ones humans enjoy......»»
Investigating "purist" organizations motivations—can they survive in a world of compromise?
For centuries, the Roncal Valley, in the Navarrese Pyrenees, has pleased the world's palates through the unique cheese that bears its name. The first Spanish cheese to receive Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, Roncal owes its signature pi.....»»
Centuries ago, the Maya storm god Huracán taught that when we damage nature, we damage ourselves
The ancient Maya believed that everything in the universe, from the natural world to everyday experiences, was part of a single, powerful spiritual force. They were not polytheists who worshipped distinct gods but pantheists who believed that various.....»»
Study sheds light on limitations of zooplankton for inactivating pathogen contaminated water
Scientists at The University of Texas at El Paso and Stanford University were recently surprised to find that the natural community of zooplankton—tiny, aquatic animals known to graze on bacteria—present in freshwater and saltwater do not clean w.....»»
Economists recognized early on in the pandemic that working from home is here to stay
When Amazon told staffers last month to come back to the office five days a week, many observers reacted as if an earthquake struck the post-pandemic world of work. To Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom, the news barely registered......»»
Miami-Dade study questions reliability of land surface temperature for heat risk assessment
A study published in the journal PLOS Climate on October 2, 2024, examines the effectiveness of using land surface temperatures (LSTs) as proxies for surface air temperatures (SATs) in subtropical, seasonally wet regions......»»
The medicines we take to stay healthy are harming nature. Here"s what needs to change
Evidence is mounting that modern medicines present a growing threat to ecosystems around the world. The chemicals humans ingest to stay healthy are harming fish and other animals......»»
People infer the past better than the future, study finds
If you started watching a movie from the middle without knowing its plot, you'd likely be better at inferring what had happened earlier than predicting what will happen next, according to a new Dartmouth-led study published in Nature Communications......»»