Studying the effects of microplastics on the infectivity of bacteriophages in an aqueous environment
Polymer-based materials are almost everywhere, reaching even the deepest regions of the oceans, and their global production outpaces recycling, leading to the generation of tremendous amounts of water pollution with microplastics. These tiny polymer.....»»
Breathing may introduce microplastics to the brain—new study
Small plastic particles are everywhere: in the soil where our food is grown, in the water we drink and in the air we breathe. They got there from the plastic we throw away, which ends up in landfill sites, rivers and seas. There the plastic waste slo.....»»
Seal species carries "genetic scars" after being hunted to the edge of extinction, new research reveals
Northern Elephant seals have staged a remarkable comeback after narrowly escaping extinction by hunting, but new research reveals lasting genetic effects in the present population......»»
Plant lineage study provides insights into the ecological and evolutionary effects of different reproductive strategies
Hang Sun's group from Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences has demonstrated the ecological and evolutionary effects of changes in plant reproductive strategies on phylogenetic evolution. The study is published in the journal Scien.....»»
Ars in San Jose recap: Infrastructure, sustainability, AI, cocktails
We came, we saw, we talked, we schmoozed, we toured the Computer History Museum! Enlarge / Dr. John Timmer, Jeff Ball, Joanna Wong, and Lee Hutchinson discussing infrastructure and the environment. (credit: Kimberly White/Getty I.....»»
Sloth survival under threat due to climate change, study finds
A new PeerJ study has revealed that sloths, the famously slow-moving creatures of Central and South America, may face existential threats due to climate change. The research, conducted by scientists studying the metabolic response of sloths to rising.....»»
NASA"s Artemis science instrument gets tested in moon-like sandbox
On Sept. 9 and 10, scientists and engineers tested NASA's LEMS (Lunar Environment Monitoring Station) instrument suite in a "sandbox" of simulated moon regolith at the Florida Space Institute's Exolith Lab at the University of Central Florida in Orla.....»»
Key negotiator Norway sees "positive signals" ahead of plastic talks
In the single week that world leaders convened for high-level UN talks in New York, nearly 100,000 water bottles' worth of microplastics swirled through the city's air, posing known and still unknown risks to human health......»»
Deep learning framework improves snow cover fraction estimation
Accurate snow cover information is crucial for studying global climate and hydrology. However, deep learning approaches for retrieving snow cover fraction (SCF) often suffer from limitations in training data dependence and interpretability......»»
Advancing synthetic Ephedra-type alkaloids with a two-step enzymatic approach
Ephedra-type alkaloids, a class of naturally occurring compounds derived from plants in the genus Ephedra, have long held interest in the pharmaceutical industry due to their stimulant and airway widening effects. These alkaloids are used for the tre.....»»
Do you feel eco-guilt or eco-shame? Emotions reveal how much we care about the environment
Air travel, meat in the shopping cart, waste sorting, plastic toys—consumers are faced with a barrage of everyday decisions and priorities when navigating environmental concerns. But what drives these choices?.....»»
Citizen scientists help discover microplastics along the entire German coastline
The global production of plastics and the resulting plastic waste has increased to such an extent that plastics have become ubiquitous in our environment. Plastics of various sizes are also found along the German North Sea and Baltic coasts......»»
Study reveals mallards" flight responses ineffective in preventing vehicle collisions
An article published in PeerJ Life & Environment has uncovered insights into how mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) respond to approaching vehicles, revealing that these common waterbirds are poorly equipped to avoid collisions, particularly at high speed.....»»
Thermal effects in spintronics systematically assessed for first time
Spintronics—devices that use microscopic magnetism in conjunction with electric current—could lead to computing technology as fast as conventional electronics but much more energy efficient. As such devices are developed and studied, an important.....»»
Yeast chit-chat: How microorganisms communicate food shortages
To grow and survive, tiny organisms such as yeast must sometimes adapt their nutrient sources in response to changes in the environment. FMI researchers have now found that yeast cells communicate with each other to use less favorable nutrients if th.....»»
Researchers explore environmental impacts of genetically modified crops
Genetically modified (GM) crops are widely used around the world, but their effects on the environment need to be better understood......»»
Studying fossil extraction on Native lands and exploring the depths of untold histories
In 2019, historian Lukas Rieppel published a book about the history of dinosaur fossils and their excavation in the late 1800s to create museum displays......»»
The Quest 3 may undergo a significant pricing change
With Meta Connect just a day away, leaks suggest that the launch of the Quest 3S could have major effects on the Quest 3 models......»»
Navigating complex systems to preserve prairie wetlands
From grasslands to boreal forests, Saskatchewan has some of the most dynamic ecosystems in the country and is home to equally complex water systems. Researchers like Dr. Colin Whitfield (Ph.D.), associate professor in the School of Environment and Su.....»»
Extreme polar light environment of the North and South Poles sustains biodiversity, researchers suggest
Researchers working in Finland propose that the unique light environment of the Earth's polar regions creates conditions that result in circumpolar hybrid zones around the North and the South Poles. These extreme conditions increase the synchrony of.....»»
High-pressure reactions can turn nonporous rocks into sponges
In deep Earth, rocks take up and release water all the time, and the effects can be wide reaching. Dehydration can cause rocks to crack and trigger earthquakes, and over geologic timescales, this water cycling can influence plate tectonics and move c.....»»