The ocean in a cup: Environmental DNA successfully captures marine biodiversity
Measuring marine biodiversity with "environmental DNA"—an application of gene sequencing to environmental biology—should permit rapid assessment of changes in marine life. That makes environmental DNA (eDNA) a critical tool for managing our respo.....»»
Researchers reveal key mechanism in regulating DNA recombination
Meiotic recombination generates genetic diversity and promotes proper chromosomal segregation of parental chromosomes. This process requires a set of recombinases polymerized on single-stranded (ss) DNAs called the nucleoprotein filament to undergo h.....»»
Low stream diatom biodiversity potentially decreases stream oxygen production in remote islands
Benthic diatoms are the most important and biodiverse primary producers in streams and comprise the basis for the food webs, fueling animals such as insects and stream fishes including trout......»»
How future heat waves at sea could devastate UK marine ecosystems and fisheries
The oceans are warming at an alarming rate. 2023 shattered records across the world's oceans, and was the first time that ocean temperatures exceeded 1°C over pre-industrial levels. This led to the emergence of a series of marine heat wave events ac.....»»
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......»»
Sentinel-2 data reveal significant seasonal variations in intertidal seagrass
With data from the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission, researchers have revealed seasonal variations in intertidal seagrass across Western Europe and North Africa. As a key indicator of biodiversity, these new findings offer valuable insights for the cons.....»»
New microchip captures exosomes for faster, more sensitive lung cancer detection from a blood draw
A new way of diagnosing lung cancer with a blood draw is 10 times faster and 14 times more sensitive than earlier methods, according to University of Michigan researchers......»»
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.....»»
Unique IDs for individual (digital) specimens from natural history museums streamline and future-proof science
The wealth of data hosted in natural history collections can contribute to finding a response to global challenges ranging from climate change to biodiversity loss to pandemics. However, today's practices of working with collected bio- and geodiversi.....»»
Outdoor businesses and venues could benefit from boosting birdsong sound biodiversity
Visitors to vineyards enjoyed their tours more when they heard enhanced sounds of diverse birdsong, new research has found. The findings from the University of East Anglia suggest that outdoor businesses could improve their customer experience by inv.....»»
More consumption, more demand for resources, more waste: Why urban mining"s time has come
Pollution and waste, climate change and biodiversity loss are creating a triple planetary crisis. In response, UN Environment Program executive director Inger Andersen has called for waste to be redefined as a valuable resource instead of a problem......»»
Five-mile asteroid impact crater below Atlantic captured in "exquisite" detail by seismic data
New images of an asteroid impact crater buried deep below the floor of the Atlantic Ocean have been published today by researchers at Heriot-Watt University......»»
Mathematicians and climate researchers build new models for understanding polar sea ice
Polar sea ice is ever-changing. It shrinks, expands, moves, breaks apart, reforms in response to changing seasons, and rapid climate change. It is far from a homogenous layer of frozen water on the ocean's surface, but rather a dynamic mix of water a.....»»
Wastewater bacteria can break down plastic for food, yielding new possibilities for cleaning up plastic waste
Researchers have long observed that a common family of environmental bacteria, Comamonadacae, grow on plastics littered throughout urban rivers and wastewater systems. But exactly what these Comamonas bacteria are doing has remained a mystery......»»
Senegal looks to aquaculture as fish stocks dwindle
The Senegalese town of Kayar sits on the doorstep of the vast Atlantic Ocean, but it is a farm located further inland that provides part of its fish production......»»
AI models identify marine biodiversity hotspots in Mozambique
A new study led by staff from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in East Africa has used a predictive artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to confirm the location of previously-unmapped high marine biodiversity areas along Mozambique's extensi.....»»
Report: Global drought threatens food supplies and energy production
In July 2024, global temperatures reached unprecedented levels, breaking historical records with an average of 17.16°C. This extreme heat has led soil water to evaporate, leaving the vegetation and biodiversity more fragile and under stress in many.....»»
Researchers develop Biodiversity Digital Twins to model our planet"s life
Biodiversity is essential for the processes that support all life on Earth. It provides critical resources such as food and energy, and supports ecosystem health. However, climate change, deforestation, and pollution are destroying habitats, altering.....»»
23andMe Is Sinking Fast. Can the Company Survive?
The home DNA testing boom is over, and 23andMe is running out of options......»»
Unraveling the mystery of dormancy in food pathogens for more effective elimination
Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that causes listeriosis, a serious disease, can go into dormancy when confronted with environmental stress, for example in the presence of detergents or in water devoid of nutrients. It then becomes undetectable by.....»»
The biodiversity jukebox: How sound can boost beneficial soil microbes to heal nature
In a race against time, scientists are exploring new ways to restore natural systems. Alongside traditional methods such as planting trees, reducing pollution and reintroducing native species, a surprising new tool is emerging: sound. Ecologists can.....»»