Tree hydraulics and water relations: Why trees die as a result of drought
When trees die during a period of drought, they die of thirst. Researchers from the University of Basel have demonstrated in a field study that a rapid collapse in the hydraulic system is responsible for tree death. And they found out that the trees.....»»
Stunning images of Jupiter’s moon Europa show it has a floating icy shell
NASA's Juno mission has imaged Jupiter's intriguing moon Europa, a top target of habitability research due to its liquid water ocean beneath a thick icy crust......»»
Scientists develop new geochemical "fingerprint" to trace contaminants in fertilizer
An international team of scientists has uncovered toxic metals in mineral phosphate fertilizers worldwide by using a new tool to identify the spread and impact of such contaminants on soil, water resources, and food supply......»»
How I upgraded my water heater and discovered how bad smart home security can be
Could you really control someone's hot water with just an email address? Enlarge / This is essentially the kind of water heater the author has hooked up, minus the Wi-Fi module that led him down a rabbit hole. Also, not 140-degre.....»»
Detecting influence campaigns on X with AI and network science
In the age of generative-AI and large language models (LLMs), massive amounts of inauthentic content can be rapidly broadcasted on social media platforms. As a result, malicious actors are becoming more sophisticated, hijacking hashtags, artificially.....»»
Airborne technology brings new hope to map shallow aquifers in Earth"s most arid deserts
Water shortages are expanding across the Earth. This is particularly acute in desert areas of the Middle East that are subject to both drought and extreme conditions such as flooding. As a result of these uncertainties, there is an increasing relianc.....»»
Three new RR Lyrae variable stars discovered
Using the Lulin One-meter Telescope (LOT), astronomers have observed a newly detected candidate ultra-faint dwarf galaxy known as Virgo III. As a result, they discovered three new RR Lyrae variable stars in the vicinity of this galaxy. The finding wa.....»»
Scientists use generative AI to answer complex questions in physics
When water freezes, it transitions from a liquid phase to a solid phase, resulting in a drastic change in properties like density and volume. Phase transitions in water are so common most of us probably don't even think about them, but phase transiti.....»»
Mixup of drinking and irrigation water sparks dangerous outbreak in children
Of 13 children sickened, 7 hospitalized and 2 had life-threatening complications. Enlarge / A child cools off under a water sprinkler. (credit: Getty | JASON SOUTH) In 1989, a city in Utah upgraded its drinking water sy.....»»
Researchers make a surprising discovery: Magnetism in a common material for microelectronics
Nickel monosilicide (NiSi) is widely used to connect transistors in semiconductor circuits. Earlier theoretical calculations had incorrectly predicted that NiSi was not magnetic. As a result, researchers had never fully explored magnetism in NiSi......»»
Penalties for dropping out of ecosystem services incentive programs should equal lost environmental benefits
Payment for Ecosystem Services programs (PES) are important tools that governments around the world use to improve water quality, protect forests and wildlife habitat, and sequester carbon. Under these programs, landowners—usually farmers—are pai.....»»
Repurposed beer yeast encapsulated in hydrogels may offer a cost-effective way to remove lead from water
Every year, beer breweries generate and discard thousands of tons of surplus yeast. Researchers from MIT and Georgia Tech have now come up with a way to repurpose that yeast to absorb lead from contaminated water......»»
Cybersecurity analysis exposes high-risk assets in power and healthcare sectors
Traditional approaches to vulnerability management result in a narrow focus of the enterprise attack surface area that overlooks a considerable amount of risk, according to Claroty. Organizations must take a holistic approach to exposure management T.....»»
Researchers uncover what makes some chickens more water-efficient than others
In the first scientific report of its kind, researchers in Arkansas have shown that chickens bred for water conservation continued to put on weight despite heat stress that would normally slow growth......»»
Meet the new insect killing Utah"s fir trees: Research models impact of the balsam woolly adelgid
A nonnative tree-killing insect is invading northern Utah, attacking subalpine fir and potentially triggering yet another die-off of the region's long-stressed conifer forests......»»
2023 temperatures were warmest we’ve seen for at least 2,000 years
Northern Hemisphere temperatures well beyond natural variability seen in tree rings. Enlarge / Top: a look through the past 2,000 years of summertime temperatures, showing that 2023 is considerably warmer than anything earlier......»»
Scientists develop an affordable sensor for lead contamination
Engineers at MIT, Nanytang Technological University, and several companies have developed a compact and inexpensive technology for detecting and measuring lead concentrations in water, potentially enabling a significant advance in tackling this persi.....»»
Want to be an influencer? Our research shows what you need to know first
You're hard at work, lying in a hammock, composing the perfect selfie on the beach. The turquoise sea sets off the idyllic sunset, and just visible though the fronds of a palm tree is the logo of the hotel which is paying you to promote it to your mi.....»»
Thirsty in paradise: Water crises are a growing problem across the Caribbean islands
In the popular imagination, the Caribbean is paradise, an exotic place to escape to. But behind the images of balmy beaches and lush hotel grounds lies a crisis, the likes of which its residents have never experienced......»»
Evolutionary history shapes variation of wood density: Study
Ecology and evolutionary biology suggest that closely related species are more likely to exhibit morphological and functional similarities compared to distantly related species. Each tree species represents a unique genetic reservoir and is a product.....»»
Tracing the origins of organic matter in Martian sediments
Although Mars presents a barren, dusty landscape with no signs of life so far, its geological features such as deltas, lakebeds, and river valleys strongly suggest a past where water once flowed abundantly on its surface. To explore this possibility,.....»»