When wildfires threaten people’s communities, human health is impacted far beyond the inferno. Residual smoke distributes on the breeze, infiltrating homes, schools and offices. To help people protect themselves and their families, researchers have developed a low-cost, durable, do-it-yourself (DIY) air cleaner that works as well as more expensive HEPA filters to clear indoor air of pollutants such as smoke and possibly limit the impact of airborne disease spread. Richard Corsi, dean of the University of California, Davis (UC Davis)…

For decades, scientists believed cool temperate rainforests were fragile ecosystems easily damaged by disturbances like fires or logging. But new research from the University of Melbourne challenges this view, revealing how these ancient forests actually depend on disturbance for their survival. The study focused on Nothofagus moorei, or Antarctic beech, a towering tree that forms the backbone of these ecosystems. The research team analyzed data from silvicultural experiments established in the 1960s across 15 plots in northern New South Wales….

New DNA map could lead to more nutritious, sustainable nuts California produces 99% of the nation’s pistachios, generating nearly $3 billion in economic value in the state. But pistachios have been slightly understudied in part because of the lack of a high-quality map of their DNA. University of California, Davis, researchers have now generated the most comprehensive genome sequence of the pistachio, allowing plant breeders to create better — perhaps more nutritious — varieties. They’ve also detailed how pistachio nuts…

Recent studies have shown that carbon stocks in terrestrial ecosystems are increasing, mitigating around 30% of the CO2 emissions linked to human activities. The overall value of carbon sinks on the earth’s surface is fairly well known—as it can be deduced from the planet’s total carbon balance anthropogenic emissions, the accumulation of carbon in the atmosphere and the ocean sinks—yet, researchers know very little about carbon distribution between the various terrestrial pools: living vegetation—mainly forests—and nonliving carbon pools—soil organic matter,…

An analysis of a 30,000-year-old fossil vulture from Central Italy has revealed for the first time that volcanic rock can preserve microscopic details in feathers – the first ever record of such a preservation. An international team, led by Dr Valentina Rossi (University College Cork, Ireland), discovered a new mode of preservation of soft tissues that can occur when animals are buried in ash-rich volcanic sediments. The new research, published in the scientific journal Geology, reveals that the feathers are…

Sensors attached to animals gather valuable data to track and mitigate the human influence on marine life. The Kobe University review paper emphasizes the importance of integrating data from various sources and advocates for an “Internet of Animals” based on open access and shared standards. Humanity influences marine life through a broad range of activities, spanning from fishing and pollution to noise from boats, construction and mining. To enable a sustainable life together, we need to monitor the influence of…

By David Chandler WOODS HOLE, Mass. – The impact of hurricanes when they travel over land, or when they affect ships or oil-drilling platforms, are quite well understood. But these huge cyclones also stir up the ocean itself, with consequences that are relatively unknown and hard to study. But a unique, subsurface experimental platform moored to the floor of the Sargasso Sea, about 47 miles southeast of Bermuda, is changing that. With collection points at increasing depths along the mooring…

The study shows that the regional water availability constrains the current and future production of 32 geological resources Geological resources such as critical metals and minerals, essential for the diffusion of technologies such as renewable energy and energy storage towards a decarbonized society, are indispensable for supporting modern life in the form of various products and services. Their demand is expected to increase in the coming years owing to global population as well as economic growth. Thus far, scientists and…

Large and connected forests are better for harboring biodiversity than fragmented landscapes, according to research supported by Michigan State University. Ecologists agree that habitat loss reduces biodiversity. But they don’t agree whether it’s better to focus on preserving many smaller, fragmented tracts of land or fewer larger and more continuous landscapes. The study, published in Nature and conducted by researchers from Michigan State University, University of Michigan and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research among others, examined 4,006 species…

Faster identification of fish sounds from acoustic recordings can improve research, conservation efforts Coral reefs are some of the world’s most diverse ecosystems. Despite making up less than 1% of the world’s oceans, one quarter of all marine species spend some portion of their life on a reef. With so much life in one spot, researchers can struggle to gain a clear understanding of which species are present and in what numbers. In JASA, published on behalf of the Acoustical…

Scientists break down plastic using a simple, inexpensive catalyst and air Harnessing moisture from air, Northwestern University chemists have developed a simple new method for breaking down plastic waste. The non-toxic, environmentally friendly, solvent-free process first uses an inexpensive catalyst to break apart the bonds in polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the most common plastic in the polyester family. Then, the researchers merely expose the broken pieces to ambient air. Leveraging the trace amounts of moisture in air, the broken-down PET is…

The bottom of the Calypso Deep, a 5,112-metre deep depression in the Ionian Sea, contains one of the highest concentrations of marine debris in the deep ocean Waste generated by human activities has now reached the deepest point in the Mediterranean: the 5,112-metre-deep Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea. A total of 167 objects — mainly plastics, glass, metal and paper — have been identified at the bottom, of which 148 are marine debris and 19 others are of possible…

Scientists treat seeds with cold plasma, measure impact on plant growth, insect defense The same substance that paints the sky with the Northern Lights also appears to enhance plant growth and insect defense, according to a new study. Food science and entomology researchers from the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station teamed up to harness plasma and measure its effects on rice seed. The project began after Mahfuzur Rahman, assistant professor of food science, acquired a machine that produces cold plasma. Known…

Bigger, tastier tomatoes and eggplants could soon grace our dinner plates thanks to Johns Hopkins scientists who have discovered genes that control how large the fruits will grow. The research—led by teams at Johns Hopkins University and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory—could lead to the development of new varieties of heirloom tomatoes and eggplants, including those that help support agriculture in areas around the world where local varieties are currently too small for large-scale production. Findings were published in the journal Nature. “Once…

Some parts of Hawai‘i are sinking faster than others. That discovery, published recently in a study by researchers at the University of Hawai‘i (UH) at Mānoa, also highlights that as sea level rises, the infrastructure, businesses, and communities in these low-lying areas are at risk of flooding sooner than scientists anticipated, particularly in certain urban areas of O‘ahu. “Our findings highlight that subsidence is a major, yet often overlooked, factor in assessments of future flood exposure,” said Kyle Murray, lead…

New research has uncovered why different climate models offer varying projections of sea surface temperature (SST) changes in the tropical Pacific, a region critical for global climate patterns. The study, published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences on March 5, identifies cloud–radiation feedback as the dominant source behind these differences. Reliable projections of the tropical Pacific SST warming (TPSW) pattern are crucial for understanding how global climate will change in a warming world. While the latest climate models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6…