The closest relatives of humans adapt genetically to habitats and infections Survival of the Fittest: Genetic Adaptations Uncovered in Chimpanzees Görlitz, 10.01.2025. Chimpanzees have genetic adaptations that help them survive in different forest and savannah habitats. This is the result of a study published today in the renowned journal “Science”. An international research team led by University College London (UCL) shows that some of these adaptations could also protect the animals from malaria. The researchers emphasize that their results provide…
Overfishing, illegal fishing and increasing marketing of shark meat pose significant threats to the more than 80 species of sharks and rays that inhabit the Mediterranean Sea, according to a new study. Current Legislation for Elasmobranch Conservation The research examined current levels of legislation in place to protect elasmobranch populations (which include sharks, rays and skates) within each of the 22 coastal states of the Mediterranean region. Across those countries – stretching from Spain and Morocco in the west to…
Microorganisms are everywhere and have been influencing the Earth’s environment for over 3.5 billion years. Researchers from Germany, Austria and Taiwan have now deciphered the role they play in the formation of lime – for the first time in the deep sea rather than in the laboratory. The basis was a five-meter-long lime core obtained during an expedition. The team of authors has now published their results in the journal Communications Earth & Environment. Correlation between Microorganisms and Mineral Formation…
Analysis of three decades of aerial survey data reveals major changes In the Arctic, the old, multiyear ice is increasingly melting, dramatically reducing the frequency and size of pressure ridges. These ridges are created when ice floes press against each other and become stacked, and are a characteristic feature of Arctic sea ice, an obstacle for shipping, but also an essential component of the ecosystem. In a recently released study in the journal Nature Climate Change, experts from the Alfred Wegener…
The longest natural metagenome time series ever collected, with microbes, reveals a startling evolutionary pattern on repeat. A Microbial “Groundhog Year” in Lake Mendota Like Bill Murray in the movie “Groundhog Day,” bacteria species in a Wisconsin lake are in a kind of endless loop that they can’t seem to shake. Except in this case, it’s more like Groundhog Year. According to a new study in Nature Microbiology, researchers found that through the course of a year, most individual species of bacteria in…
A new study explores the intersection of industrial automation and environmental sustainability, focusing on the role of industrial robots in reducing the carbon intensity of manufacturing exports. The research demonstrates that robots can significantly lower CO2 emissions in the manufacturing process. However, the study also uncovers a complex U-shaped relationship, where emissions initially drop but then plateau, highlighting the need for careful integration of robotics into manufacturing systems. These findings provide critical insights for industries seeking to minimize their environmental footprint…
Rising water temperatures undermine nutrient reduction efforts. Eutrophication and rising water temperatures are taking an increasing toll on the Baltic Sea, leading to dangerous oxygen depletion in deeper water layers and threatening many marine organisms. Despite successful efforts to reduce nutrient inputs, rising temperatures are preventing the ecosystem from recovering. Researchers at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel have used long-term measurements to investigate how environmental conditions have changed in recent decades. Their findings have now been published…
Remote sensing creates a cost-effective solution to monitoring plastic pollution. A first-of-its-kind study from researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities shows how remote sensing can help monitor and remove plastic debris from freshwater environments like the Mississippi River. The research, published in Nature, a peer-reviewed scientific journal, helps to increase the understanding of plastic debris behavior in freshwater environments. Plastic pollution in oceans continues to be a growing environmental issue, with the United Nations Environment Programme naming it one…
Just one look in the yellow bin reveals a colourful jumble of different types of plastic. However, the purer and more uniform plastic waste is, the easier it is to recycle. In a new research project, the universities of Jena and Bayreuth, together with the companies BASF, Endress + Hauser Digital Solutions and TechnoCompound GmbH, want to optimise the recycling process for plastics. The Spectroscopic Investigation of the Recycling of Plastic project plans to reliably and precisely identify the composition…
After several years of service under harsh weather conditions, the rotor blades of offshore wind parks are subjected to degradation and surface erosion, releasing sizeable quantities of particle emissions into the environment. A team of researchers led by the Alfred Wegener Institute has now investigated the effects of these particle on blue mussels – a species also being considered for the multi-use of wind parks for aquaculture. In the experiment, the mussels absorbed metals from the rotor blades’ coatings, as…
Glacial melting, heat waves, and changing precipitation patterns call for strategic and transnational water management Constant, rigorous resource use has negatively impacted our environment, extending beyond national borders. Climate change is reshaping the Alpine region, where melting glaciers and shifting precipitation patterns endanger rivers and groundwater reserves. The EU-co-funded “Waterwise” project, helmed by the Interreg Alpine Space program, and in collaboration with Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA) and 11 other partners from seven Alpine countries—France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria,…
Despite sea level rise in Western Indian Ocean, more than 60% of Aldabra Atoll’s shoreline remained unchanged from 1960 to 2011, based on aerial and satellite image analysis. On average, the shoreline changed at a rate of 0.25 ± 0.36 meters per year, with significant localized erosion trends. The international team led by University of Zurich and Seychelles Islands Foundation researchers highlight Aldabra Atoll’s resilience and its ability to maintain its shoreline despite the threats to reef island processes. Aldabra…
Instead of Downcycling… Carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) are increasingly being used in lightweight construction applications where high strength and rigidity combined with minimal weight are crucial. However, the growing use of CFRP is also accompanied by large quantities of carbon fiber waste. Conventional recycling processes significantly reduce the properties of CFRP and limit the areas of application. The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) have developed highly oriented tapes made from recycled carbon fibers (rCF) that…
– climate change causes more sediment in high-mountain rivers. Many high-mountain rivers in Asia transport more sediment downstream compared to a few years ago. Changes in sediment levels have a particularly strong impact on agriculture, water quality, flood management, and hydropower generation. A study with participation of the University of Potsdam demonstrates the interacting roles of glaciers, vegetation, precipitation, and slope in mobilizing sediment and controlling the current sediment transport in rivers. In order to counteract climate change, the authors…
The climate warms fastest in the Arctic. The sea ice there has become so thin that we could already see the first day without sea ice by 2030, according to a new study led by researchers from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and University of Colorado in Boulder, USA. Climate change has weakened the Arctic ice cover. Researchers found that if a series of not-that-unusual weather events were to take place under autumn, winter or spring, there is real risk…
With 2024 on track to be declared the hottest on record, scientists from IIASA and Columbia University have noticed that specific regions are consistently more affected by extreme temperatures. A new study provides the first worldwide map of these regional climate danger zones. Amid the continued upward march in average temperatures over the past decades, a recent surge of record shattering extreme heat waves raise questions about the degree to which climate models can provide adequate estimates of relations between…
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