Biologists make case for guiding conservation with a local touch to fight climate change effects
As nature reels towards a hotter, drier, harsher future, new conservation tools—seed banks and frozen zoos, gene editing and assisted gene flow—hold promise to help struggling animal and plant populations. The catch: New approaches must incorpora.....»»
Astronomers prepare to launch LuSEE night, a test observatory on the far side of the moon
Astronomers have not yet been able to map large portions of the radio emissions from our universe because of interference from the Earth itself. A team of astronomers hopes to change that, beginning with the LuSEE Night mission to the far side of the.....»»
With rapidly increasing heat and drought, can plants adapt?
At a time when climate change is making many areas of the planet hotter and drier, it's sobering to think that deserts are relatively new biomes that have grown considerably over the past 30 million years. Widespread arid regions, like the deserts th.....»»
Estimating organic carbon stocks of mineral soils in Denmark: Impact of bulk density and content of rock fragments
Soil can store carbon. Therefore, there is also an increasing focus on soil organic carbon content and how to either increase or maintain it. This is because soil can also lose carbon in the form of climate gases from microbial decomposition, in whic.....»»
Storing carbon dioxide underground may be a safe solution to mitigate climate change, according to new study
A study led by the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA) and the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA CSIC-UIB), both belonging to the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), has shown that injecting billi.....»»
GM Financial profit slips in Q4 as interest rates rise
General Motors' captive lender said it experienced the effects of lower net leased vehicle income and higher interest costs......»»
How culling Australia"s feral water buffalo could help tackle climate change
The world's largest wild population of water buffalo now roam Australia. As does the largest wild herd of camels. We have millions of feral goats and deer. For these introduced species, Australia is a paradise. Plenty of vegetation, and not many pred.....»»
"Blue marble": How a half-century of climate change has altered the face of the Earth
In December 1972, NASA's final Apollo mission (Apollo 17) took the iconic "Blue Marble" photo of the whole Earth. Many, including science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke, had expected that the sight of Earth from afar would instill the belief that ma.....»»
Microbes in your food can help or hinder your body"s defenses against cancer
The microbes living in your food can affect your risk of cancer. While some help your body fight cancer, others help tumors evolve and grow......»»
Climate change may cut US forest inventory by a fifth this century
A study led by a North Carolina State University researcher found that under more severe climate warming scenarios, the inventory of trees used for timber in the continental United States could decline by as much as 23% by 2100. The largest inventory.....»»
The social code: Deciphering the genetic basis of hymenopteran social behavior
Since Darwin, biologists have been fascinated by the evolution of sociality. In its most extreme form, eusocial species exhibit a division of labor in which certain individuals perform reproductive tasks such as egg laying, while others play non-repr.....»»
The hype is out of this world, but mining in space won"t save the Earth
We know the world must move to cleaner energy sources to head off the worst effects of climate change, but the technology required for the transition is very mineral-intensive. So where will all these resources come from?.....»»
Climate change is already putting the heat on insurance companies—Auckland"s floods could be a turning point
The clean-up from Auckland's devastating floods last week is just beginning but insurance companies will need to start thinking about what the record-breaking weather event will mean for future coverage......»»
Video: Are wildfires getting worse? A NASA scientist explains
Are wildfires getting worse? Unfortunately, yes. Changes in our climate, along with other factors, have led to wildfires increasing in intensity, severity, size and duration......»»
New study highlights the impact of two new marine gases on climate models" accuracy
In addition to oxygen, nitrogen or carbon dioxide, the air we breathe contains small amounts of organic gases, such as benzene and toluene. These oxidize into small particles or aerosols that contribute to the condensation of water in the droplets th.....»»
Transforming the way cancer vaccines are designed and made
A new way to significantly increase the potency of almost any vaccine has been developed by researchers from the International Institute for Nanotechnology (IIN) at Northwestern University. The scientists used chemistry and nanotechnology to change t.....»»
SpaceX offers ride to Soyuz astronaut in case of ISS emergency
A damaged Soyuz capsule has forced NASA and its Russian counterpart to consider solutions in case the space station needs to be evacuated in an emergency......»»
Heritage and culture key for Thai confectioners to compete with western brands
Traditional confectionary in Thailand is getting crowded out of the market by major western brands; but a new study suggests local manufacturers can fight back by using their country's local heritage and culture to gain competitive advantage......»»
UMC proposed acquisition of remaining stake in United Semi hits snag
United Microelectronics' (UMC) plan to acquire United Semi has hit a snag due to rejection from the local government of China's Fujian province, according to industry sources......»»
Auckland floods: Even stormwater reform won"t be enough. We need a "sponge city" to avoid future disasters
We've built our cities to be vulnerable to—and exacerbate—major weather events such as the one we saw in Auckland on Friday. While almost no city in the world could fully escape the effects of four months' worth of rain in 24 hours, there are man.....»»
Warmer climate may drive fungi to be more dangerous to our health
The world is filled with tiny creatures that find us delicious. Bacteria and viruses are the obvious bad guys, drivers of deadly global pandemics and annoying infections. But the pathogens we haven't had to reckon with as much—yet—are the fungi......»»