Cockroach infestations don’t just bring creepy crawlers, they fill homes with allergens and bacterial toxins that can trigger asthma and allergies. NC State researchers found that larger infestations meant higher toxin levels, especially from female roaches. When extermination eliminated the pests, both allergens and endotoxins plummeted. The findings highlight how...
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As Ochre Sea Star ‘Baby Boomers’ Grow Up, Species Showing Signs of Recovery
The “baby boom” of ochre sea stars that followed a population crash a decade ago is enabling the species to recover on the Oregon Coast, according to new research by scientists at Oregon State University and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
UW-Led Study Links Wildfire Smoke to Increased Odds of Preterm Birth
About 10% of American babies are born prematurely. Birth before 37 weeks can lead to a cascade of health risks, both immediate and long-term, making prevention a vital tool for improving public health over generations.
Sprayable RNA Pesticide Works Best When Potato Beetles are Small
The first sprayable insecticide made of RNA can target and kill ravenous Colorado potato beetles while sparing most beneficial insects, making it a promising environmentally friendly option.
How Algae Help Corals Bounce Back After Bleaching
Using advanced technology to understand natural reef resilience, and boost it.
Cul-De-Sac Effect: Why Mediterranean Regions Are Becoming More Prone to Extreme Floods in a Changing Climate
By analyzing the devastating floods that affected Emilia-Romagna, Italy, in 2023 and 2024, a team of researchers from CMCC – the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change – describes for the first time how a particular orographic configuration makes certain regions particularly prone to extreme flooding.
After Distractions, Rotating Brain Waves May Help Thought Circle Back to the Task
To get back on track after a distraction, the cortex appears to employ a rotating traveling wave, a new study by MIT neuroscientists finds.
5,500-year-old site in Jordan reveals a lost civilization’s secrets
After the collapse of the Chalcolithic culture around 3500 BCE, people in Jordan’s Murayghat transformed their way of life, shifting from domestic settlements to ritual landscapes filled with dolmens, standing stones, and megalithic monuments. Archaeologists from the University of Copenhagen believe these changes reflected a creative social response to climate...
2.7-million-year-old tools reveal humanity’s first great innovation
Researchers uncovered a 2.75–2.44 million-year-old site in Kenya showing that early humans maintained stone tool traditions for nearly 300,000 years despite extreme climate swings. The tools, remarkably consistent across generations, helped our ancestors adapt and survive. The discovery reshapes our understanding of how early technology anchored human evolution.
Plastic-eating bacteria discovered in the ocean
Beneath the ocean’s surface, bacteria have evolved specialized enzymes that can digest PET plastic, the material used in bottles and clothes. Researchers at KAUST discovered that a unique molecular signature distinguishes enzymes capable of efficiently breaking down plastic. Found in nearly 80% of ocean samples, these PETase variants show nature’s...