An international team has drilled the longest ever sediment core from under an ice sheet, providing a record stretching back millions of years that will help climate scientists forecast the fate of the ice sheet in our warming world.
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Global Warming Must Peak Below 2°C to Limit Tipping Point Risks
Global warming must peak below 2°C then return under 1.5°C as quickly as possible to limit the risk of dangerous “tipping points”, experts say.
Scientists uncover oxygen-loving ancestor of all complex life
For decades, scientists have believed that complex life began when two very different microbes joined forces, eventually giving rise to plants, animals, and fungi. But one major puzzle remained: how could these organisms have met if one depended on oxygen and the other supposedly lived without it? New research suggests...
Giant virus discovery could rewrite the origin of complex life
A giant virus discovered in Japan is adding fuel to the provocative idea that viruses helped create complex life. Named ushikuvirus, it infects amoebae and shows unique traits that connect different families of giant DNA viruses. Its unusual way of hijacking and disrupting the host cell’s nucleus offers fresh insight...
Plant-Based Material Offers Sustainable Method of Recovering Rare Earth Element
Despite rare earth elements’ importance in manufacturing cell phones, magnets and a host of other consumer and commercial electronics, the lack of a sustainable, environmentally friendly approach to obtaining these metals has led to a global shortage, according to Amir Sheikhi, associate professor of chemical engineering.
Course Correction Needed Quickly to Avoid Pathway to ‘Hothouse Earth’ Scenario, Scientists Say
Scientists say multiple Earth system components appear closer to destabilization than previously believed, putting the planet at increased risk of a “hothouse” trajectory driven by feedback loops that can amplify the consequences of global warming.
The Hidden Impact of Polluted Snow
As Canada experiences record snowfall, new research from the University of Waterloo suggests that tiny amounts of industrial pollution trapped in snow can change how sunlight reaches the ground below and significantly alter fragile environments.
Scientists discover gene that could save bananas from deadly Panama disease
A major breakthrough could help save the world’s bananas from a devastating disease. Scientists have discovered the exact genetic region in a wild banana that provides resistance to Fusarium wilt Subtropical Race 4 — a destructive strain that threatens Cavendish bananas worldwide. While this wild banana isn’t edible, the discovery...
New map reveals where lethal scorpions are most likely to strike
Scientists have developed a powerful new way to forecast where some of the world’s most dangerous scorpions are likely to be found. By combining fieldwork in Africa with advanced computer modeling, the team discovered that soil type is the strongest factor shaping where many lethal species live, while temperature patterns...
What Freezing Plants in Blocks of Ice Can Tell us About the Future of Svalbard’s Plant Communities
How will a warming Arctic affect plant growth on Svalbard? Researchers encased plant plots in a thick layer of ice during the winter and used little greenhouses to heat up those plots in the summer.