Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are potentially harmful substances known as 'forever chemicals' because they are so difficult to destroy. One emerging technique to degrade PFAS involves forcefully grinding them with metal balls in a moving container, but this technique can require corrosive additives. Now, researchers report a new type...
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New genetic disorder that causes susceptibility to opportunistic infections
Immunogeneticists have discovered a new genetic disorder that causes immunodeficiency and profound susceptibility to opportunistic infections including a life-threatening fungal pneumonia.
New ‘whipping jet’ sprayer controls how aerosols move
Scientists have invented a new 'whipping jet' sprayer that allows for greater control over how aerosols move. The device could benefit pharmaceutical, automotive, food processing, carbon capture and other industries.
Unprecedented levels of high-severity fire burn in Sierra Nevada
High-severity wildfire in California's Sierra Nevada forests has nearly quintupled compared to before Euro-American settlement, rising from less than 10% per year then to up to 43% today, a new study finds.
New, more accurate computational tool for long-read RNA sequencing
Researchers have developed a new computational tool that can more accurately discover and quantify RNA molecules from these error-prone long-read RNA sequencing data. The tool, called ESPRESSO (Error Statistics PRomoted Evaluator of Splice Site Options), was reported today.
Texas Scientists Rescue Record-High Numbers of Stranded Loggerhead Turtles, Investigate Causes
More than 100 people gathered recently along the Padre Island shore in Texas to witness eight healed and robust sea turtles being released into the waters of the Gulf Coast.
Speeding Up Sugar’s Conversion into Fuel
University of Queensland researchers have found a way to more efficiently convert sugarcane into a building block of aviation fuel and other products.
Magnetic Method to Clean PFAS Contaminated Water
Researchers at The University of Queensland have pioneered a simple, fast and effective technique to remove PFAS chemicals from water.
Vulnerability of red sea urchins to climate change depends on location
A new study of red sea urchins, a commercially valuable species, investigated how different populations respond to changes in their environments. The results show that red sea urchin populations in Northern and Southern California are adapted to their local conditions but differ in their vulnerability to the environmental changes expected...
Mixture of crops provide ecological benefits for agricultural landscapes
There are often too few flowering plants in agricultural landscapes, which is one reason for the decline of pollinating insects. Researchers ave now investigated how a mixture of crops of faba beans (broad beans) and wheat affects the number of pollinating insects. They found that areas of mixed crops compared...