A novel technique called Underground Gravity Energy Storage turns decommissioned mines into long-term energy storage solutions, thereby supporting the sustainable energy transition.
Blog
Thinning of the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream
Greenland is home to the planet’s largest ice sheet outside of Antarctica. Observations collected from the ground, air, and space, have revealed rapid thinning in the northeast part of this ice sheet that could contribute more to sea level rise than previously thought.
Storms Soak California
A series of back-to-back atmospheric rivers has drenched much of California since late December 2022, leading to floods, debris flows, road closures, and over a billion dollars of damage.
The U.S. is Committed to Conservation. Now, How Do we Do it?
When the U.S. government committed last January to conserving 30% of the United States’ natural land and water by the year 2030, the decision was embraced by the majority of Americans.
Enzyme ‘atlas’ helps researchers decipher cellular pathways
A new atlas maps more than 300 protein kinases found in human cells, and identifies which types of protein substrates they target. The atlas could help scientists understand what happens when cells become cancerous or are treated with specific drugs.
Fish-hunting and eating behaviors confirmed in Japanese macaques
Consumption of fish in monkeys has been thought of to be a rare occurrence, potentially even happening accidentally. However, through fecal studies of Japanese macaques in the Kamikochi area, evidence of fish-eating amongst this group of monkeys has been suggested. The frequency in which fish DNA has been detected in...
Dolphins ‘shout’ over loud underwater noise to complete a cooperative task
Dolphins are social, intelligent animals who rely on whistles and echolocation to hunt and reproduce. This means that noise generated from human activity such as drilling and shipping has the potential to negatively impact the health of wild dolphin populations. A study demonstrates that dolphins 'shout' when trying to work...
Team streamlines DNA collection, analysis for wildlife conservation
A new DNA-collection approach allows scientists to capture genetic information from wildlife without disturbing the animals or putting their own safety in jeopardy. The protocol, tested on elephant dung, yielded enough DNA to sequence whole genomes not only of the elephants but also of the associated microbes, plants, parasites and...
Realtime monitoring with a wearable device reveals IBS-related changes
A research group recorded the autonomic nervous system activity in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and healthy subjects using a wearable device and a proprietary smartphone application to record daily life events such as defecation and sleep. As a result, they found that sympathetic nervous system activity was activated...
Symptoms of illness help pathogens spread amongst songbirds
Both songbirds and humans suffer from contagious disease outbreaks. Studying what aspects of illness makes a sick animal contagious can help predict whether some pathogens will become more harmful over time.