Viruses can inflame and disrupt connections between the olfactory system, which governs the sense of smell, and the part of the brain associated with memory and learning, possibly accelerating the onset of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study.
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Precision insights can be found in wastewater
Scientists have developed a machine learning model that uses the assortment of microbes found in wastewater to tease out how many individual people they represent.
Quantum dots at room temp, using lab-designed protein
Quantum dots are normally made in industrial settings with high temperatures and toxic, expensive solvents -- a process that is neither economical nor environmentally friendly. But researchers have now pulled off the process at the bench using water as a solvent, making a stable end-product at room temperature. Their work...
Changes in Earth’s orbit may have triggered ancient warming event
Changes in Earth's orbit that favored hotter conditions may have helped trigger a rapid global warming event 56 million years ago. Researchers found the shape of Earth's orbit, or eccentricity, and the wobble in its rotation, or precession, favored hotter conditions at the onset of the PETM and that these...
Mapping E. coli to overcome antibiotic resistance
Antibiotic resistance, when infection-causing bacteria evolve so they are no longer affected by typical antibiotics, is a global concern. New research has mapped the evolution and process of natural selection of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria in the lab. These maps, called fitness landscapes, help us better understand the step-by-step...
Not everyone aware sustainable diets are about helping the planet
A new study has found that young Brits would be willing to change to a more sustainable diet, but a lack of understanding about what that actually means is preventing many from doing so.
Why humans get infected with rodent-borne diseases
In a global study, researchers have identified that most reservoirs of rodent-borne diseases tend to live exclusively or occasionally in or near human dwellings, show large fluctuations in their numbers, and/or are hunted for meat or fur.
UMaine Leads $3 Million Study on How Warming Arctic Affects American Lobster in New England, Atlantic Canada
Investigating how a rapidly warming Arctic will affect American lobster populations and the communities that depend on them in New England and Atlantic Canada will be the focus of a University of Maine-led study backed by a $3 million award from the National Science Foundation’s Navigating the New Arctic Program...
UMaine-Led Study Shows Mountain Glacier Melting is Linked to Shifting Westerlies and Likely to Accelerate
The combination of global atmospheric warming and westerly winds shifting toward the poles will likely speed up the recession of mountain glaciers in both hemispheres, according to a UMaine study.
What do Good Investing and Saving the World’s Dying Coral Reefs Have in Common? Diversifying is Key
As the health of coral reefs continues to decline under the stress of climate change, researchers aim to rejuvenate failing reefs by transplanting healthy coral.