As wildfires grow larger and more frequent across the West, researchers from Colorado, Utah, and California are digging into how smoke affects the air—and our health.
Study: 72% of Illinois Wetlands No Longer Protected by Federal Clean Water Act
Illinois once harbored more than 8 million acres of wetlands. By the 1980s, all but 1.2 million wetland acres had been lost, filled in for development or drained to make way for agriculture.
Fishy Forensics Improves Tracking of Fish Migrations
“Climate change has already caused more than 12,000 species to shift their homes across land, freshwater and the sea,” says the University of Adelaide’s Dr Chloe Hayes, who has published a study on the new approach.
Scientists Warn California Should Prepare for Destructive ‘Supershear’ Earthquakes
Most Californians are familiar with earthquakes. But researchers say the state faces an overlooked threat: “supershear” earthquakes that move so fast they outrun their own seismic waves.
Hidden bacterial molecules in the brain reveal new secrets of sleep
New studies show that a bacterial molecule, peptidoglycan, is present in the brain and fluctuates with sleep patterns. This challenges the idea that sleep is solely brain-driven, instead suggesting it’s a collaborative process between our bodies and microbiomes. The theory links microbes not only to sleep but also to cognition,...
Breakthrough wetsuits slash shark attack injuries and save lives
Shark experts tested four innovative wetsuit materials to measure how well they reduce shark-bite injuries. The results show they can lessen major trauma, blood loss, and even save lives when compared to standard neoprene. While not a perfect shield, these suits represent a leap forward in personal protection.
This flower smells like dying ants, and flies can’t resist it
Vincetoxicum nakaianum tricks flies into pollinating it by imitating the smell of ants attacked by spiders. Ko Mochizuki stumbled upon this finding when he noticed flies clustering around the flowers and later confirmed their unusual preference. The study reveals the first known case of ant odor mimicry in plants, expanding...
Scientists Show How to Grow More Nutritious Rice That Uses Less Fertilizer
The cultivation of rice—the staple grain for more than 3.5 billion people around the world—comes with extremely high environmental, climate and economic costs.
Turning Old Smartphones into Battery-free, Biodegradable Ecosystem Monitors
If the goal of monitoring our natural resources is to protect the environment, shouldn’t the technology involved be sustainable as well?
NYC’s Composting Rates Are Low. A Sustainability Expert Thinks AI Will Offer a Solution. Eventually
In the U.S., more than one third of food goes to waste. As such, more food ends up in landfills than any other material.