Air pollution contributes to nearly 7 million premature deaths each year, and its effects go far beyond the lungs. Breathing in wildfire smoke or automobile-related city smog doesn't just increase the risk of asthma and heart disease -- it may also contribute to brain conditions as diverse as Alzheimer's and...
Drone captures narwhals using their tusks to explore, forage and play
Using drones, 17 distinct behaviors of narwhals were captured in the wild. Findings reveal complex behaviors of the Arctic's iconic whale never seen before. This highly gregarious whale uses its tusk to investigate, manipulate and influence the behavior of a fish, the Arctic char. The study also provides the first...
Birds breathe in dangerous plastics — and so do we
Microscopic plastic pollutants drifting through the air are lodging in the lungs of birds, a new study finds. Researchers worldwide are increasingly alarmed by how pervasive these harmful particles are in the air humans breathe and the food they eat.
Solar Technology Could Meet UK’s Electricity Needs Without Sacrificing Farmland
Ambitious government plans for the expansion of solar farms could be achieved without sacrificing farmland, according to new research on a technology that could meet the UK’s electricity needs four times over.
When the wild things are: Surprising details of mammalian daily activity
A team has gathered photographic data on daily mammalian activity, studying 445 total species around the world with surprising results. The project generated a massive dataset of animal images examining species' diel phenotype plasticity, an important step to understand the impacts of environmental change and help direct conservation actions.
Researchers make recommendations for promoting sustainable development in mangrove forest areas
Although preventing all the consequences of climate change is now impossible, we can adopt policies to mitigate its impact. In a set of policy recommendations, researchers examine the development of sustainable livelihoods in the Sundarbans, a coastal region of India and Bangladesh that is vulnerable to the impacts of climate...
Can we find floating vegetation on ocean planets?
Recent advances in astronomical observations have found a significant number of extrasolar planets that can sustain surface water, and the search for extraterrestrial life on such planets is gaining momentum. A team of astrobiologists has proposed a novel approach for detecting life on ocean planets. By conducting laboratory measurements and...
Extreme heat may speed up aging in older adults
A new study suggests greater exposure to extreme heat may accelerate biological aging in older adults, raising new concerns about how climate change and heat waves could affect long-term health and aging at the molecular level.
Possible links between PFAS exposure and childhood cancers
A study has revealed possible links between exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in drinking water and an increased risk of certain childhood cancers.
School of rock: Properties of rocks in fault zones contribute to earthquake generation
A study looking at a small region in Japan has shown that the properties of fault zone rocks really matter for the generation of earthquakes.