A 30 million year-old fossil whale may not be the heaviest animal of all time after all, according to a new analysis by paleontologists. The new analysis puts Perucetus colossus back in the same weight range as modern whales and smaller than the largest blue whales ever recorded.
80 mph speed record for glacier fracture helps reveal the physics of ice sheet collapse
New research documents the fastest-known large-scale breakage along an Antarctic ice shelf. A 6.5-mile crack formed in 2012 over 5-and-a-half minutes, showing that ice shelves can effectively shatter -- though the speed is limited by seawater rushing in. The results help inform large-scale ice sheet models and projections of future...
In fight against brain pathogens, the eyes have it
The eyes have been called the window to the brain. It turns out they also serve as an immunological barrier that protects the organ from pathogens and even tumors, researchers have found. In a new study, researchers showed that vaccines injected into the eyes of mice can help disable the...
Researchers develop novel method to photosynthesize hydrogen peroxide using water and air
Researchers have developed a microporous covalent organic framework with dense donor-acceptor lattices and engineered linkages for the efficient and clean production of hydrogen peroxide through the photosynthesis process with water and air.
Climate change shrinking fish
Fish weight in the western North Pacific Ocean dipped in the 2010s due to warmer water limiting food supplies, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed the individual weight and overall biomass of 13 species of fish. In the 1980s and 2010s, the fish were lighter. They attributed the first...
Trapping Sulfate to Benefit Health, Industry and Waterways
Scientists have developed a new method to measure and remove sulfate from water, potentially leading to cleaner waterways and more effective nuclear waste treatments.
Study Finds Drought Fuels Invasive Species After Wildfires
In a study recently published in the journal Ecology, University of California, Irvine scientists uncover the intricate dance between drought, wildfires and invasive species in Southern California’s coastal sage scrub ecosystems.
Boiling, Filtering Water Can Get Rid of Microplastics, Study Finds
A new study finds that boiling and then filtering tap water can remove up to 90 percent of microplastics.
New Study Is First Step in Predicting Carbon Emissions in Agriculture
For the first time, researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities (UMN) and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) have demonstrated that it is possible to provide accurate, high-resolution predictions of carbon cycles in agroecosystems, which could help mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Stronger Storms Free More Nutrients From Mud Flats
If storms become stronger in the future due to climate change, more nitrogen may be released from the bottom of coastal seas.