Restoring coastal vegetation -- so called 'blue carbon' habitats -- may not be the nature-based climate solution it is claimed to be, according to a new study. In their analysis researchers challenge the widely held view that restoring areas such as mangroves, saltmarsh and seagrass can remove large amounts of...
City life or farm life? When elephants adapt to different human development
The movement of elephants through wildlife corridors is directly impacted by differing forms of human pressures and development, new research shows. The study takes an in-depth look at how varying land-use affects elephants and their use of wildlife corridors.
Smoke from Western wildfires can influence Arctic sea ice
Sea ice and wildfires may be more interconnected than previously thought, according to new research.
Lactating mice pass along common antimicrobial to pups, initiating liver damage
In mouse studies, researchers report that lactating mothers expose their feeding pups to triclosan, an antimicrobial commonly used in consumer products, resulting in early signs of liver damage.
Eating more ultra-processed foods associated with increased risk of dementia
People who eat the highest amounts of ultra-processed foods like soft drinks, chips and cookies may have a higher risk of developing dementia than those who eat the lowest amounts, according to a new study. Researchers also found that replacing ultra-processed foods in a person's diet with unprocessed or minimally...
Plesiosaur fossils found in the Sahara suggest they weren’t just marine animals
Fossils of small plesiosaurs, long-necked marine reptiles from the age of dinosaurs, have been found in a 100-million year old river system that is now Morocco's Sahara Desert. This discovery suggests some species of plesiosaur, traditionally thought to be sea creatures, may have lived in freshwater.
In rare feat, researchers decipher how one gut bacterium influences immunity
From immunity to metabolism to mental health, it seems like the gut microbiome has been linked to every aspect of human health and disease. But with hundreds of bacterial species populating our gastrointestinal tract, it's a daunting task to pinpoint which molecules made by which bacteria affect which biological processes...
Insights into enzyme that combats a common greenhouse gas
An enzyme that combats the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) may one day give scientists a potent new tool for reducing the amount of the gas in the atmosphere.
Cocoa shown to reduce blood pressure and arterial stiffness in real-life study
Cocoa only reduces blood pressure and arterial stiffness when elevated, a new study finds.
Green tea extract promotes gut health, lowers blood sugar
New research in people with a cluster of heart disease risk factors has shown that consuming green tea extract for four weeks can reduce blood sugar levels and improve gut health by lowering inflammation and decreasing 'leaky gut.'