A new study led by University of Colorado Denver has uncovered how climate change and intensifying wildfires are disrupting dragonfly mating traits—threatening to push some species toward local extinction.
New and Simple Detection Method for Nanoplastics
Researchers at the University of Stuttgart have developed an “optical sieve” for detecting tiny nanoplastic particles.
60 Percent of the World’s Land Area Is in a Precarious State
A new study maps the planetary boundary of “functional biosphere integrity” in spatial detail and over centuries.
Scientists finally solve the mystery of ghostly halos on the ocean floor
Barrels dumped off Southern California decades ago have been found leaking alkaline waste, not just DDT, leaving behind eerie white halos and transforming parts of the seafloor into toxic vents. The findings reveal a persistent and little-known legacy of industrial dumping that still shapes marine life today.
Don’t toss cannabis leaves. Scientists just found rare compounds inside
Scientists at Stellenbosch University have uncovered a rare class of plant compounds, flavoalkaloids, in Cannabis leaves for the first time. Using advanced two-dimensional chromatography and mass spectrometry, they identified 79 phenolic compounds across three strains, 25 of which had never before been reported in Cannabis. The surprising discovery highlights the...
The invisible plastic threat you can finally see
Researchers in Germany and Australia have created a simple but powerful tool to detect nanoplastics—tiny, invisible particles that can slip through skin and even the blood-brain barrier. Using an "optical sieve" test strip viewed under a regular microscope, these particles reveal themselves through striking color changes.
Hungry flathead catfish are changing everything in the Susquehanna
Flathead catfish are rapidly reshaping the Susquehanna River’s ecosystem. Once introduced, these voracious predators climbed to the top of the food chain, forcing native fish like channel catfish and bass to shift diets and habitats. Using stable isotope analysis, researchers uncovered how the invaders disrupt food webs, broaden dietary overlaps,...
The ocean’s most abundant microbe is near its breaking point
Tiny ocean microbes called Prochlorococcus, once thought to be climate survivors, may struggle as seas warm. These cyanobacteria drive 5% of Earth’s photosynthesis and underpin much of the marine food web. A decade of research shows they thrive only within a narrow temperature range, and warming oceans could slash their...
Why some plants are taking over the world
Plants are spreading across the globe faster than ever, largely due to human activity, and new research shows that the very same traits that make plants thrive in their native lands also drive their success abroad. A study of nearly 4,000 European species reveals that tall, adaptable, nutrient-loving generalists dominate...
Human Impact on the Ocean Will Double by 2050, UCSB Scientists Warn
The seas have long sustained human life, but a new UC Santa Barbara study shows that rising climate and human pressures are pushing the oceans toward a dangerous threshold.