Scientists have discovered how to turn common minerals into materials that spontaneously remove and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In the lab, the materials pull CO2 from the air thousands of times faster than occurs with natural rock weathering.
Resilient algae may speed up Greenland ice melt
New research reveals that ice algae can store nutrients which may enable them to colonize more of the ice sheet, darkening and melting it.
Global retreat of glaciers has strongly accelerated
Researchers present a global assessment of ice loss since the beginning of the millennium. In a global comparison, the glaciers in the Alps and Pyrenees are melting the fastest.
From plants to people: How amino acid, vitamin balance links plant immunity to epilepsy
A groundbreaking study has revealed a surprising biochemical connection between plant immune responses and human neurological health. Researchers have discovered that the metabolic pathways regulating vitamin B6 homeostasis -- critical in certain forms of epilepsy and immune function -- are shared by plants and humans.
Ecologist finds eastern monarch butterflies delaying fall migration
The study was one of several that assessed the effects of climate change on three species of butterflies whose populations are declining.
Wild fish can recognize individual divers
For years, scientific divers at a research station in the Mediterranean Sea had a problem: at some point in every field season, local fish would follow them and steal food intended as experimental rewards. Intriguingly these wild fish appeared to recognize the specific diver who had previously carried food, choosing...
Scientists decode diet from stool DNA — no questions asked
Scientists have developed a breakthrough method to track diet using stool metagenomic data. This non-invasive, data-driven approach offers an objective alternative to traditional food diaries and questionnaires, which are still the gold standard in dietary assessment but can suffer from misreporting and compliance issues.
Selective combustion provides energy-efficient alternative to remove pollutants from industrial processes
Researchers have discovered a new method by which a catalyst can be used to selectively burn one molecule in a mixture of hydrocarbons -- compounds made of hydrogen and carbon atoms.
Rapid environmental change can threaten even a peaceful Daisyworld
Using mathematical modeling, researchers have discovered that rate-induced tipping, which can happen if an environment changes too fast, can happen even in Daisyworld, a simple daisy-filled ecological model. If the planet heats up or cools down too quickly, all the daisies will go extinct, even if they would otherwise have...
Even after learning the right idea, humans and animals still seem to test other approaches, study suggests
New research adds evidence that learning a successful strategy for approaching a task doesn't prevent further exploration, even if it reduces performance.