A new nasal whooping cough vaccine showed an ability to prevent both infection and transmission of the disease in mice. Current vaccines offer treatment but fail to halt transmission of the bacteria that cause the disease.
Ytterbium thin-disk lasers pave the way for sensitive detection of atmospheric pollutants
Alongside carbon dioxide, methane is a key driver of global warming. To detect and monitor the climate pollutants in the atmosphere precisely, scientists have developed an advanced laser technology. A high-power ytterbium thin-disk laser drives an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) to generate high-power, stable pulses in the short-wave infrared (SWIR)...
A single cell’s siesta
Too much of a good thing is no good at all. Living organisms enjoy sunlight -- in fact, many need it to stay alive -- but they tend to avoid light that is too bright. Animals go to their shelter, humans have a siesta, even plants have mechanisms to avoid...
How 70% of the Mediterranean Sea was lost 5.5 million years ago
A new study has highlighted just how significantly the level of the Mediterranean Sea dropped during the Messinian Salinity Crisis -- a major geological event that transformed the Mediterranean into a gigantic salt basin between 5.97 and 5.33 million years ago.
Plastic bag bans have lingering impacts, even after repeals
A new study found that policies to curtail the use of single-use plastic bags in grocery stores and other retail outlets in Austin and Dallas, Texas, resulted in people buying more plastic bags, a behavior that continued after the rules were no longer in place.
New study investigates insecticide contamination in Minnesota’s water
A new study found that specific insecticides, called neonicotinoids, were found at high concentrations in some ground and surface water sources that could affect drinking water.
The women and stress behind rural farming in America
Recent research suggests the unique stresses from farm life may be taking a toll on one of the pillars of the families that make your dinners possible: the women who keep farming families running.
Bee alert: Pesticides pose a real threat to over 70% of wild bees
A new study reveals alarming risks that pesticides pose to ground-nesting bees, which are crucial for pollination and food production. As agriculture increasingly relies on pesticides to protect crops, the unintended consequences for these essential pollinators are becoming clearer.
New research explores volcanic caves, advancing the search for life on Mars
Through the intricate study of lava tubes -- caves formed following volcanic eruptions when lava cools down -- an international team of researchers has uncovered clues about Earth's ancient environments that could be significant in the search for life on Mars.
NASA satellites reveal abrupt drop in global freshwater levels
The Earth's total amount of freshwater dropped abruptly starting in May 2014 and has remained low ever since. The shift could indicate Earth's continents have entered a persistently drier phase.