Boilers are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. In a recent study, researchers developed a method to convert CO2 emissions from small boilers into methane, which makes use of an optimized reactor design that evenly distributes the CO2 feed. This, in turn, results in significantly lower temperature increments and...
On repeat: Biologists observe recurring evolutionary changes, over time, in stick insects
An evolutionary biologist reports evidence of repeatable evolution in populations of stick insects.
High H5N1 influenza levels found in mice given raw milk from infected dairy cows
Mice administered raw milk samples from dairy cows infected with H5N1 influenza experienced high virus levels in their respiratory organs and lower virus levels in other vital organs, according to new findings. The results suggest that consumption of raw milk by animals poses a risk for H5N1 infection and raises...
Entomologist sheds light on 250-year-old mystery of the German cockroach
Entomologists have solved the 250-year-old origin puzzle of the most prevalent indoor urban pest insect on the planet: the German cockroach. The team's research findings, representing the genomic analyses of over 280 specimens from 17 countries and six continents, show that this species evolved some 2,100 years ago from an...
Developing novel methods to detect antibiotics in vegetables and earthworms
Researchers have managed to analyze, simultaneously, several families of antibiotics in vegetables and earthworms. Sampling carried out in various locations has yielded data on the existence of antimicrobial agents and their derivatives in vegetables. In this respect, Vergara stresses the need for further research to address the problem of contamination...
Intriguing nearby world sized between Earth, Venus
Astronomers have discovered a planet between the sizes of Earth and Venus only 40 light-years away.
Iron could be key to less expensive, greener lithium-ion batteries, research finds
Chemistry researchers are hoping to spark a green battery revolution by showing that iron instead of cobalt and nickel can be used as a cathode material in lithium-ion batteries.
Charting a pathway to next-gen biofuels
From soil to sequestration, researchers have modeled what a supply chain for second-generation biofuels might look like in the midwestern United States.
The global clean water crisis looms large
Water scarcity will intensify with climate and socioeconomic change, disproportionately impacting populations located in the Global South.
Foraging ants navigate more efficiently when given energy-drink-like doses of caffeine
Ants who receive a caffeine-laced sugary reward become more efficient at navigating back to the reward's location compared to ants that only receive sugar. Caffeinated ants move toward the reward via a more direct path but do not increase their speed, suggesting that caffeine improved their ability to learn. The...