New fossil mammal specimens from Caribbean Panama suggest ongoing marine interchange during the final stages of formation of the isthmus connecting North and South America.
DNA element with a murky past is borrowing cell’s repair machinery
Like their viral cousins, retrotransposons have been found borrowing the cell's own machinery to achieve their goals. They hijack a little-known piece of the cell's DNA repair function to close themselves into a ring-like shape and then create a matching double strand. The finding upends 40 years of conventional wisdom...
Global study details microplastics contamination in lakes and reservoirs
A project involving 79 researchers belonging to the international Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON) finds that concentrations of plastic found in freshwater environments are actually higher than those found in so-called 'garbage patches' in the ocean.
The ocean’s color is changing as a consequence of climate change
The ocean's color has changed significantly in 20 years, and the trend is likely a consequence of human-induced climate change, report scientists.
‘Lava lamp’ vesicles show how cells could self-organize
The inside of a living cell is crowded with large, complex molecules. New research on how these molecules could spontaneously organize themselves could further our understanding of how cells manage their essential biochemistry in the crowded space. This research may also shed light on how the first living systems appeared...
Supercomputer used to simulate winds that cause clear air turbulence
Using Japan's most powerful supercomputer, researchers reproduced cases of clear air turbulence around Tokyo. They simulated the fine vortices responsible for this dangerous phenomenon. The usefulness of the simulation in predicting turbulence was confirmed by comparing simulation data with data from aircraft recordings. This research should improve the forecasting of...
Paths for reducing harmful air pollution in South Asia identified
A new study has evaluated the contribution of various emission sectors and fuels to PM2.5 mass for 29 states in India and six surrounding countries: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
The ground is deforming, and buildings aren’t ready
A new study has linked underground climate change to the shifting ground beneath urban areas. The phenomenon is affecting all major urban areas around the globe, causing civil structures and infrastructures to crack.
Thermal cloak passively keeps electric vehicles cool in the summer and warm in the winter
When an electric vehicle is parked outside, its temperature can swing wildly from day to night and season to season, which can lead to deterioration of the battery. To dampen these fluctuations and extend the battery's lifespan, researchers have designed an all-season thermal cloak that can cool an electric vehicle...
Carbon taxes that focus on luxury consumption are fairer than those that tax all emissions equally
Not all carbon emissions are made for the same reason -- they range from more essential purposes like heating a home to nonessential 'luxury' activities like leisure travel. However, proposals for the implementations of carbon taxes tend to apply to all emissions at an equal rate. This can give rise...