As biotechnology advances, the risk of accidental or deliberate misuse of biological research like viral engineering is increasing. At the same time, 'open science' practices like the public sharing of research data and protocols are becoming widespread. An article examines how open science practices and the risks of misuse interface...
Light amplification accelerates chemical reactions in aerosols
Aerosols in the atmosphere react to incident sunlight. This light is amplified in the interior of the aerosol droplets and particles, accelerating reactions. Researchers have now been able to demonstrate and quantify this effect and recommend factoring it into future climate models.
Pandemic adversely impacts already stressed national forests, research finds
Researchers found a dramatic increase during the pandemic of visitors to the parks and protected areas of New England that resulted in significant social, situational and ecological impacts on people's behavior, decision making and experience quality.
Seafloor spreading has been slowing down
A new global analysis of the last 19 million years of seafloor spreading rates found they have been slowing down. Geologists want to know why the seafloor is getting sluggish.
Huge Amazon swamp carbon stores under threat
The largest peatlands in the Amazon rainforest, which hold a vast, concentrated amount of carbon, are under increasing threat from changing land use, research suggests.
Genomic time machine in sea sponges
Sponges in coral reefs, less flashy than their coral neighbors but important to the overall health of reefs, are among the earliest animals on the planet. New research examines coral reef ecosystems with a novel approach to understanding the complex evolution of sponges and the microbes that live in symbiosis...
New COVID-19 nasal spray outperforms current antibody treatments in mice
Current antibody treatments block SARS-CoV-2 by binding to one of three binding sites on the spike protein. A new protein-based antiviral binds to all three sites on the spike protein, making it more effective than current therapies. The new therapy also is low-cost, easy to manufacture, does not require complicated...
Social connections influence brain structure of rhesus macaques
Scientists have found that social connections influence the brain structure of rhesus macaques. Specifically, the number of grooming partners an individual had predicted the size of brain areas associated with social decision-making and empathy.
Rotating blue laser light reveals unimagined dynamics in living cells
When cities transform into a colorful world of lights as darkness falls, it's often only possible to estimate their contours, which depending on the perspective can draw the attention to key details or trivia. In fluorescence microscopy, biological cells are marked with fluorescent dyes and excited to luminesce in specific...
Ice shards in Antarctic clouds let more solar energy reach Earth’s surface
Clouds come in myriad shapes, sizes and types, which control their effects on climate. New research shows that splintering of frozen liquid droplets to form ice shards inside Southern Ocean clouds dramatically affects the clouds’ ability to reflect sunlight back to space.