Environment

Researchers designed an energy-efficient device that produces drinking water from seawater using an evaporation process driven largely by the sun. Researchers at the University of Waterloo have designed an energy-efficient device that produces drinking water from seawater using an evaporation process driven largely by the sun. Desalination is critical for many coastal and island nations

The evolution of bones in primates' knees could have implications for how humans evolved to walk upright. The evolution of bones in primates' knees could have implications for how humans evolved to walk upright, a new study has found. Researchers from King's College London analysed the presence of the lateral fabella, a bone in the

Mold can survive the harshest of environments, so to stop harmful spores from growing on future space stations, a study suggests a way to prevent its spread. Mold can survive the harshest of environments, so to stop harmful spores from growing on future space stations, a new study suggests a novel way to prevent its

Thanks to an experiment started before the Great Depression, researchers have pinpointed the genes behind the remarkable adaptability of barley, a key ingredient in beer and whiskey. These insights could ensure the crop's continued survival amidst rapid climate change. Thanks to an experiment started before the Great Depression, researchers have pinpointed the genes behind the

Redlining from the 1930s, marked minority and low-income neighborhoods as 'hazardous,' which influenced mortgage and insurance decisions. Results show that redlined areas have less greenspace and more pavement, intensifying urban heat. While higher temperatures generally decreased walking in 'still desirable' or 'best' neighborhoods, this effect was not significant in 'definitely declining' or 'hazardous' areas, possibly

The personal carbon footprint of the richest people in society is grossly underestimated, both by the rich themselves and by those on middle and lower incomes, no matter which country they come from. At the same time, both the rich and the poor drastically overestimate the carbon footprint of the poorest people. The personal carbon

Flowers like hibiscus use an invisible blueprint established very early in petal formation that dictates the size of their bullseyes -- a crucial pre-pattern that can significantly impact their ability to attract pollinating bees. Flowers like hibiscus use an invisible blueprint established very early in petal formation that dictates the size of their bullseyes --

A new approach for delivering miniature research tools into the interior of egg cells and embryos has been developed, resolving a major bottleneck to using the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 in many research organisms. A new approach for delivering miniature research tools into the interior of egg cells and embryos has been developed at the Marine

A species of single-celled organisms called foraminifera (forams) is increasing in warm, alkaline waters of the eastern Mediterranean, building beaches with their calcium carbonate skeletons, according to new findings. Pamela Hallock, a biogeological oceanographer and distinguished university professor at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science, typically finds little comfort in climate change.

Researchers have shown unprecedented control of SIV replication and decay of viral reservoirs by combining a stringent model of infection with the interruption of antiretroviral therapy (ART). The success of this immune-based approach follows the research team's identification of the mechanisms of action for PD1 and IL-10, molecules known to regulate HIV persistence and immune

The movement of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the surface of the ocean, where it is in active contact with the atmosphere, to the deep ocean, where it can be sequestered away for decades, centuries, or longer, depends on a number of seemingly small processes. A key microscale process in the ocean is the dietary preferences

If you were to collect all the organisms from the ocean surface down to 200 meters, you'd find that SAR11 bacteria, though invisible to the naked eye, would make up a fifth of the total biomass. These bacteria, also known as Pelagibacterales, have evolved to thrive in nutrient-poor marine environments and play a significant role