Environment

As air temperatures stay elevated through fall months, people may still want clothes that cool them down while outside, especially if they live in cities that stay warmer than rural landscapes. Researchers who previously demonstrated a cooling fabric coating now report on additional tests of a treated polyester fabric. Fabric treated with the team's chalk-based

A new study challenges theories regarding the origins of a significant transition through the Earth's ice ages. The research provides fresh insights into the ocean's role in climate during the Mid-Pleistocene Transition, an enigmatic interval of change in climate cycles that began about one million years ago. A recently published study in Science challenges theories

Researchers have discovered that the combination of green algae and yeast enhances the efficiency of wastewater treatment. Bakeries and wineries can't do without yeast, but they have no need for green algae. Wastewater treatment facilities, however, might just want to have these microorganisms team up. Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have discovered that these simple organisms

Only a few weeks ago, massive precipitation produced by the storm 'Boris' led to chaos and flooding in Central and Eastern Europe. An analysis shows that in a world without the current level of global warming Boris would have deposited roughly nine percent less rain. Such conclusions can be drawn thanks to a new modelling

Atmospheric aerosol particles are essential for the formation of clouds and precipitation, thereby influencing the Earth's energy budget, water cycle, and climate. However, the origin of aerosol particles in pristine air over the Amazon rainforest during the wet season is poorly understood. A new study reveals that rainfall regularly induces bursts of newly formed nanoparticles

A new study reveals that two strains of pathogenic fungi unexpectedly divide insect victims amongst themselves rather than aggressively compete for resources. University of Maryland entomologists uncovered a unique relationship between two species of fungi known for their ability to invade, parasitize and kill insects efficiently. Instead of violently competing for the spoils of war

A recent study finds that color vision evolved in animals more than 100 million years before the emergence of colorful fruits and flowers. And there has been a dramatic explosion of color signals in the last 100 million years. Colors are widely used in communication within and among animal species. For example, peacocks proudly display

Scientists are developing a formula for success -- by studying how a new type of battery fails. The team's goal is the design for long-term storage of wind and solar energy, which are produced intermittently, enabling their broader use as reliable energy sources for the electric grid. Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists are developing a

Researchers have used ancient DNA to challenge long-held interpretations of the people of Pompeii. Contrary to physical appearances, the DNA evidence revealed unexpected variations in gender and kinship, revising the story as written since 1748. The genetic data also underlined the cosmopolitan nature of the Roman Empire, showing that Pompeians were mainly descended from immigrants

Researchers used biologging technology to analyse movements, activity patterns and eating habits of two species of Southern Ocean albatrosses to see how they responded to extreme weather. The study found that despite albatrosses' adaptation to use the wind to travel efficiently, both species struggled to find food in stormy weather. Albatrosses are exceptionally mobile and

On Sept. 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene slammed into the Gulf Coast of Florida, inducing storm surges and widespread impacts on communities in its path. At the same time, NASA's Atmospheric Waves Experiment, or AWE, recorded enormous swells in the atmosphere that the hurricane produced roughly 55 miles above the ground. On Sept. 26, 2024, Hurricane

An epidemiological study found that 56 percent of a large breeding colony of Caspian terns died from a 2023 outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza at Rat Island in Washington state. Researchers also documented that the avian flu virus H5N1 was transmitted to harbor seals for the first time in the northeastern Pacific. An epidemiological