Environment

Research helps reconstruct an ancient climate and challenges the timing of the Andes Mountains uplift. As the Earth faces unprecedented climate change, a look into the planet's deep past may provide vital insights into what may lie ahead. Knowledge of the natural world millions of years ago is fragmented, but a 15-year study of a

A study shows how scientists can control cell division on demand outside of a living system. The work is a significant leap forward that can enhance our grasp of human biology and disease. A living cell is a bustling metropolis, with countless molecules and proteins navigating crowded spaces in every direction. Cell division is a

Scientists are repurposing their research about bacteria-powered biobatteries into a new idea for artificial plants that can feed off carbon dioxide, give off oxygen and even generate a little power. On average, Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors, and the air we breathe at work, school or home affects our overall health and

Researchers investigate how the complex, cooperative behavior of honey bees (Apis mellifera) is genetically programmed so that it can be passed on to subsequent generations. They found an answer in what is known as the doublesex gene (dsx). Researchers at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) are collaborating with colleagues from Frankfurt/Main, Oxford and Würzburg to

What if farmers could not only prevent excess phosphorus from polluting downstream waterways, but also recycle that nutrient as a slow-release fertilizer, all without spending a lot of money? Researchers now show it's possible and economical. What if farmers could not only prevent excess phosphorus from polluting downstream waterways, but also recycle that nutrient as

Fifteen minutes before the massive January 2022 eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano, a seismic wave was recorded by two distant seismic stations. The researchers propose that the seismic wave was caused by a fracture in a weak area of oceanic crust beneath the volcano's caldera wall. That fracture allowed seawater and magma to

Evolutionary biologists report they have analyzed a fossil of an extinct giant meat-eating bird -- which they say could be the largest known member of its kind -- providing new information about animal life in northern South America millions of years ago. Researchers including a Johns Hopkins University evolutionary biologist report they have analyzed a

The continuing release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is a major driver of global warming and climate change with increased extreme weather events. Researchers have now presented a method for effectively converting carbon dioxide into ethanol, which is then available as a sustainable raw material for chemical applications. The continuing release of carbon dioxide

The Amazon region is a global hotspot of biodiversity and plays a key role in the climate system because of its ability to store large amounts of carbon and its influence on the global water cycle. The rain forest is threatened, however, by climate change as well as by intensified deforestation activities. An international team

Using a sophisticated new modeling approach, researchers have estimated carbon dioxide emissions from inland waters to 22 million U.S. lakes, rivers and reservoirs. It marks the first time this approach has been applied at a continental scale, and reveals previous methods may have overestimated CO2 emissions by as much as 25%. Using a sophisticated new

New research has identified crucial links between dietary choices and the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). The study explored how enzymes called ceramide synthase 5 and 6 are responsible for the toxic effect of a palm oil-rich diet on neurons in the central nervous system, which causes a subsequent increase in the severity of MS

Wastewater contains nutrients that can overfeed algae, leading to harmful algal blooms and pollution issues in the ocean and other waterways. A new study tracked how these nutrients migrate from disposal sites in the Florida Keys, and the results have already informed wastewater practices in the region. Wastewater contains nutrients that can overfeed algae, leading