Environment

Government agencies, insurance companies and disaster planners rely on national flood risk models from the private sector that aren't reliable at smaller levels such as neighborhoods and individual properties, according to researchers. Government agencies, insurance companies and disaster planners rely on national flood risk models from the private sector that aren't reliable at smaller levels

The praying mantis is one of the few insects with compound eyes and the ability to perceive 3D space. Engineers are replicating their visual systems to make machines see better. Self-driving cars occasionally crash because their visual systems can't always process static or slow-moving objects in 3D space. In that regard, they're like the monocular

The team verified that microbes found in Yellowstone National Park hot springs produce methane to grow. A team of scientists from Montana State University has provided the first experimental evidence that two new groups of microbes thriving in thermal features in Yellowstone National Park produce methane -- a discovery that could one day contribute to

Researchers reveal there are an estimated 400 billion microplastic fibers on the surface of Frenchman Bay, which borders Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park in Maine, and several connected rivers and estuaries where freshwater from rivers meet salty seawater. The watershed contains an average of 1.8 fibers per liter of water. The team also investigated

When doctors sit at hospitalized patients' bedsides, it can have a more positive impact than if they stand, a review of data suggests -- but a new study seeks to find out for sure. Doctors and others who take care of hospitalized patients may want to sit down for this piece of news. A new

New research shows that a certain bug, Alcaligenes faecalis (A. faecalis), can facilitate healing of hard-to-treat wounds among people with diabetes. While there are many studies done on potentially harmful bacteria in wounds, the researchers discovered that A. faecalis, a bacterium found in many types of chronic wounds, actually boosts healing of diabetic wounds. The

Scientists have discovered that electrical currents may make Natural Killer (NK) cells -- our very own cancer-killing immune cells -- even better killers, which could have significant implications for treating some cancers. The scientists found that Tumour Treating Fields (TTF) in the laboratory (which mimic exposure of brain tumors to electric currents via a simple

Scientists have discovered a new evasion strategy used by the varicella zoster virus, which causes chickenpox and shingles, that may allow it to affect tissues far from the original site of infection. Scientists at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have discovered a new evasion strategy used by the varicella zoster virus, which causes

Over the last century, a once-deadly mosquito-borne virus has evolved so that it no longer sickens humans. New research shows that changes in the virus's ability to target human cells paralleled the decline in illness and death. The findings offer important lessons in virology that may help guide better preparedness for future outbreaks of other

Mosquito-borne viral infections once confined to tropical regions are spreading. Dengue virus infects up to 400 million people worldwide each year according to World Health Organization estimates, and no available treatments exist for this disease. Now, research uncovered surprising strategies for how dengue and hundreds of other viruses replicate in their hosts, with the potential

New research finds a tiny freshwater parasite known to cause health problems in humans defends its colonies with a class of soldiers that cannot reproduce. The discovery vaults this species of parasitic flatworm into the ranks of complex animal societies such as ants, bees and termites, which also have distinct classes of workers and soldiers

For patients with Afib, using a wearable device can lead to higher rates of anxiety about their Afib symptoms and treatment, doctor visits, and use of informal healthcare resources, according to a new study. Using a wearable device, such as a smart watch, to track health data and symptoms, is supposed to help people monitor