Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Liberals and conservatives differ on climate change beliefs -- but are relatively united in taking action      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The division between liberals and conservatives on both climate-change beliefs and related policy support is long-standing. However, the results of a newly released global experiment show that despite these differences, the two camps actually align when it comes to taking certain actions to combat climate change.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Net zero plans show limited climate ambition on 'residual' emissions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research reveals what countries think will be their most difficult to decarbonize sectors when they reach net zero, with agriculture expected to be responsible for the largest remaining emissions.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Getting dirty to clean up the chemical industry's environmental impact      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The global chemical industry is a major fossil fuel consumer and climate change contributor; however, new research has identified how the sector could clean up its green credentials by getting dirty.

Biology: Botany Biology: General Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Research Ecology: Trees Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Saturated soils could impact survival of young trees planted to address climate change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research has looked into the potential effects of increased rainfall in regions being earmarked for expansion of temperate rainforests. Amid global calls for more trees to be planted as part of efforts to combat climate change, this study highlights the importance of factoring in soil conditions when looking at where and how to create the temperate rainforests of the future.

Biology: Biochemistry
Published

Brain mechanisms underlying sensory hypersensitivity in a mouse model of autism spectrum disorder      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team has identified the primary cause of sensory hypersensitivity in a mouse model of autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General
Published

Fluidic systems resembling blood vascular tissues: Artificial blood vessels and biomedicine      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Nature has consistently inspired engineering applications. Recently, a group of researchers drew new inspirations from the vascular network and developed a new type of fluidic system named VasFluidics.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

An epigenome editing toolkit to dissect the mechanisms of gene regulation      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A recent study led to the development of a powerful epigenetic editing technology. The system unlocks the ability to precisely program chromatin modifications at any specific position in the genome, to understand their causal role in transcription regulation. This innovative approach will help to investigate the role of chromatin modifications in many biological processes, and to program desired gene activity responses, which may prove useful in disease settings.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Earthquakes Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geology
Published

Heavy snowfall and rain may contribute to some earthquakes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Episodes of heavy snowfall and rain likely contributed to a swarm of earthquakes over the past several years in northern Japan, researchers find. Their study shows climate conditions could initiate some earthquakes.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Climate resilience strategies in urban, rural areas      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Local decision-makers looking for ways to reduce the impact of heat waves on their communities have a valuable new capability at their disposal: a new study on vegetation resilience. Scientists completed a study of how well vegetation survived extreme heat events in both urban and rural communities across the country in recent years. The analysis informs pathways for climate mitigation, including ways to reduce the effect of urban heat islands.

Geoscience: Earthquakes Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Pore pressure diffusion led to microseismicity at Illinois basin carbon sequestration site      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Pore pressure diffusion generated by carbon dioxide injected underground at a carbon storage site in the Illinois Basin is the likely cause of hundreds of microearthquakes that took place at the site between 2011 and 2012, according to a new analysis.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology
Published

An adjuvant made in yeast could lower vaccine cost and boost availability      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Adjuvants make vaccines more effective, though one of the best is an expensive extract from the soap bark tree. To lower the cost and avoid the laborious extraction process from bark, synthetic biologists introduced 38 separate genes into yeast to recreate the synthesis of the active molecule, a complex chemical, QS-21, that has a terpene core and numerous sugars. This may be the longest biosynthetic pathway ever inserted into yeast.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Sea Life Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Marine bacteria team up to produce a vital vitamin      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Two species of marine bacteria from the North Sea have established an unusual and sometimes destructive relationship to produce the important vitamin B12. The team's experiments show that the two microbial species have developed a coordinated strategy to obtain the scarce but essential vitamin.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Limited adaptability makes freshwater bacteria vulnerable to climate change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Freshwater bacteria with small genomes frequently undergo prolonged periods of adaptive stagnation. Based on genomic analyses of samples from European lakes, researchers uncovered specific evolutionary strategies that shape these bacteria's lifestyles. Understanding the evolutionary dynamics of aquatic microbial communities is key to safeguarding ecosystem services.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Microbiology
Published

Natural compounds that selectively kill parasites      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team has found a family of natural compounds with potential as new and more effective treatments for parasitic worms. The compounds stall the unique metabolic process that worms use to survive in the human gut.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Engineering: Robotics Research Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Swarms of miniature robots clean up microplastics and microbes, simultaneously      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

When old food packaging, discarded children's toys and other mismanaged plastic waste break down into microplastics, they become even harder to clean up from oceans and waterways. These tiny bits of plastic also attract bacteria, including those that cause disease. Researchers describe swarms of microscale robots (microrobots) that captured bits of plastic and bacteria from water. Afterward, the bots were decontaminated and reused.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Environmental: General
Published

Why is breaking down plant material for biofuels so slow?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Tracking individual enzymes during the breakdown of cellulose for biofuel production has revealed how several roadblocks slow this process when using plant material that might otherwise go to waste. The research may lead to new ways to improve the breakdown process and make the non-edible parts of plants and other plant waste, such as forestry residue, a more competitive source of biofuels.

Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Paleontology: Climate
Published

It flickers, then it tips -- study identifies early warning signals for the end of the African humid period      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Tipping points in the climate system can be the result of a slow but linear development. However, they can also be accompanied by a 'flickering', with two stable climatic states that alternate before a final transition occurs -- and the climate tips permanently.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Animals
Published

Chimps learn and improve tool-using skills even as adults, study finds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Chimpanzees continue to learn and hone their skills well into adulthood, a capacity that might be essential for the evolution of complex and varied tool use, according to a new study.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General
Published

Intermittent fasting protects against liver inflammation and liver cancer      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Fatty liver disease often leads to chronic liver inflammation and can even result in liver cancer. Scientists have now shown in mice that intermittent fasting on a 5:2 schedule can halt this development. The fasting regime reduces the development of liver cancer in mice with pre-existing liver inflammation. The researchers identified two proteins in liver cells that are jointly responsible for the protective effect of fasting. An approved drug can partially mimic this effect.