Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Blessing in disguise: Mycoviruses enhance fungicide effectiveness against plant pathogens      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers discovered that mycoviruses, or oomycete viruses, can increase the sensitivity of plant pathogenic oomycete to fungicides like metalaxyl. Their findings suggest greater potential for mycoviruses in biocontrol and contributing to sustainable agriculture.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Evolutionary Biology: Zoology Ecology: Endangered Species
Published

Interaction with insects accelerates plant evolution      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered that plants benefit from a greater variety of interactions with pollinators and herbivores. Plants that are pollinated by insects and have to defend themselves against herbivores have evolved to be better adapted to different types of soil.

Ecology: General Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography
Published

When in drought: Researchers map which parts of the Amazon are most vulnerable to climate change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Some areas of the Amazon rainforest are more resilient to drought than others, new research shows. But if not managed carefully, we could 'threaten the integrity of the whole system,' researchers say.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Tight-knit communities can prevent environmental progress      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research indicates that strong community bonds could hinder rather than help environmental initiatives.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Advanced artificial intelligence: A revolution for sustainable agriculture      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The rise of advanced artificial intelligence (edge AI) could well mark the beginning of a new era for sustainable agriculture. A recent study proposes a roadmap for integrating this technology into farming practices. The aim? To improve the efficiency, quality and safety of agricultural production, while addressing a range of environmental, social and economic challenges.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species
Published

Nile perch invasion triggered genetic bottlenecks in Lake Victoria's endemic cichlids      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Newfound evidence reveals that the upsurge of the exotic Nile perch in Lake Victoria had long-lasting effects on the genetic diversity of various local cichlid species, report scientists. Through large-scale comparative genomic analyses, the researchers found concrete proof in the collective genome of multiple species that this artificially introduced perch decimated many local fish populations, causing a 'bottleneck effect.'

Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography
Published

Climate change: rising temperatures may impact groundwater quality      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

As the world's largest unfrozen freshwater resource, groundwater is crucial for life on Earth. Researchers have investigated how global warming is affecting groundwater temperatures and what that means for humanity and the environment. Their study indicates that by 2100, more than 75 million people are likely to be living in regions where the groundwater temperature exceeds the highest threshold set for drinking water by any country.

Biology: Biochemistry Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Understanding the Green Sahara's collapse      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Abrupt shifts within complex systems such as the Earth's climate system are extremely hard to predict. Researchers have now succeeded in developing a new method to anticipate such tipping points in advance. They successfully tested the reliability of their method using one of the most severe abrupt climate changes of the past: the shift of the once-green Sahara into a desert.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Novel method for measuring nano/microplastic concentrations in soil using spectroscopy      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Current techniques for measuring nano/microplastic (N/MP) concentrations in soil require the soil organic matter content to be separated and have limited resolution for analyzing N/MPs sized <1 m. Therefore, researchers have developed a novel yet simple method to measure N/MP concentration in different soil types using spectroscopy at two wavelengths. This method does not require the soil to be separated in order to detect the N/MPs and can accurately quantify N/MPs regardless of their size.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography Space: Exploration Space: General
Published

Satellites to monitor marine debris from space      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Detecting marine debris from space is now a reality, according to a new study. Until now, the amount of litter -- mostly plastic -- on the sea surface was rarely high enough to generate a detectable signal from space. However, using supercomputers and advanced search algorithms, the research team has demonstrated that satellites are an effective tool for estimating the amount of litter in the sea.

Biology: Cell Biology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Wear it, then recycle: Designers make dissolvable textiles from gelatin      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers hope their DIY machine will help designers around the world experiment with making their own, sustainable fashion and other textiles from a range of natural ingredients -- maybe even the chitin in crab shells or agar-agar from algae.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life
Published

Previously uncharacterized parasite uncovered in fish worldwide      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Using genome reconstruction, scientists unveiled a once 'invisible' fish parasite present in many marine fish world-wide that belongs to the apicomplexans, one of the most important groups of parasites at a clinical level. However, it had gone unnoticed in previous studies. The parasite is geographically and taxonomically widespread in fish species around the planet, with implications for commercial fishing and oceanic food webs.

Anthropology: General Biology: Evolutionary Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Sea Life Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Dinosaurs Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Ancient polar sea reptile fossil is oldest ever found in Southern Hemisphere      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team of scientists has identified the oldest fossil of a sea-going reptile from the Southern Hemisphere -- a nothosaur vertebra found on New Zealand's South Island. 246 million years ago, at the beginning of the Age of Dinosaurs, New Zealand was located on the southern polar coast of a vast super-ocean called Panthalassa. 'The nothosaur found in New Zealand is over 40 million years older than the previously oldest known sauropterygian fossils from the Southern Hemisphere.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Polarization and risk perception could play important roles in climate-policy outcomes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Times of crises often call for strong and rapid action, but in polarized societies, strong top-down policies can backfire. Scientists present a conceptual model of how these dynamics could play out in efforts to decarbonize our energy supply.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Nature
Published

Research into structures of ape hearts provide insight into human evolution      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered new insights into the human heart's structure, revealing its evolutionary history. This study enhances understanding of heart development and its implications for treating heart disease.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

The genetic 'switches' of bone growth      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In mammals, only 3% of the genome consists of coding genes which, when transcribed into proteins, ensure the biological functions of the organism and the in-utero development of future individuals. But genes do not function alone. They are controlled by other sequences in the genome, called enhancers, which, like switches, activate or deactivate them as required. A team has now identified and located 2700 enhancers -- among millions of non-coding genetic sequences -- that precisely regulate the genes responsible for bone growth. This discovery sheds light on one of the major factors influencing the size of individuals in adulthood, and explains why their failure could be the cause of certain bone malformations.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General
Published

Study on architecture of heart offers new understanding of human evolution      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international research team has uncovered a new insight into human evolution by comparing humans' hearts with those of other great apes.

Chemistry: General Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Concrete-nitrogen mix may provide major health and environment benefits      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Adding nitrogen to concrete could significantly reduce the amount of greenhouse gases created by the construction industry.