Plants derive their carbon from the atmosphere and use it to synthesize organic compounds through photosynthesis and water. Terrestrial ecosystems have been absorbing about 32% of CO2 emissions produced by human activities for the past 60 years. However, the question of whether terrestrial vegetation can continue to function as a carbon sink in a changing
Enceladus, an ice-covered ocean moon of Saturn, has always been a topic of interest to scientists ever since the Cassini spacecraft discovered plumes of water vapor erupting from geysers on its surface almost 20 years ago. Recently, the James Webb Space Telescope has caught sight of the largest plume yet, providing direct evidence of how
Underwater volcanoes located on the Earth’s crust contribute to the oceanic environment by providing different elements and playing a crucial role in biogeochemical and chemosynthetic cycles. While high-temperature hydrothermal systems in the mid-ocean ridge have been studied extensively, there is not much information available on low-temperature hydrothermal systems in other volcanoes, such as “petit-spot” volcanoes.
A recent study by UC San Francisco (UCSF) researchers has found that the chemical industry suppressed information related to the health harms caused by exposure to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in a manner similar to how the tobacco industry concealed the harmful effects of smoking. Published in Annals of Global Health on May 31,
For decades, scientists have believed that mapping the intricate connectivity of the human brain is necessary to understand how the structured patterns of activity defining our thoughts, feelings, and behavior emerge. However, a new study challenges this conventional wisdom by revealing structured patterns of activity across nearly the entire brain that relate to thoughts and
A rare triple-whammy of cyclones drove the deadly flooding that devastated much of northern Italy this month. Scientists have stated that climate change does not seem to be the cause of the intense rainfall. A team of researchers used computer simulations and past observations to look for evidence of human-caused warming behind the drenching. The
Researchers at North Carolina State University have found a new method of producing carbon dioxide capture filters using 3-D printing. The study, which was published in the journal Gels, suggests that 3-D printing could offer a faster and more versatile method of manufacturing filter designs. The research was conducted by the Wilson College of Textiles,
Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology have been able to confirm experimentally for the first time that bacteria use electrons from hydrogen and can produce more chemical substances than previously known. They have published their research in the journal Green Chemistry. Microbial electrosynthesis is a technology that can bind
Coral islands are at risk of sinking due to rising sea levels. Recent research conducted by the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) has found that environmental factors other than sea level could also play a significant role in the fate of threatened islands. Tropical coral islands form when sediments, consisting of calcareous skeletons
Jo Cameron, a 75-year-old Scottish woman, has never experienced significant pain throughout her life. Even childbirth and major surgeries failed to cause any discomfort to her. According to an interview with the BBC in 2019, Cameron only knows her skin is burning if she smells or sees it. She has a rare genetic mutation called
Imagine being trapped inside a small sphere made of fabric with a tiny window and an air tank, suspended from the Canadarm. If the sphere moves, you will see the Earth, the damaged Space Shuttle and the Earth again. This is what NASA’s Personal Rescue Enclosure (PRE) was designed for. The PRE or rescue ball
The primary cause of climate change is excess greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere. Combating climate change in the coming years will require both decarbonization and carbon dioxide removal. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Yale University have proposed a novel pathway through which coastal ecosystem restoration can permanently capture
Researchers have long been puzzled by the question of when the Dry Valleys of Antarctica were last wet. Dr. Marjolaine Verret, an adjunct lecturer at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, may have finally found the answer. Previous data has shown that the mountains around the McMurdo Valleys held life until 14 million years ago,
The pharmaceutical industry can take years to develop drugs that can treat or cure human diseases. The drug discovery process is carried out by human chemists who rely on their knowledge and experience to select and synthesize the right molecules required to create safe and effective medicines. Scientists often employ a technique called retrosynthesis, which
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is undergoing a rapid retreat, with numerous glaciers across the region melting at an alarming rate. However, the situation was not always this way, according to new research published last month in The Cryosphere. A team of scientists from the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC), including two researchers from British
