ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

Lithium treats intellectual defects in mouse model of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 03:19 PM PDT

Mice with symptoms that mimic Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS) have difficulty with learning and generating new neurons in the hippocampus. However, according to a new study, these mental defects can be successfully treated with lithium.

Ancient Indigenous forest gardens promote a healthy ecosystem

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 03:19 PM PDT

A new study by historical ecologists finds that Indigenous-managed forests -- cared for as 'forest gardens' -- contain more biologically and functionally diverse species than surrounding conifer-dominated forests and create important habitat for animals and pollinators.

Ground and satellite observations map building damage after Beirut explosion

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 09:36 AM PDT

Days after the 4 August 2020 massive explosion at the port of Beirut in Lebanon, researchers were on the ground mapping the impacts of the explosion in the port and surrounding city. The goal was to document and preserve data on structural and façade damage before rebuilding.

Fighting harmful bacteria with nanoparticles

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 09:36 AM PDT

Multi-resistant pathogens are a serious and increasing problem in today's medicine. Where antibiotics are ineffective, these bacteria can cause life-threatening infections. Researchers are currently developing nanoparticles that can be used to detect and kill multi-resistant pathogens that hide inside our body cells. The team published the study in the current issue of the journal Nanoscale.

California's wildfire season has lengthened, and its peak is now earlier in the year

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 09:36 AM PDT

Researchers have analyzed CALFIRE wildfire statistics from 2000 to 2019, comparing them with data from 1920 to 1999, to learn that the annual burn season has lengthened in the past two decades and that the yearly peak has shifted from August to July.

The future looks bright for infinitely recyclable plastic

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 07:28 AM PDT

Plastics are ubiquitous, but they're not practical. Less than 10% are recycled, and the other approximately 8 billion tons are creating a pollution crisis. Researchers are determined to change that. A new analysis shows producing and recycling their game-changing new plastic could be easy and cheap enough to leave old plastics in the dust.

Faster air exchange in buildings not always beneficial for coronavirus levels

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 06:38 AM PDT

Vigorous and rapid air exchanges might not always be a good thing when it comes to levels of coronavirus particles in a multiroom building, according to a new modeling study. Particle levels can spike in downstream rooms shortly after rapid ventilation.

Common antibiotic effective in healing coral disease lesions

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 06:38 AM PDT

An antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections in humans is showing promise in treating stony coral, found throughout the tropical western Atlantic, including several areas currently affected by stony coral tissue loss disease. Preserving M. cavernosa colonies is important due to its high abundance and role as a dominant reef builder in the northern section of Florida's Coral Reef. Results show that the Base 2B plus amoxicillin treatment had a 95 percent success rate at healing individual disease lesions.

Know your ally: Cooperative male dolphins can tell who's on their team

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 06:38 AM PDT

When it comes to friendships and rivalries, male dolphins know who the good team players are. New findings reveal that male dolphins form a social concept of team membership based on cooperative investment in the team.

Membranes unlock potential to vastly increase cell-free vaccine production

Posted: 22 Apr 2021 06:38 AM PDT

Researchers discovered that enriching cell-free vaccine extracts with cellular membranes increased the yields of protein-based vaccines by five-fold, significantly broadening access to potentially lifesaving medicines.

Higher mushroom consumption is associated with a lower risk of cancer

Posted: 21 Apr 2021 05:01 PM PDT

Higher mushroom consumption is associated with a lower risk of cancer, according to a new study. The systematic review and meta-analysis examined 17 cancer studies published from 1966 to 2020. Analyzing data from more than 19,500 cancer patients, researchers explored the relationship between mushroom consumption and cancer risk.

California's worst wildfires are helping improve air quality prediction

Posted: 21 Apr 2021 05:01 PM PDT

Engineers are developing methods to estimate the impact of California's destructive wildfires on air quality in neighborhoods affected by the smoke from these fires. Their research fills in the gaps in current methods by providing air quality information at the neighborhood scales required by public health officials to make health assessments and evacuation recommendations.

Warming seas might also look less colorful to some fish: Here's why that matters

Posted: 21 Apr 2021 05:01 PM PDT

Climate change is driving some fish into cooler, deeper waters. Now they may be faced with another challenge: how to make sense of a world drained of color. Researchers report that even small increases in depth could make it harder for fish to discern the hues they use to find food, friends and family. They are trying to predict which species will be most impacted, and whether they'll be able to adapt.

The intricate dance between waves, wind, and gliding pelicans explored

Posted: 21 Apr 2021 01:00 PM PDT

It's a common sight: pelicans gliding along the waves, right by the shore. These birds make this kind of surfing look effortless, but actually the physics involved that give them a big boost are not simple. Researchers have recently developed a theoretical model that describes how the ocean, the wind and the birds in flight interact.

Using floodwaters to weather droughts

Posted: 21 Apr 2021 12:12 PM PDT

Using a new computer framework, scientists are able to project future floodwaters under a changing climate. The approach could help California water managers plan for and redirect floodwaters toward groundwater aquifers, alleviating both flood and drought risks.

Aerial photos uncover an invisible fault in Chinese city

Posted: 21 Apr 2021 12:12 PM PDT

Decades-old aerial photos of Yudong District, Datong City in Shanxi Province, Northern China have helped researchers in their search for a fault hidden underneath the city's buildings and cement roads, researchers said.

New evidence shows important seabird nutrients reach coral reefs after rat eradication

Posted: 21 Apr 2021 09:46 AM PDT

Scientists have provided the first evidence to show that eradicating rats from tropical islands effects not just the biodiversity on the islands, but also the fragile coral seas that surround them.

A growing problem of 'deepfake geography': How AI falsifies satellite images

Posted: 21 Apr 2021 09:46 AM PDT

Using satellite photos of three cities and drawing upon methods used to manipulate video and audio files, a team of researchers set out to identify new ways of detecting fake satellite photos and warn of the dangers of falsified geospatial data.

Creativity and community: How modern humans overcame the Neanderthals

Posted: 21 Apr 2021 07:09 AM PDT

A new study is the first-ever to identify the genes for creativity in Homo sapiens that distinguish modern humans from chimpanzees and Neanderthals. The research identified 267 genes that are found only in modern humans and likely play an important role in the evolution of the behavioral characteristics that set apart Homo sapiens, including creativity, self-awareness, cooperativeness, and healthy longevity.

Viking metalwork craft and expertise evolved from 8th to 9th century

Posted: 20 Apr 2021 06:29 AM PDT

The evolution of metalwork expertise and craftsmanship developed by Viking craftspeople in Denmark in the 8th and 9th centuries has been detailed.