ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

Fire and ice: The puzzling link between western wildfires and Arctic sea ice

Posted: 17 Dec 2021 07:28 AM PST

Researchers uncover the mechanics behind dwindling Arctic sea ice and its influence on wildfire weather in the western United States.

After thousands of years, an iconic whale confronts a new enemy

Posted: 17 Dec 2021 07:27 AM PST

The iconic tusked whale of the Arctic has a new enemy -- noise. A unique study shows that narwhals are highly affected by noise from ships and seismic airgun pulses -- even at 20-30 kilometers away. As ice melts, noise levels in the Arctic are rising, worrying scientists about the future of narwhals.

One algorithm to rule decision-making

Posted: 17 Dec 2021 07:27 AM PST

Researchers uncover a single rule for how animals make spatial decisions while on the move.

Pioneering new technique to barcode cells

Posted: 17 Dec 2021 07:27 AM PST

Scientists have developed a pioneering new technique to barcode individual cells more accurately and efficiently - which could help pave the way for quicker disease diagnosis.

Perovskite solar cell with ultra-long stability

Posted: 17 Dec 2021 07:22 AM PST

Perovskites are the great hope for further increasing the efficiency of solar modules in the future. Until now, their short service life has been considered the biggest hurdle to their practical use, but this could soon change. Researchers now present a variant that stands out for its stability.

New hiding place for antibiotic resistance

Posted: 16 Dec 2021 12:02 PM PST

Genes that make bacteria resistant to antibiotics can persist longer than it was previously believed. This was recently shown in a new study that reports a previously unknown hiding place for these genes. The finding represents a new and important piece in the puzzle to understand how bacterial antibiotic resistance works.

Specific components of air pollution identified as more harmful than others

Posted: 16 Dec 2021 12:01 PM PST

Ammonium is one of the specific components of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), that has been linked to a higher risk of death compared to other chemicals found in it, according to a new study.

Insects: How farmers can be better engaged in species conservation

Posted: 16 Dec 2021 12:01 PM PST

While farmers have the capacity to drive species conservation worldwide, their true potential is yet to be fully realized. An international team of researchers shows how this can change. The researchers interviewed 560 farmers around the world to find out what they know about their local pollinator diversity and their engagement in the issue. The results offer important insights for politics and science.

Snow drought research finds predictability in uncertainty

Posted: 16 Dec 2021 12:00 PM PST

As climate change makes periods of record low snow more frequent, a new study helps to bridge disagreement over how to measure snow depth and how to define snow drought.

New meteorological phenomenon dubbed 'atmospheric lakes'

Posted: 16 Dec 2021 12:00 PM PST

Like atmospheric rivers, but smaller and slower moving, the pools of water vapor bring much-needed rain from the Indo-Pacific to arid regions along the east African coast.

Marine life can cling together to buy time in the face of climate warming

Posted: 16 Dec 2021 11:58 AM PST

Some marine species can help protect others from climate change by shielding them from heat, according to a new study.

California Academy of Sciences researchers describe 70 new species in 2021

Posted: 16 Dec 2021 11:58 AM PST

Researchers describe 70 new species in 2021 from the lowland forests of Madagascar to Easter Island's coral reefs.

New smart-roof coating enables year-round energy savings

Posted: 16 Dec 2021 11:50 AM PST

Scientists have developed an all-season smart-roof coating that keeps homes warm during the winter and cool during the summer -- without consuming natural gas or electricity. Research findings point to a groundbreaking technology that outperforms commercial cool-roof systems in energy savings.

Diverse plant water-use strategies make forests more resilient to extreme drought

Posted: 16 Dec 2021 11:46 AM PST

An unprecedented drought experiment at Biosphere 2 highlights nature's surprising resilience.

Maples in the mountains provide clues to past distribution

Posted: 16 Dec 2021 11:45 AM PST

Researchers have investigated the genetic structure of the relic species, Acer miyabei, from three regions in Japan: Hokkaido Island and two southern groups in Northern and Central Honshu. There was significant genetic differentiation among the regions, with the northern group separated from the southern groups. Populations in the mountains of Central Honshu showed a high proportion of distinct alleles and the mountainous terrain in this area likely contributed to this genetic differentiation.

For IBS, specific diets are less important than expected

Posted: 16 Dec 2021 06:27 AM PST

Many IBS sufferers avoid certain types of food and often exclude gluten. However, a large new study does not show a relationship between high intake of gluten and increased IBS symptoms. The researchers did find that a certain type of carbohydrate called 'fodmaps' can aggravate intestinal problems, however, the overall results indicate that they also have less influence than previously thought.

As the mercury rises, the urban heat penalty grows, especially at night

Posted: 16 Dec 2021 05:32 AM PST

City living translates to an extra two to six hours of uncomfortable weather per day in the summer for people in much of the United States. The urban-rural heat gap grows the warmer it gets.

‘Gentrification’ changes the personality make-up of cities in just a few years

Posted: 15 Dec 2021 05:41 PM PST

A massive study of almost two million US residents reveals rising housing costs may drive increases in 'openness' of character among both old and new inhabitants of a city -- all in well under a decade.

Study shows how HIV copies itself in the body

Posted: 15 Dec 2021 05:41 PM PST

HIV replication in the human body requires that specific viral RNAs be packaged into progeny virus particles. A new study has found how a small difference in the RNA sequence can allow the viral RNA to be packaged for replication, creating potential targets for future HIV treatments.

How diet influences taste sensitivity and preference

Posted: 15 Dec 2021 05:41 PM PST

What you eat influences your taste for what you might want to eat next. So claims a University of California, Riverside, study performed on fruit flies. The study offers a better understanding of neurophysiological plasticity of the taste system in flies.

Automatic, non-invasive identification of Holstein cows by their coat pattern

Posted: 15 Dec 2021 08:33 AM PST

Computer scientists have devised a methodology that can recognize Holstein cows in the milking station by the pattern of their coat using artificial intelligence. The long-term vision is to develop a system that can monitor Holstein cows continuously and anywhere on a farm.