ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

Study challenges theories of earlier human arrival in Americas

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 02:04 PM PDT

The new analysis suggests that misinterpretation of archaeological evidence at certain sites in North and South America might be responsible for theories that humans arrived long before 13,000-14,200 years ago.

Lab grown, self-sustainable muscle cells repair muscle injury and disease, mouse study shows

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 12:16 PM PDT

In proof-of-concept experiments, scientists say they have successfully cultivated human muscle stem cells capable of renewing themselves and repairing muscle tissue damage in mice, potentially advancing efforts to treat muscle injuries and muscle-wasting disorders in people.

Cannabis poisoning cases in pets have increased significantly, study finds

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 12:16 PM PDT

A survey of veterinarians in the U.S. and Canada highlights mounting cases of cannabis poisoning among pets and sheds new light on symptoms, treatments, and outcomes.

Got food cravings? What's living in your gut may be responsible

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 12:15 PM PDT

New research on mice shows for the first time that the microbes in animals' guts influence what they choose to eat, making substances that prompt cravings for different kinds of foods.

Climate change may actually accelerate ocean currents

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 12:13 PM PDT

Scientists have used computer model simulations to find that climate change is altering the mechanics of surface ocean circulations, making them become faster and thinner.

Pterosaur discovery solves ancient feather mystery

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 10:36 AM PDT

Palaeontologists have discovered remarkable new evidence that pterosaurs, the flying relatives of dinosaurs, were able to control the color of their feathers using melanin pigments.

New global forecasts of marine heatwaves foretell ecological and economic impacts

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 10:36 AM PDT

Researchers have developed global forecasts that can provide up to a year's notice of marine heatwaves, sudden and pronounced increases in ocean temperatures that can dramatically affect ocean ecosystems.

Clearing up biases in artificial intelligence

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 10:36 AM PDT

Scientists have noticed grave disparities in artificial intelligence, noting that the methods are not objective, especially when it comes to geodiversity. AI tools, whether forecasting hail, wind or tornadoes, are assumed to be inherently objective, says one of the researchers. They aren't, she says.

Gastric inflammation: How a bacterial infection causes tissue changes

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 10:35 AM PDT

When the bacterium Helicobacter pylori infects the stomach, it causes gastric inflammation and increases the risk of stomach cancer. Researchers have been able to elucidate characteristic changes which occur inside the gastric glands during an H. pylori infection. The researchers discovered a novel mechanism which, by restricting cell division in healthy stomach tissue, protects the stomach against cancerous changes. An inflammation of the stomach, however, deactivates this mechanism, enabling cells to grow in an uncontrolled manner. The researchers' findings may herald a new treatment target in stomach cancer.

Everyday plastic products release trillions of microscopic particles into water

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 10:35 AM PDT

Plastics surround us, whether it's the grocery bags we use at the supermarket or household items such as shampoo and detergent bottles. Plastics don't exist only as large objects, but also as microscopic particles that are released from these larger products. These microscopic plastics can end up in the environment, and they can be ingested into our bodies.

Whole-brain preclinical study illuminates how epileptic seizures originate

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 09:20 AM PDT

New evidence from a zebrafish model of epilepsy may help resolve a debate into how seizures originate, according to investigators. The findings may also be useful in the discovery and development of future epilepsy drugs.

Air pollution linked to higher risk of COVID-19 in young adults

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 08:29 AM PDT

Residential exposure to ambient air pollutants is linked to an elevated risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, an observational study of young adults in Stockholm, Sweden shows.

Warming climate and agriculture halve insect populations in some areas

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 08:29 AM PDT

Climate change and intensive agricultural land use have already been responsible for a 49% reduction in the number of insects in the most impacted parts of the world, finds a new study.

No rest for new elephant mothers

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 07:19 AM PDT

Elephant herds do not slow down for mothers who've just given birth, according to new research.

Ubiquitous nutrients suppress appetite and promote movement

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 07:19 AM PDT

In experiments on mice, researchers show that non-essential amino acids act as appetite suppressants and promote the urge to move. Their research provides insight into the neural mechanism that controls this behavior.

When severe infection causes long-term mood disorders: A promising avenue to prevent mental illness following a transient infection

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 06:21 AM PDT

Scientists used pharmacogenetic techniques to identify a dedicated neural circuit comprising the central nucleus of the amygdala and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. The activation of this circuit in the first few hours of sepsis induces anxious behavior two weeks after the infection has cleared. This behavior observed in mice mimics the post-traumatic stress disorder observed in patients recovering from sepsis.

Balancing lipids and recycling to prevent mitochondrial meltdown

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 06:21 AM PDT

An international team has discovered that the cellular balance of lipid droplets can impact the recycling of damaged mitochondria. These results have importance for cell survival and nervous system dysfunction.

Following a Mediterranean-style diet during pregnancy may reduce the risk of preeclampsia

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 06:21 AM PDT

An analysis of health and dietary data for more than 8,500 pregnant women found that greater adherence to a Mediterranean-style eating plan was associated with a lower risk of preeclampsia, which is a pregnancy complication characterized by severe high blood pressure that can be serious or even fatal for both mother and child. The reduction in risk of preeclampsia was greatest among Black women -- a population at high risk for preeclampsia.

Geoengineering could return risk of malaria for one billion people

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 06:21 AM PDT

Geoengineering the climate would have massive repercussions for the health of billions of people at risk of malaria who live in tropical countries, according to a new finding. This is the first assessment of how geoengineering the climate could impact the burden of infectious diseases.

Disasters could disrupt care for opioid use disorder in most vulnerable communities

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 11:07 AM PDT

The COVID-19 pandemic has spiked the overdose death rate from opioid use. For people who rely on medications (buprenorphine, methadone, and extended-release naltrexone) to treat opioid use disorders, the pandemic and such natural disasters as tornados, hurricanes, and wildfires can disrupt access to medications. And new research finds that the location of medication treatment services makes treatment interruption likely where those disruptions exist.