ScienceDaily: Top Environment News

Shapeshifting microrobots can brush and floss teeth

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 04:41 PM PDT

A robotic microswarm may one day automate the routine of rinsing, brushing, and flossing teeth. A multidisciplinary team developed the technology, which employs a magnetic field to direct the iron oxide nanoparticle-based microrobots into antimicrobial bristle- and floss-shaped arrays.

What is a pond? Study provides first data-driven definition

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 04:41 PM PDT

Nearly everyone can identify a pond, but what, exactly, distinguishes it from a lake or a wetland? A new study offers the first data-driven, functional definition of a pond and evidence of ponds' distinct ecological function, which could have broad implications for science and policy.

New research challenges long-held beliefs about limb regeneration

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 04:41 PM PDT

Researchers are challenging a centuries-old beliefs about how mammals might regenerate damaged parts of the body. In humans, the natural ability to regenerate is limited to tissues like the epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, and some organs, such as the liver. Other species, most notably salamanders, have the ability to regenerate complex structures such as bones, joints, and even entire limbs. As a result, scientists have been studying these species for more than 200 years to try to understand the mechanisms behind limb regeneration in the hopes of someday translating those mechanisms to induce more extensive regeneration in humans. That research has led to a common belief that the single biggest key for limb regeneration is the presence of nerves.

Inhalable COVID-19 vaccine shows promise in rodent model

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:22 PM PDT

Researchers have created an inhalable COVID-19 vaccine that is shelf stable at room temperature for up to three months, targets the lungs specifically and effectively, and allows for self-administration via an inhaler.

Odd fish has adapted to Canada's deepest, coldest lakes

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:22 PM PDT

The deepwater sculpin is not an attractive fish by any conventional standard. You won't find it hanging on a plaque or landing a feature role in a Disney movie. What you might say about the bottom-dweller is that it's a survivor, having managed to eke out an existence at the bottom of Canada's deepest and coldest lakes since the last ice age. Researchers are now sequencing its entire genome to see how this seemingly unremarkable fish has been able to adapt to such extreme environments.

It takes three: The genetic mutations that made rice cultivation possible

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:22 PM PDT

New research suggests that the historical emergence of cultivated rice from wild rice plants resulted from a combination of three gene mutations that make the seeds (i.e., the grains of rice) fall from the plant less easily. These results not only shed light on early history but will hopefully contribute towards the development of more efficient rice cultivars in the future.

Study points to Armenian origins of ancient crop with aviation biofuel potential

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:22 PM PDT

Camelina, an oilseed plant grown in modern-day Ukraine, may have been a more important and widespread crop than previously thought. New findings could inform breeding programs to improve this crop for biofuels applications.

COVID-19 virus spike protein flexibility improved by human cell's own modifications

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:22 PM PDT

Researchers created atomic-level models of the spike protein that plays a key role in COVID-19 infection and immunity, revealing how the protein bends and moves as it seeks to engage receptors.

A rhythmic small intestinal microbiome prevents obesity and type 2 diabetes

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:21 PM PDT

Researchers found that in mice how much they ate and when altered the nature of their gut microbiome: too much food too frequently resulted in poorer microbial and metabolic health.

Daily avocados improve diet quality, help lower cholesterol levels, study finds

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 01:21 PM PDT

Eating one avocado a day for six months was found to have no effect on belly fat, liver fat or waist circumference in people with overweight or obesity, according to a new study. However, it did lead to a slight decrease in unhealthy cholesterol levels.

Bring back the wolves -- but not as heroes or villains

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 09:39 AM PDT

In a new finding that goes against current conservation paradigms, re-introducing wolves and other predators to our landscapes does not miraculously reduce deer populations, restore degraded ecosystems or significantly threaten livestock, according to a new study.

With changing climate, global lake evaporation loss larger than previously thought

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 09:39 AM PDT

A white mineral ring as tall as the Statue of Liberty creeps up the steep shoreline of Lake Mead, a Colorado River reservoir just east of Las Vegas on the Nevada-Arizona border. It is the country's largest reservoir, and it's draining rapidly.

Scientists look to the sky in effort to mitigate carbon problem

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 09:39 AM PDT

A global research effort has assessed two promising technologies to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. While still in the early stages of development, direct air carbon capture and sequestration (DAC) -- together with other carbon dioxide removal strategies -- are considered critical to achieving a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions economy by 2050 and limiting global warming to less than 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2100.

Robotic ammonites recreate ancient animals' movements

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 09:39 AM PDT

Robotic ammonites, evaluated in a university pool, allow researchers to explore questions about how shell shapes affected swimming ability. They found trade-offs between stability in the water and maneuverability, suggesting that the evolution of ammonite shells explored different designs for different advantages, rather than converged toward a single best design.

Scientists discover cancer trigger that could spur targeted drug therapies

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 09:39 AM PDT

Researchers definitively linked the function of a specific domain of proteins important in plant-microbe biology to a cancer trigger in humans, knowledge that had eluded scientists for decades.

Molecule boosts fat burning

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 08:22 AM PDT

A study has identified a molecule -- the purine inosine -- that boosts fat burning in brown adipocytes. The mechanism was discovered in mice, but probably exists in humans as well: If a transporter for inosine is less active, the mice remain significantly leaner despite a high-fat diet.

Discovery reveals large, year-round ozone hole over tropics

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 08:22 AM PDT

Scientist reveal a large, all-season ozone hole in the lower stratosphere over the tropics comparable in depth to that of the well-known springtime Antarctic hole, but roughly seven times greater in area. The observed data agree well with the cosmic-ray-driven electron reaction (CRE) model and strongly indicate the identical physical mechanism working for both Antarctic and tropical ozone holes.

Unchecked emissions could double heat-related child mortality

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 07:38 AM PDT

If carbon emissions are limited to slow temperature rise, up to an estimated 6,000 child deaths could be prevented in Africa each year, according to new research. New work estimated the impact of climate change on annual heat-related deaths of children under five years old in sub-Saharan Africa, from 1995 -- 2050. It shows that thousands of heat-related child deaths could be prevented if temperature increases are limited to the Paris Agreement's 1.5ºC target through to 2050. However, heat-related child deaths could double in sub-Saharan Africa by mid-century if high emissions continue.

Study reveals why highly infectious cholera variant mysteriously died out

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 07:38 AM PDT

Scientists say continuous monitoring of the cholera bug genome is key to preventing outbreaks of new variants.

Scientists link the changing Azores High and the drying Iberian region to anthropogenic climate change

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 07:38 AM PDT

Projected changes in wintertime precipitation make agriculture in the Iberian region some of the most vulnerable in Europe, according to a new study that links the changes to increased anthropogenic greenhouse gases.

Why natural gas is not a bridge technology

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 07:36 AM PDT

The expansion of natural gas infrastructure jeopardizes energy transition, as natural gas is not a bridge technology towards a 100 per cent renewable energy system as defined by the Paris Climate Agreement. The researchers have examined the natural gas issue from five perspectives and given gas a fairly poor climate balance, comparable to that of coal or oil. They recommend that politicians and scientists revise the current assumptions about natural gas.

Eavesdropping on whales in the high Arctic

Posted: 05 Jul 2022 06:07 AM PDT

Earth's oceans are crisscrossed with roughly 1.2 million km of fiber optic telecommunication cables. Researchers have now succeeded in using a fiber in a submarine cable as a passive listening system, enabling them to listen to and monitor whales.

Knowing Earth's energy imbalance is critical in preventing global warming, study finds

Posted: 04 Jul 2022 03:09 PM PDT

The imbalance of energy on Earth is the most important metric in order to gauge the size and effects of climate change, according to a new study.

Coevolution of mammals and their lice

Posted: 04 Jul 2022 03:09 PM PDT

According to a new study, the first louse to take up residence on a mammalian host likely started out as a parasite of birds. That host-jumping event tens of millions of years ago began the long association between mammals and lice, setting the stage for their coevolution and offering more opportunities for the lice to spread to other mammals.

Genetic atlas for zebrafish 'breakthrough' for biomedical research

Posted: 04 Jul 2022 03:09 PM PDT

Medical and life science researchers will benefit from the most comprehensive atlas yet of genetic data on zebrafish, newly published research suggests.

Connectivity of language areas unique in the human brain

Posted: 04 Jul 2022 03:09 PM PDT

Neuroscientists have gained new insight into how our brain evolved into a language-ready brain. Compared to chimpanzee brains, the pattern of connections of language areas in our brain has expanded more than previously thought.

What are whale sharks up to?

Posted: 04 Jul 2022 06:42 AM PDT

Satellite-tracking of the largest fish in the ocean offered insight into their migratory and feeding behavior, but their breeding grounds are still a mystery.

Researchers develop rapid COVID-19 test to identify variants in hours

Posted: 04 Jul 2022 06:42 AM PDT

In just a few hours, scientists can tell which variant has infected a COVID-19 patient -- a critical task that can potentially influence treatment decisions but takes days or weeks at most medical centers.

Researchers use AI to detect new family of genes in gut bacteria

Posted: 04 Jul 2022 06:42 AM PDT

Using artificial intelligence, researchers have discovered a new family of sensing genes in enteric bacteria that are linked by structure and probably function, but not genetic sequence. The findings offer a new way of identifying the role of genes in unrelated species and could lead to new ways to fight intestinal bacterial infections.

Male dogs four times more likely to develop contagious cancer on nose or mouth than females

Posted: 04 Jul 2022 06:42 AM PDT

Sniffing or licking other dogs' genitalia -- the common site of Canine Transmissible Venereal Tumour -- can spread this unusual cancer to the nose and mouth.

Fast and facile synthesis of antibacterial amino acid Schiff base copper complexes

Posted: 04 Jul 2022 06:41 AM PDT

Schiff base-metal complexes exhibit promising antibacterial and antioxidant properties. However, conventional methods for their preparation can be time-consuming. To reduce the reaction time and improve the quality and quantity of the products, researchers designed a new synthesis technique that uses microwave irradiation and methanol for the preparation of amino acid Schiff base copper complexes in just 10 minutes. The resulting products exhibit desirable properties, such as mild antioxidant activity and antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli.

Birds warned of food shortages by neighbor birds change physiology and behavior to prepare

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 07:27 AM PDT

Songbirds learning from nearby birds that food supplies might be growing short respond by changing their physiology as well as their behavior, research shows.

New antibody detection method for coronavirus that does not require a blood sample

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 07:27 AM PDT

Researchers have developed a rapid and effective antibody detection method for SARS-CoV-2 that is minimally invasive and applicable in resource-limited settings. Their methodology, which uses a patch sensor containing porous microneedles and a paper-based immunoassay, could have far-reaching implications for the blood-free detection of COVID-19 and many other infectious diseases.