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Antivenom neutralizes the neurotoxins of 19 of the world's deadliest snakes (link is external)

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By using antibodies from a human donor with a self-induced hyper-immunity to snake venom, scientists have developed the most broadly effective antivenom to date, which is protective against the likes of the black mamba, king cobra, and tiger snakes in mouse trials. The antivenom combines protective antibodies and a small molecule inhibitor and opens a path toward a universal antiserum.

AI system targets tree pollen behind allergies (link is external)

Environmental Feed -

Imagine trying to tell identical twins apart just by looking at their fingerprints. That's how challenging it can be for scientists to distinguish the tiny powdery pollen grains produced by fir, spruce and pine trees. But a new artificial intelligence system is making that task a lot easier -- and potentially bringing big relief to allergy sufferers.

Study shows how millions of bird sightings unlock precision conservation (link is external)

Environmental Feed -

A groundbreaking study reveals that North American bird populations are declining most severely in areas where they should be thriving. Researchers analyzed 36 million bird observations shared by birdwatchers to the Cornell Lab's eBird program alongside multiple environmental variables derived from high-resolution satellite imagery for 495 bird species across North America from 2007 to 2021.

Eruption loading: New approaches to earthquake monitoring at Ontake volcano, Japan (link is external)

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A new study has investigated the use of a new monitoring technique for early warning of a volcanic eruption. The research team compared the earthquake signals during two eruptions of Ontake Volcano in Japan, one of which was a small eruption and the other of which was explosive. From this, they were able to identify that shear-wave splitting parameters showed differences depending on the size of the eruption. The study proposes that the monitoring of this signal would provide a useful early warning of dangerous volcanic eruptions.

Rhythmically trained sea lion returns for an encore -- and performs as well as humans (link is external)

Environmental Feed -

Animal research on biomusicality, which looks at whether different species are capable of behaving in ways that show they recognize aspects of music, including rhythm and beat, remains a tantalizing field at the intersection of biology and psychology. Now, the highly trained California sea lion who achieved global fame for her ability to bob her head to a beat is finally back: starring in a new study that shows her rhythm is just as precise -- if not better -- than humans.

Designer microbe shows promise for reducing mercury absorption from seafood (link is external)

Environmental Feed -

Scientists inserted DNA-encoding methylmercury detoxification enzymes into the genome of an abundant human gut bacterium. The engineered bacterium detoxified methylmercury in the gut of mice and dramatically reduced the amount that reached other tissues, such as the brain and liver. Mice given an oral probiotic containing the engineered microbe and fed a diet high in bluefin tuna had much lower methylmercury levels than expected, suggesting that a probiotic might eventually make it safer for people to consume fish. Researchers performed the tests using pregnant mice and found lower levels of methylmercury in both maternal and fetal tissues, and lower signs of mercury toxicity in the fetal brain.

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