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Ecologists are investigating the decline of insect populations in the world's tropical forests. Insects, the most abundant and diverse group of animals on Earth, are experiencing alarming declines, prompting this research effort.
Lactic acid bacteria can improve plant-based dairy alternatives (link is external)
A new study maps how specific lactic acid bacteria can enhance both the flavor and nutritional quality of plant-based dairy alternatives. The findings may have wide-reaching perspectives for the further development of sustainable foods.
Carb restriction offers relief from calorie counting (link is external)
The intermittent fasting diet, which involves periods of severe calorie restriction, may be on the way out, as research is suggesting that rather than drastically reducing calories, people can achieve similar metabolic benefits by cutting back on carbs.
Eating only during the daytime could protect people from heart risks of shift work (link is external)
Numerous studies have shown that working the night shift is associated with serious health risks, including to the heart. However, a new study suggests that eating only during the daytime could help people avoid the health risks associated with shift work.
In Guatemala, painted altar found at Tikal adds new context to mysterious Maya history (link is external)
Just steps from the center of Tikal, a 2,400-year-old Maya city in the heart of modern-day Guatemala, a global team of researchers has unearthed a buried altar that could unlock the secrets of a mysterious time of upheaval in the ancient world. The altar, built around the late 300s A.D., is decorated with four painted panels of red, black and yellow depicting a person wearing a feathered headdress and flanked by shields or regalia. The face has almond-shaped eyes, a nose bar and a double earspool. It closely resembles other depictions of a deity dubbed the 'Storm God' in central Mexico.
Viral 'backbone' underlies variation in rotavirus vaccine effectiveness (link is external)
Researchers have shown that differences in the entire rotavirus genome -- not just its two surface proteins -- affect how well vaccines work, helping to explain why some strains are more likely to infect vaccinated individuals.
Long-term health impacts of flooding revealed (link is external)
A comprehensive study of the long-term health impacts of flooding -- via analysis of over 300 million hospitalizations records in eight countries prone to flooding events -- has found an increased risk of 26 per cent of all diseases serious enough to require hospitalization. This impact on the health of communities lasts up to seven months post event.
Role of social workers in addressing marginalized communities bearing brunt of climate disasters (link is external)
A researcher spent a year living in a jjokbang-chon, an extremely impoverished neighborhood in Seoul, South Korea. While there, he calculated residents' carbon footprints, finding they contribute much less to climate change than their fellow citizens, and detailed how they suffer the effects of extreme heat and other climate issues. He advocates for social work to take a role in addressing such climate injustice in a way that does not remove already limited resources from such populations.
Researchers discover natural compound may slow ALS and dementia (link is external)
A new study shows a compound found in certain fruits and vegetables could hold key to treating neurodegenerative diseases.
Smoke from US wildfires, prescribed burns caused premature deaths, billions in health damages (link is external)
Researchers estimated that smoke from wildfires and prescribed burns caused $200 billion in health damages in 2017, and that these were associated with 20,000 premature deaths. Senior citizens were harmed the most, and Native American and Black communities experienced the greatest damages per capita.
Dinosaurs' apparent decline prior to asteroid may be due to poor fossil record (link is external)
The idea that dinosaurs were already in decline before an asteroid wiped most of them out 66 million years ago may be explained by a worsening fossil record from that time rather than a genuine dwindling of dinosaur species, suggests a new study.
Stronger coffee with fewer coffee beans (link is external)
Researchers have worked to optimize the use of coffee grounds in pour-over coffee. They recommend pouring from as high as possible while still maintaining the water's flow. In particular, the group found the thick water jets typical of standard gooseneck kettles are ideal for achieving this necessary height and laminar flow. Displaced grounds recirculate as the water digs deeper into the coffee bed, allowing for better mixing between the water and the grounds, and thus, results in a stronger coffee with fewer beans.
Rain barrel basics: Conserving water but not mosquito habitats (link is external)
Researchers surveyed residential rain barrels to determine how often mosquitoes took up residence in rain barrels and what preventative measures would most effectively keep mosquitoes out. Taking these preventative measures will reduce potential health risks and ensure that rain barrels remain a safe, effective, and environmentally sustainable tool for managing stormwater runoff.
Termite stowaways: Study reveals boats as perfect vessels for global termite spread (link is external)
A study reveals that termites are not simply spreading through natural processes, suggesting humans may be helping them 'conquer the world' by unknowingly transporting them aboard private boats.
Researchers discover why plastic sheds dangerous fragments (link is external)
The world is littered with trillions of micro- and nanoscopic pieces of plastic. These can be smaller than a virus -- just the right size to disrupt cells and even alter DNA. Researchers find them almost everywhere they've looked, from Antarctic snow to human blood. In a new study, scientists have delineated the molecular process that causes these small pieces to break off in such large quantities.
Saturn's moon Titan could harbor life, but only a tiny amount, study finds (link is external)
Despite its uniquely rich inventory of organic molecules, Saturn's largest moon, Titan, may be able to support only a minuscule amount of biomass, if life exists on the moon, according to a study using bioenergetic modeling.
One-third of Australia's coastal terrestrial aquaculture at risk from sea level rise by 2100 (link is external)
New research has highlighted more than 43% of Queensland, Australia's current productive aquaculture sites are expected to be impacted by sea level rise. Of the projected inundation caused by sea level rise, it is estimated 98 per cent of prawn sites and 50 per cent of prawn production would be impacted.
The lush past of the world's largest desert (link is external)
The vast desert of the Arabian Peninsula was not always an arid landscape. A recent study reveals that this region was once home to a vast lake and river system. These favorable conditions fostered grasslands and savannahs, enabling human migration -- until drought returned, forcing populations to move. This research highlights the impact of climate cycles on landscapes and human societies.
The new season of The Last of Us has a spore-ting chance at realism (link is external)
The Last of Us is back on April 13 and this season is more realistic than ever. The trailer for the hit HBO series appears to show the 'zombie fungus' cordyceps infecting humans by releasing air-borne spores, instead of through tentacles -- closer to scientific reality. And it's not the only thing the show gets right.
Researchers discover way to predict treatment success for parasitic skin disease (link is external)
Findings from a new study could help doctors select more effective treatments earlier for patients suffering from leishmaniasis, a disfiguring skin infection.
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