Breakthrough in understanding 'tummy bug' bacteria
Science Daily
Scientists have discovered how bacteria commonly responsible for seafood-related stomach upsets can go dormant and then 'wake up'.
An anode-free zinc battery that could someday store renewable energy
Science Daily
Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, could help decrease the world's reliance on fossil fuels. But first, power companies need a safe, cost-effective way to store the energy for later use. Massive lithium-ion batteries can do the job, but they suffer from safety issues and limited lithium availability. Now, researchers have made a prototype of an anode-free, zinc-based battery that uses low-cost, naturally abundant materials.
Study shows how network of marine protected areas could help safeguard Antarctic penguins
Phys Org
New research led by BirdLife International, the University of East Anglia (UEA) and British Antarctic Survey highlights how a proposed network of marine protected areas could help safeguard some of the most important areas at sea for breeding Antarctic penguins.
Reducing air pollution 'could prevent 50,000 EU deaths'
Phys Org
Limiting air pollution to levels recommended by the World Health Organization could prevent more than 50,000 deaths in Europe annually, according to research published Wednesday that called for urgent action.
New antifungal compound from ant farms
Science Daily
Attine ants are farmers, and they grow fungus as food. Pseudonocardia and Streptomyces bacteria are their farmhands, producing metabolites that protect the crop from pathogens. Surprisingly, these metabolites lack common structural features across bacteria from different geographic locations, even though the ants share a common ancestor. Now, researchers report they have identified the first shared antifungal compound among many of these bacteria across Brazil. The compound could someday have m
Teachers having to work harder than any other professionals, says study
Phys Org
Teachers are working harder than ever before and more than any other occupation, according to a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Oxford Review of Education authored by researchers from UCL .
Exploration of toxic Tiger Rattlesnake venom advances use of genetic science techniques
Phys Org
The Tiger Rattlesnake possesses the simplest, yet most toxic venom of any rattlesnake species, and now new research from a team lead by a University of South Florida biologist can explain the genetics behind the predator's fearsome bite.
Cereal crops fighting the climate chaos
Phys Org
Agriculture and climate experts have warned for some years that extreme climate events including severe droughts with frequent heatwaves drop the production of major staple food crops like wheat causing a severe threat to food security. Therefore, scientists are looking at grains that can better adapt to these circumstances: An international team, lead by Wolfram Weckwerth from the University of Vienna, has taken a comparative physiological and molecular view on wheat and pearl millet under dro
Methamphetamine overdose deaths rise sharply nationwide
Science Daily
Methamphetamine overdose deaths surged in an eight-year period in the United States, according to a new study. The analysis revealed rapid rises across all racial and ethnic groups, but American Indians and Alaska Natives had the highest death rates overall.
4 Chippewa Valley School board members face recall over in-person learning
Detroit Free Press | John Wisely, Detroit Free Press
The Macomb County Election Commission approved recall petition language targeting four school board members.
Climate-related species extinction possibly mitigated by newly discovered effect
Phys Org
Changes in climate that occur over short periods of time influence biodiversity. For a realistic assessment of these effects, it is necessary to also consider previous temperature trends going far back into Earth's history. Researchers from the University of Bayreuth and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg show this in a paper for Nature Ecology and Evolution. According to the paper, future climate-related species extinction could be less severe than predictions based only on the current trend
Fornax A galaxy investigated with AstroSat
Phys Org
Using the AstroSat spacecraft, Indian astronomers have performed an imaging and spectroscopic study of the Fornax A galaxy. Results of the study, published January 13 on the arXiv preprint server, provide more clues on the properties of the galaxy and ultraviolet emission from this source.
Researchers develop a mathematical model to explain the complex architecture of termite mounds
Phys Org
Following a series of studies on termite mound physiology and morphogenesis over the past decade, researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have now developed a mathematical model to help explain how termites construct their intricate mounds.
Feral colonies provide clues for enhancing honey bee tolerance to pathogens
Phys Org
Understanding the genetic and environmental factors that enable some feral honey bee colonies to tolerate pathogens and survive the winter in the absence of beekeeping management may help lead to breeding stocks that would enhance survival of managed colonies, according to a study led by researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.
Protected areas vulnerable to growing emphasis on food security
Phys Org
Protected areas are critical to mitigating extinction of species; however, they may also be in conflict with efforts to feed the growing human population. A new study shows that 6% of all global terrestrial protected areas are already made up of cropland, a heavily modified habitat that is often not suitable for supporting wildlife. Worse, 22% of this cropland occurs in areas supposedly enjoying the strictest levels of protection, the keystone of global biodiversity protection efforts.
