Simple food swaps could cut greenhouse gas emissions from household groceries by a quarter
Switching food and drink purchases to very similar but more environmentally friendly alternatives could reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from household groceries by more than a quarter (26%), according to a new Australian study from The George Institute for Global Health and Imperial College London published today in Nature Food. ⌘ Read more

Biodiversity in the margins: Merging farmlands affects natural pest control
A new study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology demonstrates how the diversity and abundance of arthropods decrease when hedgerows and field margins covered by wild grass and flowers are removed. ⌘ Read more

Algorithms could help improve judicial decisions
A new paper in the Quarterly Journal of Economics finds that replacing certain judicial decision-making functions with algorithms could improve outcomes for defendants by eliminating some of the systemic biases of judges. ⌘ Read more

The Earth’s changing, irregular magnetic field is causing headaches for polar navigation
The Earth’s liquid molten outer core, composed mostly of iron and nickel, exerts an electromagnetic field extending from the north and south pole that protects the planet from harmful solar particle radiation. ⌘ Read more

New method for modeling free-ranging animal populations finds macaque numbers smaller than expected
A team of researchers created a new method of modeling to estimate the population of free-ranging animals and in doing so discovered that there were far fewer numbers of an Old World monkey, the macaque, than expected. ⌘ Read more

Study shows relatively low number of superspreaders responsible for large portion of misinformation on Twitter
A small team of social media analysts at Indiana University has found that a major portion of tweets spreading disinformation are sent by a surprisingly small percentage of a given userbase. ⌘ Read more

Scientists report unified framework for diverse aurorae across planets
The awe-inspiring aurorae seen on Earth, known as the Northern and Southern Lights, have been a source of fascination for centuries. Between May 10 and 12, 2024, the most powerful aurora event in 21 years reminded us of the stunning beauty of these celestial light shows. ⌘ Read more

Cyclone hits Bangladesh as nearly a million flee inland for shelter
An intense cyclone smashed into the low-lying coast of Bangladesh on Sunday, with nearly a million people fleeing inland for concrete storm shelters away from howling gales and crashing waves. ⌘ Read more

Baby bonuses and wedding bells: How life’s big moments can challenge startups
Life-changing events like the birth of a child, the purchase of a new home, or a lottery win could threaten the survival of a new business venture, research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has found. The work is published in the International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal. ⌘ Read more

TESS finds intriguing world sized between Earth and Venus
Using observations by NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) and many other facilities, two international teams of astronomers have discovered a planet between the sizes of Earth and Venus only 40 light-years away. Multiple factors make it a candidate well-suited for further study using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. ⌘ Read more

Setting minimum targets for wildlife conservation excludes restoration and ecosystem management, researcher argues
Although the grizzly is featured prominently on the California state flag, the golden bear has been extinct in the wild since the 1920s. ⌘ Read more

First proof that ‘plunging regions’ exist around black holes in space
An international team led by researchers at Oxford University Physics have proved Einstein was correct about a key prediction concerning black holes. Using X-ray data to test Einstein’s theory of gravity, their study gives the first observational proof that a “plunging-region” exists around black holes: an area where matter stops circling the hole and instead falls straight in. Furthermore, the team found that this region exerts … ⌘ Read more

Saturday Citations: The cheapness horizon of electric batteries; the battle-worthiness of ancient armor; scared animals
Sometimes, science requires traveling into hazardous environments; sometimes it requires a vast influx of state capital and an army of researchers and technicians. But sometimes, science has to call in the Marines. We reported on that this week, along with news about a new cathode for electric batteries made from an Earth-abundant element that will stun you into silence … ⌘ Read more

Mexico heat waves leave 48 dead since March
Mexico has registered 48 deaths in a series of heat waves since March, the government said Friday, as scientists warned that new temperature records could be coming. ⌘ Read more

Massive landslide hits Papua New Guinea, many feared dead
A massive landslide struck remote villages in Papua New Guinea’s highlands Friday, with many homes buried and scores of residents feared dead. ⌘ Read more

Life in water and mud: Colombians fed up with constant flooding
The Berrio family moves around their home on raised planks, upon which their beds and furniture have been raised, to avoid the knee-high, murky waters that have invaded their modest brick house. ⌘ Read more

New study challenges conventional wisdom that Americans are ‘pocketbook voters’
A new study that examined voting in the 2022 United States congressional elections shows that views on abortion were central to shifting votes in the midterm elections. Despite severe inflation and grave concerns about deteriorating economic conditions, economic perceptions did not change votes. ⌘ Read more

Persistent gender imbalances in UK political candidate selections: A call for systemic reform
In a comprehensive analysis by Dr. Sofía Collignon, Senior Lecturer in Comparative Politics at Queen Mary University of London, new light has been shed on the persistent gender disparities in the selection of parliamentary candidates by the U.K.’s Conservative and Labor parties. ⌘ Read more

New resource pinpoints inner workings of sorghum plant cells for designing better bioenergy feedstock
Bioenergy sorghum is an important resource for the production of biofuels and bioproducts and a critical component of a sustainable agricultural future. Researchers have been working hard to make this tall, drought-tolerant plant even more productive and resilient to harsh environmental conditions. But those efforts are hampered by a lack of knowledge about the inner working of plant cells, … ⌘ Read more

El Nino not responsible for East Africa floods: Scientists
The El Niño weather pattern did not have “any influence” on widespread flooding that killed hundreds in East Africa this year, an expert group of scientists said Friday. ⌘ Read more

Researchers develop framework for databasing properties of crystal defects
Point defects (e.g. missing, extra or swapped atoms) in crystalline materials often determine the actual electronic and optical response of a given material. For example, controlled substitutions in semiconductors like silicon are the backbone of modern technology. Despite their importance, point defects are notoriously difficult to simulate and characterize, particularly across wide regions of the periodic tabl … ⌘ Read more

Researchers create new software for the new European-Japanese Earth observation satellite EarthCARE
Preparations for the launch of the new Earth observation satellite EarthCARE (Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer) at the end of May are in full swing. The joint mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will measure clouds, aerosol and radiation more accurately than ever before. This will be made possible by linking four state-of-the- … ⌘ Read more

Workplace besties: How to build relationships at work while staying professional
Having meaningful connections in the workplace is essential for personal and organizational success. Most of us form these bonds naturally, as we spend a significant amount of our lifetimes at work. ⌘ Read more

Here’s where Colorado’s wolves traveled in May, including closer to some I-70 mountain communities
At least one of Colorado’s 11 wild wolves entered the watershed surrounding Vail in the last month, according to a new map showing where the canines traveled recently. ⌘ Read more

Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica calves new iceberg
A large iceberg (380 km2), about the size of the Isle of Wight, has broken off the 150m-thick Brunt Ice Shelf. It broke off after a crack suddenly appeared in the ice shelf a few weeks ago. The final break happened in the early hours of Monday, 20 May. ⌘ Read more

Study finds mitochondrial phosphate carrier plays an important role in virulence of Candida albicans
In a paper published in Mycology, Professor Yan Wang’s team found that in both nematode and murine infection models, the lack of MIR1 gene, which encodes mitochondrial phosphate carrier, can lead to severe virulence defects in Candida albicans. ⌘ Read more

Study enhances plasticity of spontaneous coagulation cast oxide ceramic green bodies
Spontaneous coagulation casting (SCC), a new type of colloidal forming process, has garnered significant attention since 2011 due to various advantages of a high bulk density and non-toxicity, as well as the ability to achieve dispersion and coagulation with very low additions (< 1 wt%) of copolymers of isobutylene and maleic anhydride (PIBM). ⌘ Read more

Study finds sea-level rise and weather-related shocks caused Louisiana marsh to die back
In 2016, observers in the wetlands of Louisiana’s Bird’s Foot Delta began to note dying stands of Phragmites australis, locally known as Roseau cane. By 2021, nothing but mud flats remained in some areas where the reeds once stood. ⌘ Read more

Researchers report a simpler method for precise molecular orbital visualization
Discoveries and progress in materials science often lay the foundation for technological breakthroughs that reshape many industrial and commercial fields, including medicine, consumer electronics, and energy generation, to name a few. ⌘ Read more

The tunable coupling of two distant superconducting spin qubits
Quantum computers, computing devices that leverage the principles of quantum mechanics, could outperform classical computing on some complex optimization and processing tasks. In quantum computers, classical units of information (bits), which can either have a value of 1 or 0, are substituted by quantum bits or qubits, which can be in a mixture of both 0 and 1 simultaneously. ⌘ Read more

Half of mangrove ecosystems at risk: conservationists
Half of the world’s mangrove ecosystems are at risk of collapse due to climate change, deforestation and pollution, according to a study published Wednesday. ⌘ Read more

Volunteers race to save Mexico’s howler monkeys in heat wave
Volunteers are rushing to hoist food and water up into trees in sweltering southern Mexico, but help came too late for the howler monkeys whose lifeless bodies lay still on the ground. ⌘ Read more

Neutrons open window to explore space glass
Thanks to human ingenuity and zero gravity, we reap important benefits from science in space. Consider smart phones with built-in navigation systems and cameras. ⌘ Read more

Kenya is badly prepared for floods: Four steps to reduce devastation and deaths
Floods in Kenya in April/May 2024 led to the deaths of over 250 people and caused damage estimated at 4 billion Kenya shillings (US$35 million). ⌘ Read more

California is about to tax guns more like alcohol and tobacco—and that could put a dent in gun violence
Starting in July 2024, California will be the first state to charge an excise tax on guns and ammunition. The new tax—an 11% levy on each sale—will come on top of federal excise taxes of 10% or 11% for firearms and California’s 6% sales tax. ⌘ Read more

Researchers: We’re helping farmers access future climate projections as easily as checking the weather
How often do you check your local weather forecast? How about your local climate projections for 2050? For many farmers, the answer to the first question is all the time. But the answer to the second is almost certainly less than that, even though this information is crucial for understanding climate-related risks and opportunities on their patch. ⌘ Read more

Observations investigate properties of nearby brown dwarf HD 33632 Ab
Using the Keck II telescope in Hawaii, astronomers have observed a nearby brown dwarf known as HD 33632 Ab. Results of the observational campaign, presented in a paper published May 14 on the pre-print server arXiv, provide more insights into the properties of this substellar object and its atmosphere. ⌘ Read more

In Darwin’s footsteps: Scientists recreate historic 1830s expedition
Like Charles Darwin did in 1831, a group of scientists and environmentalists last year set sail from the English port of Plymouth, headed for the Galapagos islands off the coast of Ecuador. ⌘ Read more

India shuts schools as temperatures soar
Indian authorities in the capital have ordered schools shut early for the summer holiday, after temperatures hit 47.4 degrees Celsius (117 degrees Fahrenheit) with Delhi gripped by a “severe heat wave”. ⌘ Read more

Landfill study shows flawed detection methods, higher methane emissions in Illinois, other states
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s method of detecting methane leaks at landfills is flawed, and emissions of this powerful heat-trapping gas are likely much higher than what is being reported, according to a new study analyzing landfills in Illinois and seven other states. ⌘ Read more

Illegitimate interruptions reduce productivity in the workplace, finds study
A team of researchers from The University of Queensland has found employees experience more stress at work when interrupted with requests for unnecessary or unreasonable tasks. ⌘ Read more

NASA study provides new look at orbital debris, potential solutions
New data analysis indicates that NASA and its partners could have more cost-effective methods for dealing with the growing issue of orbital debris than previously thought. ⌘ Read more

Scientists discover single atom defect in 2D material can hold quantum information at room temperature
Scientists have discovered that a “single atomic defect” in a layered 2D material can hold onto quantum information for microseconds at room temperature, underscoring the potential of 2D materials in advancing quantum technologies. ⌘ Read more

NA64 uses the high-energy SPS muon beam to search for dark matter
The NA64 experiment started operations at CERN’s SPS North Area in 2016. Its aim is to search for unknown particles from a hypothetical “dark sector.” For these searches, NA64 directs an electron beam onto a fixed target. Researchers then look for unknown dark sector particles produced by collisions between the beam’s electrons and the target’s atomic nuclei. ⌘ Read more

Record low Antarctic sea ice ‘extremely unlikely’ without climate change, says scientists
Scientists at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have found that the record-low levels of sea ice around Antarctica in 2023 were extremely unlikely to happen without the influence of climate change. This low was a one-in-a-2000-year event without climate change and four times more likely under its effects. The results are published (20 May) in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, in a paper titled “CMIP6 … ⌘ Read more

Study finds evidence that subduction zone splay faults compound hazards of great earthquakes
Research has provided new insight into the tectonic plate shifts that create some of the Earth’s largest earthquakes and tsunamis. ⌘ Read more

Black farmers in Brazil changing views on coffee production
Raphael Brandao beams with pride as he describes the high-end Brazilian coffee he produces with beans sourced exclusively from Black farmers in a country where many still associate the product with slavery. ⌘ Read more

Are we really about to talk to whales?
The past decade has seen an explosion of new research into some of the most fascinating sounds in the sea: the vocalizations of whales and dolphins. ⌘ Read more

Blue Origin flies thrill seekers to space, including oldest astronaut
After a nearly two-year hiatus, Blue Origin flew adventurers to space on Sunday, including a former Air Force pilot who was denied the chance to be the United States’ first Black astronaut decades ago. ⌘ Read more

Denser housing can be greener, too: How NZ can build better for biodiversity
Cities across Aotearoa New Zealand are trying to solve a housing crisis, with increasing residential density a key solution. But not everyone is happy about the resulting loss of natural habitats and biodiversity. ⌘ Read more