SciGlow | All Science News In One Place
SciGlow is a newsletter of science stories from the major research labs. Headlines link to in-depth articles and editorials. SciGlow keeps scientists and others up-to-date on current research.
With many pollinator species in decline, the University of Exeter study shows verges can provide food and a home for pollinators such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies. But the study emphasises that not all verges are equal. It found pollinators prefer less busy roads and areas deeper into verges. It also found that cutting verges … Read more
The safety and effectiveness of electric fans in heatwaves depend on the climate and basing public health advice on common weather metrics could be misleading, according to a new study from the University of Sydney. The research calls into question current guidelines from most public health authorities, including the World Health Organization, that suggest fans … Read more
How do “people power” movements succeed while mobilizing modest proportions of the population? The answer might be inspired by physics, Erica Chenoweth and Margherita Belgioioso write in a new report for Nature Human Behaviour, “The Physics of Dissent and the Effects of Movement Momentum.” They argue that, while participation size is a crucial determinant of the … Read more
Lead, a cumulative neurotoxin, is the most widespread toxic metal in the world, with highest concentrations of environmental lead found in industrialized countries. Arguably, in the Amazon rainforest, the world’s largest expanse of tropical rainforest, harbouring high levels of both biocultural and cultural diversity, wildlife should not be presumably compromised by industrial and urban pollutants given … Read more
Evidence of extreme warfare tactics in the Maya lowlands, during a time described as a peak in prosperity and artistic sophistication, is described in a paper published online this week in Nature Human Behaviour. This research suggests that the Maya engaged in violent warfare that resulted in widespread destruction of a city much earlier than previously thought. … Read more
Exposure to chronic, low dose radiation — the conditions present in deep space — causes neural and behavioral impairments in mice, researchers report in eNeuro. These results highlight the pressing need to develop safety measures to protect the brain from radiation during deep space missions as astronauts prepare to travel to Mars. Radiation is known to … Read more
Modern light microscopic techniques provide extremely detailed insights into organs, but the terabytes of data they produce are usually nearly impossible to process. New software, developed by a team led by MDC scientist Dr. Stephan Preibisch and now presented in Nature Methods, is helping researchers make sense of these reams of data. It works almost like … Read more
Engineers have designed a new system that can help cool buildings in crowded metropolitan areas without consuming electricity, an important innovation at a time when cities are working to adapt to climate change. The system consists of a special material — an inexpensive polymer/aluminum film — that’s installed inside a box at the bottom of … Read more
Along with flying and invisibility, high on the list of every child’s aspirational superpowers is the ability to see through or around walls or other visual obstacles. That capability is now a big step closer to reality as scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Universidad de Zaragoza in Spain, drawing on the lessons … Read more
Seaweed may be a quiet achiever when it comes to mitigation of greenhouse gases, with it now shown to travel far and deep beyond coastal areas and thus to play a key role in sequestering carbon from the atmosphere. Seaweed, or macroalgae, form the most extensive and productive vegetated coastal habitats. They colonize all latitudes … Read more