Outlook for the polar regions in a 2-degrees-warmer world

With 2019 on pace as one of the warmest years on record, a major new study from the University of California, Davis, reveals how rapidly the Arctic is warming and examines global consequences of continued polar warming. The study, published today in the journal Science Advances reports that the Arctic has warmed by 0.75 degrees C in … Read more

Long-distance timber trade underpinned the Roman Empire’s construction

The ancient Romans relied on long-distance timber trading to construct their empire, according to a study published December 4, 2019 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Mauro Bernabei from the National Research Council, Italy, and colleagues. The timber requirements of ancient Rome were immense and complex, with different types of trees from various locations around the … Read more

Molecular bodyguards against Parkinson’s disease

Chaperone proteins in human cells dynamically interact with the protein α-Synuclein, which is strongly associated with Parkinson’s disease. A disturbed relationship to these “bodyguards” leads to cell damage and the formation of Lewy bodies typical for Parkinson’s disease. The findings by researchers from the University of Basel’s Biozentrum have been published in Nature. Parkinson’s disease … Read more

National Park Service scientists: Does aircraft noise make birds more vocal?

National Park Service scientists analyzed nearly 1 million 10-second audio recording samples from national parks across the country and discovered a small increase in bird sound detection when an aircraft sound is also detected. On average, across all parks monitored, the odds of hearing a bird sound increases by 2% when aircraft sound is detected … Read more

Deer and elk can help young Douglas-fir trees under some conditions

Long considered pests by forest managers, deer and elk can help Douglas-fir seedlings thrive under certain vegetation management conditions, a five-year study by Oregon State University shows. The research, published today in the Journal of Applied Ecology, is important because global demand for forest products continues to rise and because wildlife conservation is often viewed as … Read more