ScienceDaily: Environment - March 14, 2025
Top environment research news
New name for one of the world's rarest rhinoceroses
A recent study has reclassified the species commonly known as the Javan rhinoceros, proposing a more precise scientific name: Eurhinoceros sondaicus. The research highlights key differences in body structure and ecology that set this species apart from the Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis). Recognizing it as a separate genus not only improves scientific understanding but also has important implications for conservation efforts.
As next hurricane season nears, study explores impacts of 2024's storms
When major storms hit Houston last spring and summer, losing power was a nightmare for residents, but for many, the financial fallout was just as devastating. A new report finds that more than half of Houston-area workers lost income due to these storms, either because they couldn't get to work or their jobs were forced to close.
Researchers develop method to identify dormant cells that carry HIV
Study findings provide a new gene pathway for potential treatment of the virus affecting millions.
US bird populations continue alarming decline
The 2025 U. S. State of the Birds Report, produced by a coalition of leading science and conservation organizations, reveals continued widespread declines in American bird populations across all mainland and marine habitats, with 229 species requiring urgent conservation action.
Dozens of 3-toed dinosaurs leave their mark in Australia
A researcher has confirmed a boulder at a regional school contains one of the highest concentrations of dinosaur footprints per square meter ever documented in Australia.
Retiring abroad puts older adults at risk for loneliness
Many people dream of retiring to a warmer, less expensive country. But retirees who move abroad may be at greater risk of loneliness than those who stay in their home country, according to new research.
Signs of alien life may be hiding in these gases
Scientists identify a new way to detect life in outer space with currently existing telescopes. The method hinges on worlds that look nothing like Earth, and gases rarely considered in the search for extraterrestrials.
Researchers forecast shaking damage from crustal earthquake scenarios in Mexico City
Seismologists describe potential damage forecasts from ground shaking scenarios for moderate earthquakes in three regions of the Mexico City basin.
Temperature during development influences connectivity between neurons and behavior in fruit flies
The rate of development of poikilothermic animals, such as insects, fish, and reptiles, is determined by environmental temperature. A research team has recently demonstrated how temperature can affect brain development in fruit flies. They found more synapses and postsynaptic partners in the brain of Drosophila melanogaster correlating to lower environmental temperature during pupal development.
Scientists develop solar-powered method to convert sewage sludge into green hydrogen and animal feed
Scientists have developed an innovative solar-powered method to transform sewage sludge -- a by-product of wastewater treatment -- into green hydrogen for clean energy and single-cell protein for animal feed.
'Doomsday Clock' and patterns of mortality and mental health in the United States
A new study investigated the mortality and mental health correlates of the iconic Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists' Doomsday Clock.
Wrong on skin care: keratinocytes, not fibroblasts, make collagen for healthy skin
Challenging the long-standing belief that fibroblasts produce skin collagen, researchers have investigated collagen formation in the 'glass-skinned' amphibian axolotl and other vertebrates. They discovered that keratinocytes, the surface cells of the skin, are responsible for producing collagen, which is then transferred deeper to form the dermis. Later, fibroblasts migrate into this collagen layer, modifying and reinforcing its structure.
Blind to the burn: Misconceptions about skin cancer risk in the US
Experiencing five or more severe sunburns between the ages of 15 and 20 increases the risk of melanoma by 80% and nonmelanoma skin cancer by 68%. This study is among the few to examine the relationship between perceived cancer risk, concern about being diagnosed, confidence in health, sunburn history, and the prevalence of sun protection behaviors, all in relation to sociodemographic factors in U.S. adults. Findings reveal statistically significant associations between the number of sunburns and sociodemographic factors.
Mosquito pain receptors are less sensitive during extreme heat
Hotter temperatures may render natural insect repellents less effective against mosquitoes, according to a new study.
No need to wing it: Bat activity in winter analyzed
Winter in the South can bring about a sharp change in conditions that impact forests and their many inhabitants. However, new research finds that, despite these seasonal shifts, forest management efforts are supporting healthy bat populations.
New computer code could lead to simpler, less costly stellarators for fusion power
Physicists have created a new computer code that could speed up the design of the complicated magnets that shape the plasma in stellarators, making the systems simpler and more affordable to build.
Cities that conducted greenhouse gas emissions inventories moved needle toward reduction
Researchers gathered emissions data from hundreds of US cities that either conducted a greenhouse gas emissions inventory, or reported they employed sustainability staff. The cities that conducted an inventory showed a statistically significant reduction in emissions between 2010 and 2015, while those with sustainability staff did not. Little research had previously been done to gauge effects of such measures and show that addressing emissions is meaningful, researchers argue.
Gene related to human kidney disease linked to touch in sea anemones
A new article expands our understanding of sensory neurons in the tentacles of sea anemones, linking them to kidney disease in humans through a common gene.
Cells 'speed date' to find their neighbors when forming tissues
In developing hearts, cells shuffle around, bumping into each other to find their place, and the stakes are high: pairing with the wrong cell could mean the difference between a beating heart and one that falters. A study demonstrates how heart cells go about this 'matchmaking' process. The researchers model the intricate movements of these cells and predict how genetic variations could disrupt the heart development process in fruit flies.
Food insecurity today, heart disease tomorrow?
Struggling to afford food today could mean heart problems tomorrow. Young adults experiencing food insecurity have a 41% greater risk of developing heart disease in midlife, even after accounting for demographic and socioeconomic factors, according to a new study. Food insecurity -- struggling to get enough nutritious food to stay healthy -- affects one in eight households in the U.S. each year.
Want to preserve biodiversity? Go big
Large, undisturbed forests are better for harboring biodiversity than fragmented landscapes, according to recent research. Ecologists agree that habitat loss and the fragmentation of forests reduces biodiversity in the remaining fragments. But ecologists don't agree whether it's better to focus on preserving many smaller, fragmented tracts of land or larger, continuous landscapes. The study comes to a clear conclusion.
How climate change affects rain and floods
Climate change may lead to more precipitation and more intense floods. A new study shows that to understand the details of this relationship, it is important to distinguish between different types of rainfall and flood events -- namely, between short-term events that occur on a time scale of hours, and longer-term events that last several days. In each case, climate change has a different impact.
Scientists create a type of catalog, the 'colocatome,' of non-cancerous cells' influence on cancer
Scientists are using artificial intelligence to better capture how healthy cells surrounding tumors influence cancer cell behavior and how those interactions can inform treatments.
Medical infusion bags can release microplastics
Microplastics have been found almost everywhere that scientists have looked for them. Now these bits of plastic -- from 1 to 62 micrometers long -- have been found in the filtered solutions used for medical intravenous (IV) infusions. The researchers estimate that thousands of plastic particles could be delivered directly to a person's bloodstream from a single 8.4-ounce (250-milliliter) bag of infusion fluid.
Technique to manipulate water waves to precisely control floating objects
Where there's water, there are waves. But what if you could bend water waves to your will to move floating objects? Scientists have now developed a technique to merge waves in a water tank to produce complex patterns, such as twisting loops and swirling vortices. Some patterns acted like tweezers or a 'tractor beam' to hold a floating ball in place. Other patterns made the ball spin and move precisely in a circular path. In the future, the technique could be scaled down to precisely move particles the size of cells for experiments, or scaled up to guide boats along a desired path on the water.
Earth's 'dirty mirror' effect is accelerating climate change
Cloudy areas over oceans are reflecting less sunlight to space than before.
Cheap and environmentally friendly -- the next generation LEDs may soon be here
Cost, technical performance and environmental impact -- these are the three most important aspects for a new type of LED technology to have a broad commercial impact on society.
Rare frog rediscovered after 130 years
A team of researchers has rediscovered a frog species which has not been seen in more than 130 years. First described in 1902, Alsodes vittatus had evaded detection since then, despite multiple search efforts. The researchers discovered two populations of the frog at the southeastern end of the ancient Hacienda San Ignacio de Pemehue in La Araucan a Region, Chile. The rediscovery is an important milestone for South American herpetology and the conservation of biodiversity in the southern cone.
Children who lack fish in their diets are less sociable and kind, study finds
Children who consumed the least amounts of seafood at 7-years-old were likely to be less 'prosocial' at ages 7 and 9 years than those who regularly consumed seafood, according to a new study. 'Prosocial' behavior includes friendly interactions, altruism, and sharing.
Arctic sea ice loss drives drier weather over California and wetter over Spain and Portugal
On decadal timescales, the loss of Arctic ice favors the climate of the south-west of the United States -- and California in particular -- becoming drier on average, especially in winter. This phenomenon would also affect the climate of Spain and Portugal, favoring conditions of higher humidity in winter, although in this case the observed effect is weaker.
Study explores effects of climatic changes on Christmas Island's iconic red crabs
A new study has investigated one aspect of how the future environmental conditions created by the changing global climate might affect earliest development within Christmas Island's red crab population.
Amino acid assists in recycling rechargeable batteries
A new strategy for recycling spent lithium-ion batteries is based on a hydrometallurgical process in neutral solution. This allows for the extraction of lithium and other valuable metals in an environmentally friendly, highly efficient, and inexpensive way. The leaching efficiency is improved by a solid-solid reduction mechanism, known as the battery effect, as well as the addition of the amino acid glycine.
A 62-million-year-old skeleton sheds light on an enigmatic mammal
For more than 140 years, Mixodectes pungens, a species of small mammal that inhabited western North America in the early Paleocene, was a mystery. What little was known about them had been mostly gleaned from analyzing fossilized teeth and jawbone fragments. But a new study of the most complete skeleton of the species known to exist has answered many questions about the enigmatic critter -- first described in 1883 by famed paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope -- providing a better understanding of its anatomy, behavior, diet, and position in the Tree of Life.
Microplastics could be fueling antibiotic resistance
Researchers were shocked to see that bacteria's antimicrobial resistance is strengthened when exposed to plastic particles and point to a potential outsized impact on refugees.
Water movement on surfaces makes more electric charge than expected
Researchers have discovered that water generates an electrical charge up to 10 times greater than previously understood when it moves across a surface. The team observed when a water droplet became stuck on a tiny bump or rough spot, the force built up until it 'jumped or slipped' past an obstacle, creating an irreversible charge that had not been reported before. The new understanding of this phenomenon paves the way for surface design with controlled electrification, with potential applications ranging from improving safety in fuel-holding systems to boosting energy storage and charging rates.
Zeolites, crystalline materials widely used in the petrochemical industry, serve as pivotal catalysts in the production of fine chemicals, with aluminium being the source of active sites within zeolite structures. A research team has revealed the precise location of aluminium atoms in the zeolite framework. This discovery could facilitate the design of more efficient and stable catalysts, aimed at increasing the yield of petrochemical products, achieving efficient renewable energy storage, and controlling air pollution. This advancement will further promote the application of zeolites in relevant fields.
Acoustic monitoring network for birds enhances forest management
A new study using the largest network of microphones to track birds in the United States is providing crucial insights for managing and restoring fire-prone forests across California's Sierra Nevada region.
New method uses DNA barcodes for high throughput RNA and protein detection in deep tissue
An innovative new technique uses a novel DNA barcode system to track hundreds of RNA and protein molecules in single cells within thick biological samples, providing researchers with a full picture of how these structures are organized inside tissues.
Self-optimizing catalysts facilitate water-splitting for the green production of hydrogen
Researchers have developed cost-effective and efficient water-splitting catalysts to be used in the eco-friendly production of hydrogen. Catalyst performance surprisingly increases over time.
'Fishial' recognition: Neural network identifies coral reef sounds
Researchers combine acoustic monitoring with a neural network to identify fish activity on coral reefs by sound. They trained the network to sort through the deluge of acoustic data automatically, analyzing audio recordings in real time. Their algorithm can match the accuracy of human experts in deciphering acoustical trends on a reef, but it can do so more than 25 times faster, and it could change the way ocean monitoring and research is conducted.
boreal forest: Taking taiga's temperature
A new study has introduced a powerful tool for analyzing satellite imagery of boreal forests (also known as 'Taiga' in North America), offering unprecedented insights into the health and dynamics of these crucial ecosystems.
Plastic recycling gets a breath of fresh air
Current methods to recycle plastics often use expensive catalysts, harsh conditions and produce toxic byproducts. New process converts PET plastic into monomer building blocks, which can be recycled into new PET products or upcycled into higher value materials. In experiments, method recovered 94% of monomers from PET in just four hours, without harmful byproducts.
Early signs of GI disease risk in dogs
Researchers have discovered signs that can be used to identify dogs with a high risk of gastrointestinal disease -- which causes more than 10% of all new visits to a veterinarian -- before they develop symptoms.
Clothes dryers and the bottom line: Switching to air drying can save hundreds
By replacing clothes dyers with line drying, households in the U.S. could save upwards of $2,100 and avoid 3 tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the lifetime of a dryer. The exact impacts, however, depend on what kind of dryer you have and where you live, new research shows.
Death by feral cat: DNA shows cats to be culprits in killing of native animals
Feral cats have long been suspects in killing native species reintroduced into Australian conservation areas. DNA testing of the carcasses puts felines firmly in the frame.
Genetic mutations linked to toxin exposure found in firefighters' brain tumors
In a study comparing the glioma tumors of firefighters and non-fighters, researchers found a mutational signature tied to exposure to haloalkanes, which are used in flame retardants, fire extinguishers, and pesticides.
Compound found in common herbs inspires potential anti-inflammatory drug for Alzheimer's disease
The herb rosemary has long been linked with memory: 'There's rosemary, that's for remembrance,' says Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet. So it is fitting that researchers would study a compound found in rosemary and sage -- carnosic acid -- for its impact on Alzheimer's disease. In the disease, which is the leading cause of dementia and the sixth leading cause of death in the US, inflammation is one component that often leads to cognitive decline. Carnosic acid is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound that works by activating enzymes that make up the body's natural defense system. While pure carnosic acid is too unstable to be used as a drug, scientists have now synthesized a stable form, diAcCA. This compound is fully converted to carnosic acid in the gut before being absorbed into the bloodstream.
Cold temperatures may trigger shapeshifting proteins
Researchers suggest that many metamorphic proteins have an 'underlying temperature dependence.' If confirmed, this would mean that temperature -- and cold temperature in particular -- plays a fundamental role in setting off shapeshifting in metamorphic proteins.
To investigate the prevalence and consumption of endangered eels, a research team examined 327 individual eel products purchased across 86 retailers throughout Singapore. The team discovered prevalence of the Anguilla rostrata, commonly known as the American eel, in the sample. While not critically endangered like the European eel, the American eel is also considered an endangered species. The findings suggested a possible shift in trade and consumption of eel to the American eel. Given these findings, the research team called for specific attention to the American eel, with increased enforcement and monitoring needed as proactive steps necessary to avoid the same dramatic population declines that have been documented in other eel species like the European eel.
A study has determined that the widely used tools available to businesses for assessing their biodiversity impacts depend on broad assumptions and can have large uncertainties that are poorly understood or communicated. If used appropriately, they can be powerful tools to help guide effective action to address biodiversity loss -- but if not, they can lead to misguided effort and can be insufficient for robust biodiversity strategy design.
Evolution of plant network: 600 million years of stress
Without plants on land, humans could not live on Earth. From mosses to ferns to grasses to trees, plants are our food, fodder and timber. All this diversity emerged from an algal ancestor that conquered land long ago. The success of land plants is surprising because it is a challenging habitat. On land, rapid shifts in environmental conditions lead to stress, and plants have developed an elaborate molecular machinery for sensing and responding. Now, a research team has compared algae and plants that span 600 million years of independent evolution and pinpointed a shared stress response network using advanced bioinformatic methods.
Discovery: The great whale pee funnel moves vital nutrients
Scientists have discovered that whales move nutrients thousands of miles -- in their urine -- from as far as Alaska to Hawaii. These tons of nitrogen support the health of tropical ecosystems and fish, where nitrogen can be limited. They call this movement of nutrients a 'conveyor belt' or 'the great whale pee funnel.' In some places, like Hawaii, the input of nutrients from whales is bigger than from local sources. It's critical to tropical ocean health, therefore, to protect and restore whales.
AI tool to make genetic research more comprehensive
Researchers have developed PhyloFrame, a machine-learning tool that uses artificial intelligence to account for ancestral diversity in genetic data.
Are volcanoes behind the oxygen we breathe?
It is widely believed that Earth's atmosphere has been rich in oxygen for about 2.5 billion years due to a relatively rapid increase in microorganisms capable of performing photosynthesis. Researchers provide a mechanism to explain precursor oxygenation events, or 'whiffs,' which may have opened the door for this to occur. Their findings suggest volcanic activity altered conditions enough to accelerate oxygenation, and the whiffs are an indication of this taking place.
Humans have a long way to go in understanding a dog's emotions
New research has revealed that people often do not perceive the true meaning of their pet's emotions and can misread their dog. The reasons for this are many and include a human misunderstanding of dog expressions due to a bias towards projecting human emotions onto our pets.
Tuberculosis relies on protective genes during airborne transmission
Scientists discovered genes in the tuberculosis bacterium that becomes essential for the pathogen's survival when it's exposed to air through coughing. These genes could be targets for new therapies that simultaneously treat infection and prevent transmission.
Researchers shed new light on G-quadruplexes, a type of secondary DNA structure that has attracted attention as a potential therapeutic target in cancer.
Intranasal herpes infection may produce neurobehavioral symptoms
A study finds that herpes infection through the nose can lead to anxiety, motor impairment and cognitive issues. The research shows that by exploiting a cellular enzyme, the virus can produce behavioral symptoms. The finding emphasizes the need for prevention and treatment of a virus carried by billions of people worldwide.
Is red wine a healthier choice than white wine? Uncorking the cancer risks
Researchers have conducted a study that scours 'the vast and often contradictory literature on the carcinogenicity of red and white wine' to assess whether this assumption holds up, and to compare the cancer risks associated with wine type.
Climate change will reduce the number of satellites that can safely orbit in space
Aerospace engineers found that greenhouse gas emissions are changing the environment of near-Earth space in ways that, over time, will reduce the number of satellites that can safely operate there.