35 years after the nuclear accident in Chernobyl, a recent study showed that the crops in the regions near Chernobyl are still contaminated. Continue reading Radioactive Contamination Still Detected in Chernobyl Crops
As the Arctic gets hotter, its landscape releases more greenhouse gases. According to a new study, the warming Arctic soil’s bacteria may diversify and emit even more greenhouse gas than scientists have thought. Continue reading As the Arctic Warms, Soil Bacteria May Diversify and Release More Carbon Dioxide
Dinosaurs rose and fell, but one foot-long scaly creature — the tuatara — persisted. Recently, the first tuatara genome was sequenced, unlocking insights into the evolution of other reptiles, birds, dinosaurs, and even our own mammalian lineage. Continue reading Not Just Your Ordinary Lizard: The Unique Genome of the Tuatara
Plastics in the ocean are a huge problem, partly because microplastics have significant health effects on marine organisms. Few have explored the quantification of microplastics on the deep ocean floor. Continue reading 14 Million Tons of Microplastic are on the Ocean Floor
Asphalt is a common building material in urban areas with increasing use as cities grow, but few consider its pollutant properties. Continue reading Asphalt Contributes to Air Pollution in Urban Cities
Land animals are often smarter than aquatic animals but it is still unclear exactly how their cognition developed. In @NatureComms, @malcommaciver and #UgurcanMugan found that complex landscapes and the ability of land animals to see more in air compared to fish in water may have led to planning circuitry in the brains of land animals.
Continue reading Complex landscapes affect animal cognitive evolution
As the Roman Republic began to fall, the Earth suffered from extreme cold and famine that helped push Rome’s instability to its ultimate collapse. The cause of the extreme climate? The eruption of an Alaskan volcano on the opposite side of the world. Continue reading Et tu, Okmok? Alaska’s Okmok Volcano Contributed to Fall of Roman Republic and the Ptolemaic Kingdom
Just in time for the July 4th holiday and quarantine distractions, a study shows that fireworks introduce a lot of pollution, causing both environmental and personal damage. Continue reading Fireworks Soar as National Health Plummets
A comprehensive study indicates that over 500 terrestrial vertebrate species (which excludes fish, invertebrate, and plant species) will go extinct within the next decade unless we change our practices. Continue reading Losing Ground: Populations shrink and mass extinctions accelerate
The impact areas of harmful “forever” chemicals continue to grow as scientist discover that environmental factors are helping to spread pollution. Continue reading The Reach of “Forever” Chemicals: Transport by Air, Water, and Soil