Research, climate change, and environmental issues.
A gigantic black hole, hidden in a distant galaxy within the Virgo constellation, is waking up, and it’s putting on quite the show for astronomers. The galaxy, called SDSS1335+0728, located around 300 million light-years from Earth, was previously quiet and uneventful. But in 2019, it suddenly lit up, drawing the attention of telescopes worldwide. Then in…
Earth is famously known as the “pale blue dot,” with nearly 75% of its surface covered by oceans. However, according to new research published in Nature, that familiar blue wasn’t always the dominant color of our planet’s waters. Scientists from Japan have now proposed that Earth’s oceans may have appeared green billions of years ago…
From squirrels in cities to dolphins around power plants, animals everywhere are learning to coexist with humans in ways that are at once fascinating and frightening. The phenomenon of wildlife adapting to city life has a term: synurbization. And it’s not only survival, it’s also altering behaviors, evolving diets, and even new inter-species connections that…
A new study from Japan suggests that individuals who are easily distracted by their smartphones may experience more intense physiological reactions and have a weaker connection with their bodily sensations. Researchers at Hokkaido University explored the impact of smartphone-related attention on both mental focus and physical response. The results, published in Communications Psychology, reveal that individuals…
The Amazon rainforest has long been a source of gold and controversy. As long as demand for gold is high, contemporary gold particles are becoming ever smaller and harder to extract. That has led an increase in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), especially in Peru’s Amazon, where mercury is used regularly to extract gold,…
The dire wolf, the legendary predator made famous by the series Game of Thrones, went extinct over 13,000 years ago. But now, researchers from Colossal Biosciences say they’ve created gray wolf pups carrying key genetic traits of the extinct species, which potentially makes this the first successful step in de-extinction. The three pups — two males named Romulus and Remus, and a female named Khaleesi —…
Health officials in California are raising concerns after three people died from hantavirus, the same rare and deadly illness that claimed the life of Betsy Arakawa, wife of actor Gene Hackman, earlier this year. A Tragic Cluster of Cases The new deaths occurred in Mammoth Lakes, a rural town in Mono County, where health officials say the…
Formerly the UK’s favorite river, the River Wye now suffocates under pollution resulting from industrial chicken rearing. Spanning 150 miles between the Welsh hills and the Severn Estuary, this once-tranquil watercourse has suffered a drastic downturn in recent years, and experts warn the situation may become even worse shortly. How Chicken Farming Is Damaging the…
A unique light-producing enzyme found in a Brazilian firefly has led to the creation of a powerful new biosensor that can track changes inside human and animal cells. The discovery could help scientists study diseases, test drug toxicity, and even understand how cells react to different materials. A Color-Changing Glow With a Purpose The enzyme, referred to…
MIT researchers have created a quicker, scalable method to produce cancer-killing nanoparticles, bringing this promising treatment closer to human clinical trials. The medicine-carrying particles are engineered to attack tumors directly, bringing medicine to where it’s needed, with fewer side effects from conventional chemotherapy. Until now, though, making them in bulk has been a significant hurdle….
