361 articles from THURSDAY 17.6.2021
Long-term Himalayan glacier study: Geographers combine historical images and maps with current data
The glaciers of Nanga Parbat—one of the highest mountains in the world—have been shrinking slightly but continually since the 1930s. This loss in surface area is evidenced by a long-term study conducted by researchers from the South Asia Institute of Heidelberg University. The geographers combined historical photographs, surveys, and topographical maps with current data, which allowed them to...
Chinese crew enters new space station on 3-month mission
Three Chinese astronauts arrived Thursday at China's new space station at the start of a three-month mission, marking another milestone in the country's ambitious space program.
Dolphins, turtles killed by fire-ravaged ship: Sri Lanka
Dozens of turtles and dolphins were killed by intense heat and chemical poisoning from a container ship that burned for almost two weeks off Sri Lanka, authorities said Thursday.
UK Covid: Whitty says he expects further surge in winter; more than 11,000 new cases recorded – as it happened
Whitty says a Covid surge is under way and that cases would continue to rise for the next few weeks; UK records 11,007 new cases. This live blog is now closed – please follow the global coronavirus live blog for updatesCovid cases in England doubling every 11 daysGovernment could make working from home ‘default’ optionScotland was eight hours from running out of PPE in first waveWind...
No breakthrough during 'exhausting' online climate talks
No breakthroughs have been made on key issues during three weeks of international climate talks that ended Thursday, officials said, with plans now for a select group of ministers to come together next month in the hope of making progress ahead of a U.N. summit in November.
Royal Botanical Gardens warns against photographing turtles during nesting season
The Royal Botanical Gardens, which owns environmental protection areas and cultural gardens in southern Ontario, wants people to resist taking photos of turtles and sharing them on social media because it could endanger the...
A rapid test for detecting fire blight in plants
RUDN University biotechnologists have created a method for detection of bacterial infection in apple, pear, hawthorn and other plants of the Rosaceae family. The test does not require laboratory equipment, the result is ready in 10 minutes. This will allow detecting the disease quickly and prevent the spread of infection. The results are published in Physiological and Molecular Pathology of...
Researchers discover orbital patterns of trans-Neptunian objects
Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs), small objects that orbit the sun beyond Neptune, are fossils from the early days of the solar system which can tell us a lot about its formation and evolution.
After the pandemic: Economy, poverty and climate in the post-COVID-19 era
The COVID-19 pandemic had devastating impacts on economic activity in 2020, but how long will its impact persist, and what will be its long-term impact on the decarbonization of our societies?
Foam 'fizzics'
Chemical engineers at the University of Illinois Chicago and UCLA have answered longstanding questions about the underlying processes that determine the life cycle of liquid foams. The breakthrough could help improve the commercial production and application of foams in a broad range of industries.
Historical climate effects of permafrost peatland surprise researchers
Peatlands are an important ecosystem that contribute to the regulation of the atmospheric carbon cycle. A multidisciplinary group of researchers, led by the University of Helsinki, investigated the climate response of a permafrost peatland located in Russia during the past 3,000 years. Unexpectedly, the group found that a cool climate period, which resulted in the formation of permafrost in...
First empirical evidence of an identity-related societal cleavage
An international survey by the University of Münster's Cluster of Excellence "Religion and Politics" provides the first empirical evidence of an identity-related political cleavage of European societies that has resulted in the emergence of two entrenched camps of substantial size. "We see two distinct groups with opposing positions, which we call "Defenders' and "Explorers'", says psychologist...
Wild chimpanzee orphans recover from the stress of losing their mother
The death of a mother is a traumatic event for immature offspring in species in which mothers provide prolonged maternal care, such as in long-lived mammals, including humans. Orphan mammals die earlier and have less offspring compared with non-orphans, but how these losses arise remains under debate. Clinical studies on humans and captive studies on animals show that infants whose mothers die...
First evidence medieval plague victims were buried with 'considerable care'
In the mid-14th century Europe was devastated by a major pandemic—the Black Death—which killed between 40 and 60 per cent of the population. Later waves of plague then continued to strike regularly over several centuries.
Theory of Tradition: Why architect Seiichi Shirai practiced calligraphy
Seiichi Shirai (1905-1983) was an influential architect whose work has affected the designs of significant architects of the 20th century. Associate Professor Kosuke Hato of the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Shinshu University has studied the work of Shirai and examined why the architect worked extensively on calligraphy. Hato's strategy is to clarify the relationship between...
Fish nutrition database to help combat malnutrition across the globe
A treasure trove of vital nutritional data about fish species is being made freely available and accessible globally—plugging a knowledge gap that will bolster efforts to tackle malnutrition across the world.
Novel chirped pulses defy 'conventional wisdom'
The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics was shared by researchers who pioneered a technique to create ultrashort, yet extremely high-energy laser pulses at the University of Rochester.
Excess nitrogen puts butterflies at risk
Nitrogen from agriculture, vehicle emissions and industry is endangering butterflies in Switzerland. The element is deposited in the soil via the air and has an impact on vegetation—to the detriment of the butterflies, as researchers at the University of Basel have discovered.
Scientists achieve ultra-fast optical orbiting of nanoparticles at subdiffraction scale
Is it possible to drive nanoparticles to orbit below the light diffraction limit using a Gaussian beam? A recent joint research project reported in Nature Communications says yes.
New method could reveal what genes were inherited from Neanderthals
Thousands of years ago, archaic humans such as Neanderthals and Denisovans went extinct. But before that, they interbred with the ancestors of present-day humans, who still to this day carry genetic mutations from the extinct species.
'Living fossil' fish may live for up to a century
The coelacanth was thought to live for about 20 years, but a new study suggests it's nearer 100.
Religious participation makes charitable, trusting neighbors
'Boomers' and 'millennials' who go to church are more likely to trust their neighbors and donate to charity, according to a new study.
Anthropogenic forcing increases drought risks in Southeast Asia
The Southeast Asian monsoon region is located in warm and humid tropics. It is home to nearly 15% of the world's tropical forests and is one of the biodiversity hotspots in the world.