188 articles from FRIDAY 9.7.2021
Australia Covid live news updates: NSW crisis widens amid fears of extended lockdown
NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian to update case numbers after new hotspots listed by NSW HealthWhat went wrong: how Delta exposed the NSW approach to Covid‘Stuffed’: how Australia’s ‘unconscionable’ gamble on Covid vaccines backfiredStronger restrictions for Sydney as Gladys Berejiklian flags lockdown extensionNSW restrictions; NSW hotspots; Qld restrictions; Qld hotspotsLatest Sydney...
Legal experts push to make 'ecocide' an international crime alongside genocide
A group of legal scholars from around the world are working to make “ecocide” an international crime alongside genocide and war...
Moth's former name dropped by these bug experts after it came under scrutiny for being offensive
Bug experts are dropping the LDD moth's common name because it's considered an ethnic slur. The Entomological Society of America, which oversees the common names of bugs, is getting rid of the common name of the gypsy moth and the lesser-known gypsy...
50 years ago, astronauts trained in Sudbury, Ont., for the Apollo 16 moon mission
A planetary scientist who helped guide astronauts around Sudbury, Ont., during their training in 1971 for the Apollo 16 moon mission and then in 1972 for Apollo 17 recalls the landmark...
The Jeff Bezos-Richard Branson Space Race Is About More Than Two Billionaires’ Egos
Nobody is selling Team Bezos or Team Branson t-shirts just yet. The competition between billionaires Jeff Bezos (founder of Blue Origin) and Richard Branson (co-founder of Virgin Galactic) to see who can be first to space may never have the historical cachet of Red Sox versus Yankees, Lincoln versus Douglas, Hamilton versus Burr, but it’s a hot contest all the same. This Sunday, July 11,...
Electric trucks can go the (short) distance
Whether you call them semis, tractor-trailers, or 18-wheelers, heavy-duty trucks keep the economy (literally) moving. And at least some of them might be ready to go electric.
These workhorses have an outsize climate impact. Globally, heavy-duty vehicles, including trucks and buses, make up about 10% of all motor vehicles but produce around half of all carbon dioxide emissions and over 70% of...
Elevated warming, ozone have detrimental effects on plant roots, promote soil carbon loss
Two factors that play a key role in climate change—increased climate warming and elevated ozone levels—appear to have detrimental effects on soybean plant roots, their relationship with symbiotic microorganisms in the soil and the ways the plants sequester carbon.
Remote control for plants
Plants have microscopically small pores on the surface of their leaves called stomata. These help plants regulate the influx of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. They also prevent the loss of too much water and withering away during drought.
Scientists solve 40-year mystery over Jupiter's X-ray aurora
A research team co-led by UCL has solved a decades-old mystery as to how Jupiter produces a spectacular burst of X-rays every few minutes.
Anti-tumor agent from the intestine
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/9 19:50
Certain metabolites of bacteria from the intestine make immune cells more aggressive as a new study conducted by scientists reveals. The findings could help improve cancer therapies.
Non-Covid respiratory illnesses on rise in UK, medical experts say
Increase in cases of bronchitis and common colds attributed to people mixing after easing of lockdownCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageNon-Covid respiratory illnesses and other conditions that were suppressed over the winter by lockdown are slowly “marching upwards” again, albeit at a level below what doctors expect for this time of year.The increase in conditions...
Seeing some cosmic X-ray emitters might be a matter of perspective
It's hard to miss a flashlight beam pointed straight at you. But that beam viewed from the side appears significantly dimmer. The same holds true for some cosmic objects: Like a flashlight, they radiate primarily in one direction, and they look dramatically different depending on whether the beam points away from Earth (and nearby space telescopes) or straight at it.
New 3D printable phase-changing composites can regulate temperatures inside buildings
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/9 19:04
Changing climate patterns have left millions of people vulnerable to weather extremes. As temperature fluctuations become more commonplace around the world, conventional power-guzzling cooling and heating systems need a more innovative, energy-efficient alternative, and in turn, lessen the burden on already struggling power grids.
Genetics: Biosynthesis pathway of a new DNA nucleobase elucidated
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/9 19:01
DNA is composed of nucleobases represented by the letters A, T, G and C. But in a bacteriophage, another base, represented by the letter Z, exists. Scientists have now elucidated the biosynthesis pathway of this base.
Huge volcanic eruption disrupted climate but not human evolution
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/9 19:00
A massive volcanic eruption in Indonesia about 74,000 years ago likely caused severe climate disruption in many areas of the globe, but early human populations were sheltered from the worst effects, according to a new study.
Dying cells protect their neighbors to maintain tissue integrity
To enable tissue renewal, human tissues constantly eliminate millions of cells, without jeopardizing tissue integrity, form and connectivity. The mechanisms involved in maintaining this integrity remain unknown. Scientists from the Institut Pasteur and the CNRS today revealed a new process which allows eliminated cells to temporarily protect their neighbors from cell death, thereby maintaining...
Biosynthesis pathway of a new DNA nucleobase elucidated
DNA is composed of nucleobases represented by the letters A, T, G and C. They form the basis of the genetic code and are present in all living beings. But in a bacteriophage, another base, represented by the letter Z, exists. This exception, the only one observed to date, has long remained a mystery. Scientists from the Institut Pasteur and the CNRS, in collaboration with the CEA, have now...
New June record for deforestation of Brazilian Amazon
Deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon reached a record in June for the fourth consecutive month, according to official data released Friday.
Pandemic garbage boom ignites debate over waste as energy
America remains awash in refuse as new cases of the coronavirus decline—and that has reignited a debate about the sustainability of burning more trash to create energy.
Bill aims to spend billions to fix nation's aging dams
Lawmakers in Congress on Friday introduced a bill that would pump tens of billions of dollars into fixing and upgrading the country's dams.
Bug experts seeking new name for destructive gypsy moths
Bug experts are dropping the common name of a destructive insect because it's considered an ethnic slur: the gypsy moth.
Major revamp of SNAP could eliminate food insecurity in the U.S.
Food insecurity is a major problem in the U.S., and it worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides some relief, but millions of Americans still lack adequate access to healthy food. A new study from the University of Illinois proposes a potential solution.
Saving the shorebirds, one trip at a time
Ed Steponaitis jumps off the boat and trudges through the murky, lukewarm Gulf of Mexico. His shorts soak in the waist-deep saltwater.