Citizen science study detects vast amount of microplastics in Catalan bathing areas
The presence of microplastics in the oceans is widely documented/reported by oceanographic research, but data on the pollution in the nearshore regions are scarce due to access difficulties faced by scientific boats. Researchers from the Consolidated Research Group on Marine Geosciences of the Faculty of Earth Sciences of the UB, in collaboration with the Spanish delegation of the NGO Surfrider...
COVID-19 has negatively impacted how auditors work
COVID-19 has disrupted financial statement auditing globally and impacted group dynamics in an industry vital to the health of the economy, according to a new study.
Video: Why they don't make grade B maple syrup anymore
Are you a grade B maple syrup fan? For a lot of maple syrup connoisseurs, grade B was always the go-to syrup. It's dark, caramelly, rich, complex. But unfortunately, you can't get it anymore.
Progress made in construction of Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope
An enormous hole 22 meters in diameter has been dug near the summit of Cerro Chajnantor in Chile's Atacama Desert, at an elevation of 18,400 feet. The hole stands ready for the cement foundation on which the Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope (FYST, pronounced "feest") will one day rest. The foundation, which was designed in Chile, began construction in the fall of 2021 and is scheduled to be...
Research team untangles more secrets of intrinsically disordered regions of proteins
Intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) of proteins, when tethered to folded domains, function either as flexible tails or as linkers between domains. Most IDRs are composed of a mixture of oppositely charged residues. Recent measurements of tethered polyampholytes have shown that arginine- and lysine-rich sequences tend to behave very differently from one another.
Newly discovered lake may hold secret to Antarctic ice sheet's rise and fall
Scientists investigating the underside of the world's largest ice sheet in East Antarctica have discovered a city-size lake whose sediments might contain a history of the ice sheet since its earliest beginnings. That would answer questions about what Antarctica was like before it froze, how climate change has affected it over its history, and how the ice sheet might behave as the world warms.
Nonlethal parasites reduce how much their wild hosts eat, leading to ecosystem effects
A new study led by Washington University in St. Louis uses a mathematical model and a global meta-analysis to highlight the cascading consequences of common parasitic infections in wild animals on terrestrial ecosystems.
'Think of the whole child, not just their ears'
There is a fierce debate raging in the deaf community.
UN says 'imminent' Yemen oil spill would cost $20 bn to clean up
The United Nations warned Monday that it would cost $20 billion to clean up an oil spill in the event of the "imminent" break-up of an oil tanker abandoned off Yemen.
Ultrafast 'camera' captures hidden behavior of potential 'neuromorphic' material
Imagine a computer that can think as fast as the human brain while using very little energy. That's the goal of scientists seeking to discover or develop materials that can send and process signals as easily as the brain's neurons and synapses. Identifying quantum materials with an intrinsic ability to switch between two distinct forms (or more) may hold the key to these futuristic sounding...
With better algal forecasts comes safer water
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists and collaborators have used a new technique to better forecast the level of algal toxins that accumulate in Lake Erie every year.
Crystal study may resolve DNA mystery
When cells reproduce, the internal mechanisms that copy DNA get it right nearly every time. Rice University bioscientists have uncovered a tiny detail that helps understand how the process could go wrong.
Shipping poses significant threat to the endangered whale shark
Marine biologists from the Marine Biological Association (MBA) and the University of Southampton have led ground-breaking research which indicates that lethal collisions of whale sharks with large ships are vastly underestimated, and could be the reason why populations are falling.
Loyalty program members and regular customers respond differently to social media marketing
An international team of researchers finds that the social media messages that resonate best with loyalty program members differ from the posts that work best with other customers. The finding could inform how best to craft social media campaigns aimed at either segment of a company's customer base.
Your clothes can have an afterlife: Strategies for greater reuse and recycling of textiles
Only about 15% of used clothes and other textiles in the United States get reused or recycled. The other 85% head straight to the landfill or incinerator. This wastes scarce resources, contributes to climate change and pollutes waterways.
Lake Erie quakes triggered by shifting water levels? Study finds no smoking gun, urges further research
In June 2019, a magnitude 4.0 earthquake occurred beneath Lake Erie just off the shoreline of Ohio, about 20 miles northeast of Cleveland.
In a pair of merging supermassive black holes, a new method for measuring the void
Three years ago, the first ever image of a black hole stunned the world. A black pit of nothingness enclosed by a fiery ring of light. That iconic image of the black hole at the center of galaxy Messier 87 came into focus thanks to the Event Horizon Telescope, a global network of synchronized radio dishes acting as one giant telescope.
Uncovering the key to safer energy storage devices that avoid thermal runaway
Modern energy storage devices, such as supercapacitors and batteries, have highly temperature-dependent performance. If a device gets too hot, it become susceptible to "thermal runaway." Thermal runaway—or uncontrolled overheating—can ultimately result in explosions or fires. Adopting a well-informed thermal management strategy is necessary for the stable and safe operation of devices. To do...
Working while in school has long-lasting effects on human capital formation
A well-designed work-study program can boost human capital accumulation, with long-lasting, positive effects on participants' labor market outcomes, according to a study that analyzed "Yo Estudio y Trabajo" (YET), a program which provides students in Uruguay aged 16 to 20 with a first formal part-time work experience in state-owned companies for up to one year.
Webb telescope's first full color, scientific images coming in July
Get ready for a summer blockbuster.
Massachusetts' black bear population keeps growing
Great white sharks aren't the only apex predators that are being seen more frequently around the region.
A design-based activity to enhance students' understanding in electrochemistry
The electrochemistry designette is a purposefully developed design activity which allows students to demonstrate complex concepts and for instructors to impart a set of core skills to foster innovation. Developed by researchers from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), this pedagogical tool was first introduced and published in 2019. It now has proven to be highly effective in...
Tropical spider can hide underwater for 30 minutes
A tropical spider species uses a "film" of air to hide underwater from predators for as long as 30 minutes, according to faculty at Binghamton University, State University of New York.
As hurricane season approaches, experts say to beware of more rapidly intensifying storms
Maggie and Mike McKinney, their pets and a friend sought refuge in a bathroom of their home in Florida's Panhandle on Oct. 10, 2018 with three shot glasses and a bottle of Jameson Irish whiskey.
Study reveals network of energy reallocation in Litopenaeus vannamei responsive to heat-stress
High economic value and excellent characteristics for breeding have enabled the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei to become one of the major aquaculture species in the world. However, in summer, continuous hot weather or periodic temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius leads to high mortality rates of the shrimp. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the mechanisms of L. vannamei in...