A study by UC Berkeley researchers shows that clean energy investments in rural areas can help alleviate poverty and reduce carbon emissions. In Nicaragua, a community went from using diesel generators to efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs, resulting in a 28% drop in energy use and 37% reduction in electricity bills.
The American Association of Science has awarded ASU's Ask A Biologist website the Science Prize for Online Resources in Education (SPORE) award. The website, developed by Charles Kazilek, features a range of interactive content, including games, quizzes, and podcasts, designed to engage children in science learning.
After the dinosaurs disappeared, mammals grew dramatically in size, with some reaching 17 tonnes, and ecosystems reset relatively quickly. The study reveals that climate and space availability limit mammalian size, with no single group dominating the largest class.
A recent study by Terrance Wade found that 6.5% to 8% of Canadian children have elevated blood pressure, a concern for their physical health and increased risk of heart disease as adults.
A study published in The Lancet reveals that passive smoking claims the lives of over 600,000 people each year globally, mostly among children. The research found that children are more heavily exposed to second-hand smoke than other age groups, and their exposure can have devastating effects on their health.
The Cassini mission has discovered an oxygen atmosphere on Saturn's moon Rhea, which is extremely thin and sustained by high-energy particles bombarding its icy surface. The formation of oxygen and carbon dioxide could be a pre-requisite for life, with complex chemistry potentially common throughout the solar system.
A new study finds that a brief writing exercise can improve female students' academic performance and reduce the gender gap in college science. The exercise appears to narrow the gap by alleviating anxiety related to negative stereotypes about women in science.
Academic users must be aware of how search engines operate to ensure quality sources are chosen. José van Dijck argues that Google Scholar is a co-producer of academic knowledge, not just a neutral tool. Its algorithm prioritizes quantitative citation analysis over relevance and truth-value.
A recent study published in Environmental Microbiology and Nature Reviews Microbiology reveals that E.coli O157:H7 can thrive in cow intestines due to its ability to scavenge ethanolamine, a nutrient not found by other bacteria. This breakthrough could lead to non-medical methods to eradicate the bug, reducing food contamination and hu...
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have imaged atomic structural changes in sapphires that control their properties. These changes, called dislocations, involve small rearrangements of aluminum atoms and can affect the material's electrical, chemical, and magnetic properties as well as its strength and durability.
Astronomers have detected the first magnetic field in a protostar jet, shedding light on the nature of cosmic jets. This finding suggests that all types of jets originate from a common process.
A recent CU-Boulder study found that simple writing exercises can reduce the gender gap in physics exams. Women who participated in a brief values affirmation exercise showed improved course grades and mastery over conceptual material, surpassing men's performance.
Researchers at UMass Amherst develop a method to produce high-volume chemical feedstocks from pyrolytic bio-oils, a cheap liquid fuel derived from biomass. This process could reduce industry's reliance on fossil fuels worth $400 billion annually.
Cancer treatment decisions will be based on biology as medical oncologists need skills and knowledge to implement personalized medicine. Governments, companies, and clinicians must adapt drug development with targeted patient selection, shorter trials, and cost-effectiveness improvements.
The study analyzed an enormous database of information about the largest mammals, revealing a consistent pattern in their evolution globally. Mammals evolved to be much larger after dinosaurs went extinct, peaking in size around 34 million years ago.
After the dinosaurs' demise, mammals grew significantly in size, from about ten kilograms to 17 tonnes, with consistent patterns across continents and time. The largest mammal, Indricotherium transouralicum, weighed around 17 tonnes.
Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital identified a signaling pathway regulating neuronal departure from the brain niche, crucial for brain architecture formation and associated with epilepsy and mental retardation. The findings also provide insight into mechanisms in epithelial tissues.