A new study led by University of Colorado at Boulder indicates that rising sea levels in the Indian Ocean are partly caused by human-induced climate warming, threatening coastal areas and islands. The study suggests that the Indo-Pacific warm pool is amplifying regional sea rise changes, with potential far-reaching impacts on global cl...
A recent study suggests the Arctic climate system may be more sensitive to greenhouse warming than previously thought. The researchers used three independent methods to measure Pliocene temperatures on Ellesmere Island, finding that CO2 levels of approximately 400 parts per million can produce mean annual temperatures in the High Arcti...
A recent study led by the University of Colorado at Boulder found that upgrading a wastewater treatment plant in Colorado has mitigated the problem of male fish becoming feminized due to chemical contaminants. The team observed no effects on male sex characteristics after 28 days of exposure to effluent water, contradicting previous fi...
A new study indicates that babies born vaginally have bacterial communities resembling their mother's vaginal bacteria, while C-section newborns have common skin bacterial communities. This finding has potential implications for infant health as they grow and develop.
A new CU-Boulder study provides further support for the idea of a sustained sea on Mars during the Noachian era, suggesting an ancient ocean likely covered about 36% of the planet. The research implies an Earth-like global hydrological cycle, including precipitation, runoff, cloud formation, and ice and groundwater accumulation.
A new study by CU-Boulder researchers suggests that the thick organic haze surrounding early Earth may have protected it from damaging ultraviolet radiation. The haze, composed of methane and nitrogen chemical byproducts, would have blocked UV light but allowed visible light to reach the surface. This finding has significant implicatio...
A new study shows that hammerheads evolved from a large ancestor, but their distinctive head shape changed over time due to selective environmental pressures. Small hammerheads likely evolved independently twice, and their smaller size may have led to increased energy investment in reproductive activities.
A University of Colorado at Boulder researcher found that cities with larger increases in immigration between 1990 and 2000 experienced the largest decreases in rates of homicide and robbery. The study suggests that growth in new immigrant populations may be partly responsible for the decrease in violent crime.
Three CU-Boulder-built biomedical payload devices will study microbial biofilms in space, aiming to improve astronaut health and understand gene and protein changes in pathogens. The experiments, led by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, will examine microbe growth and interactions in space vs. normal gravity.
The dry powder, inhalable vaccine has been shown to be stable under challenging environmental conditions and is estimated to cost only 26 cents per dose. Phase One clinical trials are set to start in India this summer, followed by Phase Two trials involving a larger number of patients.
A University of Colorado at Boulder study found a tight link between nitrogen and carbon in the environment, which may help address regional pollution issues. The research suggests that microbial communities in ecosystems regulate this relationship, with nitrates decreasing in areas with sufficient organic carbon.
CU-Boulder's disdrometer team will use three vehicles to measure precipitation particles in severe storms, while a UAS project aims to collect meteorological data safely navigating below clouds. The efforts aim to improve tornado forecasting and reduce fatalities.
A new CU-Boulder study finds that material possessions don't provide enduring happiness and often make individuals less popular among their peers. Investing in life experiences instead can lead to better social relationships and increased happiness.
Researchers are combining indigenous environmental knowledge with modern science to learn new things about the Arctic climate. Studies have found that weather patterns in the Arctic are becoming more unpredictable, which is not matching up with scientific measurements.
A CU-Boulder team has made history by smashing subatomic particles together at unprecedented energies, with a combined collision energy of 7 trillion electron volts. The experiment is aimed at uncovering secrets about dark matter, dark energy, gravity, and the fundamental laws of physics.
A new study finds that the Greenland ice sheet is losing mass on its northwest coast, with uplift rates increasing by 1.5 inches from 2005 to 2009. This acceleration in ice loss suggests that glaciers are sliding downhill faster and dumping more ice in the ocean, contributing to global sea-level rise.
A new University of Colorado at Boulder study reveals that individual hand bacteria can be used to identify people on computer objects, with a high accuracy rate of 70-90%.
A team of researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder has discovered a previously unknown cellular switch that can be used to trigger programmed cell death. This process, known as apoptosis, is essential for preventing human diseases like cancer and autoimmune disorders. The study found that caspase, a well-known enzyme involved ...
Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have discovered a novel approach to studying Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare and deadly inflammatory disease. Mice infected with Salmonella bacteria developed symptoms consistent with human secondary HLH, including fever, anemia, and neurological signs.
A new University of Colorado at Boulder study found that North American barn swallows with high levels of natural antioxidants maintain better reproductive performance, producing more offspring and guarding nests more effectively. The study tracked concentrations of carotenoids in wild birds over the breeding season.
Professor Maxwell Boykoff warns that mass media amplifies extreme claims and presents them as equal to scientific data, distracting from critical issues. He argues that a more nuanced approach is needed to address climate change skepticism.
A team of scientists from the University of Colorado has created a tiny RNA molecule that can catalyze protein synthesis, a crucial reaction for the building blocks of life. This breakthrough supports the 'RNA World' hypothesis, proposing that life on Earth evolved from early forms of RNA.
University of Colorado at Boulder physicists Margaret Murnane and Henry Kapteyn have made breakthroughs in building a tabletop X-ray laser that can provide super-high resolution imaging. This technology has the potential to improve medical diagnoses, such as detecting small cancers, by thousands of times.
The Great Southern California Shakeout event helped identify the need for a single, discreet story to communicate devastating earthquake projections. Researchers found that scientists' focus on high-tech research and state-of-the-art projections often conflicted with citizens' demands for timely, simple information on issues.
Researchers at CU-Boulder's Brookhaven National Laboratory collaboration used RHIC to create a 'quark-gluon plasma' with temperatures hotter than supernova explosions, recreating Big Bang conditions. The team aims to study the universe's first microseconds after the Big Bang.
The CU-Boulder Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE) will measure rapid fluctuations in the sun's extreme ultraviolet output, affecting Earth's upper atmosphere and technology. Scientists hope to use this research to make better space weather predictions, predicting communications and navigation outages.
A CU-Boulder expert emphasizes that disasters are preventable and that societies can take proactive measures to minimize devastation. The expert argues that the international community should prioritize preventive measures in disaster assistance, such as rebuilding infrastructure to withstand future disasters.
A University of Colorado at Boulder undergraduate-designed communications satellite, Hermes, has been chosen to launch into orbit in November as part of NASA's Educational Launch of Nanosatellite initiative. The satellite will test a high data-rate communication system, improving capabilities for tiny satellites.
A new study links springtime ozone increases above western North America to air pollution from Asia and other regions. Researchers analyzed nearly 100,000 ozone observations to find that global atmospheric wind patterns track emissions back to broad regions of origin.
A new University of Colorado at Boulder study finds that warmer climates may reduce the ability of subalpine forests to absorb carbon dioxide. The research suggests that these forests, which store an estimated 70% of the western United States' carbon sink, will be less effective in converting CO2 into biomass due to declining snowpacks.
The Herschel Space Observatory has revealed thousands of newly discovered galaxies in their early stages of formation, providing a detailed view of the universe up to 12 billion years ago. The images are helping astronomers detect distant galaxies that would have been impossible to discover with current ground-based telescopes.
CU-Boulder is leading a $3.3 million concept study for a lander mission to Venus, aiming to study the planet's surface, climate, and atmosphere. The mission will compare Venus with other terrestrial planets and help understand Earth's fate.
A new CU-Boulder study reveals the northern Alaska coastline is eroding up to one-third the length of a football field annually. The conditions are caused by a combination of declining sea ice, warming seawater, and increased wave activity, which are leading to the steady retreat of bluffs along the Beaufort Sea.
A major study led by Jose-Luis Jimenez from the University of Colorado at Boulder has discovered a common ground in organic material floating through the skies, leading to more accurate predictions of air quality and climate. The finding presents a workable solution that will improve the speed and accuracy of prediction models.
A new study led by CU-Boulder suggests that the first large black holes in the universe formed and grew inside gigantic, starlike cocoons. These cocoons likely prevented surrounding gases from being blown away and smothered powerful x-ray radiation.
A team of researchers has created a technique using traditional GPS satellite signals to measure snow depth and soil/vegetation moisture. This new method has the potential to benefit climate modelers, atmospheric researchers, farmers, and water resource managers by providing accurate and relatively inexpensive data.
The University of Colorado is launching a butterfly experiment on the International Space Station on November 16, monitoring the growth and development of monarch and painted lady butterflies in weightless conditions. Thousands of K-12 students across the nation will compare the results with similar experiments on Earth.
Researchers charted microbial communities across the human body, finding unique and diverse populations in different regions. The study suggests that personalized microbial communities vary widely from person to person and could hold key insights into human health.
A new study published in Biology Letters found that amputees who use running-specific prosthetic legs have no performance advantage over counterparts with biological legs. The researchers measured forces exerted on the ground and leg swing times, finding a 9% impairment in force production.
Researchers at CU-Boulder are developing a precise laser ruler to measure tiny changes in infrared light caused by the gravitational wobble of small, cool stars as they interact with rocky planets. The technique will allow them to detect Earth-like planets around M stars, which are much more common than larger stars.
Researchers analyzed sediment cores from a remote Arctic lake, finding unprecedented biological and chemical changes since the 1950s. Human-caused greenhouse gas emissions have overridden natural cooling processes, resulting in warming and altered ecosystems.
Despite a slight recovery in summer Arctic sea ice in 2009, the extent remains below previous years and on a trend leading to ice-free Arctic summers. Younger, thinner ice accounts for most of the cover, leaving it vulnerable to melt in coming summers.
MESSENGER will zip within 142 miles of Mercury's surface, taking high-resolution color images and ultraviolet measurements. CU-Boulder's MASCS instrument aims to pinpoint iron on the planet's surface, which maintains its magnetic field.
A new CU-Boulder study found that people tend to view their immediate emotions as more intense and important than previous ones when assessing risks. This can lead to overlooking more mundane threats like global warming in favor of highly publicized dangers.
A new study by CU-Boulder indicates most world's low-lying river deltas are sinking from human activities. Human-induced factors such as upstream sediment trapping and groundwater extraction exacerbate delta sinking, increasing flood risk and vulnerability to storms and sea level rise.
The Arctic sea ice cover has reached its minimum extent for 2009, the third-lowest recorded since satellite measurements began in 1979. The September minimum extent is significantly below the long-term average and well outside natural climate variability, attributed to human-produced greenhouse gases.
Researchers have sequenced DNA barcodes for 25 hunted wildlife species to monitor the elusive trade of wildlife products. The barcodes can help crack down on illegal bushmeat trafficking and support conservation efforts.
A CU-Boulder study found that 30% of showerheads harbor significant levels of Mycobacterium avium, a pathogen linked to pulmonary disease. The researchers discovered biofilms on the inside of showerheads containing high loads of M. avium and related pathogens.
A new study reveals Arctic temperatures have reversed from a long-term cooling trend, becoming the warmest they've been in at least 2,000 years. The reversal is attributed to human-generated greenhouse gases overwhelming the natural climate system.
The North Greenland Eemian Ice Drilling project, led by the University of Copenhagen, has reached a depth of 5,767 feet in early August, recovering over a mile of ice core. The project aims to retrieve ice from the last interglacial episode, providing valuable information on past temperatures and precipitation levels.