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Will there be enough water in the future?

The Water Scarcity Atlas provides an interactive map visualizing water scarcity around the globe, highlighting its evolution over the past century. The tool enables users to explore how their daily choices, such as diet and food waste, affect water resources worldwide.

True sanctuary

Researchers found high levels of illegal shark fishing in a Marshall Islands shark sanctuary, highlighting the need for active monitoring and enforcement. Satellite technology is proposed as a solution to track fishing vessels and monitor compliance with fishing regulations.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalConservation Letters·DateOct 16, 2018

Reducing mutant Huntington disease protein can restore cognitive function in mice

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have discovered that reducing mutated Huntington disease protein can restore cognitive and psychiatric impairments in mice. This breakthrough offers new hope for preventative treatment, as approximately one in seven thousand people in Canada suffer from the debilitating disease.

SourceUniversity of British Columbia·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateOct 3, 2018

Tropical frogs found to coexist with deadly fungus

A study by University of Maryland researchers suggests that frog populations in El Copé developed the ability to tolerate chytrid fungus, enabling them to persist despite severe species losses. The findings, published in 2018, could mean good news for other hot spots of amphibian biodiversity hit hard by the chytrid fungus.

SourceUniversity of Maryland·JournalEcological Applications·DateOct 3, 2018

FSU researchers: Most fire in Florida goes undetected

A new study from FSU researchers indicates that common satellite imaging technologies have underestimated the number of fires in Florida. Strategically prescribed burns are proving effective against wildfires, while fire experts' reliance on faulty data may be flawed. The study found that only 25% of burned area is detected by satellites.

SourceFlorida State University·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·DateSep 13, 2018

Children put on by robots

A study by Anna-Lisa Vollmer and colleagues found that children give into social pressure from humanoid robots, unlike adults. The research used a conformity experiment with Nao robots and investigated the impact on children's decision-making.

SourceBielefeld University·JournalScience Robotics·DateAug 16, 2018

Study explores risk factors linked to chikungunya and dengue outbreaks

A large-scale study of chikungunya and dengue outbreaks over 50 years revealed that population density and neighboring outbreak countries are key risk factors for new outbreaks. The research suggests focusing resources on densely populated areas near existing outbreaks to mitigate the spread of these mosquito-borne diseases.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalSpatial and Spatio-temporal Epidemiology·DateJul 24, 2018

This is your brain detecting patterns

The brain processes pattern learning in a distinct way compared to probabilistic learning, with different parts of the brain being activated. Participants showed increased activity in the hippocampus and ventromedial prefrontal cortex when figuring out patterns, indicating a sense of reward and improved learning speed.

SourceOhio State University·JournalNeuron·DateMay 31, 2018