Biden to ‘hit ground running’ as he rejoins Paris climate accords

Joe Biden is set for a flurry of action to combat the climate crisis on his first day as US president by immediately rejoining the Paris climate agreement and blocking the Keystone XL pipeline, although experts have warned lengthier, and…

Ginkgo Trees Were Going Extinct on Their Own; Then Humans Saved These ‘Living Fossils’ So They’re Now Everywhere

Lining the streets of many American city suburbs are living fossils, which unlike many stories of man’s interaction with nature, involves nature as the destroyer, and mankind, the savior. While some people take ginkgo leaf as a nootropic supplement, few people would imagine it’s the equivalent of eating a horseshoe crab, that is to say it’s […]

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A new archaeology for the Anthropocene era

Scantily clad tomb raiders and cloistered scholars piecing together old pots — these are the kinds of stereotypes of archaeology that dominate public perception. Yet archaeology in the new millennium is a world away from these images. In a major new report, researchers probe a thoroughly modern and scientific discipline to understand how it is helping to address the considerable challenges of the Anthropocene.

2020 may have helped with air pollution, but not global warming – WUSA9.com

NASA scientists found that 2020 tied as the hottest year on record. WASHINGTON — Among all of the odd things that happened in 2020, we can now add another to the list.  According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration…

Global warming means palms in surprising places – West Hawaii Today

A visit to Hawaii is the treat of a lifetime to millions of people a year, and many folks who come are friends or relatives of those of us who live here. One of the highlights for them is to…

Scientists identify nutrient that helps prevent bacterial infection

Scientists studying the body’s natural defenses against bacterial infection have identified a nutrient — taurine — that helps the gut recall prior infections and kill invading bacteria, such as Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kpn). The finding could aid efforts seeking alternatives to antibiotics.

Scientists identify contents of ancient Maya drug containers

Scientists have identified the presence of a non-tobacco plant in ancient Maya drug containers for the first time. The researchers detected Mexican marigold (Tagetes lucida) in residues taken from 14 miniature Maya ceramic vessels. The vessels also contain chemical traces present in two types of dried and cured tobacco.

Stuck in a rut: Ocean acidification locks algal communities in a simplified state

Researchers have found that ocean acidification limits algal communities to a state of low diversity and complexity. Communities grown in waters rich in carbon dioxide (CO2) were dominated by turf algae, and had low biodiversity, ecological complexity and biomass. Communities grown under acidic conditions and then transferred to waters that weren’t CO2-enriched increased their biodiversity and complexity, showing that they can recover if CO2 emissions are significantly reduced.

Stuck in a rut: Ocean acidification locks algal communities in a simplified state

Researchers have found that ocean acidification limits algal communities to a state of low diversity and complexity. Communities grown in waters rich in carbon dioxide (CO2) were dominated by turf algae, and had low biodiversity, ecological complexity and biomass. Communities grown under acidic conditions and then transferred to waters that weren’t CO2-enriched increased their biodiversity and complexity, showing that they can recover if CO2 emissions are significantly reduced.

After Wind Speeds Dropped, UK Electricity Prices Rose 10,000%

Last Wednesday the wind died, and Britain’s fleet of thousands of wind turbines mostly stopped turning. The engineers at National Grid had seen the problem coming: temperatures and wind speeds had been low all week and were forecast to fall…