Joint research groups at Tampere University, University of Helsinki, Lund University and Pi-Numerics, Salzburg, have established key early steps in the conversion of aromatic molecules, a major constituent of traffic and other urban volatile emissions, into aerosol. Their findings increase understanding of the chemical processes that degrade urban air quality and influence climate change. Many … Read more
Hot weather can have a big impact on dairy cattle health, well-being, and overall milk production for a herd. Dairy producers use a variety of effective cooling strategies to prevent heat stress including shade, fans, sprinklers, or a combination of all of these measures — and there is an increasing trend of having these strategies … Read more
New Yorkers can apparently breathe a sigh of relief, at least for now. Their exposure to the smoke in June 2023 from Canadian wildfires led to only a slightly higher bump in visits to New York City hospital emergency departments for breathing problems or asthma attacks than what is seen on days when pollen counts … Read more
A third of the country is facing another blast of late summer heat just as the season begins to wind down. Nearly 109 million Americans across the central U.S. from the Plains to the Midwest, and the Gulf Coast and Southeast are now under heat alerts that will last through at least Wednesday, but with no relief … Read more
The Venus flytrap can survive in the nutrient-poor swamps of North and South Carolina because it compensates for the lack of nitrogen, phosphate and minerals by catching and eating small animals. It hunts with snap traps that have sensory hairs on them. If an insect touches these hairs two times, the traps shut and digests … Read more
Efficient and cheap batteries that can also capture harmful emissions could be right around the corner, thanks to a new system that speeds up the development of catalysts for lithium-CO2 (Li-CO2) batteries. The technology has been developed by the University of Surrey, Imperial College London, and Peking University to address the slow and inefficient methods … Read more
In the context of accelerating rates of global biodiversity loss, tracking changes in wildlife is instrumental to inform adaptive management strategies and conserve biodiversity. At the same time, the majority of emerging infectious diseases have their origins in wild animal populations. Thus, understanding which animal species are where is an important first step for estimating … Read more
Applying ground-up silicate rock to Midwestern farm fields can capture significant amounts of carbon dioxide and prevent it from accumulating in the atmosphere, according to a new study that successfully quantified those climate benefits for the first time. Working with Eion Corp., researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the Leverhulme Centre for Climate … Read more
At least two people were killed and dozens of homes have been destroyed during a series of wildfires in eastern Washington that kept firefighters busy through the weekend. Erratic fire behavior caused both the Gray and Oregon Road fires to burn thousands of acres and forced entire towns to evacuate. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state … Read more
Mosquitoes top the list as the most annoying part of summer, new research suggests. A recent survey of 2,000 adults revealed more than a quarter (28%) said that mosquitoes are the most frustrating part of the summer months, with sweating and excessive heat tied for second (27%). Bugs are a real nuisance for many. So … Read more