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Alain White

Hurricanes drive the evolution of more aggressive spiders

Raging winds can demolish trees, defoliate entire canopies and scatter debris across forest floors, radically altering the habitats and reshaping the selective pressures on many organisms, suggests a new study published today in the journal Nature Ecology Evolution. "It is tremendously important to understand the environmental impacts of these 'black

July 2019 was hottest month on record for the planet: Polar sea ice melted to record lows

Here's a closer look into NOAA's latest monthly global climate report: Climate by the numbers: July 2019 The average global temperature in July was 1.71 degrees F above the 20th-century average of 60.4 degrees, making it the hottest July in the 140-year record, according to scientists at NOAA's

Moon glows brighter than sun in images from NASA's Fermi

Gamma-ray observations are not sensitive enough to clearly see the shape of the Moon's disk or any surface features.

Young Jupiter was smacked head-on by massive newborn planet: Jupiter's core may still be reeling from collision 4.5 billion years ago

Astronomers from Rice University and China's Sun Yat-sen University say their head-on impact scenario can explain Juno's previously puzzling gravitational readings, which suggest that Jupiter's core is less dense and more extended that expected. "This is puzzling," said Rice astronomer and study co-author Andrea Isella. "It suggests that something happened

Biochemists discover new insights into what may go awry in brains of Alzheimer's patients

Scientists have known for years that amyloid fibrils -- harmful, elongated, water-tight rope-like structures -- form in the brains of people with Alzheimer's, and likely hold important clues to the disease. UCLA Professor David Eisenberg and an international team of chemists and molecular biologists reported in the journal Nature in

Is it autism? The line is getting increasingly blurry

Microplastic drifting down with the snow: In the Alps and the Arctic, experts confirm the presence of plastic in snow

The fact that our oceans are full of plastic litter has by now become common knowledge: year after year, several million tonnes of plastic litter find their way into rivers, coastal waters, and even the Arctic deep sea. Thanks to the motion of waves, and even more to UV radiation

Fracking prompts global spike in atmospheric methane, study suggests

The research suggests that this methane has less carbon-13 relative to carbon-12 (denoting the weight of the carbon atom at the centre of the methane molecule) than does methane from conventional natural gas and other fossil fuels such as coal. This carbon-13 signature means that since the use of high-volume

America's packaged food supply is ultra-processed: Americans are overexposed to products that are high in calories, saturated fat, sugar and salt

Since about 80% of Americans' total calorie consumption comes from store-bought foods and beverages (packaged and unpackaged), the food and beverage supply plays a central role in the development of chronic disease including obesity and cardiovascular disease. The study was published today, July 24, in the journal Nutrients. It aims

Heat shield just 10 atoms thick to protect electronic devices: Atomically thin heat shields could be up to 50,000 times thinner than current insulating materials in cell phones and laptops

To guard against such ills, engineers often insert glass, plastic or even layers of air as insulation to prevent heat-generating components like microprocessors from causing damage or discomforting users. Now, Stanford researchers have shown that a few layers of atomically thin materials, stacked like sheets of paper atop hot spots,

Scorpion toxin that targets 'wasabi receptor' may help solve mystery of chronic pain

The scientists isolated the toxin, a short protein (or peptide) that they dubbed the "wasabi receptor toxin" (WaTx), from the venom of the Australian Black Rock scorpion.

Insomnia tied to higher risk of heart disease and stroke

Previous observational studies have found an association between insomnia, which affects up to 30% of the general population, and an increased risk of developing heart disease and stroke.

Mission to Jupiter's icy moon confirmed

"We are all excited about the decision that moves the Europa Clipper mission one key step closer to unlocking the mysteries of this ocean world," said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "We are building upon the scientific insights received from the

Jurassic world of volcanoes found in central Australia

The Cooper-Eromanga Basins in the north-eastern corner of South Australia and south-western corner of Queensland is Australia's largest onshore oil and gas producing region of Australia.