New research represents one of the first studies to examine the effectiveness of targeted lionfish removals from both an ecological and a socio-economic perspective. However, if they are to really be successful they need to be combined with better long-term monitoring by communities and conservationists to ensure their timing and location achieve the best results.…

Dengue virus is among growing number of mosquito-borne viruses that have adapted to spread in urban environments and are spreading with the increasing rate of urbanization. Now, researchers have identified tap water access in densely populated neighborhoods as a strong predictor of dengue risk in the city of Delhi. It is estimated that 3.5 billion…

In many regions of the world, populations of large mammalian herbivores have been displaced by cattle breeding, for example in Kenya the hippos by large herds of cattle. This can change aquatic ecosystems due to significant differences in the amount and type of dung input. Researchers have therefore taken a closer look at the dung…

An expert medical panel convened to develop evidence-based criteria that allow for accurate determination of death in mountain rescue situations. Activities in remote mountain areas are associated with increased risk of critical injury or fatality. Medical emergencies in the wilderness result in worse outcomes than those that occur where help is more accessible. For example,…

A study of over a thousand people in Hungary has found for the first time that people who feel more connected to nature are less likely to be affected by snake and spider fears or phobias. In the study, researchers from universities in Hungary, Czech Republic and Portugal used clinically established questionnaires to assess participants’…

A two-volume atlas presents and explains the impact sites of meteorites and asteroids worldwide. The formation of craters by asteroid and comet impact has always been a fundamental process in the solar system, explains Kenkmann. As the planets developed along with their moons, these impacts played an important part in accreting planetary mass, shaping the…

We should start talking about biodiversity loss denial, just like we discussed climate change denial in the recent past, researchers say. Numerous surveys of forest owners have found that private family forest owners in Finland value nature and biodiversity. However, such findings tell us more about the general ideals of Western culture than about forest…

Environmental scientists are always in search of new tools that can better characterize the Earth’s surface. Researchers have now reported that Himawari-8, a new-generation geostationary satellite, was able to acquire cloud-free observations every 4 days and capture the seasonal changes of vegetation more accurately than before. New-generation geostationary satellites present an opportunity to observe land…

Inexpensive and convenient devices such as silicone wristbands can be used to yield quantitative air quality data, which is particularly appealing for periods of susceptibility such as pregnancy. The research team found that the wristbands, when used as passive samplers, have the ability to bind smaller molecular weight semi-volatile polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) — a…

Researchers found that satellite imagery can identify non-native and invasive Amur honeysuckle, an ornamental shrub introduced from Asia that has spread in forests across much of the United States. The University of Cincinnati found that satellite imagery can identify nonnative and invasive Amur honeysuckle, an ornamental shrub introduced from Asia that has spread in forests…