Amid population expansion and severe climate conditions threatening agricultural productivity, sustainable food production is a national priority. Simultaneously, advances in bioenergy agriculture are necessary to move our energy sector away from fossil fuels. Land enrolled in the CRP cannot currently be used for bioenergy crop production, wherein high-yielding plants (like miscanthus and switchgrass) are harvested…

A new study reveals that discrimination against people thought to have COVID-19, even if they weren’t infected, peaked in April and has since declined. Particularly against Asian Americans, however, discrimination persists. From March to April 2020, the overall percentage of U.S. residents who experienced COVID-related discrimination more than doubled from 4% to 10%, according to…

‘Blue’ hydrogen — an energy source that involves a process for making hydrogen by using methane in natural gas — is being lauded as a clean, green energy to help reduce global warming. But authors of a new report believe it may harm the climate more than burning fossil fuel. The carbon footprint to create…

One in five individuals avoided healthcare during lockdown in the COVID-19 pandemic, often for potentially urgent symptoms, according to a new study. During the COVID-19 pandemic, consultations in both primary and specialist care declined compared to pre-pandemic levels. It is unclear to what extent healthcare avoidance by the general population contributed to these declines. In…

Researchers are urging the Irish government to immediately change recommendations on vitamin D supplements given recent changes by Welsh, English and Scottish governments. A new publication from Dr Eamon Laird and Professor Rose Anne Kenny, School of Medicine, and the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), in collaboration with Professor Jon Rhodes at University of…

A substantial number of English communities experienced a decline in life expectancy from 2010-2019, researchers have found. In the five years before the pandemic (2014-2019) life expectancy went down in almost one in five communities for women, and one in nine communities for men, according to the new study published in The Lancet Public Health…

Artificial intelligence has proven to be an important tool in preventing the spread of COVID-19 — at least for Greece. A special algorithm dubbed Eva helped Greek health officials identify high-risk travelers and get them tested. «It was a very high-impact artificial intelligence project, and I believe we saved lives by developing a cutting edge,…

A thin film that reflects light in intriguing ways could be used to make road signs that shine brightly and change color at night. The technology could help call attention to important traffic information when it’s dark, with potential benefits for both drivers and pedestrians, researchers say. The technology could help call attention to important…

Women who had ever experienced sexual violence in their lifetime — including sexual assault and workplace sexual harassment — were more likely to develop high blood pressure over a seven-year follow-up period, according to findings from a large, longitudinal study of women in the United States. «Our results showed that women who reported experiencing both…

To prevent the spread of COVID-19 indoors, the two meters physical distancing guideline is not enough without masks, according to researchers. However, wearing a mask indoors can reduce the contamination range of airborne particles by about 67 percent. «Mask mandates and good ventilation are critically important to curb the spread of more contagious strains of…