How did rocks rust on Earth and turn red? A new study has shed new light on the important phenomenon and will help address questions about the Late Triassic climate more than 200 million years ago, when greenhouse gas levels were high enough to be a model for what our planet may be like in…

The effect of nitric acid on aerosol particles in the atmosphere may offer an explanation for the smog seen engulfing cities on frosty days. Based on the findings, nitrogen compounds can, depending on the circumstances, either slow down or accelerate the growth of aerosol particles. This means that reducing sulphur dioxide is not on its…

Scientists have developed CHyMErA, a new CRISPR-based tool for more versatile genome editing applications to help shed light on how multiple genes cooperate in health and disease. CRISPR-based DNA editing has revolutionized the study of the human genome by allowing precise deletion of any human gene to glean insights into its function. But one feature…

More research is needed on the environmental impact of sunscreen on the world’s coral reefs. The concerns over the number of cases of cancer as a result of overexposure to UV solar radiation, has led to extensive production and use of skin protection products. The chemical compounds used in these products, however, can enter the…

Previous studies evaluated aspen recovery in Yellowstone by measuring the five tallest young aspen within a stand, but sampling only the tallest young aspen estimated a rate of recovery that was significantly faster than was estimated by random sampling of all young aspen within the stand. The Yellowstone story is a textbook example ofa trophic…

Among the large cast of microbiome players, bacteria have been hogging the spotlight. But the single-celled organisms known as protists are finally getting the starring role they deserve. A group of scientists who study the interactions between plants and microbes have released a new study detailing the dynamic relationships between soil-dwelling protists and developing plants,…

The presence of pink pumice in the giant pumice raft of the 2012 Havre that drifted across the southwest Pacific Ocean has led researchers to recognize the immense power of underwater volcanic eruptions. The publication of the new research comes after the recent dramatic explosion of the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcano in Tonga, about…

Health impacts from a 2010 spill are found even in dolphins born years later. Nearly 10 years have passed since then, and the oil slick has long since dispersed. Yet, despite early predictions, area wildlife are still feeling the effects of that oil, and research published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry has shown that negative…

A groundbreaking study is the first to analyze the relationship between group behaviors, group type, group dynamics, and kinship of beluga whales in 10 locations across the Arctic. Results show that not only do beluga whales regularly interact with close kin, including close maternal kin, they also frequently associate with more distantly related and unrelated…

A new study has identified specialized immune cells in the cauliflower coral and starlet sea anemone that can help fight infection. The findings are important to better understand how reef-building corals and other reef animals protect themselves from foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses found in and around coral reefs. The researchers found that immune…