Scientists studied more than 3000 rice genotypes and found diversity was inherited through two maternal genomes identified in all rice varieties. University of Queensland scientists studied more than 3000 rice genotypes and found diversity was inherited through two maternal genomes identified in all rice varieties. Lead researcher UQ’s Professor Robert Henry said the finding was…

Engineers have proposed a satellite-aided drought monitoring method that can adequately represent the complex drought conditions into a single integrated drought index. Spin thermoelectrics is an emerging thermoelectric technology that offers energy harvesting from waste heat. This has attracted substantial research interest with the potential advantages of scalability and energy conversion efficiency, thanks to orthogonal…

The evolution of herbivores is linked to the plants that survived and adapted after the ‘great dying’, when over 90% of the world’s species were wiped out 252 million years ago. Following the largest mass extinction of all time, the end-Permian mass extinction, ecosystems rebuilt from scratch during Triassic times, from 252-201 million years ago…

Major automotive manufacturers are ramping up production of electric trucks as a key strategy to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of their vehicles. Light-duty vehicles, including sedans, SUVs and pickup trucks, are currently responsible for 58% of U.S. transportation sector greenhouse gas emissions. Pickup trucks accounted for 14% of light-duty vehicle sales in the United…

Using observations from NASA’s ICON mission, scientists presented the first direct measurements of Earth’s long-theorized dynamo on the edge of space: a wind-driven electrical generator that spans the globe 60-plus miles above our heads. The dynamo churns in the ionosphere, the electrically charged boundary between Earth and space. It’s powered by tidal winds in the…

Researchers have developed technology that could eliminate water stress for millions of people, including those living in many of the planet’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities. Less than 3 per cent of the world’s water is fresh, and due to the pressures of climate change, pollution, and shifting population patterns, in many areas this already…

Lakeside education campaigns discourage anglers from transporting aquatic hitchhikers between lakes, but new research hows those campaigns are less effective than they could be. According to the study, the key could be tailoring messaging in accordance with anglers’ value systems and risk perceptions. Lakeside education campaigns discourage anglers from transporting aquatic hitchhikers between lakes, but…

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), a negative emission technology, has been considered inevitable to achieve the 2°C or 1.5°C climate goal. Although numerous studies have been conducted, the effect of irrigation remains largely unexplored when taking water use sustainability into consideration. A new study finds that although unlimited irrigation could increase the global…

Scientists have developed a forensic tracer that uses lead isotopes to detect and measure coal fly ash in dust, soil and sediments. Tests show the new tracer can distinguish between the isotopic signature of lead derived from coal ash and lead that comes from other major human or natural sources. Exposure to fly ash from…

In a landmark report, the European Academies’ Science Advisory Council (EASAC) focuses on the consequences of climate change for human health in Europe and the benefits of acting now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to stabilize the climate. Increased exposure to high temperatures and extreme events such as floods and droughts, air pollution…