Earth
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Chemistry
Earth’s ‘boring billion’ years blamed on sulfur-loving microbes
A new study suggests these organisms could have kept oxygen levels low and waters toxic, stalling the evolution of complex life.
- Humans
Schools need to test water, report results
Survey of EPA database turn up widespread problems, which may be only the tip of the iceberg.
- Earth
Protected whales found in Japan’s supermarkets
Toothless Asian whales find themselves being protected by fairly toothless regulations.
- Earth
Cell phones: Precautions recommended
Scientists make a case for texting and using hand-free technologies with those cell phones to which society has become addicted.
- Animals
Ants in the pants drive away birds
Yellow crazy ants can get so annoying that birds don’t eat their normal fruits, a new study finds.
- Health & Medicine
Cell phones: Feds probing health impacts
Senate hearing finds that biomedical research agencies aren't complacent about potential health effects of cell-phone radiation.
- Ecosystems
As climate shifts, birds follow
Most of the birds in California’s Sierra Nevada range are on the move in response to recent climate changes.
- Earth
A hurricane-spawned tornado boom
Cyclones striking the Gulf Coast in recent years have spawned more twisters that those that hit the region in the mid-20th century.
- Agriculture
Potato famine pathogen packs unusual, sneaky genome
DNA of infamous Phytophthora microbe reveals big, quick-changing zones, possibly the key to the pathogen’s vexing adaptability
- Earth
Atmospheric rollercoaster followed Great Oxidation Event
Analyses of chromium isotopes in banded iron formations suggest oxygen levels fell for a period after the Great Oxidation Event.
- Life
One coral alga explodes with temperature increase
A rare species of coral algae exploded in population when ocean temperatures increased, a new study shows.
- Earth
Danger in the Air
To minimize the threat of volcanic ash plumes to aircraft, scientists are improving methods of satellite detection and developing ground-based gas and ash-plume sensors to monitor volcanic activity.
