Carbon capture from constructed wetlands declines as they age
Constructed wetlands do a good job in their early years of capturing carbon in the environment that contributes to climate change — but that ability does diminish with time as…
How does the atmosphere affect ocean weather?
Much like the windy weather patterns that affect the Earth’s surface, our planet’s oceans experience their own distinct weather patterns. These weather patterns, known as eddies, are circular currents of…
‘Altar tent’ discovery puts Islamic art at the heart of medieval Christianity
A 13th-century fresco rediscovered in Ferrara, Italy, provides unique evidence of medieval churches using Islamic tents to conceal their high altars. The 700-year-old fresco is thought to be the only…
New research unlocks key to long-lasting immune response in cancer and chronic diseases
Prolonged illnesses like cancer and chronic infections often leave the immune system in a state of exhaustion, where its frontline defenders — T cells — lose their ability to function…
Recycling lithium-ion batteries cuts emissions and strengthens supply chain
Recycling lithium-ion batteries to recover their critical metals has significantly lower environmental impacts than mining virgin metals, according to a new Stanford University lifecycle analysis published in Nature Communications. On…
With generative AI, chemists quickly calculate 3D genomic structures
Every cell in your body contains the same genetic sequence, yet each cell expresses only a subset of those genes. These cell-specific gene expression patterns, which ensure that a brain…
Life cycles of some insects adapt well to a changing climate: Others, not so much
As insect populations decrease worldwide in what some have called an “insect apocalypse,” biologists are desperate to determine how the six-legged creatures are responding to a warming world and to…
Lightsails could reach distant star systems
The idea of traveling through interstellar space using spacecraft propelled by ultrathin sails may sound like the stuff of sci-fi novels. But in fact, a program started in 2016 by…
Ancient DNA analyses bring to life the 11,000-year intertwined genomic history of sheep and humans
Sheep have been intertwined with human livelihoods for over 11,000 years. As well as meat, their domestication led to humans being nourished by their protein-rich milk and clothed by warm,…
A look into the dark
How can the latest technology, such as solar cells, be improved? An international research team led by the University of Göttingen is helping to find answers to questions like this…