Earth
-
Physics
Soot hastens snowmelt on Tibetan Plateau
Black carbon pollution is a more potent driver of melting in the region than increases in carbon dioxide, a new computer simulation suggests.
By Janet Raloff -
Earth
Earth/Environment
The carbon footprint of Brazilian beef, plus the health effects of pollution and electrification in this week's news.
By Science News -
Earth
Low sperm counts linked to fetal effects
Low male fertility may partly stem from chemical exposures in utero, an anatomical study suggests.
By Janet Raloff -
Earth
PCBs may impair fertility
A study of women undergoing in vitro fertilization finds reduced embryo implantation among women with higher levels of one type of the banned chemicals.
By Janet Raloff -
Earth
Earth/Environment
Scientists discover what causes the rumbles before a volcano erupts, plus more in this week’s news.
By Science News -
Earth
Ancient fossil sheds light on early evolution of body armor
A relative of today’s crabs and insects, the 10-legged, 520-million-year-old find may be the earliest known example of its kind with protected, jointed limbs.
By Susan Milius -
Microbes
Gulf floor fouled by bacterial oil feast
Observations may explain the widespread mortality of sediment-dwelling animals.
By Janet Raloff -
Earth
Earth/Environment
Research links pesticides to Parkinson’s disease, plus more in this week’s news.
By Science News -
Life
Packing away the poison
A genetic adaptation in a Hudson River fish species allows it to simply store toxic pollutants in its fat.
By Janet Raloff -
Earth
Earth/Environment
Listening for rumbles of past hurricanes, plus more in this week's news.
By Science News -
Life
Moonless twilight may cue mass spawning
Subtle color shifts on the nights just after the full moon might synchronize the release of gametes by corals and other marine creatures.
By Susan Milius -
Life
Buried microbes coax energy from rock
In experiments, microorganisms can stimulate minerals to produce hydrogen, a key fuel for growth in a thriving subterranean world.