Curated News: Staff Picks

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Eagle and waterfowl deaths occur in late fall and winter within reservoirs with excess invasive aquatic weeds, and birds can die within five days after arrival.

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How will Covid-19 affect inequality in countries worldwide? The current pandemic is sometimes marked as 'great equalizer', but scientists from Utrecht and Wageningen University show why the opposite might be true.

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Every year, an estimated four percent of the world's vegetated land surface burns, leaving more than 250 megatons of carbonized plants behind. For the first time, a study by the University of Vienna has now recorded elevated concentrations of environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFR) in these charcoals - in some cases even up to five years after the fire.

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An integrated model of climate and human activity suggests water scarcity can have economic ripple effects across the globe – sometimes amplifying economic harm, sometimes even providing benefits to distant regions. The model informs the management of regional water resources and economic adaptation

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UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers report that opioid users who participated in a 12-step abstinence program and recently stopped using drugs refused to take home naloxone, even if having it on hand might save lives.

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Scientists have shown that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can infect specific cells in the salivary gland in the mouth.

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UC San Diego scientists have taken the connection between wisdom, loneliness and biology one step further, reporting that wisdom and loneliness appear to influence — and/or be influenced by — microbial diversity of the gut.

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Each year in the U.S., about 30 million hospitalizations occur in individuals 18 and older. Of these, more than 7 million are current cigarette smokers whose average hospital stay is several days. Researchers say that starting smoking cessation therapy during hospitalization and maintaining high adherence post-discharge can markedly improve permanent quit rates in these patients with minimal to no side effects. Cessation therapy also should include long-term counseling and at least 90 days of a prescription drug, specifically, varenicline.

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Three commonly used antiviral and antimalarial drugs are effective in vitro at preventing replication of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

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Floating solar farms could help to protect lakes and reservoirs from some of the harms of climate change, a new study suggests.

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Elevated carbon dioxide emissions from human activities increase the uptake of carbon by plants but may decrease storage in soil. An international team led by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists synthesized 108 elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) experiments in various ecosystems to find out how much carbon is absorbed by plants and soil.

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Researchers reporting in ACS’ Nano Letters have transformed copper nanowires into metal foams that could be used in facemasks and air filtration systems. The foams filter efficiently, decontaminate easily for reuse and are recyclable.

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People who received a flu shot last flu season were significantly less likely to test positive for a COVID-19 infection when the pandemic hit, according to a new study. And those who did test positive for COVID-19 had fewer complications if they received their flu shot.

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Masking can prevent more than COVID-19 from spreading this spring: Allergic rhinitis symptoms have shown to be significantly reduced with facemask usage during the pandemic.

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Experiments on ancient proteins reveal evolution of better oxygen capture, release

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An Canadian molecular biologist a discovers a new function for BMI1, which is known to counteract brain aging.

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It can be hard to resist lapsing into an exaggerated, singsong tone when you talk to a cute baby.

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Consumption of ultra-processed foods and drink could increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer.

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New research from Mildred Warner, professor of city and regional planning at Cornell University, shows that state laws designed to hinder union activity and indulge corporate entities do not enhance economic productivity.

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Investigators from UC San Diego and UCLA report COVID-19 infection rates for a cohort of health care workers previously vaccinated for the novel coronavirus. Risk of infection is minuscule, but exists.