Once Sargassum deluges beaches, removing, disposing and repurposing the seaweed presents many logistical and economic challenges. Cleaning up these huge piles of annoying seaweed while protecting these critical habitats at the same time is a precarious struggle.
Experts from Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science are available to discuss various aspects related to the upcoming solar eclipse.
How coral populations expand into new areas and sustain themselves over time is limited by the scope of modern observations. Going back thousands of years, a study provides geological insights into coral range expansions by reconstructing the composition of a Late Holocene-aged subfossil coral death assemblage in S.E. Florida and comparing it to modern reefs throughout the region.
A study is the first to evaluate substrate recolonization by sponges in the U.S. Virgin Islands after two catastrophic storms using genetic analyses to understand how much clonality verses sexual recruitment occurs on coral reefs post-storms.
A happiness poll reveals voters of the Democratic party and U.S. President Joe Biden are happier than voters for the Republican party and former U.S. President Donald Trump, while older and wealthier adult voters are happier than younger and less-wealthy ones.
Researchers take a closer look at both the potential benefits and risks of acetaminophen, NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, as well as aspirin for the selection of OTC drugs to treat mild symptoms of COVID-19.
Gait impairments often are prevalent in the early stages of cognitive decline. Researchers quantitatively compared straight walking and curved walking – a more natural yet complex activity – in healthy older adults and adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A depth camera detected and tracked 25 joints of body movement and signals were processed to extract 50 gait markers. Intriguingly, curved walking illuminated notable disparities between the study groups.
To identify major social factors hindering breast cancer screening in U.S. women aged 40 and older, researchers focused on race/ethnicity, employment, education, food security, insurance status, housing and access to quality health care. Access to health care emerged as a statistically significant theme (61 percent) and insurance status was the most reported sub-categorical factor. Language was the third highest issue, highlighting its significance as an influential factor of screening behavior. Race/ethnicity, sex/gender and sexual orientation were additional factors reported.
Continuous, unobtrusive sensors and related monitoring devices are installed in older drivers’ vehicles to detect changes in highly complex activities over time. A driver facing camera, forward facing camera, and telematics unit provide video in real-time to enable researchers to analyze abnormal driving such as getting lost, reaction time and braking patterns as well as travel patterns such as miles driven, miles during the night and daytime, and driving in severe weather. Detecting changes in behavior could generate early warning signs of possible changes in cognition.
A unique long-term study quantified the abundance of whitespotted eagle and giant manta rays in Southeast Florida. Researchers conducted 120 survey flights between 2014 and 2021 from Miami north to the Jupiter Inlet. One or both species were seen on nearly every flight and both populations appear to be stable in the region. The giant manta rays were more abundant in the south and the whitespotted eagle rays were found all along the coast. Neither species seems to be deterred by the greater human population density in Fort Lauderdale/ Miami.
Researchers evaluated the prevalence, concentration and tissue distribution of essential and non-essential trace elements, including heavy metal toxicants in tissue (blubber, kidney, liver, skeletal muscle, skin) and fecal samples. Findings reveal how toxicant levels relate to their sex, breed, age and other demographic factors.
Hundreds of novel ingredients never encountered by human physiology are now found in nearly 60 percent of the average adult’s diet and nearly 70 percent of children’s diets in the U.S. An emerging health hazard is the unprecedented consumption of these ultra-processed foods in the standard American diet. This may be the new “silent” killer, as was unrecognized high blood pressure in previous decades.
Book sharing is a popular way parents engage young children in conversation. Not all parents are comfortable with book sharing and not all children like having books read to them. Research provides an alternative. To boost the quality of a preschooler’s language experience and skills, consider reminiscing with them. Findings show reminiscing is very good at eliciting high quality speech from parents, and in many ways, is just as good as book sharing (wordless picture books).
Former U.S. President Donald Trump holds a strong lead over former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the South Carolina Republican primary ahead of the 2024 election, according to a new poll released today by the FAU Political Communication and Public Opinion Research Lab (PolCom Lab) and Mainstreet Research.
Sandalwood oil has been used worldwide for centuries. Now, a study is the first to demonstrate in vivo the chemo-preventive properties of a by-product of the oil in a mouse model. Results show administering alpha-santalol reduced visible prostate tumors, protected the normal tissue, and delayed progression from a precancerous condition to a high-grade form of cancer. These findings are significant because mortality in prostate cancer patients is mainly attributable to advanced stages of the disease.
Immigration and incivility are two major issues that continue to inform voter behavior and expectations in U.S. politics and the 2024 the presidential election, according to the latest national poll by the FAU Political Communication and Public Opinion Research Lab (PolCom Lab) and Mainstreet Research.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump takes the lead over incumbent U.S. President Joe Biden by 4 percent, according to the latest findings from the FAU Political Communication and Public Opinion Research Lab (PolCom Lab) and Mainstreet Research.
U.S. counties and regions differ in political ideology. But do they differ in personality as well? Further, are people who ‘fit’ their communities healthier, happier, or more highly achieving than those who do not? A new study shows communities are diverse in terms of personality as well as demographics, and having like-minded people in one's community is associated with positive outcomes.
Ata Sarajedini, Ph.D., was elected for his contributions to the field of resolved stellar populations as applied to the formation and evolution of star clusters and galaxies, extensive service to the astronomical community through leadership of committees, and outstanding efforts in public service such as hosting the “Astronomy Minute” podcast.
Do bilingual mothers switch cultures, making them they more Latin-like when speaking Spanish and more European American-like when speaking English? Yes, according to a new study.