Latest news with #Phys.org
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Researchers make breakthrough in fight to save coastal feature in Hawai'i: 'Crucial for developing effective management strategies'
Researchers make breakthrough in fight to save coastal feature in Hawai'i: 'Crucial for developing effective management strategies' Hawai'i's volcanic peaks, tropical blooms, and sparkling waters are world-famous, but beneath the surface, something troubling is happening. Thick mats of red algae are rapidly smothering coral reefs in the protected Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, throwing the region's delicate ecosystem out of balance. Now, scientists say they've made a key breakthrough that could help stop the spread of this reef-killing invader. What's happening? In the shallow waters of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, an aggressive algae species, Chondria tumulosa, is taking over, as shared. First identified in 2016, it has since expanded at a rate of nearly 45 square kilometers a year, according to satellite images from 2015 to 2021. Unlike typical marine algae, C. tumulosa forms tumbleweed-like mats that easily break off and drift with the current, rapidly colonizing new areas and suffocating coral reefs. Because scientists haven't been sure where it came from, it's been hard to stop — until now. "Understanding the origin of this potentially invasive species is crucial for developing effective management strategies," the study's lead author stated. In the new study published in PeerJ Life & Environment, researchers used genetic modeling to trace its potential source. Their goal? To give reef managers the tools they need to track, predict, and contain the algae more effectively. Why is this species concerning? Hawai'i's reefs aren't just stunning — they're essential. Reefs protect shorelines from storms, sustain local fisheries, and shape the island's culture and way of life. When something like C. tumulosa moves in, it's not just coral that suffers. These invaders can disrupt entire ecosystems. Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely Depends on the animal No way Just let people do it for free Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Invasive species often outcompete native plants and wildlife for space, nutrients, and sunlight. That throws nature off balance and makes the system more vulnerable to disease and climate stress. What's being done about the algae? Thanks to this new research, conservation teams now have a significantly better chance of staying ahead of the problem. By determining where the algae originates and how it spreads, they can take more targeted steps to prevent it from growing out of control. Locals and visitors can also help by avoiding the transport of marine life, supporting reef-safe tourism, and learning more about critical climate issues. Every effort counts, and protecting native species is key to keeping Hawai'i's reefs and our shared future alive and thriving. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists make surprising discoveries in fight against emerging public health threat: 'The goal now should be to make their efforts count'
Scientists make surprising discoveries in fight against emerging public health threat: 'The goal now should be to make their efforts count' Microplastics are everywhere. They're in our oceans, our food, and even our bodies. According to a new University of Portsmouth study highlighted how public volunteers can help combat this invisible threat. What's happening? Researchers at the University of Portsmouth in the U.K. published a study examining the effectiveness of different protocols to capture plastic pollution on coastlines and whether volunteers can help fill crucial data gaps, like those reported by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis. The research compared three leading microplastic and mesoplastic sampling methods across southern England, including two citizen science protocols and one used by European researchers. The goal was to determine which approaches are the most accurate, efficient, and easy to use. The findings revealed that while there's no one-size-fits-all method, public participation is a powerful tool. One technique, the Big Microplastic Survey, often detected more plastic than others, while AUSMAP was the fastest and most accessible. The EU's MSFD method provided the most accurate lab results but isn't practical without lab access or formal training. "In a perfect world, yes, we'd all be using the same protocol," Dr. David Jones, lead author of the study, said, per the University of Portsmouth. "But the variations in coastal geomorphology around the world make this challenging. We are not going to stop volunteers from getting involved — nor should we. The goal now should be to make their efforts count, even if their methods differ." Why are microplastics important to study? Plastic pollution is one of the most widespread environmental issues and is increasingly becoming a human health crisis. According to the study, up to 13 million tons of plastic enter our oceans every year. Larger plastics break down into smaller pieces called microplastics and mesoplastics, which can be easily ingested by marine life and passed on to humans through the food chain. Recent studies have detected plastic particles in human blood, lungs, and even the placenta. While we're just beginning to understand the long-term health impacts, early research suggests potential links to inflammation, hormone disruption, and increased toxicity. Better data collection leads to better chances to address the issue and protect our long-term health. "When it comes to understanding our plastic-choked coastlines, every piece of data counts — no matter how it's collected," Dr. Michelle Hale, co-author of the study, said, per the University of Portsmouth. What's being done about plastic pollution? While international organizations work toward global protocols, this research highlights the role of everyday people in tracking and combating pollution. Volunteer-based methods may not be perfect, but they are valuable, especially as researchers work to bridge the gap between different tools and environments. Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely Only in some areas Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The study advocates for improved systems that allow for more effective comparison of data from various methods. In the meantime, individual action still matters. Reducing reliance on single-use plastics, choosing reusable alternatives, and supporting policies to limit plastic pollution can all contribute to the solution. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists make revolutionary breakthrough that could solve major problem with how we grow food: 'Could have big, positive agricultural implications'
Researchers have identified an enzyme that could help reduce harmful runoff and fertilizer usage in food production. The finding has the potential to reduce heat-trapping pollution and prevent deadly algal blooms while saving farmers money, which means a healthier environment and cheaper food. A team from Michigan State University detailed the findings in a review article published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, and the work was further summarized in a release posted to "A significant amount of nitrogen fertilizer is lost because it's converted to a form that's easily leached away," Krystina Hird, the review article's lead author, said, per the release. "If we retain more of that nitrogen in the soil, it could have big, positive agricultural implications." Nitrogen is essential to all life on Earth. Plants require nitrogen to build amino acids, proteins, and chlorophyll, according to Sound Agriculture. More nitrogen in the soil means healthier plants and larger crop yields, which allows for more food to be grown on less land. Although 78% of the atmosphere is made up of nitrogen, plants can only access nitrogen through soil. Plants rely on tiny microbes in the ground to transform atmospheric nitrogen into forms they can use, per Sound Agriculture. For decades, farmers have supplemented this natural process by adding nitrogen fertilizers to the soil. Ammonium is one of the best forms of nitrogen for agricultural uses because it is positively charged, causing it to bond with negatively charged soil, per the summary. However, certain soil microbes transform ammonium into nitrite, which is negatively charged. Like the negative poles on two magnets repelling one another, nitrite and soil do not bond, making nitrite more susceptible to being washed away in runoff, explained That's where the breakthrough enzyme, known as NrfA, comes in. NrfA turns nitrite into ammonium, and, while it is not the only enzyme to do so, it is by far the most efficient, per the summary. What is stopping you from upgrading to a heat pump system? The cost of installation I live in a cold area I don't know enough about it I already have one Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Though this discovery is technical, it potentially could benefit billions of people every single day. Nitrogen runoff, also known as nutrient pollution, occurs when water from fertilized agricultural lands washes into bodies of water, including rivers, lakes, and oceans. The influx of nutrients allows algae to flourish, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. These algae consume oxygen from the water, creating low-oxygen dead zones where fish and other wildlife cannot survive. Nitrogen runoff has negative consequences for human health as well. According to the NIH, nitrogen runoff contaminates both public drinking water sources and private wells. Its presence in drinking water has been linked to multiple cancers, hypothyroidism, and blue baby syndrome. Lowering the amount of nitrogen fertilizer farmers use would reduce these public health risks and prevent dead zones while also combating heat-trapping pollution. All told, the global food production system accounts for a whopping 35% of the planet-heating pollution humans generate. Fertilizer production, transportation, and application alone make up a jaw-dropping 5% to 6%, according to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Producing and using less nitrogen fertilizer would be a big step toward lowering the pollution our global food supply produces. That all of these benefits could possibly come from just one enzyme in the soil shows the incredible interconnectedness of our world and how delicate the balance is that we must maintain. The next step for the team of Michigan State researchers will be to better understand the details of how the NrfA enzyme works. "We're trying to get really specific and nitty-gritty," Hird said, per the summary. "It's going to be like performing a delicate surgery." The same could be said for addressing the many environmental challenges we currently face. Thankfully, discoveries like the NrfA enzyme give us hope that we can rise to meet them. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Scottish Sun
15-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Warning over horrifying swindle carried out by cyber gangs who raid people's bank accounts
The scam works in a similar way to a traditional romance scam BE AWARE Warning over horrifying swindle carried out by cyber gangs who raid people's bank accounts Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BRITS have been warned over a horrifying swindle carried out by gangs of cyber criminals who raid people's bank accounts. The devastating con is usually carried out by Chinese organised crime groups who have been estimated to have stolen billions of dollars from victims worldwide. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Chinese cyber criminals are believed to be mainly behind 'pig butchering' scams (stock image) Credit: Getty So-called 'pig butchering' is where scammers established fake romantic and trusting relationships with victims before luring them into fraudulent investments or other financial traps. In 2023, Shan Hanes, a banker from Kansas, US, embezzled £34.6million from his bank to cover his losses, having fallen victim to a pig butchering scam. Hanes was later sentenced to more than 24 years behind bars. Usually, a pig butchering scam works in three stages – hunting, raising and killing. This involves a scammer finding a victim online, chatting to them in order to build up trust and then getting them to invest large amounts of money into fraudulent schemes. The scam works in a similar way to a traditional romance scam, where scammers approach their victims by posing as a possible romantic partner on a dating app, or as a friend via social media. The big difference though is how the scam is executed. With a romance scam, trust is based on the victim's urge to maintain a romantic relationship with the scammer. In this scenario, the scam can often last for years. Pig butchering scams though, in comparison, generally take place over a much shorter time period. Interview with Richard Foster who is a ransomware negotiator The scammer, rather than focusing on trying to extract money through emotional manipulation, leans more on the victim's desire to make money together with the scammer. This can involve just a few months rather than years to take advantage of the victim. Usually, the scammer will present themselves as being financially successful and confident with a broad network and have appealing investment opportunities. Once the victim has made an initial small investment, the scammer will then try to escalate the process and push them into making a much larger financial commitment, reports. In 2024, Jacqueline Crenshaw, from Connecticut, US, met a man on an online dating site. He posed as a widower with two children and regularly chatted to Crenshaw on the phone. In just two months, they started talking about investing in cryptocurrency. She sent him $40,000 (£29,500) at first and received screenshots from him showing supposedly huge profits from the investment. Crenshaw was then encouraged to invest much more and it ultimately led to her losing almost $1 million (£738,000). Highly organised criminal gangs are thought to run these pig butchering scams with them using management teams who provide training to new recruits and even hire people as models who can interact with the victim. The Chinese government has taken a number of measures in order to try to stamp out the fraud. The Anti-Telecom Fraud Act was introduced in 2022 which was aimed at specifically preventing and punishing the use of telecommunications and internet technologies to defraud individuals and organizations. The Chinese Ministry of Public Security has also launched the National Anti-Fraud Centre App. This app allows the public to report scams and access real-time risk alerts relating to fraud. Along with the work of other government departments, it has helped intercept 4.7billion scam calls and 3.4billion fraudulent text messages since the start of 2024. The crackdown by the Chinese authorites has made it more difficult for criminal groups to operate in the country, leading many criminals to relocate abroad with South-East Asian countries – mainly Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar – being their chosen destination. The collapse of the illegal online gambling industry in the region following the Covid pandemic has led criminal gangs to look for new sources of revenue. Estimates of the profits made from online scams amount to around 40 percent of the combined GDP of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. The leaders of the criminal gangs often operate from tightly controlled compounds which act as hubs for online scams, with their primary focus on pig butchering. These compounds are usually presented as being 'technology parks' which help recruit workers. However, many people are forced into working for the scammers. While pig butchering can inflict severe financial hardship on the victims, the crime gangs are often also closely tied with violent crime, human trafficking as well as other forms of organised criminal behaviour.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists raise red flags after US lake sets shocking world record: 'We are worried'
Late in 2024, scientists announced they had discovered world-record levels of toxic "forever chemicals" in a New Mexico lake. Their newest study confirmed the results and analyzed the factors that contributed to this contamination. The research expanded on the first study to examine PFAS contamination in the waters of Holloman Lake along with soils, plants, algae, fish, reptiles, and various species of birds and mammals, according to a summary from the University of New Mexico published by All the samples had very high PFAS concentrations, up to or exceeding 10,000 times what the Environmental Protection Agency recommends in its drinking water standards. Lake waters showed the highest concentration of PFAS anywhere in the world to date, as did one plant composite sample. The team also discovered the highest PFAS concentration recorded in a bird to date. The scientists found that the contamination extends beyond the lake itself, and they linked this to past flooding events. For instance, the most contaminated soil sample was located downstream from the lake. In the past, water from the lake sometimes flowed past a dam and into a network of playas — "shallow, generally circular, depressions with clay-lined basins" that "form at the lowest point in an enclosed watershed" and often serve as temporary lakes, according to the university. The scientists don't know how contaminated the playas in the area might be but stated that they can serve as important habitats for migratory birds. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances have been linked to a number of health concerns, including decreased fertility, increased risk of cancer, and reduced ability of the body's immune system to fight infections. The scientists are worried that migratory birds will become heavily contaminated at Holloman Lake and then move on to other areas, putting hunters and people elsewhere at risk. They also recorded a herd of oryx — a nonnative African big-game species that was released in the region from 1969 and 1977 — visiting the lake to drink and are worried that hunters could ingest contaminated meat. Do you worry about having toxic forever chemicals in your home? Majorly Sometimes Not really I don't know enough about them Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The Santa Fe New Mexican added that consuming just one bite of meat from a Holloman Lake duck would expose someone to more PFAS than is recommended for a lifetime. "We are worried about the possibility of toxicity on reproduction and development in local birds, some of them sensitive species like the snowy plover," study lead author Jean-Luc Cartron said. "Contamination by PFAS could also be transgenerational, with contamination affecting not just animals living at or visiting Holloman Lake but also future generations." Though Holloman is the most PFAS-laden lake discovered so far, there are a number of other large water bodies contaminated with these chemicals. For instance, one study found forever chemicals all over the Great Lakes Basin, including in air, rain, and water. In January, the New Mexico Department of Health issued an advisory for anyone who has eaten or captured wildlife from Holloman Lake in the past decade, urging them to speak to their medical provider. Hunting has been prohibited there since 2024. And though PFAS are known for being difficult to remove from the environment, scientists have made breakthroughs, which could help safeguard people and wildlife in the future. For instance, researchers at the University of Illinois found a way to remove the full spectrum of PFAS from water in a single process, and a team at the University of Rochester is doing similar work. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
