Wood is a popular and cheap building material, but it swells and shrinks with moisture, limiting its potential. A new study by materials scientists and mechanical engineers shows that most of the swelling and shrinking is limited to the cell walls. The complex nanostructure of wood actually prevents it from expanding even more than it already […]
Category: Paper of Interest
The Deepwater Horizon spill and fish heart defects
A new study shows that fish embryos developed heart defects when exposed to crude oil levels similar to that found in oil spills like the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The study looked at bluefin and yellowfin tuna as well as amberjack, species that are highly valued in commercial fisheries. Stock of Bluefin tuna that spawns in the […]
Nurses are effective at treating a common arm injury in young children
‘Pulled elbow’, or radial-head subluxation, is a common arm injury in children. It’s easy to diagnose and quick to fix but children usually wait hours in the emergency department. Researchers performed an open, cluster-randomized controlled trial of 268 cases to determine whether triage nurses in the emergency department could fix the condition, thereby freeing up […]
Predators are the main drivers of the Arctic tundra food chain
A new study shows that predators (Arctic fox, wolves, stoat, snowy owls) are the main drivers of the Arctic tundra food chain. Usually, predators regulate the food chain in a given ecosystem, but researchers previously thought that this view did not apply to the Arctic tundra as there are too few herbivores such as caribou, […]
Evidence for oxygenic photosynthesis half a billion years before the Great Oxidation Event
The early Earth was characterized by the absence of oxygen which first rose due to photosynthesis during the Great Oxidation Event 2.3-2.5 billions years ago. Now, researchers have found markers in 2.95 billion year old rocks from South Africa that show oxygen was already at a significant levels. This finding shows that organisms were doing […]
Climate change and impacts on maize, spring wheat and soybeans
A new study predicts that by the 2080’s global production of maize will have fallen by nearly 13 per cent. By balancing a variety of factors, such as rising CO2 levels and patterns in climate change, researchers are able to establish a model to predict future crop yields. While maize will decrease, yields of spring […]
Discovery of new large feathered dinosaur in North America
A ten foot tall raptor, with a chicken-like head and possibly covered in feathers roamed North America 66 million years ago, says a new study. A team of scientists identified this new species, Anzu wyliei, from three partial fossils found in North and South Dakota. These fossils gave paleontologists a more detailed picture of North American […]
Methane emissions from ecosystems to increase
Microbes found in aquatic, wetland and rice-paddy ecosystems emit methane instead of carbon dioxide during respiration. As temperatures rise, the emissions from these organisms rise too. A new study shows that methane emissions from aquatic microbes will increase with temperature faster than either respiration or photosynthesis of other living organisms. Methane is a more […]
Portrayals of animals in children’s books
A new study shows that children who read books where animals were described using anthropomorphic language (e.g. talking, arguing) or images (e.g. wearing clothes) were more likely to attribute anthropomorphic characteristics to real non-human animals that those who heard a story with realistic language or images. The authors say that such books impact children’s […]
Antarctic moss returns to life after 1,500+ years under ice
Researchers were able to revive and grow 1500 year-old Antarctic mosses which stayed inactive under the ice. Prior to this finding, regeneration from frozen plant material had only been successfully demonstrated after a maximum 20 years. Until now only microbes had been shown to be capable of revival after so many years on hold.
Low-carbon strategies for cities
A team of civil engineers has conducted a detailed analysis of 22 cities from around the world, which could help policymakers choose the right tools to combat climate change on a municipal level. Depending on their climate, industrial base and population densities, cities can use a variety of tools and techniques to lower their carbon emissions. […]
Shrinking of Mercury greater than expected
Since its formation over 4 billion years ago, Mercury has been slowly shrinking as the molten iron in its core solidifies. The process leaves wrinkles and ridges, known as scarps, across the planet’s surface. Using images from NASA’s recent MESSENGER probe, scientists have determined that the scarps would have reduced the radius of Mercury by […]
Understanding the ‘Chain Fountain’
BBC presenter and blogger Steve Mould’s mesmerizing video depicting a ‘chain fountain’ was viewed over a million times on YouTube since it was posted last February. Now, a team of physicists offers an explanation for the seemingly gravity-defying behaviour of the chain.
The Hole-y Snail
Researchers have used rapid prototyping (3D printing) to discover the ideal tooth shape for piercing the tough shells of two intertidal snail species. While the best teeth were flat or convex with a tall skinny cusp, animals that eat the snails in fact exhibit a variety of tooth shapes, suggesting that there is a trade-off […]
Fly like a… jellyfish?
Ornithopters – robotic vehicles that fly by flapping their wings like birds and insects – push the limits of human ingenuity and our understanding of the mechanics of flight. A new device built at New York University breaks the mold by mimicking another kind of creature altogether: the jellyfish. The robot’s pulsing motion is remarkably […]
Coastal wolverines eat salmon
In British Columbia, wolverines normally occupy mountain habitats and are rarely found near the coast. Nevertheless, a new study not only documents wolverines on Princess Royal Island for the first time, but uses nitrogen isotope analysis to infer that the animals were likely eating salmon. (Article available on request.).