Thursday, February 06, 2020

science news 6.2.2020

Today's selection of science news. Links are normally to press releases on EurekAlert (at the bottom end I may also add a couple of newspaper stories). I include quotes from the summary in italics in cases where the title alone doesn't reveal what the story is about. My own thoughts appear without italics if I have any.



earth

Global ocean circulation is accelerating from the surface to the abyss


ecology

Bumble bees prefer a low-fat diet

Bumblebees carry heavy loads in economy mode

Faster than a speeding bullet: Asian hornet invasion spreads to Northern Germany

Scientists document collapse of key Central American forest engineer
White-lipped peccaries have declined by as much as 87% to 90% from their historical range in Central America, signaling a population collapse of a key species in the region. The pig-like animal is an important food source for large animal predators and humans alike and plays a critical ecological role by dispersing seeds and creating water holes that benefit other animals.



The white-lipped peccary plays an important ecological role in Central American tropical forests.
Credit: Apolinar Basora


conservation

Save the giants, save the planet
Protecting large animals such as elephants and whales, and large plants like the sequoias, has a disproportionate positive impact on the health of the planet and resilience to climate change.

New global biodiversity study provides unified map of life on land and in the ocean


food and drink
A 3D study of a tiny beetle that attacks the fruits of coffee reveals details of its anatomy and secret life that can help fight this pest

NYU scientists sequence the genome of basmati rice


sustainability

Treating wastewater with ozone could convert pharmaceuticals into toxic compounds


humans

9,900-year-old Mexican female skeleton distinct from other early American settlers


dystopian futures

Study reveals global breast size dissatisfaction
Because fashion fascism tells them their size is the wrong size, more than 2/3 unhappy, with implications on physical and mental health. Very scary.



---------------


From the news media:

No comments: