science news 13.3.2019

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 (using quotation marks) in cases where the title alone doesn't reveal what the story is about. My own thoughts appear without quotation marks, if I have any.


earth

Scientists go to extremes to reveal make-up of Earth's core


ecology

Desert plants provided by homeowners offer habitat for desert bird species

New species of frog sheds light on major biodiversity hotspot in southern India

New study explores impacts of marine and freshwater predators on ecosystems and society

Little owls on the move
"New study on an owl's re-colonization of northern Switzerland."



A natural resettlement of little owls in northern Switzerland is generally possible.
Credit: Ralph Martin


environment

Air pollution causes 800,000 extra deaths a year in Europe and 8.8 million worldwide


humans

From Stone Age chips to microchips: How tiny tools may have made us human

Experiences of nature boost children's learning

The world's adolescents -- large unmet needs and growing inequalities
"The first detailed global study of adolescent health reveals: growing inequality with a large disease burden in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and the Pacific, obesity rates have doubled, with countries in the Pacific region having among the highest prevalence, anemia remains unchecked, India bearing heavy burden, investments in health, education, legal systems have not kept pace with needs, and gender inequity is a powerful driver of poor adolescent health."

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From the news media:

long read about ethology and politics from Frans de Waal