Friday, November 08, 2019

science news 8.11.2019

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 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

Investigation of oceanic 'black carbon' uncovers mystery in global carbon cycle
An unexpected finding published today in Nature Communications challenges a long-held assumption about the origin of oceanic black coal, and introduces a tantalizing new mystery: If oceanic black carbon is significantly different from the black carbon found in rivers, where did it come from?


evolution

Mammals' complex spines are linked to high metabolisms; we're learning how they evolved


ecology and climate


Plants and fungi together could slow climate change

Arctic sea ice loss may facilitate disease spread in marine mammals



An adult male ribbon seal lays on the ice.
Credit: NOAA Fisheries, Polar Ecosystems Program


conservation

Study finds sex bias in bird conservation plans
After pairing up and raising chicks, males and females of some bird species spend their winter break apart. At the end of their journey to Central or South America, you might find mostly males in one habitat, and females in another. Yet conservation strategies have typically overlooked the habitats needed by females, putting already-declining species in even more peril.

Unless warming is slowed, emperor penguins will be marching towards extinction


light and life

UCI-led study reveals non-image light sensing mechanism of circadian neurons
University of California, Irvine researchers reveal how an ancient flavoprotein response to ultra violet (UV), blue and red light informs internal circadian processes about the time of day.


environment

Satellite observations show shifting trends in nitrogen oxide lifetimes over North American cities


humans

Stanford scientists link Neanderthal extinction to human diseases

The medieval Catholic church's influence on psychology of Western, industrialized societies

Stanford researchers lay out first genetic history of Rome


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From the news media:

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