Several U.S. cities have instituted taxes on drinks with added sugar in order to reduce consumption, but new research suggests these policies currently have one fatal flaw. The study found that sugary drink taxes only reduce purchasing if price tags at stores mention that consumers are paying that tax when they buy the drink. “If […]

A study led by the University of Cambridge has found that periodic mass outbreaks of leaf-munching caterpillars can improve the water quality of nearby lakes – but may also increase the lakes’ carbon dioxide emissions. From a water quality perspective they’re a good thing, but from a climate perspective they’re pretty bad Sam Woodman Outbreaks […]

As part of Conversations on Sustainability, a webinar series hosted by the Caltech Science Exchange, Adam Wierman, professor of computing and mathematical sciences and director of Information Science and Technology, and Steven Low, the Frank J. Gilloon Professor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences and Electrical Engineering, discussed how a “smarter” electrical grid can help us more […]

Physicists looking for signs of primordial gravitational waves by sifting through the earliest light in the cosmos – the cosmic microwave background (CMB) – have reported their findings: still nothing. But far from being a dud, the latest results from the BICEP3 experiment at the South Pole have tightened the bounds on models of cosmic […]

The first detailed analysis of the emissions associated with burning woody biomass imported from the US suggests that in the UK, 13–16 million tonnes of carbon dioxide were added to the atmosphere in 2019. That’s equivalent to the yearly emissions of 6–7 million cars. Emissions from biomass burning are expected to grow to 17–20 million […]

UK-based researchers have devised a waste-free approach for oxidising alkenes to epoxides, in which atomic oxygen and carbon monoxide are both generated from carbon dioxide using non-thermal plasma. The method comes from a fairly unusual collaboration between organic chemist Benjamin Buckley and plasma scientist Felipe Iza, both at Loughborough University, and may help unlock the […]

While accurately predicting earthquakes is in the realm of science fiction, early warning systems are very much a reality. As advances in research and technology make these systems increasingly effective, they’re vital to reducing an earthquake’s human, social and economic toll. Damaging earthquakes can strike at any time. While we can’t prevent them from occurring, […]

People who are friendly and trustworthy are more likely to be selected for teams than those who are known for just their skill competency and personal reputation, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York. While people who are both trustworthy and competent are the most sought after when it comes […]

Scientists have discovered that a deadly parasite, known to cause ill health in pregnant women and immunocompromised patients, could potentially be used to treat various types of tumours. The research, published today in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy Cancer, was carried out by experts from the University of Nottingham, Ningbo University and Shanxi Agricultural University in China. […]

Increased mortality risk among current alcohol abstainers might largely be explained by other factors, including previous alcohol or drug problems, daily smoking, and overall poor health, according to a new study publishing November 2nd in PLOS Medicine by Ulrich John of University Medicine Greifswald, Germany, and colleagues. Previous studies have suggested that people who abstain from alcohol […]