25 results match your criteria: "Ecology"
More dreams of the rarebit fiend: food sensitivity and dietary correlates of sleep and dreaming.
Front Psychol
July 2025
Department of Psychology, Grant MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
Article Synopsis
- The study explored the relationship between food, sleep, and dreams by surveying 1,082 participants about their dietary habits and perceived effects on sleep and dream quality.
- About 40.2% of participants felt that certain foods influenced their sleep, with desserts and dairy being the most cited, while 5.5% connected food to changes in their dreams.
- Findings indicated that individuals with food intolerances or allergies reported more nightmares and worse sleep, suggesting a complex link between diet, gastrointestinal issues, and sleep disturbances.
Zoborg: On-Demand Climbing Control for Cyborg Beetles.
Adv Sci (Weinh)
August 2025
School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
Article Synopsis
- Transitioning from horizontal surfaces to vertical walls is essential for terrestrial robots, and achieving this in insect-scale robots is particularly difficult.
- Innovative control schemes have been developed for ZoBorg, a cyborg beetle, allowing it to climb walls and navigate complex environments effectively.
- With a high success rate in crossing obstacles and the ability to transition onto vertical surfaces, ZoBorg shows promise for use in search and rescue missions.
Toward the Discovery of New Elements: Production of Livermorium (Z=116) with ^{50}Ti.
Phys Rev Lett
October 2024
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA.
Article Synopsis
- - The experiment at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory aimed to produce a superheavy element with an atomic number of 114 or greater by bombarding an actinide target with a ^{50}Ti beam.
- - Using the Berkeley Gas-filled Separator, researchers successfully isolated and implanted produced Livermorium (Lv) ions into a high-tech detector system, observing two decay chains linked to ^{290}Lv.
- - The measured production cross-section of the process was 0.44 picobarns at a specific energy, marking the first published evidence of superheavy element production near the "island of stability" with this method, paving the way for future discoveries beyond element Z=118.
Bone-marrow macrophage-derived GPNMB protein binds to orphan receptor GPR39 and plays a critical role in cardiac repair.
Nat Cardiovasc Res
November 2024
Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Article Synopsis
- GPNMB is a protein linked to heart failure that increases in the heart after a myocardial infarction (MI), sourced mainly from bone-marrow-derived macrophages.
- Genetic models show that lacking GPNMB leads to worse outcomes after MI, including higher mortality and heart dysfunction, while boosting its levels improves heart function.
- GPNMB aids heart repair by enhancing heart muscle contraction and reducing fibroblast activation via the GPR39 receptor, highlighting its significance in cardiac recovery post-injury.
COVID lockdown significantly impacted microplastic bulk atmospheric deposition rates.
Environ Pollut
March 2024
LEESU, Ecole des Ponts, Universite Paris Est Creteil, Champs sur Marne, France.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines microplastic deposition at a Parisian urban site during the spring 2020 lockdown, comparing it to data from spring 2021 when activities were normal.
- The analysis revealed that overall, microplastic deposition was significantly lower during the lockdown (5.4 microplastics per square meter per day) compared to the normal activity period (29.2 microplastics per square meter per day), although this trend didn't apply to the smallest microplastic size.
- The research indicates that the decline in human activity during lockdown is likely responsible for the reduced deposition rates, providing valuable insight into how human behavior affects atmospheric microplastics.
The high optical brightness of the BlueWalker 3 satellite.
Nature
November 2023
Instituto de Investigación en Astronomía y Ciencias Planetarias, Universidad de Atacama, Copiapó, Chile.
Article Synopsis
- Large constellations of artificial satellites in low Earth orbit significantly interfere with ground-based astronomy due to their brightness, posing challenges for astronomers.
- An international optical observation campaign revealed that the prototype satellite BlueWalker 3 reached an apparent magnitude of 0.4, making it one of the brightest objects in the night sky.
- The anticipated growth of satellite constellations necessitates the development of tracking and avoidance strategies for ground-based telescopes to manage the expected influx of bright satellite objects.
Macroplastic transfer dynamics in the Loire estuary: Similarities and specificities with macrotidal estuaries.
Mar Pollut Bull
September 2022
Univ Gustave Eiffel, GERS-LEE, F-44344 Bouguenais, France. Electronic address:
Article Synopsis
- This study examines how macroplastic waste moves through the Loire estuary, aiming to better understand the transfer processes involved.
- Between January 2020 and July 2021, 35 plastic bottles with GPS trackers were monitored, revealing a wide range of travel distances and patterns influenced by various factors.
- The findings show that, like the Seine estuary, no tracked bottles reached the Atlantic Ocean, confirming these estuaries act as accumulation zones for macroplastics, raising concerns about how much actually makes it from land to the sea.
Complexity-biodiversity relationships on marine urban structures: reintroducing habitat heterogeneity through eco-engineering.
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci
August 2022
School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia.
Article Synopsis
- Urbanization leads to biodiversity loss due to the replacement of complex natural habitats with simpler marine structures.
- Eco-engineering aims to improve urban marine environments by retrofitting complex habitat panels to seawalls, which have shown varied positive impacts on biodiversity after two years.
- The study emphasizes that diverse habitat features, like rockpools and crevices, promote higher biodiversity and unique species, underscoring the need for tailored eco-engineering solutions based on the specific needs of marine organisms and their environments.
Outside the Safe Operating Space of the Planetary Boundary for Novel Entities.
Environ Sci Technol
February 2022
Quantitative Sustainability Assessment, Department of Technology, Management and Economics, Technical University of Denmark, Produktionstorvet 424, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
Article Synopsis
- The production and release of novel entities is exceeding the planetary boundary due to rapid increases that outpace our ability to monitor them.
- The "novel entities" boundary encompasses substances that are new to the Earth and can significantly threaten global systems, with plastic pollution highlighted as a major concern.
- Urgent action is needed to minimize the harmful effects of these entities, as their persistence and varied risks continue to endanger Earth's integrity.
Effects of deployment of electric vehicles on air quality in the urban area of Turin (Italy).
J Environ Manage
November 2021
Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research (IIA), CNR, Rome, Italy.
Article Synopsis
- The study evaluates the environmental, health, and economic impacts of increasing electric vehicle use in Turin, a city with significant road transport emissions.
- It uses traffic data and health statistics to model the effects of transitioning from conventional vehicles to electric vehicles, focusing on reductions in harmful pollutants like NO2 and PM.
- Results indicate substantial decreases in pollutant levels and social costs associated with health impacts, with higher benefits projected for 2030 compared to 2025 due to increased electric vehicle adoption.
Amazonia as a carbon source linked to deforestation and climate change.
Nature
July 2021
General Coordination of Earth Science (CGCT), National Institute for Space Research (INPE), São José dos Campos, Brazil.
Article Synopsis
- Amazonia contains the world's largest tropical forests and has been a significant carbon sink, but this is declining due to deforestation and climate change.
- Researchers conducted 590 aircraft measurements from 2010 to 2018, finding that carbon emissions are higher in eastern Amazonia, largely due to fire emissions.
- Eastern Amazonia, especially the southeast, is becoming a net carbon source due to intensified deforestation and climate stress, leading to increased tree mortality and decreased photosynthesis.
Weathering Plastics as a Planetary Boundary Threat: Exposure, Fate, and Hazards.
Environ Sci Technol
June 2021
Department of Ecological Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, DE-04107 Leipzig, Germany.
Article Synopsis
- Research from 2017 indicated that plastic litter in the ocean meets two of three criteria for threatening planetary boundaries related to chemical pollution and novel entities: it exposes ecosystems globally and is difficult to reverse.
- Recent findings suggest that weathered plastics, including macroplastics and microplastics, can have greater harmful effects compared to natural particles of similar size, raising concerns about their long-term impact.
- The study concludes that weathering plastics likely meet the third criterion of disrupting vital earth systems, which poses a significant planetary boundary threat, and calls for further research to understand their toxicological risks and to refine pollution thresholds.
Making seawalls multifunctional: The positive effects of seeded bivalves and habitat structure on species diversity and filtration rates.
Mar Environ Res
March 2021
Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Building 19 Chowder Bay Road, Mosman, New South Wales, 2088, Australia; Institute for Marine and Antarctic Science, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.
Article Synopsis
- The marine environment is increasingly changed by artificial structures, but eco-engineering can help mitigate the impacts by enhancing biodiversity and other ecological functions.
- Researchers studied the effects of varying habitat complexity and seeding native oysters on concrete tiles placed on seawalls to see how it influenced particle removal rates and colonization by different species.
- After 12 months, more complex, seeded tiles showed greater abundance and diversity of suspension feeders, leading to higher particle removal rates, suggesting that adding complexity to artificial structures can improve both biodiversity and ecological functions in urbanized coastal areas.
Calculation of external climate costs for food highlights inadequate pricing of animal products.
Nat Commun
December 2020
University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
Article Synopsis
- The agricultural sector significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, but detailed economic analysis of its environmental and social impacts is lacking.
- A new method developed in this paper, applied in Germany, assesses external climate costs of various food products using life-cycle assessment and meta-analysis.
- Findings reveal that animal-based products, particularly conventional and organic meats, carry the highest external costs, indicating a need for policy measures to align market prices with the true environmental costs of food.
Modelled effects of prawn aquaculture on poverty alleviation and schistosomiasis control.
Nat Sustain
July 2020
Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 USA.
Article Synopsis
- Snail predators can help control schistosomiasis by consuming the aquatic snails that host the parasite.
- An integrated model assesses profit-maximizing aquaculture practices for giant prawns in sub-Saharan Africa, showing synergies with schistosomiasis control.
- Combining prawn farming with mass drug treatments offers a more effective approach to fighting the disease and promotes health and sustainable development in endemic regions.
How safe are the new green energy resources for marine wildlife? The case of lithium.
Environ Pollut
December 2020
Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal; LAQV-REQUIMTE - Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines the increasing environmental presence of Lithium (Li) and its potential toxic effects on marine wildlife, particularly focusing on the mussel species Mytilus galloprovincialis.
- Exposure to different concentrations of Li over 28 days revealed decreased mussel metabolism and indicative signs of oxidative stress, such as lipid peroxidation and an imbalance in glutathione levels.
- The research found that higher concentrations of Li not only impacted metabolic functions but also led to neurotoxicity, evidenced by reduced activity of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, highlighting significant environmental risks for marine life due to Li exposure.
The global scale, distribution and growth of aviation: Implications for climate change.
Glob Environ Change
November 2020
Munich University of Applied Sciences, Schachenmeierstraße 35, 80636 München, Germany.
Article Synopsis
- Before COVID-19, global air transport demand was projected to triple by 2050, but the pandemic severely impacted travel, allowing for a reassessment of aviation growth and climate implications.
- In 2018, only 11% of the global population flew, with about 4% taking international flights, highlighting the limited reach of air travel.
- A small percentage of frequent flyers, around 1% of the population, are responsible for a disproportionate amount of air travel emissions, raising concerns about emissions not addressed by existing policies.
Early trajectories of benthic coral reef communities following the 2015/16 coral bleaching event at remote Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles.
Sci Rep
October 2020
Marine Ecology Department, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bremen, Leobener Straße 6, 28359, Bremen, Germany.
Article Synopsis
- Documenting coral reef changes after bleaching helps us understand their resilience to climate change.
- At Aldabra Atoll, coral loss was greater in deeper, seaward areas (51-62%) compared to lagoonal areas (34%), likely due to temperature variability.
- While shallow reefs showed gradual recovery from 2016 to 2019, deeper reefs remained dominated by algae, indicating that full recovery could take over five years and may be threatened by future bleaching events.
Algal blooms.
Curr Biol
October 2020
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel. Electronic address:
Article Synopsis
- Schleyer and Vardi discuss the environmental phenomenon known as algal blooms, which involve rapid increases in algae populations in aquatic systems.
- They explore the causes of these blooms, such as nutrient runoff from agriculture and climate change, highlighting their impact on water quality and aquatic life.
- The authors also consider potential solutions and management strategies to mitigate the negative effects of algal blooms on ecosystems and human activities.
The costs of removing the unsanctioned import of marine plastic litter to small island states.
Sci Rep
September 2020
Department of Plant Sciences, Oxford University, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK.
Article Synopsis
- Small island states, like Aldabra Atoll, are significantly impacted by plastic waste, with an estimated 513 tonnes of debris remaining, primarily from the fishing industry.
- A clean-up effort in Aldabra cost over $224,000 for removing 25 tonnes of plastic, highlighting the high financial burden, with future removal costing around $4.68 million and requiring 18,000 person-hours of labor.
- The study emphasizes the urgent need for cleanup initiatives to protect marine ecosystems, advocating for international funding to support these efforts and address the global plastic pollution crisis.
Transfer dynamics of macroplastics in estuaries - New insights from the Seine estuary: Part 2. Short-term dynamics based on GPS-trackers.
Mar Pollut Bull
November 2020
LEESU (UMR MA 102, Université Paris-Est, AgroParisTech), Université Paris-Est Créteil, 61 avenue du Général de Gaulle, 94010 Créteil Cedex, France; Ecole des Ponts ParisTech, Université Paris-Est Créteil, AgroParisTech, Laboratoire Eau Environnement et Systèmes Urbains, UMR MA 102, Créteil
Article Synopsis
- The study examined the movement of plastic debris in the Seine River's estuary using GPS-equipped plastic bottles, tracking 50 trajectories over a year across varied weather conditions.
- Findings revealed alternating episodes of debris stranding and remobilization due to complex interactions between different physical factors on various time scales, affecting how debris is transported.
- Ultimately, all tracked bottles ended up stranded at various locations, highlighting that the fate of plastic debris is unpredictable and that it stays in the environment longer than the water it moves with.
Erratum: Author Correction: Health and sustainability in post-pandemic economic policies.
Nat Sustain
June 2020
University of Naples Federico II, CSEF, EIEF, CEPR, and ECGI, Naples, Italy.
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/s41893-020-0563-0.].
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOpinion: Midwater ecosystems must be considered when evaluating environmental risks of deep-sea mining.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
July 2020
Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Yokosuka, Kanagawa 237-0061, Japan.
Climate anxiety: Psychological responses to climate change.
J Anxiety Disord
August 2020
The College of Wooster, Department of Psychology, 930 College Mall, Wooster, OH 44691, USA. Electronic address:
Article Synopsis
- Climate change has significant negative impacts on physical health, mental health, and social interactions, especially due to extreme weather events.
- Recent studies identify "climate anxiety" as a genuine emotional response, indicating the need for clinical attention.
- While addressing individual mental health is crucial, it should not overshadow the importance of collective societal efforts to combat climate change.
Net emission reductions from electric cars and heat pumps in 59 world regions over time.
Nat Sustain
June 2020
Department of Geography, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
Electrification of passenger road transport and household heating features prominently in current and planned policy frameworks to achieve greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. However, since electricity generation involves using fossil fuels, it is not established where and when the replacement of fossil fuel-based technologies by electric cars and heat pumps can effectively reduce overall emissions. Could electrification policy backfire by promoting their diffusion before electricity is decarbonised? Here, we analyse current and future emissions trade-offs in 59 world regions with heterogeneous households, by combining forward-looking integrated assessment model simulations with bottom-up life-cycle assessment.
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