Scientists study how to bring you 'climate-smart coffee'

Coffee beans consumed across the globe come from two species: Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora. By 2050, about 80% of Arabica production is predicted to decrease because of climate change. Researchers are investigating to see if they can find alternative coffee cultivars.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240725154702.htm

How a bacterium supports healing of chronic diabetic wounds

New research shows that a certain bug, Alcaligenes faecalis (A. faecalis), can facilitate healing of hard-to-treat wounds among people with diabetes. While there are many studies done on potentially harmful bacteria in wounds, the researchers discovered that A. faecalis, a bacterium found in many types of chronic wounds, actually boosts healing of diabetic wounds. The researchers found that the beneficial bacterium can promote skin cell movements that are essential for wound closure by inhibiting enzymes that are over-produced in people with diabetes.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240725154647.htm

How evolution tamed a deadly virus and why we should still worry

Over the last century, a once-deadly mosquito-borne virus has evolved so that it no longer sickens humans. New research shows that changes in the virus's ability to target human cells paralleled the decline in illness and death. The findings offer important lessons in virology that may help guide better preparedness for future outbreaks of other viral diseases.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240725154643.htm

Parched Central Valley farms depend on Sierras for groundwater

New research shows California's Central Valley, known as America's breadbasket, gets as much as half of its groundwater from the Sierra Nevadas. This is significant for a farming region that, in some parts, relies almost entirely on groundwater for irrigation.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240725154631.htm

New gene therapy approach shows promise for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Researchers have made a significant breakthrough in developing a new gene therapy approach that restores full-length dystrophin protein, which could lead to new treatments for people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240724191230.htm

Researchers discover faster, more energy-efficient way to manufacture an industrially important chemical

The reactivity of zirconium on silicon nitride enhances the conversion of propane into propylene, a key commodity chemical needed to make polypropylene. This finding hints at the reactivity researchers might achieve with other nontraditional catalysts.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240724171608.htm

Hens blush when they are scared or excited, study finds

Hens fluff their head feathers and blush to express different emotions and levels of excitement, according to a new study.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240724171456.htm

Study of urban moss raises concerns about lead levels in older Portland neighborhoods

Lead levels in moss are as much as 600 times higher in older Portland, Oregon, neighborhoods where lead-sheathed telecommunications cables were once used compared to lead levels in nearby rural areas, a new study of urban moss has found.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240724123116.htm

Drawing water from dry air

A prototype device harvests drinking water from the atmosphere, even in arid places.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240723182005.htm

Brain's support cells contribute to Alzheimer's disease by producing toxic peptide

Oligodendrocytes are an important source of amyloid beta and play a key role in promoting neuronal dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240723144058.htm

Tumor suppressor protein Par-4 triggers unique cell death pathway in cancerous cells

A team of researchers has discovered that the tumor suppressor protein Prostate apoptosis response-4 (Par-4) can cause a unique type of cell death called ferroptosis in human glioblastoma -- the most common and aggressive type of brain tumor -- while sparing healthy cells. This new understanding has the potential to inform the development of novel treatments for various hard-to-treat cancers and neurodegenerative diseases.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240723132040.htm

Could smart guide RNAs usher in an era of personalized medicine?

Scientists utilize logic gate-based decision-making to construct circuits that control genes.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240723123531.htm

Researchers warn of unprecedented arsenic release from wildfires

The wildfire season of 2023 was the most destructive ever recorded in Canada and a new study suggests the impact was unprecedented. It found that four of the year's wildfires in mine-impacted areas around Yellowknife, Northwest Territories potentially contributed up to half of the arsenic that wildfires emit globally each year.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240723123513.htm

Researchers enhance tool to better predict where and when wildfires will occur

A newly enhanced database is expected to help wildfire managers and scientists better predict where and when wildfires may occur by incorporating hundreds of additional factors that impact the ignition and spread of fire.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722175910.htm

Converting captured carbon to fuel: Study assesses what's practical and what's not

A new analysis sheds light on major shortfalls of a recently proposed approach to capture CO2 from air and directly convert it to fuel using electricity. The authors also provide a new, more sustainable, alternative.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722155154.htm

Male elephants signal 'let's go' with deep rumbles

Male elephants use infrasonic rumbles to signal group departures, revealing complex vocal coordination and strong social bonds.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722155043.htm

Deep-ocean floor produces its own oxygen

An international team of researchers has discovered that metallic minerals on the deep-ocean floor produce oxygen -- 13,000 feet below the surface. Discovery challenges long-held assumptions that only photosynthetic organisms generate Earth's oxygen. Minerals at the abyssal seafloor appear to act like geobatteries to produce oxygen in a process that does not require sunlight.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722154949.htm

Cracking the code of hydrogen embrittlement

When deciding what material to use for infrastructure projects, metals are often selected for their durability. However, if placed in a hydrogen-rich environment, like water, metals can become brittle and fail. Since the mid-19th century, this phenomenon, known as hydrogen embrittlement, has puzzled researchers with its unpredictable nature. Now, a study brings us a step closer to predicting it with confidence.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240719180346.htm

Chemists design novel method for generating sustainable fuel

Chemists have been working to synthesize high-value materials from waste molecules for years.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240719123857.htm

Converting wastewater to fertilizer with fungal treatment

Creating fertilizers from organic waste can help reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and promote sustainable production. One way of doing this is through hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), which converts biomass into biocrude oil through a high-temperature, high-pressure process. Two studies explore the use of a fungal treatment to convert the leftover wastewater into fertilizer for agricultural crops.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240718205243.htm