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Scientists warn: The grey seal hunt is too large
Researchers warn that today's hunting quotas of about 3,000 animals pose a risk to the long-term survival of the grey seal in the Baltic Sea. The conclusions of this new study are based on statistics from 20th century seal hunting and predictions of future climate change.
Heat, cold extremes hold untapped potential for solar and wind energy
Conditions that usually accompany the kind of intense hot and cold weather that strains power grids may also provide greater opportunities to capture solar and wind energy. A study found that widespread, extreme temperature events are often accompanied by greater solar radiation and higher wind speeds that could be captured by solar panels and wind turbines. The research, which looked at extensive heat and cold waves across the six interconnected energy grid regions of the U.S. from 1980-2021, al...
What if the heavy rain would have fallen 50 kilometers away?
Floods affect more people worldwide than any other natural hazard, causing enormous damage that is expected to increase in a warming world. However, people and decision-makers in vulnerable regions are often unwilling to prepare for exceptionally severe events because they are difficult to imagine and beyond their experience.
Curbside collection improves organic waste composting, reduces methane emissions
Most organic household waste ends up in landfills where it generates methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Composting food and garden waste instead of sending it to landfills can significantly reduce methane emissions and help mitigate global warming. A new study explores the effects of curbside compost collection programs.
Optimizing electronic health records: Study reveals improvements in departmental productivity
Researchers identify transformative effects of electronic health record (EHR) optimization on departmental productivity.
Using 'time travel' to think about technology from the perspective of future generations
Researchers have conducted a series of participatory deliberation workshops in which the participants were asked to consider issues of future society and manufacturing, in general, and as they relate to hydrothermally produced porous glass. In workshops where the perspective of 'imaginary future generations' was adopted, participants' perceptions of the technology's feasibility and future potentiality changed significantly.
New roadmap to prevent pandemics centers on protecting biodiversity
An international team of 25 scientists has proposed a roadmap for how to prevent the next pandemic by conserving natural areas and promoting biodiversity, thereby providing animals with enough food, safe havens and distance to limit contact and the transfer of pathogens to humans.
Crackdown on illicit drugs detects rise in 'designer' drug substitutes
As authorities crack down on illicit drugs, experts have issued an alert on the use of the synthetic stimulant pentylone, as new research finds a 75% increase in detections across Australia.
Research identifies characteristics of cities that would support young people's mental health
As cities around the world continue to draw young people for work, education, and social opportunities, a new study identifies characteristics that would support young urban dwellers' mental health. The findings, based on survey responses from a global panel that included adolescents and young adults, provide a set of priorities that city planners can adopt to build urban environments that are safe, equitable, and inclusive.
Pairing crypto mining with green hydrogen offers clean energy boost
Pairing cryptocurrency mining -- notable for its outsize consumption of carbon-based fuel -- with green hydrogen could provide the foundation for wider deployment of renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, according to a new study.
2 in 3 parents say their adolescent or teen worries about how sick days may impact grades
Many parents recognize increasing mental health concerns among children, reflected by the 1 in 5 who say they're open to allowing a child to take a mental health day.
Confusing assistance requirements contribute to food insecurity among college students
Food insecurity among college students is associated with negative physical and mental health and lower academic performance and graduation rates. A recent research study investigates why over half of college students eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) -- the largest food assistance program in the US -- do not apply.
Teacher effectiveness for students with and without disabilities
Research has often focused on how teachers and educators can best instruct and accommodate students with disabilities. However, are the methods used to teach students with disabilities effective and inclusive for all students?
Less obesity in 3- and 4-year-olds after the pandemic, Swedish study finds
The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the group of 3- and 4-year-olds in Sweden has decreased after the pandemic. The increase during the pandemic thus appears to have been temporary, according to a new study.
Small changes can yield big savings in agricultural water use
While Hollywood and Silicon Valley love the limelight, California is an agricultural powerhouse, too. Agricultural products sold in the Golden State totaled $59 billion in 2022. But rising temperatures, declining precipitation and decades of over pumping may require drastic changes to farming. Legislation to address the problem could even see fields taken out of cultivation.
Droughts in Europe could be avoided with faster emissions cuts
Models suggest summer rainfall in southern Europe could decline by up to 48% by the year 2100 if emissions of greenhouse gases continue to rise rapidly.
All countries' agri-environmental policies at a glance
There can be no analysis without data. In this spirit, researchers have published a database containing over 6,000 agri-environmental policies, thus enabling their peers as well as policymakers and businesses to seek answers to all manner of different questions. The researchers have used two examples to demonstrate how this can be done: how a country's economic development is linked to its adoption of agri-environmental policies and how such policies impact soil erosion.
Most new doctors face some form of sexual harassment, even after #MeToo
More than half of all new doctors face some form of sexual harassment in their first year on the job, including nearly three-quarters of all new female doctors and a third of males, a new study finds. That's actually down somewhat from the percentage of new doctors who experienced the same five or six years before.
Alaska Native tribes take lead on shellfish toxin testing where state falls short
A group of coastal Alaska Native tribes in 2016 began monitoring shellfish, a traditional harvest, for deadly biotoxins because the state only tests commercial harvests. The program fills an essential gap in public health protection and has found success, with 17 tribes now in the testing network. Securing stable, long-term funding and improving public outreach could improve outcomes even further, a new study reports.
A new way to quantify climate change impacts: 'Outdoor days'
'Outdoor days,' a new measure, describes climate change impacts by noting the number of days per year that outdoor temperatures are comfortable enough for normal outdoor activities.
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