Study links wind-blown dust from receding Salton Sea to reduced lung function in area children

Researchers with the UC Irvine-led study sample dust at the southern edge of the Salton Sea. Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health
Photo Credit: Courtesy of University of California, Irvine

Children living near the Salton Sea, in Southern California’s desert region of Imperial County, are experiencing poorer lung function than children exposed to less wind-blown dust, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Irvine’s Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health.

They found that higher dust exposure – measured in hours per year – was linked to lower lung function, with the negative effects most pronounced among children living closest to the lake. The work, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, marks one of the first investigations to directly link dust events from a drying saline lake to measurable declines in children’s respiratory health.

A federal grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center funded the research in partnership with the Imperial Valley community-based organization Comite Civico del Valle.

The Red Sea Went Completely Dry Before Being Flooded by the Indian Ocean

 KAUST scientists have determined a rapid flood more than 6 million years ago radically changed the Red Sea and all its marine life.
Photo Credit: Francesco Ungaro

KAUST researchers find the Red Sea experienced a massive disruption 6.2 million years ago completely changing its marine life 

Scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have provided conclusive evidence that the Red Sea completely dried out about 6.2 million years ago, before being suddenly refilled by a catastrophic flood from the Indian Ocean. The findings, published in Communications Earth & Environment, put a definitive time on a dramatic event that changed the Red Sea. 

Using seismic imaging, microfossil evidence, and geochemical dating techniques, the KAUST researchers showed that a massive change happened in about 100 000 years – a blink of an eye for a major geological event. The Red Sea went from connecting with the Mediterranean Sea to an empty, salt-filled basin. Then, a massive flood burst through volcanic barriers to open the Bab el-Mandab strait and reconnect the Red Sea with the world’s oceans. 

“Our findings show that the Red Sea basin records one of the most extreme environmental events on Earth, when it dried out completely and was then suddenly reflooded about 6.2 million years ago,” said lead author Dr. Tihana Pensa of KAUST. “The flood transformed the basin, restored marine conditions, and established the Red Sea’s lasting connection to the Indian Ocean.” 

Burning issue: study finds fire a friend to some bees, a foe to others

Native bee species the megachile aufrions.
Photo Credit: Kit Prendergast

New Curtin University research has found the impact of bushfires and prescribed burns on global bee populations is highly varied, with some species benefiting from fire while others face severe risks.

The study, led by Adjunct Research Fellow Dr Kit Prendergast from Curtin’s School of Molecular and Life Sciences, examined 148 studies from around the world to understand how fire impacts bees.

The review considered the severity, frequency and duration of fires, along with the different characteristics of bees, such as where they nest, their body size, how specialized their diet is and whether they live alone or in groups.

Dr Prendergast said while declining pollinator numbers are being increasingly recognized as a major threat to biodiversity and sustainability, little was known until now about how they respond to fires that are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change and land management practices.

Air Pollution Can Contribute to Obesity and Diabetes

The most significant sources of fine air pollutants include exhaust fumes from cars, industrial plants and heating systems, as well as emissions from construction sites and forest fires.
Photo Credit: Uvi D

Long-term exposure to fine air pollution can impair metabolic health by disrupting the normal function of brown fat in mice. A study co-led by the University of Zurich shows that this occurs through complex changes in gene regulation driven by epigenetic mechanisms. The results demonstrate how environmental pollutants contribute to the development of insulin resistance and metabolic diseases.

There is growing evidence that air pollution is not just harmful to our lungs and heart, but also plays a significant role in the development of metabolic disorders like insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. A new study co-led by Francesco Paneni, professor at the Center for Translational and Experimental Cardiology of the University of Zurich (UZH) and the University Hospital Zurich (USZ), and Sanjay Rajagopalan, professor at the Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, now sheds light on the topic.

The hidden highways of the sky mapped

Photo Credit: Björn Malmhagen

High above us, the atmosphere is teeming with life. Birds, bats and insects share the airspace, but divide it into different lanes of traffic. New research from Lund University in Sweden reveals how the atmosphere is an ecosystem, with complex ecological processes that affect how animals move between different altitude levels.

We often consider the air as simply a void – but it is in fact alive and vital. In a new study, researchers in Lund, the Netherlands and the USA introduce a framework for understanding the air as a habitat, just like a forest or ocean. The study highlights how environmental factors and interaction between species affect how animals are distributed in the aerial habitat.

“It concerns not only where animals fly, but also why. Wind, temperature and air pressure are factors, as is the location of other animals. It’s a dynamic environment that requires adaptation,” explains Cecilia Nilsson, researcher in biology at Lund University.

Volcanic ash may enhance phytoplankton growth in the ocean over 100 km away

Nishinoshima Island, located in the Ogasawara Islands of Japan, is home to an active volcano. Ash from volcanic eruptions there in 2020 could have led to a temporary surge in phytoplankton levels in the seawater 130 km away.
Photo Credit: Ogasawara Village Tourism Bureau

A research group in Japan has suggested that ash released from volcanic eruptions on Nishinoshima Island—part of Japan's Ogasawara Islands—led to a temporary surge in phytoplankton levels in the seawater around Mukojima Island, which is located 130 km northeast of Nishinoshima and is also part of the Ogasawara Islands.

Mukojima lies within the subtropical gyre, a region known for low nutrient and low chlorophyll conditions. The study indicates that ash from the Nishinoshima eruptions was transported by wind and ocean currents to the waters around Mukojima, serving as a nutrient source for phytoplankton growth in that area.

Animations of wildlife tracking data help explore animal movements

Researchers found that understanding environmental context is key to interpreting future animal patterns.
Photo Credit: Nick Fewings

Researchers have developed new software for exploring and communicating animal movements in the wild. 

This suite of open-source tools, called ECODATA, was designed to support the analysis and visualization of complex datasets, as valuable observations about animal movement are often made by analyzing massive amounts of wildlife tracking data. 

Their tool accomplishes this by creating animations that help ecologists study animal movement, such as how extreme weather conditions or seasonal vegetation growth might influence a species’ normal activities, said Gil Bohrer, co-author of the study and a professor in civil engineering and geodetic engineering at The Ohio State University.

“We’re not creating new information, but we are taking data that ecologists typically find hard to utilize and making it easy and accessible,” said Bohrer. “This can help users understand an ecosystem and quickly identify what’s going on, or test a good hypothesis they have.”

Clam shells sound warning of Atlantic ‘tipping point’

Ocean quahog shells.
Photo Credit Paul Butler

A study of clam shells suggests Atlantic Ocean currents may be approaching a “tipping point”.

Scientists studied records of quahog clams (which can live for over 500 years) and dog cockles – because shell layers provide an annual record of ocean conditions.

They studied these natural archives to understand long-term patterns in Atlantic Ocean currents such as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and the subpolar gyre (SPG).

Recent studies have debated possible AMOC and SPG tipping points – transitions that would transform climate patterns. For example, AMOC collapse would have far-reaching global effects, from harsher winters in north-west Europe to shifts in global rainfall patterns, while a weakening of the SPG would be less catastrophic but still bring substantial impacts, including more frequent extreme weather in the North Atlantic region.

What Is: Microplastics

Microplastic
Credit: Scientific Frontline

The Invisible Tide of Plastic

The modern era has been defined, in part, by the versatility and ubiquity of plastic. Yet, this celebrated 20th-century material has given rise to a paradoxical form of pollution—one so pervasive and minute that its scale was largely unrecognized until recently. Microplastics, the synthetic dust of our industrial age, represent a global environmental challenge of unprecedented complexity. These tiny particles, born from the fragmentation of larger debris and the intentional design of microscopic products, have infiltrated every corner of the planet. Scientific expeditions have confirmed their presence from the summit of Mount Everest to the abyssal depths of the Mariana Trench. More alarmingly, this invisible tide has crossed the final frontier, entering the human body itself, with researchers detecting microplastic particles in human blood, lung tissue, and even the placenta.

The ubiquity of microplastics signals a fundamental disruption of planetary systems. They are not merely inert debris but active agents in the environment, interacting with ecosystems and organisms in complex and often detrimental ways. Their journey spans the globe, carried by ocean currents, river systems, and atmospheric winds, connecting the most remote wilderness to the most densely populated urban centers in a shared system of contamination. This report provides a definitive, evidence-based synthesis of the current scientific understanding of microplastics. It aims to dissect the full scope of this issue, beginning with a fundamental definition of the pollutant and a detailed accounting of its myriad sources. It will then trace the environmental fate and transport of these particles through aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric systems. Finally, the report will conduct an exhaustive analysis of their multifaceted impacts on ecological integrity and human health, concluding with a critical evaluation of the policies, technologies, and strategies required to mitigate this pervasive threat.

Study first to show if nesting heat affects sea turtle hatchling ‘IQ’

A loggerhead hatchling goes through the Y-maze to test its learning abilities.
Photo Credit: Sarah Milton, Florida Atlantic University

As sand temperatures continue to rise, concerns about the future of sea turtles are growing. Hotter nests not only skew sex ratios – producing more females – but also reduce hatchling survival, slow growth, and increase the likelihood of physical deformities. Yet one important and often overlooked question remains: does this heat also affect cognitive ability – how well hatchlings can learn, adapt and respond to the rapidly changing world they face from the moment they emerge?

A new study by researchers at Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science offers a surprising glimmer of hope. They are the first to test whether incubation temperature affects cognitive ability in loggerhead (Caretta caretta) hatchlings – how well they can learn, adapt and problem-solve. While animal cognition has been widely studied in birds and mammals, much is yet to be discovered in reptiles.

Using a Y-maze and a visual discrimination task, the researchers trained hatchlings incubated at two female-producing temperatures (88 F and a hotter 91 F) and then tested their ability to “reverse train” when the task rules changed. Eggs were collected during the summers of 2019 and 2020 from nesting beaches in Palm Beach County.

Microbial DNA sequencing reveals nutrient pollution and climate change reinforce lake eutrophication

Lake 227 of the Experimental Lakes Area.
Photo Credit: Rebecca Garner

The algal blooms increasingly seen in Canadian lakes have been linked to both nutrient pollution from agricultural runoff and climate change. However, a new Concordia-led study using DNA sequencing of lakebed microbes reveals that these two drivers amplify each other in ways that profoundly affect the health of lake ecosystems.

Using records and samples from the International Institute for Sustainable Development Experimental Lakes Area (ELA), a group of 58 lakes in northwestern Ontario designated freshwater research facilities, the researchers paired environmental monitoring data dating back more than five decades with paleogenetic reconstructions from lakebed microbes dating back more than a century.

By sequencing DNA found in lake sediments, the researchers got insight into past algal communities’ composition and compare them to communities today. This provided critical insight into how those communities changed over decades.

“The sediment DNA archives gave us a chronology of these lakes’ history,” says lead author Rebecca Garner, PhD 2023, and currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley. “This is the first study to show that we can reconstruct the community dynamics of that ecosystem and dramatically expands the diversity of microorganisms that we were able to study.”

The study was published in the journal Environmental Microbiology.

Why mamba snake bites worsen after antivenom

Photo Credit: Johan Marais

A breakthrough study at The University of Queensland has discovered a hidden dangerous feature in the Black Mamba, one of the most venomous snakes in the world.

Professor Bryan Fry from UQ’s School of the Environment said the study revealed  the venoms of 3 species of mamba were far more neurologically complex than previously thought, explaining why antivenoms were sometimes ineffective.

“The Black Mamba, Western Green Mamba and Jamesons Mamba snakes aren’t just using one form of chemical weapon, they’re launching a coordinated attack at 2 different points in the nervous system,” Professor Fry said.

“If you’re bitten by 3 out of 4 mamba species, you will experience flaccid or limp paralysis caused by postsynaptic neurotoxicity.

“Current antivenoms can treat the flaccid paralysis but this study found the venoms of these 3 species are then able to attack another part of the nervous system causing spastic paralysis by presynaptic toxicity.

Male crickets bulk up, females invest in reproductive organs

The study was done with the Gryllus vocalis species of field crickets found throughout the Southwest United States.
Photo Credit: Susan Gershman

A lab study in crickets has revealed sex differences in how the insects direct their nutritional resources to increase chances of generating offspring, finding that females prepare for producing eggs while males prioritize growing bigger bodies and banking extra energy. 

In insects that mated, the females’ investment in reproductive organs was even greater, but minimal change was seen in males – a sign that males’ reproductive success is related more strongly to winning the competition for mates, the research suggests. 

Ensuring survival while distributing finite resources is a trade-off faced by all living creatures, said first author Madison Von Deylen, a PhD candidate in the Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology at The Ohio State University. 

“Any organism is going to face these trade-offs between allocating limited resources: Should I invest in growth? Should I build up fat stores? Or should I transition energy into some kind of reproductive output?” Von Deylen said.  

Wildfire Smoke May Lead to Thousands More U.S Deaths

Mammoth Mountain in California’s Sierra Nevada Range on September 8, 2025. The photo reveals significant haze and smog, much of that the result of continual wildfires in the state.
Photo Credit: Marshall Burke.

A study led by Stony Brook University faculty and published in Nature projects that smoke exposure from wildfires in the coming decades toward 2050 could result in tens of thousands of excess deaths in the United States.

This projection, by a national team of investigators led by Stony Brook’s Minghao Qiu, is based on research that assesses wildfire activity in an increasingly dry and warming climate.

Wildfires have significantly increased in recent years, often in the western U.S. but also in other regions. Warmer, drier conditions are increasing the scope, damage, and exposures to people from wildfires. The study details the use of historical data from wildfires and smoke pollution, along with statistical models and machine learning tools to estimate deaths caused by exposure to smoke particulates in climate change scenarios.

Deaths from wildfire smoke result from inhaling a complex mix of chemicals. Wildfires can expose large numbers of people to these toxic pollutants for days or weeks at a time, contributing to deaths up to three years after the initial exposure, according to the study.

Boreal plants spread into the arctic tundra

The Grövelsjö mountains in the northern corner of Dalarna are home to the largest colonisation of boreal species on the bare mountains.
Photo Credit: Tage Vowles

A new international study involving researchers from the University of Gothenburg shows that vegetation in the Arctic is changing rapidly as species from nearby forests spread into the tundra. This change is occurring in half of the 1,100 areas studied and is mainly driven by species that already exist in the transition zone between forest and tundra.

In an increasingly warmer world, the Arctic tundra is becoming more forestlike. This process, known as borealisation, is particularly widespread in Eurasia and in Arctic mountain regions, where the distance to the boreal (northern) forest is shorter. Many species of grasses and shrubs that can live in both the tundra and the forest are gaining ground in the tundra. This is shown by a new large-scale study of 1,100 sampling sites across the entire Arctic biome.

Clownfish and Anemones Are Disappearing Because of Climate Change

A Red Sea clownfish (Amphiprion bicinctus) peers out of a bleached sea anemone (Radianthus magnifica) during a record-breaking heat wave in 2023.
Photo Credit: © Morgan Bennett-Smith

A new study led by Boston University marine biologists reveals that heat waves are threatening the future of the fish made famous by Finding Nemo

The Red Sea, circled by desert landscapes, is home to marine life accustomed to the water’s bathtub-like temperatures—often reaching 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. But in the past three years, marine heat waves have made the Red Sea even hotter. Rising ocean temperatures, there and around the world, have been devastating for many sea creatures, including an iconic ocean duo: clownfish and anemones. 

A new paper from a Boston University–led research team finds that this extreme heat has caused a breakdown in the mutualistic relationship of clownfish—also called anemonefish— and anemones and has resulted in a population collapse in the central Red Sea.

Wolf protection downgrade highlights need for adaptive conservation frameworks

The protected category means greater flexibility in managing wolf populations
Photo Credit: Marcel Langthim

Following the European Parliament’s historic vote to move wolves from the strictly protected to protected category, experts are calling on policymakers to ensure the change becomes a catalyst for fairer, more adaptive and transparent wildlife management to meet the challenges of successful species recovery.

The protected category means greater flexibility in managing wolf populations

The reclassification reflects a remarkable recovery of the wolf population, having increased by 58% in a decade, with populations of brown bears, lynxes and wolverines also on the rise. 

The protected category affords member states greater flexibility in managing expanding wolf populations, but although protections remain in place, the move has raised fears among conservation groups of widespread culling. 

At the same time, farming and hunting communities and landowner associations see it as necessary to regulate the population and enable management that is adapted to local conditions. 

Coral reefs set to stop growing as climate warms

Dead reef crest on Mexico's Caribbean coast.
Photo Credit Chris Perry

Most coral reefs will soon stop growing and may begin to erode – and almost all will do so if global warming hits 2°C, according to a new study in the western Atlantic.

An international team, led by scientists from the University of Exeter, assessed 400 reef sites around Florida, Mexico and Bonaire.

The study, published in the journal Nature, projects that more than 70% of the region’s reefs will stop growing by 2040 – and over 99% will do so by 2100 if warming reaches 2°C or more above pre-industrial levels.

Climate change – along with other issues such as coral disease and deteriorating water quality – reduces overall reef growth by killing corals and impacting colony growth rates.

To understand how changing reef ecology is impacting reef growth potential – in other words, how the balance of living organisms translates into vertical “accretion” (reef-building) – the team analysed fossil reefs from across the tropical western Atlantic region to improve understanding of how reef growth rates vary depending on the types of coral present.

Engineers Design New Autonomous System to Monitor Arctic Ice Melt

Photo Credit: Bernd Hildebrandt

The rapid melting and thinning of the Arctic ice have sparked serious concerns in the scientific community. In addition, sea ice thickness also has decreased, which makes ice cover more vulnerable to warming air and ocean temperature.

Understanding the ecological role of sea ice in the Arctic is crucial, particularly because the extent of sea ice in the region has been decreasing at an unprecedented rate. What would happen to the Arctic marine ecosystem if the sea ice melted even faster? To answer these questions, a long-term monitoring and data collection system is necessary in the harsh Arctic environment.

However, direct observation is challenging as satellite sensors have a coarse spatial resolution and cannot detect the fine fractal structure of the ice. Deploying human-crewed ships to the area is also difficult due to extreme weather conditions and obstacles posed by floating broken ice. Moreover, traditional ocean observation methods offer limited temporal and spatial coverage, while drones and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are hindered by energy constraints that restrict their research potential.

To overcome these challenges, researchers from the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Florida Atlantic University have proposed a design of an alternative, autonomous observational method, which holds promise for improving the autonomy of marine vehicles, aiding in maritime missions, and gaining a deeper understanding of how melting Arctic sea ice affects marine ecosystems.

Women of Science: A Legacy of Achievement

Future generations to pursue their passions and break down barriers in the pursuit of knowledge.
Image Credit: Scientific Frontline stock image

Throughout history, women have made groundbreaking contributions to science, despite facing significant societal barriers and a lack of recognition. Their relentless pursuit of knowledge and innovation has shaped our understanding of the world and paved the way for future generations of scientists. This article celebrates the achievements of some of these remarkable women, highlighting their struggles and the impact of their work.

The women featured in this article, along with countless others throughout history, have made invaluable contributions to the advancement of science. Their achievements, often accomplished in the face of adversity and societal barriers, have shaped our understanding of the world and paved the way for future generations of scientists. These women demonstrate the power of perseverance, the importance of challenging established norms, and the profound impact that individual dedication can have on scientific progress. By recognizing and celebrating their legacies, we not only honor their contributions but also inspire future generations to pursue their passions and break down barriers in the pursuit of knowledge.