Water’s Age and What It Can Tell Us

PhD student Joshua Snarski is using stable water isotopes to study how water is stored and released from soil in agricultural settings.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of University of Connecticut

When it rains, what happens to the water once it enters the soil? Does the new precipitation mix with all of the water that was already there? In their recent paper in Water Resources Research, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment Ph.D. student Joshua Snarski and assistant professor James Knighton show the answer is more complicated than previously assumed, but knowing the age of water gives a more accurate picture.

Hydrologists use models to simulate what is happening in natural systems. Since hydrologic processes are complex, researchers need to make assumptions about some aspects, such as how water mixes within the soil profile. Though previous hydrologic research is focused on the amount and timing of precipitation, Snarski says shifting the focus to the age of water within the soil profile can reveal more about what is happening beneath the surface.

Zoology: In-Depth Description

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Zoology is the branch of biology dedicated to the scientific study of the animal kingdom, encompassing the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all living and extinct animals. As a discipline, it seeks to understand how animals interact with their ecosystems, how they function physiologically, and how they have adapted to diverse environments over millions of years.

Virology: In-Depth Description

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Virology is the branch of biological science dedicated to the study of viruses—submicroscopic, parasitic particles of genetic material contained in a protein coat—and virus-like agents. Its primary goal is to understand the structure, classification, and evolution of these pathogens, their mechanisms of infection and exploitation of host cells, and their interactions with host organism physiology and immunity.

Machine learning drives drug repurposing for neuroblastoma

Daniel Bexell leads the research group in molecular pediatric oncology, and Katarzyna Radke, first author of the study.
Photo Credit: Lund University

Using machine learning and a large volume of data on genes and existing drugs, researchers at Lund University in Sweden have identified a combination of statins and phenothiazines that is particularly promising in the treatment of the aggressive form of neuroblastoma. The results from experimental trials showed slowing of tumor growth and higher survival rates. 

The childhood cancer, neuroblastoma, affects around 15-20 children in Sweden every year. Most of them fell ill before the age of five. Neuroblastoma is characterized by, among other things, tumors that are often resistant to drug treatment, including chemotherapy. The disease exists in both mild and severe forms, and the Lund University researchers are mainly studying the aggressive form, high-risk neuroblastoma. This variant is the form of childhood cancer with the lowest survival rate. 

Veterinary Science: In-Depth Description

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Veterinary Science is the branch of medicine and science concerned with the prevention, control, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and injuries in animals. Beyond clinical care, the field encompasses animal rearing, husbandry, breeding, research on nutrition, and product development. Its primary goals are to safeguard animal health, relieve animal suffering, conserve animal resources, promote public health through the control of zoonotic diseases, and advance medical knowledge through comparative medicine.

Technology: In-Depth Description

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Technology is the rigorous application of scientific knowledge, mathematical principles, and engineering techniques to create tools, systems, and processes that solve practical problems and extend human capabilities. Its primary goal is to bridge the gap between theoretical understanding and real-world utility, transforming abstract discoveries into tangible solutions that enhance efficiency, communication, health, and sustainability.

Spacecrafts: In-Depth Description

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A spacecraft is a vehicle or machine designed to fly in outer space. A type of artificial satellite, a spacecraft is used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, space colonization, planetary exploration, and transportation of humans and cargo. The discipline involves the complex integration of engineering, physics, and computer science to ensure these vehicles can survive the harsh environment of the vacuum, extreme temperatures, and radiation inherent to the cosmos.

Space Weather: In-Depth Description

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Space Weather refers to the dynamic, variable conditions within the Solar System—specifically the space environment surrounding the Earth—driven primarily by solar activity. It encompasses the physical processes occurring on the Sun, in the solar wind, and within Earth’s magnetosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere that can influence the performance and reliability of space-borne and ground-based technological systems, as well as endanger human health and life.

Space Science: In-Depth Description

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Space Science is the multifaceted scientific discipline dedicated to the exploration and study of natural phenomena and physical bodies occurring beyond Earth's atmosphere. Its primary goals are to understand the origins, evolution, and future of the Universe, to discover the fundamental physical laws governing the cosmos, and to explore the potential for life beyond our planet.

Social Science: In-Depth Description

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Social Science is the systematic study of human society, social relationships, and the complex interactions that govern individual and collective behavior. It encompasses a broad spectrum of academic disciplines that seek to understand how societies function, how they evolve over time, and how individuals navigate the structures of power, culture, and economy that surround them. Unlike the natural sciences, which focus on the physical world, social science investigates the intangible yet powerful forces of human organization and thought.