Top Stories

Studies Show Urbanization Impacts Storms, Rainfall Despite Surroundings

Two Purdue University studies show that urbanization changes storm patterns and rainfall amounts, highlighting the need for urban planning and infrastructure design that considers how the landscape will affect the weather.

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Elephant Declines Imperil 96 Percent of Central Africa's Forests

Poaching and habitat loss have reduced forest elephant populations in Central Africa by 63 percent since 2001. This widespread killing poses dire consequences not only for the species itself but also for the region’s forests, a new Duke University study finds.

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Four Kinds of Algal Toxins Found in San Francisco Bay Shellfish

Researchers monitoring San Francisco Bay for algal toxins have found a surprising array of different toxins in the water and in mussels collected from the bay. Four different classes of toxins, including one produced in freshwater environments, occur regularly throughout the bay, according to a study led by UC Santa Cruz researchers and published March 10 in Harmful Algae.

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Humans Behind Majority of Raptor Deaths in Ontario, Study Finds

Human encroachment is the leading cause of death among Ontario’s at-risk birds of prey, according to a first-ever University of Guelph study.

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Why Is It So Hot At Night In Some Cities?

During the nighttime, it is hotter in the city than in nearby suburbs or the countryside. But just how much hotter differs between cities. Researchers from the MSE2 (CNRS / MIT) international joint research laboratory and the Centre Interdisciplinaire des Nanosciences de Marseille (CNRS / Aix-Marseille University)1 have shown that the determining factor is how cities are structured: more organized cities, like many in North America with straight and perpendicular streets, trap more heat. Conversely, cities that are less organized, like those founded long ago, shed heat easily. The team's findings, published in Physical Review Letters (March 9, 2018), suggest new directions to explore for optimal urban planning and energy management.

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Research Could Improve Management of Conflict Between Wildlife and Farmers Across the Globe

A new study led by the University of Stirling highlights improvements in the way conflicts between wildlife conservation and farming are managed worldwide.

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Sit, Stay, Heal: Study Finds Therapy Dogs Help Stressed University Students

Therapy dog sessions for stressed-out students are an increasingly popular offering at North American universities. Now, new research from the University of British Columbia confirms that some doggy one-on-one time really can do the trick of boosting student wellness.

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A Combination of Personality Traits Might Make You More Addicted to Social Networks

As social networking companies feel the heat to create a more socially responsible and positive experience for their millions of users, new research out of Binghamton University’s School of Management explores how the interaction of personality traits can impact the likelihood of developing an addiction to a social network.

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Escape artist: Ancient reptile Captorhinus could detach its tail to elude predators

Imagine a voracious carnivore sinking its teeth into the tail of a small reptile, anticipating a delicious lunch, when, in a flash, the reptile is gone and the carnivore is left holding a wiggling tail between its jaws.  

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Environment more important to respiratory health than genetics

A University of Toronto researcher has found strong evidence that environmental exposures, including air pollution, affect gene expressions associated with respiratory diseases much more than genetic ancestry.

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