Breakthrough in tornado short-term forecasting could mean earlier, more accurate warnings

When mere seconds of storm warning could mean the difference between harm or safety, two researchers with Western University ties have developed a tornado-prediction method they say could buy as much as 20 minutes more warning time.

SMU seismology research shows North Texas earthquakes occurring on “dead” faults

Study by Beatrice Magnani, USGS and other SMU scientists shows recent seismicity in Fort Worth Basin occurred on faults not active for 300 million years.

Fear of Sharks Influences Seaweed Growth on Fijian Coral Reefs

Fishes’ fear of sharks helps shape shallow reef habitats in the Pacific, according to new research by a scientist at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences.

New Technique Can Detect Impurities in Ground Beef Within Minutes

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have found a better way to identify unwanted animal products in ground beef.

Floods Are Necessary for Maintaining Healthy River Ecosystems

Flooding rivers can wreak havoc on homes and roads but are necessary for healthy ecosystems, research at Oregon State University suggests.

Carbon Capture is Helped by Oil Revenue, But it May Not Be Enough

The oil industry incentivises the development of carbon-capturing tech, but researchers say this will not reduce emissions to low enough levels.

UBC Study Finds Family-Friendly Overpasses are Needed to Help Grizzly Bears

Researchers have determined how female grizzly bears keep their cubs safe while crossing the Trans-Canada Highway.

When Friends Become Objects

Why do people use social media? Striving to answer this question, social psychologists at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) have conducted a survey with more than 500 Facebook users with regard to their personality structure and the way they use the platform. Based on the results, they have developed the first comprehensive theory of social media usage. According to that theory, self-regulation is the key: we use Facebook in a way that makes us feel good and hope to attain our objectives. The research team manned by Phillip Ozimek, Fiona Baer and Prof Dr Jens Förster published their report in the journal Heliyon on November 20, 2017.

'Lost' 99% of Ocean Microplastics to be Identified With Dye?

• Smallest microplastics in oceans – which go largely undetected - identified more effectively with innovative and cheap new method, developed by University of Warwick researchers
• New method can detect microplastics as small as the width of a human hair, using a fluorescent dye

Return of the Native Wild Turkey—Setting Sustainable Harvest Targets When Information is Limited

As American families sit down for the traditional turkey dinner this Thanksgiving, some will be giving thanks for a wild bird that is truly free range. Meleagris gallopavo, the wild turkey, has steadily gained in popularity with hunters since successful restoration efforts put it back on the table in the around the new millenium, bucking the trend of declining participation in hunting throughout the United States. The distinguished native bird is now second in popularity only to white tailed deer.