50-years of Data From a 'Living Oxygen Minimum' Lab Could Help Predict the Oceans' Future

Canadian and US Department of Energy researchers have released 50 years’ worth of data chronicling the deoxygenating cycles of a fjord off Canada’s west coast, and detailing the response of the microbial communities inhabiting the fjord.

Should Patients be Asleep or Awake During Brain Surgery?

Deep brain stimulation is a long-established surgical procedure that eases the effects of Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor through pulses from tiny electrodes implanted in the brain. Currently, most surgeons around the world conduct this surgery while the patient is awake.

Several Reasons Why Whole Grains are Healthy

When overweight adults exchange refined grain products – such as white bread and pasta – with whole grain varieties, they eat less, they lose weight and the amount of inflammation in their bodies decreases. These are some of the findings of a large Danish study headed by the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark. The study supports the scientific basis for the Danish dietary recommendation to choose whole grains.

Australian Tourism Policies Fail to Address Climate Change

Australia’s Federal and State governments are failing to produce effective long-term tourism policy to address climate change, according to the findings of new QUT-led research.

Firefighters absorb harmful chemicals through skin, study finds

Captain David Matschke is well aware of the dangers he faces on the job. A firefighter for 32 years, he is trained to race to the scene of house fires, car crashes and even industrial accidents, breaking through windows and doors to evacuate occupants and routinely putting himself in harm’s way. But beyond fire itself, a study published today in the journal Environmental Science & Technology sheds new light on another, more insidious threat that may be putting firefighters’ health at risk: toxic chemicals in smoke.

New "atlas" reveals Earth's microscopic communities

The planet is home to a vast number of microscopic living organisms - plants, animals, and bacteria- found from deep sea volcanoes to the highest mountain peaks. These organisms too small to be seen by the naked eye affect both human health and the health of the world’s ecosystems. Despite their centrality to life on Earth, scientists have a limited understanding of their fundamental structure.

MIT research laid groundwork for promising Alzheimer's-fighting drink

Much of Professor Emeritus Richard Wurtman’s career in MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences revolved around developing new treatments for diseases and conditions by modifying chemicals produced in the brain.

New Greenland maps show more glaciers at risk

New maps of Greenland’s coastal seafloor and bedrock beneath its massive ice sheet show that two to four times as many coastal glaciers are at risk of accelerated melting as had previously been thought.

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, NASA and 30 other institutions have published the most comprehensive, accurate and high-resolution relief maps ever made of Greenland’s bedrock and coastal seafloor. Among the many data sources incorporated into the new maps is data from NASA’s Ocean Melting Greenland campaign.

Versatile marine bacteria could be an influence on global warming, scientists discover

Scientists have discovered that a 'rare' type of marine bacteria is much more widespread than previously thought - and possesses a remarkable metabolism that could contribute to greenhouse gas production.

Vitamin E discovery in maize could lead to more nutritious crop

New research has identified genes that control vitamin E content in maize grain, a finding that could lead to improving the nutritional profile of this staple crop.