Nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas, is on the rise from ocean dead zones

In October 2019, I set sail with a team of scientists aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Vessel John P. Tully in the northeast Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Vancouver Island. Battling rough seas and lack of sleep, we spent the better part of a week working shoulder-to-shoulder in a small stand-up refrigerator, analyzing seafloor sediments to learn more about the effects of low-oxygen conditions on deep-sea environments.

Significant solar flare erupts from sun

The sun emitted a significant solar flare peaking at 10:29 a.m. EDT on July 3, 2021. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the sun constantly, captured an image of the event.

Early humans were sheltered from worst effects of volcanic supereruption

A massive volcanic eruption in Indonesia about 74,000 years ago likely caused severe climate disruption in many areas of the globe, but early human populations were sheltered from the worst effects, suggests a new study published in the journal PNAS.

Targeting aging could reap huge financial rewards

Treatments that target aging and extend healthy life expectancy could be worth trillions of dollars in economic gains, according to a study published in Nature Aging this week.

Jacarandas in parts of South Africa are flowering earlier: why it's a warning sign

In September each year, South Africa's Gauteng province turns purple. The cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria are well covered with trees—and jacarandas (Jacaranda mimosifolia), with their purple blooms in late spring, are a prominent part of this urban forest.

Parental COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy may be next challenge for vaccination campaigns

The development of several new mRNA and viral vector vaccines in the space of a single year has changed how we understand vaccine hesitancy.

How to use therapeutic writing for empowerment without revisiting trauma

Writing about trauma can affect us profoundly.

Leonardo Da Vinci: New family tree spans 21 generations, 690 years, finds 14 living male descendants

The surprising results of a decade-long investigation by Alessandro Vezzosi and Agnese Sabato provide a strong basis for advancing a project researching Leonardo da Vinci's DNA.

Russia again posts record coronavirus deaths

Russia reported 737 coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, a national record of pandemic-related fatalities over a 24-period, as the country battles a new surge in cases.

Tunisia hospitals struggle with COVID 'tsunami'

Tunisian hospitals are battling to keep operating as the number of people dying of COVID-19 spikes and bodies are left in rooms because mortuaries are running at full capacity.

Long-term urban emissions data show a decrease in high-income countries

A new study shows how urbanization has influenced anthropogenic CO2 and air pollutant emissions across all world regions, by making use of the latest developments in the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) developed by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. The results show that by 2015 urban centers were the source of a third of global anthropogenic greenhouse gases, and the majority of air pollutant emissions.

Morocco to produce Sinopharm Covid vaccine

Morocco announced plans on Monday to produce locally the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine Sinopharm, the official MAP news agency reported, adding that five million doses could soon be produced per month.

England to lift virus restrictions as Israel raises vaccine fears

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday revealed plans to lift most of England's coronavirus restrictions, including face masks and social distancing from July 19, urging personal responsibility rather than government edict.

Ethiopia begins second stage of filling mega-dam, angering Egypt

Ethiopia says it has started the next phase of filling a controversial mega-dam on the Nile River, Egyptian authorities said Monday, raising tensions ahead of an upcoming UN Security Council on the issue.

Fears for future of Mexico City's 'green lung'

A major construction project in wetlands seen as one of the "green lungs" of smog-choked Mexico City has raised concerns for the future of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Storm Elsa batters Cuba as it heads toward Florida Keys

Tropical storm Elsa brought drenching rain and strong winds to Cuba Monday but left the island without major damage, as the US National Hurricane Center reported the storm was now making its way toward the Florida Keys.

China asked ride-hailing service Didi to delay IPO: report

Chinese regulators urged ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxin to delay its $4.4 billion New York IPO to examine security concerns, advice the company did not heed, according to a report.

Japan to ship another 1.1M AstraZeneca doses to Taiwan

Japan is set to send another 1.1 million donated AstraZeneca doses to Taiwan this week to help the self-governing island fight its worst COVID-19 outbreak amid a struggle to get vaccines.

Wildlife, air quality at risk as Great Salt Lake nears low

The silvery blue waters of the Great Salt Lake sprawl across the Utah desert, having covered an area nearly the size of Delaware for much of history. For years, though, the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi River has been shrinking. And a drought gripping the American West could make this year the worst yet.

Canada, US are easing pandemic border-crossing restrictions

Pandemic restrictions on travel between Canada and the U.S. began to loosen Monday for some Canadians, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said plans to totally reopen the border would be announced over the next few weeks.

Encrypted chat data leads to major drug raids in Germany

German security officials said Tuesday they made more than 750 arrests and seized large amounts of drugs after gaining access to extensive chat data of encrypted cellphones.

Up to 1,500 firms affected in major ransomware attack, Kaseya says

Up to 1,500 businesses around the world may have been affected by a major ransomware attack that has shuttered hundreds of Swedish supermarkets, according to the American IT company at the centre of the hack.

Life expectancy gap closes dramatically between those with HIV and general population

An observational cohort study finds that mortality among persons entering HIV care decreased dramatically between 1999 and 2017, with the largest decrease seen between 2011 and 2017. Those entering HIV care remained at modestly higher risk for death in the years after starting care than comparable persons in the general U.S. population. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.