Wildlife Tourism Could Be "Domesticating" Wild Animals
Human tourism—no matter how well-intentioned—might desensitize wild animals to poachers and predators, affecting their odds of survival. Christopher Intagliata reports
Stories by Christopher Intagliata
Nicotine-Chomping Bacteria May Help Smokers Quit
An enzyme from a bacterium that lives on tobacco plants may be the key to a new type of "vaccine" to help smokers quit
Sitting Not the New Smoking for Fidgeters
Sitting for more than seven hours a day is linked to a 30 percent higher risk of death, but that association disappears among the in-place movers and shakers. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Nonpolitical Tweets May Reveal Political Bias
Word selection among Twitter users who could be identified as likely members of one or the other political party showed specific usage patterns. Christopher Intagliata reports
California Mountain Snowpack Is Flaking Out
With the Sierra Nevada snowpack at historic lows, should policy makers focus on capturing future rain instead of relying on the snow bank? Christopher Intagliata reports
Snake Bites in Costa Rica Peak with El Niño Cycling
Researchers found that snakebites were two to three times as prevalent in the hottest and coldest years of the El Niño climate cycle. Christopher Intagliata reports
Sperm Whales Congregate in Click-Based Cliques
The whales appear to prefer the company of "like-minded" individuals, based on common vocal clicking behavior—an example of culture, researchers say. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Self-Healing Spaceship Shielding Could Keep Astronauts Safer
A new lightweight material that heals itself when punctured could help spacecraft survive run-ins with debris. Christopher Intagliata reports
Road Noise Takes a Toll on Migrating Birds
Researchers built a "phantom road" through wilderness using tree-mounted speakers to play traffic sounds, and witnessed a decline in bird fitness and diversity. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Sick Ants Seek Out Medicinal Food
Healthy ants wanted nothing to do with free-radical-rich foodstuff, but ants exposed to a pathogenic fungus sought it out, which upped their odds of survival. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Seaweed Bodyguards Coral against Bullying Sea Stars
Crown-of-thorns sea stars are an "underwater swarm of locusts" that devour coral—unless the coral is protected by a layer of seaweed. Christopher Intagliata reports
Vomit Machine Models Cruise-Ship Virus Spread
Using a simulated vomiting device, scientists determined that projectile vomiting can aerosolize noroviruslike particles, allowing the infection to spread short distances through the air...
Sunlight Activates Smog-Causing Chemicals in City Grime
The grime on city buildings and may actively contribute to urban air pollution. Christopher Intagliata reports
Methane-Eating Microbes May Mitigate Arctic Emissions
A newly discovered strain of bacteria found in Arctic permafrost harvests methane from the air—meaning it could help mitigate the effects of warming. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Invertebrates Are Forgotten Victims of "Sixth Extinction"
Some 95 percent of catalogued species in one family of Hawaiian land snails could already be extinct, and similar rates of invertebrate extinction could be happening around the world. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Nicotine-Chomping Bacteria Could Help Smokers Quit
Researchers isolated a bacterial enzyme that could break down nicotine before smokers get the buzz that keeps them coming back for more. Christopher Intagliata reports
Spicy Food Linked to Lower Risk of Death
In a study of nearly half a million volunteers in China, those who ate chilies just a couple times a week had a 10 percent lower risk of death. Christopher Intagliata reports
Forests Suck Up Less Carbon after Drought
Tree growth lags below normal for several years following droughts, a detail about carbon sequestration that climate models currently overlook. Christopher Intagliata reports
"Imperfect" Vaccines May Aid Survival of Ultrahot Viruses
Certain vaccines prevent sickness and death, but don't block transmission—meaning they may actually give some viral strains an extra shot at survival. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Plankton Blooms Fuel Cloud Droplet Formation
The Southern Ocean is the cloudiest place on Earth, a condition caused in part by phytoplankton particles kicked up by sea spray. Christopher Intagliata reports
