Environment
Decoy Mating Call Battles Citrus Pest
Researchers developed a call that effectively mimics the citrus psyllid's mating song, which could be a weapon against a devastating crop scourge. Christopher Intagliata reports
Stories by Christopher Intagliata
Environment
Whale Poop Drives Global Nutrient Cycling
Whales fertilize ocean surface waters with key nutrients like phosphorus, which move through the food chain, and eventually, onto land. Christopher Intagliata reports
Health
Beet Juice Could Help Body Beat Altitude
Beet juice contains nitrates, which the body can convert to nitric oxide, a chemical that relaxes blood vessels and makes it easier to function in conditions of low oxygen. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Mind & Brain
Babies Move Tongue to Learn New Tongues
Infants seemed to be able to differentiate between two different "D" sounds in Hindi—but only when their tongue movements weren't blocked by a teething device. Christopher Intagliata reports...
The Sciences
Magnetic Field May Be a Map for Migratory Birds
It's well known birds can use Earth's magnetic field as their compass, but they may also use magnetism as their map. Christopher Intagliata reports
Environment
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
Health
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...
Mind & Brain
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
Environment
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
Health
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
The Sciences
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...
Space & Physics
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
Environment
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...
Evolution
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...
Environment
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
Health
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...
Environment
Sunlight Activates Smog-Causing Chemicals in City Grime
The grime on city buildings and may actively contribute to urban air pollution. Christopher Intagliata reports
Environment
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...
Environment
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...
Mind & Brain
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
