An Alpine medical team buried 24 volunteers in a mountain pass. Their study confirmed the efficacy of the Safeback SBX, which uses snow’s natural porosity to supply air to buried avalanche victims.
Health & Ecosystems
As CO2 Levels Rise, Old Amazon Trees Are Getting Bigger
New data show resilience among the rainforest’s giants, though scientists warn that nutrient limits and rising heat could end the trend.
Fire, Not Deforestation, Is Now the Amazon’s Biggest Carbon Emitter
Forest degradation in the Amazon increased by 400% in 2024. It was largely driven by wildfires during the forest’s worst fire season in more than 20 years.
The Role of a Ditch in the Matrix
These constructed waterways are often a “no-man’s-land” between terrestrial scientists and limnologists. But ditches’ role in transport, agriculture, biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, and even archaeology means it’s time to take a closer look.
Beavers are Not Concerned About Groundwater
But, scientists are! A new study illuminates the complex interactions of beaver dam induced ponding and floodplain inundation with shallow groundwater storage and flow patterns.
Microplastics Have Widely Varying Effects on Soil
A new study finds that a microplastic concentration of just 0.4% alters the drainage of soil, which could affect the growth of crops and other plants.
How Plant-Fungi Friendships Are Changing
A new framework shows how much carbon plants allocate to their endosymbionts and how that amount might change in the face of warming soil and rising carbon dioxide levels.
Chicago Soil Maps Childhood Lead Exposure Risk
Researchers combined soil measurements and public health data to identify areas where children may be exposed to unsafe levels of lead in the dirt.
As Seas Rise, Corals Can’t Keep Up
Coral reef growth rates in the tropical western Atlantic have slowed to a fraction of what they once were, erasing coastal protection benefits they once offered.
Pinpointing Sewage Seeps in Hawaii
Cesspools and septic systems, as well as coastal development, put Hawaiian coastal waters at risk of contamination.
