Wiping out all of Africa’s elephants could accelerate Earth’s climate crisis by allowing 7% more damaging greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, scientists say. But conserving forest elephants may reverse the trend, providing a service worth $43billion in storing carbon, the academics found. The research, published in Nature Geoscience, shows that …
Scientists have discovered that a vast river network was occupied the sands of the western Sahara desert. The researchers gathered images, which detected a paleoriver network beneath the desert sands, according to a study. The former river system is believed to be a part of the Tamanrasett River valley, which …
Emissions of man-made greenhouse gases appear to have declined slightly in 2015, scientists said on Monday, reflecting what experts say is an encouraging, though likely temporary, pause in the steady rise in pollutants blamed for climate change. The projected dip of 0.6 per cent over 2014 levels, if confirmed, marks …
What did African wildlife look like 1,000 years ago? That's exactly what scientists are finding out in a bid to better understand how they have shaped the world we live in. "Animals matter and ecologists across the world are starting to realize that many ecosystems cannot be understood without including …
The city’s air quality has largely oscillated between ‘very poor’ and ‘poor’, with areas where it is ‘severe’, said Beig. With the Delhi government taking steps to curb the capital’s soaring pollution levels in the light of serious concerns being raised on the same, experts said the levels are not …
Scientists in China have designed a revolutionary engine that converts space debris into fuel to move itself as it cleans up junk. According to engineers at Tsinghua University in Beijing, space debris is the by-product of human activities in space which includes defunct rockets and satellites, ejection from the rockets …
The science fair venue of the Kerala State Schools Sasthrolsavam 2015-16 at St. Aloysius High School here de facto turned out to be a mine of innovative designs from the minds of students reflecting their concern for the environment. Recycling of plastic waste and energy from waste received much focus. …
About 100,000 wetland birds are killed every year from poisoning by discarded lead ammunition, say scientists. This is one of the conclusions of a report published on Thursday by the University of Oxford. The report also suggests that the consumption of game shot with lead ammunition has a greater impact …
Lying 4,700m above sea level on the Tibetan plateau is Namtso Lake. It is held as holy by the region's Tibetan population and every year thousands of pilgrims walk around its shores. As one of the largest lakes on the plateau, Namtso is fed partly by run-off from the region's …
Here is another reason to ensure that your environment remains robust and healthy. Scientists have revealed that environmental factors can be a contributory cause in the development of some childhood cancers. The latest report has set off alarm bells in Delhi, which is battling poor air quality. Experts at Newcastle …
US scientists have bred a genetically modified mosquito that is incapable of spreading malaria to humans, according to reports. A gene editing technique called Crispr was used to alter the genetic makeup of the insect, making it resistant to Plasmodium falciparum -- one of the parasites that causes malaria in …
JOHANNESBURG – As the race to adapt to climate change quickens, a South African scientist is leading global research into developing crops that mimic the extraordinary survival skills of “resurrection plants.” Jill Farrant, a professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of Cape Town, hopes that unlocking the …
As if the world’s coral reefs didn’t have enough problems — killer rising ocean temperatures, crazy bleaching events and oil slicks comprised of sunscreen from sunbathers that denude them, they are now under attack by hordes of thorny sea creatures. That’s what some scientists are calling an explosion of voracious …
Female butterflies are better than their male counterparts at mimicking noxious and unpalatable butterflies, which helps them avoid bird predators, according to a study by scientists of the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru, and the National University of Singapore. They achieve this mimicry by changing their wing coloration and …
Frequent and irresponsible use of antibiotics by the animal farm industry is leading to difficulties in treating common bacterial infections as well as post-surgery infections, a panel of scientists warned at a meeting organised by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on antibiotic resistance, on Tuesday. Dr. Chand Wattal, …
Only a few weeks after scientists had found the world's tiniest snail, measuring 0.88 millimeters (0.03 inches) across in southern China, the record was broken by even smaller snails living in Kalimantan island. The scientists named them Acmella nana—nanus being Latin for dwarf. Acmella nana has an average diameter of …
Key organisms in the Southern Ocean food chain face an abrupt onset of acidification as soon as 2030, new research from the US finds. The Southern Ocean is acidifying at such a rate because of rising carbon dioxide emissions that large regions may be inhospitable for key organisms in the …
Scientists raise concern over frequent and irresponsible use of antibiotics by animal farm industry Frequent and irresponsible use of antibiotics by the animal farm industry is leading to difficulties in treating common bacterial infections as well as post-surgery infections, a panel of scientists warned at a meeting organised by the …
Large solar arrays could have some surprising side effects, according to a new study, including causing changes in the local climate. On a global scale, these changes will be minor compared to what would happen if humans continue to burn fossil fuel for energy instead, but are still worth watching, …
Researchers in Japan have created an unbreakable new glass that is reportedly as strong as steel. This breakthrough could see the new material revolutionise the use of glass in buildings, cars and technology, and it should be available within five years. Just think of a world where your smartphone wouldn't …
Scientists in Australia are set to try out a "radical new procedure" where they regrow skulls using stem cells and 3D printers. The team from Western Australia plan to carry out the technique on patients who need cranial reconstructions. If successful, they say it would reduce the risk of complications …
