In the world’s plant gene banks, scientists studied how so many varieties of the humble capsicum worked their way onto our plates.
Tag: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
What Covid and Clear Skies Meant to Drinking Water for 300 Million
Coronavirus lockdowns in South Asia reduced pollution that makes snow melt faster, which could help water supplies last longer this year.
The Skin-Deep Physics of Sidewinder Snakes
A close-up on snake skin helped scientists work out what might help certain snakes navigate sandy surfaces.
‘Super-Enzyme’ Speeds Up Breakdown of Plastic, Researchers Say
A new cocktail of enzymes that degrades plastic faster is a step to fully recycling soda bottles and other waste, British and American researchers said this week.
Scientists Say New Strain of Swine Flu Virus Is Spreading to Humans in China
A new study warns that the strain of H1N1, common on China’s pig farms since 2016, should be “urgently” controlled to avoid another pandemic.
Scientists Take Aim at Another Coronavirus Study in a Major Journal
A report on masks relied on unfounded assumptions, researchers charged, and the authors were permitted to choose their own reviewers.
Mass Extinctions Are Accelerating, Scientists Report
Five hundred species are likely to become extinct over the next two decades, according to a new study.
They’re Stealthy at Sea, but They Can’t Hide From the Albatross
Researchers outfitted 169 seabirds with radar detectors to pinpoint vessels that had turned off their transponders.
Fossil Site Reveals Day That Meteor Hit Earth and, Maybe, Wiped Out Dinosaurs
A jumble of entombed plants and creatures offers a vivid glimpse of the apocalypse that all but ended life 66 million years ago.
Greenland’s Melting Ice Nears a ‘Tipping Point,’ Scientists Say
With the Arctic warming rapidly, ice loss in Greenland is accelerating and may soon be a major factor in rising sea levels, according to a new study.