Plants are often seen as innocent bystanders in the world of pollution. But did you know they can absorb harmful chemicals from the soil? This is a big deal because these chemicals can build up in plants and eventually harm both the environment and our health. One such group of chemicals is quaterna
Scientists have been looking into ways to break down Trichloroethylene (TCE) because it is bad for both people and the planet. TCE is a solvent often used in factories. One interesting method is using light to speed up a chemical reaction. The process involves shining ultraviolet (UV) ligh
The pipa, a traditional Chinese string instrument, is known for its delicate sound. But keeping it in tune can be a real challenge. The temperature and humidity in a room can change quite a bit. This can mess with the tension of the strings. So, a group of researchers came up with a clever solut
The first week at a new job can be a rollercoaster. Lisa Grouette, 48, felt a strange relief on a Sunday night. She realized she no longer dreaded Mondays. This was a big deal because she had spent a decade at an insurance agency with a boss who was verbally abusive and physically intimidating. He s
In the vast, dry savannas, male chimpanzees face a unique challenge: finding enough food to meet their daily needs. Unlike their forest-dwelling cousins, these chimps live in a landscape where food is often scarce and spread out. So, how do they choose what to eat? Researchers set out to answer this
The way teens act and seek help can be shaped by their peers and environment. When teens act kindly and help others, it's called prosocial behavior. This behavior can encourage them to ask for help when they need it. But does a classroom full of helpful students have the same effect? The ide
The search for a reliable way to predict the onset of ulcerative colitis (UC) has been a challenge. Scientists have been exploring the use of serum autoantibodies as potential indicators. These are proteins that the body's immune system produces in response to its own tissues. The idea is that certa
Mississippi has made a surprising leap in education. This state, often known for its economic struggles, has shown remarkable progress in student test scores. This shift is particularly notable because Mississippi has a high percentage of black residents, who historically have faced educational chal
The Doce River in Minas Gerais, Brazil, faced a significant challenge after the Fundão tailings dam burst in 2015. The focus is on whether the river's water quality has recovered since the disaster. To find out, 15 different water quality measures were checked. These measures were compared from bef
Mercury is a heavy metal that sticks around in the environment and builds up in living things. This is a big problem in Zambia's Copperbelt Province. Not many people have looked into how much mercury is in the Kafue River and its smaller rivers around Kitwe. In Kitwe, they checked the mercury level
