Suaeda salsa, a plant that thrives in salty soils, has a special talent. It can soak up and store lots of nitrate, a type of salt. This makes it great for cleaning up polluted, salty lands. But how does it do this? Scientists wanted to find out. They looked at a specific gene in the plant, called S
Microplastics are tiny plastic pieces that can be found in water. They can carry harmful chemicals like PCBs. A study looked at the Langat River in Malaysia. They checked six spots from the river mouth to areas further inland. The study found different amounts of microplastics at each spot. The hig
The Hanjiang River in China is facing a hidden problem: tiny plastic particles. These small bits, called microplastics, are less than 500 micrometers in size. They are everywhere in the river and can harm aquatic life. A recent study used advanced technology to find out more about these microplastic
Seaweed farming is big business. It's a key player in the global food scene. But climate change is making things tricky. Think about your favorite seaweed snack. It might taste different soon. Why? Because the environment where seaweed grows is changing. Scientists in South Korea studied this. They
Ruidoso, New Mexico, is no stranger to disasters. Just a year after battling wildfires, the village faced another tragedy: flash floods that claimed three lives, including two young children. The heavy rains turned the Rio Ruidoso river into a raging torrent, reaching a record height of 20 feet in m
The place where you live does more than just provide shelter. It can also play a role in your heart health, even if you don't realize it. High blood pressure is a serious issue that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. But here's something interesting: scientists are still trying to figure out how
In Warren, Michigan, a creek turned an eerie blue, sparking a legal storm. Two business owners, Saad Somo and Marvan Talal-Razooqi Batoo, found themselves in hot water after a toxic spill. They admitted to their mistakes in court, avoiding a trial. The incident happened in February 2024. A building
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, have become a hot topic in research lately. Scientists are digging deep to understand how these chemicals affect our health. They are found almost everywhere, from the food we eat to the water we drink, even in the air we breathe. These chemicals can sne
The world of tiny organisms, or microbes, is having a big impact on cancer. These microbes live in and on our bodies, and they can change how our immune system fights cancer. The area around a tumor, called the tumor microenvironment, is a busy place. It's full of cancer cells, immune cells, and oth
Managing rivers and lakes is tricky. There are lots of living things and environmental factors to consider. Most models focus on just a few species or simplify how they interact. This makes it hard to see the big picture. A new approach uses something called Hierarchical Bayesian networks (HBNs). Th
