Rising sea levels, melting glaciers, heatwaves at sea — 2023 set a number of alarming new records. The global mean temperature also rose to nearly 1.5 degrees above the preindustrial level, another record. Seeking to identify the causes of this sudden rise has proven a challenge for researchers. After all, factoring in the effects of anthropogenic influences like the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, of the weather phenomenon El Nino, and of natural events like volcanic eruptions, can account for a major portion of the warming. But doing so still leaves a gap of roughly 0.2 degrees Celsius, which has never been satisfactorily explained. A team puts forward a possible explanation for the rise in global mean temperature: our planet has become less reflective because certain types of clouds have declined.
ScienceDaily
DNA of 1,000 year-old maize sheds light on origins of globally important food crop
Researchers have tested ancient DNA from corn found at archaeological sites in Arkansas, shedding new light on the dispersal of one of the world’s most important food crops.
Tyrannosaur teeth discovered in Bexhill-on-Sea, England
Research has revealed that several groups of meat-eating dinosaur stalked the Bexhill-on-Sea region of coastal East Sussex 135 million years ago.
Eating high-processed foods impacts muscle quality, study finds
A diet high in ultra-processed foods is associated with higher amounts of fat stored inside thigh muscles, regardless of the amount of calories consumed or level of physical activity, according to a new study. Higher amounts of intramuscular fat in the thigh could also increase the risk for knee osteoarthritis.
Manta rays inspire fast swimming soft robot yet
A team of researchers has beaten its own record for the fastest swimming soft robot, drawing inspiration from manta rays to improve their ability to control the robot’s movement in the water.
Massive asteroid impacts did not change Earth’s climate in the long term
Two massive asteroids hit Earth around 35.65 million years ago, but did not lead to any lasting changes in the Earth’s climate, according to a new study.
The heart has its own ‘brain’
New research shows that the heart has a mini-brain — its own nervous system that controls the heartbeat. A better understanding of this system, which is much more diverse and complex than previously thought, could lead to new treatments for heart diseases.
20th century lead exposure damaged American mental health
Exposure to car exhaust from leaded gas during childhood altered the balance of mental health in the U.S. population, making generations of Americans more depressed, anxious and inattentive or hyperactive, according to researchers. They estimate that 151 million cases of psychiatric disorder over the past 75 years have resulted from American children’s exposure to lead.
Tiny, daily bursts of vigorous incidental physical activity could almost halve cardiovascular risk in middle-aged women
An average of four minutes of incidental vigorous physical activity a day could almost halve the risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks, for middle-aged women who do not engage in structured exercise, according to new research.
Research on neurodegeneration in spider brain leads neuroscientists to groundbreaking new discovery in Alzheimer’s-affected human brains
What do spiders and Alzheimer’s disease have in common? A team of researchers may have just uncovered the answer. Researchers from have made a groundbreaking connection between brain ‘waste canals’ and Alzheimer’s disease — a discovery inspired by studying spider brains. Their findings offer a new perspective on the cellular mechanisms behind neurodegeneration and the development of hallmark features like amyloid plaques and tau tangles.