Food deserts are an increasingly recognized problem in the United States, but a new study indicates urban and home gardens — combined with nutrition education — could be a path toward correcting that disadvantage.
Read moreAs climate change accelerates, recording shifts in plant flowering times is critical to understanding how changes in climate will impact ecosystem interactions. To help measure these shifts, researchers have introduced a new quantitative measure of phenological status, called the 'phenological index,' that improves scoring of developmental stage in herbarium specimens, and predicts a higher degree of phenological advancement in response to climate change.
Read moreA nuclear war between India and Pakistan could, over the span of less than a week, kill 50-125 million people — more than the death toll during all six years of World War II, according to new research.
Read moreSeismologists explain how the work of regional seismic networks in North America are contributing to nuclear test monitoring, particularly in the case of low-yield explosions.
Read moreOn 22 December 2018, a flank of the Anak Krakatau plunged into the Sunda strait between the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java, triggering a tsunami that killed 430 people. An international research team has now shown that the volcano produced clear warning signals before its collapse. The researchers recommend to use their study to improve monitoring of volcanoes.
Read moreScientists and engineers worked with state and local agencies to develop and test a long-lasting, environmentally benign fire-retarding material. If used on high-risk areas, the simple, affordable treatment could dramatically cut the number of fires that occur each year.
Read moreGeologists have improved upon methods to map seabed rocks, helping us better understand underwater earthquakes and the tsunamis they can cause.
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The ancient Incan sanctuary of Machu Picchu is considered one of humanity's greatest architectural achievements. Built in a remote Andean setting atop a narrow ridge high above a precipitous river canyon, the site is renowned for its perfect integration with the spectacular landscape. But the sanctuary's location has long puzzled scientists: Why did the Incas build their masterpiece in such an inaccessible place?
For more than a century, a guiding principle in seismology has been that earthquakes recur at semi-regular intervals according to a 'seismic cycle.' In this model, strain that gradually accumulates along a locked fault is completely released in a large earthquake. Recently, however, seismologists have realized that earthquakes often occur in clusters separated by gaps, and one research group now argues that the probability of a tremor's recurrence depends upon whether a cluster is ongoing — or over.
Read moreAtmospheric scientists reveal details of the connection between a larger atmospheric phenomenon, termed the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), and the daily patterns of rainfall in the Maritime Continent.
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