Thanks to combined global environmental efforts to ban chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) since the 1980’s, the massive hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica is finally showing evidence of healing. The results, published in Science, show that the ozone layer hole has shrunk each year by more than 1.7 million square miles since its peak in 2000….
Australia: UN climate change report modifications shock lead author
The “World Heritage and Tourism in a Changing Climate” report is a major United Nations project that highlights the effects of climate change on World Heritage sites. Naturally, you’d think that big Australian tourist spots like the Great Barrier Reef and Kakadu would be featured prominently in the report. However, the lead author expressed shock on…
Does ‘pseudoscience’ affect decision making in the EU?
Last month, a group of scientists from across Europe met to express their concern over the impact of ‘pseudoscience’ and ‘dogma’ on regulation decisions. The scientists believe that some people are being ‘deliberately selective’ in presentations of risks. They highlighted the fact that strongly expressed opinions arising from well-funded pressure groups could result in poor regulatory choices…
Combining the power of mass spec and protein crystallography
See my review of the paper: Bogdanoff, W.A., et al. (2016) “De novo sequencing and resurrection of a human astrovirus-neutralizing antibody,” ACS Infectious Diseases, 2(5) (pp. 313–321) over here at Thermo Fisher’s Accelerating Science blog. Featured image: via Wikimedia Commons Attribution: CSIRO [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons
Improving conservation ethic in Botswana with candid photography
Using 221 camera traps in areas of differing human impact in Botswana, ecologist Lindsey Rich captured candid images of 44 different species of mammal over 5 months. Working with a local rural school, Rich enabled children to see and learn more about the wildlife local to their region. Her research will help inform local wildlife authorities…
Girls + egalitarian views = better maths scores
Girls do better in maths in societies that have progressive and egalitarian views about the role of women, according to new research. The study highlights the relevance of gender social norms on girls’ education and could contribute to future policy decisions to reduce the ‘maths gender gap’ – and in turn, the gender pay gap….
The “weekend effect” might not be a real effect at all…
The ‘weekend effect’ overshadows a much more complex pattern of weekly changes in quality of care, which are unlikely to be addressed by simply increasing the availability of hospital doctors on Saturdays and Sundays Read my Canary article, “New studies show dubious link between the ‘weekend effect’ and hospital staffing” for more information about these…
New hope for triple negative breast cancer patients
Triple negative breast cancer is difficult to treat because it lacks the receptors that would allow it to respond to many of the drugs used for other forms of breast cancer. However, for the first time, a new drug candidate has been designed using genetic sequencing to specifically trigger tumour cells into killing themselves, leaving healthy cells…
Bringing the brain dead back to life
It sounds like something out of a horror movie but it could be coming sooner than you think, according to scientists that are about to embark on a cutting edge clinical trial. The team has been granted ethical approval to attempt to regenerate the brains from clinically brain dead patients. Read more about this story…
This massive food crisis is due to climate change, armed conflict and political unrest
The Horn of Africa is once again bearing the brunt of the world’s ills, as a new European Commission report demonstrated this week. More than 240 million people are now classed as being in ‘food stress’ and the situation is predicted to only get worse. Read my article on the report here at The Canary.
This plane is proving solar power can take us to new heights!
Solar Impulse 2 just “did a Charles Kingsford Smith” by flying across the Pacific Ocean and landing in the history books. Read about this feat of engineering here at The Canary. Featured image via Twitter / SOLAR IMPULSE
Insects have feelings, too…
Throwing everything we thought we knew about insects into question, new research suggests that they are conscious, egocentric beings. Read about this new hypothesis here at The Canary.
The Science Writer 