In 2020, Ohio removed a dam from the once-polluted Cuyahoga River; it reopened 39 km of habitat, and scientists later detected 15 additional fish taxa

In 2020, Ohio removed a dam from the once-polluted Cuyahoga River; it reopened 39 km of habitat, and scientists later detected 15 additional fish taxa

An 18-metre concrete dam on Ohio’s Cuyahoga River once stopped migrating fish from reaching important spawning areas for more than a century. Today, aquatic life is quickly returning to the river. Researchers from the US Geological Survey, working with state biological agencies, have released new long-term monitoring data showing a major ecological recovery. After the … Read more

Researchers analysing hardened plaque from eight people buried in Edo-era Osaka detected 38 dietary proteins, including luxury red sea bream and cold-water fish imported through Japan’s shipping networks

Researchers analysing hardened plaque from eight people buried in Edo-era Osaka detected 38 dietary proteins, including luxury red sea bream and cold-water fish imported through Japan’s shipping networks

Nearly 400 years ago, people living in Osaka had no refrigerators, supermarkets or modern food supply chains. Yet an unusual scientific discovery suggests that their diets were far more varied than expected. Researchers analysing hardened dental plaque from eight people buried at the Umeda cemetery in Osaka identified 38 dietary proteins from 17 types of … Read more

Zebra mussel DNA detected in Utah’s Colorado River for first time, raising alarm over invasive species threat across the Upper Colorado River basin

Zebra mussel DNA detected in Utah’s Colorado River for first time, raising alarm over invasive species threat across the Upper Colorado River basin

An invasive species threat has reached a new stretch of the Colorado River, after scientists detected zebra mussel DNA in Utah’s portion of the river for the first time. The discovery has raised concerns among wildlife officials because zebra mussels can spread rapidly once established, potentially damaging infrastructure, disrupting recreation and altering freshwater ecosystems. The … Read more

In 1967, US satellites hunting secret nuclear tests detected a flash from deep space; the accidental signal became the first observed gamma-ray burst

In 1967, US satellites hunting secret nuclear tests detected a flash from deep space; the accidental signal became the first observed gamma-ray burst

Artist’s concept of a close-up naked-eye view of a GRB. Credit: NASA For more than half a century, gamma-ray bursts have remained one of the most puzzling events observed in space. These bursts are sudden flashes of gamma rays, a very high-energy form of light. They can appear from almost any direction in the sky … Read more