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Phys.org / Chinese team finds a fern that makes rare earth elements
Scientists have discovered a fern from South China that naturally forms tiny crystals containing rare earth elements (REEs). This breakthrough opens the door to a promising new way of "green mining" of these minerals called ...
Phys.org / Fight over fossil fuels drawdown looms at UN climate summit
Two years after nations agreed to transition away from fossil fuels, dozens are pushing to go even further at the COP30 climate summit, setting up a showdown with oil powers.
Medical Xpress / Exercise-induced vesicles boost neuron growth when transplanted into sedentary mice
Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign report that extracellular vesicles released into the bloodstream during aerobic exercise can, on their own, drive a robust increase in adult hippocampal neurogenesis ...
Phys.org / Offsetting blue carbon benefits: Mangrove tree stems identified as previously underestimated methane source
Mangrove ecosystems rank among the most efficient "blue carbon" systems on Earth, capable of absorbing and storing vast quantities of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). However, mangroves also release methane (CH4), a potent ...
Phys.org / Mathematical model indicates Neanderthal disappearance can be explained by genetic dilution
Currently, there are several hypotheses surrounding the disappearance of Neanderthals. While they all have at least some scientific support, researchers can't agree on which—or which combination—is most likely. In a new ...
Phys.org / How climate change increased the risk of earthquakes in East Africa
Climate change is accelerating continental rifting, the geological process where landmasses slowly pull apart. According to a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports, the East African Rift System (EARS) became ...
Phys.org / How soil could help us reach climate targets
The UN climate summit, COP30, is currently taking place in Belém, Brazil, a region with some of the most carbon-dense soils on Earth: the Amazonian dark earths. These deep, dark and exceptionally fertile soils are thought ...
Phys.org / Green finance was supposed to contribute solutions to climate change—so far, it's fallen well short
A decade ago, a seminal speech by Mark Carney, then governor of the Bank of England and current Canadian prime minister, set out how climate change presented an economic risk that threatened the very stability of the financial ...
Phys.org / Drift logs destroy intertidal ecosystems, study shows
Logs are a familiar sight on the beaches along the coast of Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii and are often viewed positively, as they can stabilize the banks, be used for firewood or act as benches by beach-goers. However, ...
Medical Xpress / Gut bacterium could be key to tackling obesity crisis
The internet, libraries and bookshops are full of plans and advice on how to lose weight, from fad diets to intense exercise routines. But there could be another route to keeping the pounds away, and that's with a gut bacterium ...
Phys.org / AI math genius delivers 100% accurate results
At the 2024 International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), one competitor did so well that it would have been awarded the Silver Prize, except for one thing: it was an AI system. This was the first time AI had achieved a medal-level ...
Phys.org / 'Impossible' merger of two massive black holes explained
In 2023, astronomers detected a huge collision. Two unprecedentedly massive black holes had crashed an estimated 7 billion light-years away. The enormous masses and extreme spins of the black holes puzzled astronomers. Black ...