Science & Technology
From lab to slab: Rubber concrete flexes into the residential market
A novel approach to rubber recycling could see end-of-life tyres repurposed into concrete for residential constructions as new research shows that it can provide an economically viable and sustainable alternative to conventional concrete.
Researchers discover source of super-fast electron ‘rain’
Scientists have discovered a new source of super-fast, energetic electrons raining down on Earth’s atmosphere, a phenomenon that contributes to the colorful aurora borealis and poses hazards to satellites, spacecraft and astronauts.
European earthworms reduce insect populations in North American forests
Earthworms introduced into northern North America have a negative impact on the insect fauna above ground. Soil ecologists found this impact for abundance as well as for biomass and species richness of insects. Their results indicate that changes in in…
Immune cells produce chemical messenger that prevents heart disease–related inflammation
In the bone marrow, B cells produce a chemical messenger called acetylcholine that prevents inflammation in the heart and blood vessels by blocking white blood cell production. Tapping into this process may help scientists target inflammation in cardio…
Drought alters Mammoth Mountain’s carbon dioxide emissions
A study suggests the weight of snow and ice atop the Sierra Nevada affects a California volcano’s carbon dioxide emissions, one of the main signs of volcanic unrest.