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For honeybees to overwinter successfully, several factors must work together. Researchers at the University of Würzburg have now identified a crucial one: The more diverse the diet, the greater the chances of survival. Especially in temperate climates, winter poses a major challenge for honeybee colonies.

A new research project led by scientists at The University of Manchester in collaboration with global energy company Equinor ASA will unlock crucial insights into how microbes in deep underground storage sites could impact the success of carbon capture and storage (CCS). As the UK strives to reach Net Zero emissions by 2050, secure and permanent geological storage of CO2 is essential to avoid the worst-case consequences of climate change.

Young people in the UK who lived in polluted areas during their early years are more likely to report worse general health than their peers at age 17, according to new UCL research. The study, published in  Scientific Reports ,  reveals that teens from ethnic minority backgrounds and deprived neighbourhoods were particularly at risk of being exposed to high levels of air pollution during childhood, with potential long-term impacts on their health.

Certain detergent additives known as aminopolyphosphonates can be transformed into glyphosate and other problematic substances when wastewater is treated. A research team led by Professor Stefan Haderlein of the Geoand Environmental Center at the University of has made this fundamental finding. To achieve this, the team carried out comprehensive experiments in the laboratory which also included conditions found in wastewater.

Shrub fringes on the edges of forests and fields protect animal species and have a positive effect on biodiversity: This was reported by a research team from the University of Würzburg. They are the transition zones between forest and open landscape and serve as habitats and retreats for various animal species.

Western and LHSCRI researchers hope to inform environmental, health policy in high-pollution areas A new study reveals air pollution may contribute to the development of epilepsy, a brain condition that causes seizures. Published in Epilepsia, researchers at London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute (LHSCRI) and Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry found an association between long-term exposure to air pollution with new cases of epilepsy in adults in Ontario.

AMBER Centre researchers based in Trinity have discovered that the way many everyday plastics are manufactured builds unseen stress into the material-stress that later drives the release of tiny plastic particles into our food and the environment. When factories mould plastics into water pipes, bottles, and household products for food preparation, they cool the molten plastic quickly, so it keeps its shape.

In order for trees to grow, they need to control their water balance meticulously. A study by the University of Basel shows how trees react to drought - and revises previous perceptions. Plants have small pores on the underside of their leaves, known as stomata. When the sun rises, these pores open and the plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, which they need, in addition to sunlight and water, for photosynthesis.

Hidden beneath the Antarctic ice lies a system of lakes and watercourses. An research team, including researchers, has for the first time directly observed the subglacial streams of West Antarctica. Their study shows how individual flood events influence the melting of the ice. In the autumn of 2021, an international team of researchers from New Zealand's Antarctic Science Platform set off towards the South Pole.

A new study reveals that nearly 70% of climate adaptation plans in European cities contain significant inconsistencies, severely limiting their effectiveness in addressing rising climate risks. "As Europe warms twice as fast as other continents, this 'adaptation gap' poses growing threats to the 75% of Europeans who live in cities", says UT researcher and lead author Diana Reckien.

In a new study, researchers at the University of Würzburg are investigating the interaction of major global change drivers on insects. The number and diversity of insects is declining worldwide. Some studies suggest that their biomass has almost halved since the 1970s. Among the main reasons for this are habitat loss - for example through agriculture or urbanization - and climate change.

The behavior of Antarctic krill not only reacts to external environmental influences such as light or food. It also uses its internal clock to adapt to the extreme conditions of the polar environment. Individually, Antarctic krill ( Euphausia superba ) do not make much of an impression. With a maximum body length of six centimetres, a weight of just two grams and its transparent skin, it does not look very spectacular.

Researchers estimated about 8,500 tonnes of antibiotics end up in river systems each year after passing through the human body and wastewater systems Millions of kilometres of rivers around the world are carrying antibiotic pollution at levels high enough to promote drug resistance and harm aquatic life, a McGill University-led study warns.

Bacteria have a simple yet potent mechanism that controls their sensitivity to environmental stimuli. A new study by researchers at the University of Basel reveals that the responsiveness of cells is directly linked to their growth rate: the slower cells grow, the more sensitively they respond to their environment.

A glacier in Antarctica is committing "ice piracy" - stealing ice from a neighbour - in a phenomenon that has never been observed in such a short time frame, say scientists. This activity was previously believed to take place over hundreds or even thousands of years. However, high-resolution satellite observations reveal one huge glacier has been relentlessly pinching ice from its slower-moving neighbour over a period of less than 18 years.

Western researchers uncover a ancient polar ecosystem - and surprising birthplace for familiar fish Most people picture the time of dinosaurs as a steamy, tropical world. But during the Late Cretaceous period, northern Alaska was a different kind of wild. Located far above the Arctic Circle, it endured months of winter darkness and freezing temperatures - even as much of the planet remained warm.

Nitrous oxide is known as the gas used in whipped cream cartridges or as an anaesthetic in hospitals. But it's much more than that. This potent greenhouse gas is also released from biological wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), posing a real threat to our climate. PhD candidate Nina Roothans (TU Delft), who recently graduated cum laude, has identified practical strategies to reduce nitrous oxide emissions.

A new JKU catalyst is cheaper, simpler and, above all, does not harm the environment. Researchers at Johannes Kepler University Linz and the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis in Rostock (LIKAT) have developed a new manganese catalyst that makes certain chemical processes ecologically harmless. The research breakthrough has now been published in the journal ACS Catalysis.

Agriculture's impact on insect diversity is more severe than previously thought, according to a new study from the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg. It has long been known that agriculture contributes to the decline in insect biodiversity. The loss of host plants, frequent mowing, and pesticide use all deprive many species of their habitats.

To the point Complex communication: Researchers studying the social networks of monk parakeets in Spain uncovered a link between an animal-s social ties and the calls that it makes. Levels of sociality: They spent two years recording the social lives, as well as all screeches, squawks and whistles, of over 300 parrots-linking what individuals say to very specific levels of sociality.