Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) investigating the pathways of the proposed wastewater discharge from the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (PNPS) find it has a high probability of remaining in Cape Cod Bay for at least one month after release. Their findings are based on a model of the circulation patterns around Cape Cod Bay and provide insight into the seasonal differences in conditions in and around the Bay. 

Physicist Christian Schneider from the University of Oldenburg, Germany, has been awarded a Consolidator Grant by the European Research Council (ERC). His project focuses on so-called two-dimensional materials and their optical properties. In the "Dual Twist" project, Schneider and his team will investigate double layers of these extremely thin crystals, which offer far more possibilities than single-layer crystals. The researchers also want to build a quantum simulator made of light to better predict the properties of the materials.

Extreme weather and pollution have increased the salt content in some soil, making growing conditions harsh for salt-sensitive crops like rice. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Nano detail a possible solution that doesn’t require genetic modification to make rice plants thrive in these conditions. In lab experiments, they determined that coating rice seedlings with magnesium-doped carbon dots — derived from durian peels — increased the seedlings’ antioxidant activity and photosynthesis, reducing the stress caused by salty soil.  

An international team of scientists -- including faculty at Binghamton University, State University of New York -- is undergoing an ambitious mission to obtain critical geological records from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. The vast ice sheet holds enough ice to raise sea levels by 13 to 16.4 feet if it melts completely. Research has found a collapse might be inevitable for some parts of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

The Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons (HWE) reaction is commonly used in organic chemistry to synthesize conjugated aldehydes. However, traditional HWE reaction methods sometimes have inconsistent (E)- and (Z)-selectivity, and (E)-isomers of conjugated carbonyl compounds are important for the synthesis of hynapene analogues, which have anti-cancer properties. Researchers have developed a new HWE reaction using a Weinreb amide–type HWE reagent, featuring high robustness, scalability, and (E)-selectivity. Additionally, its key intermediate can be isolated and is exceptionally stable.

In the past, chemicals like asbestos and lead have caused widespread harm before their dangers were fully understood. Today, many unknown chemicals similarly pose potential risks. Recently, Chiba University researchers developed a new analysis method for detecting such chemicals in the human body. By studying blood samples from pregnant women, they identified 106 compounds, including potentially harmful substances like phthalates and parabens. This innovative approach could inform new regulations to better protect public health.

A research team led by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona has made exceptional discoveries on prehistoric archery from the early Neolithic period, 7,000 years ago. The well organic preservation of the remains of the Cave of Los Murciélagos in Albuñol, Granada, made it possible for scientists to identify the oldest bowstrings in Europe, which were made from the tendons of three animal species. The use of olive and reed wood and birch bark pitch in the making of arrows reveals an unprecedented degree of precision and technical mastery, as highlighted in the study, published in Scientific Reports. The discoveries redefine the limits of our knowledge about the earliest agricultural societies in Europe and provide a unique view on ancestral archery materials and practices.