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Known for its diminutive size and unique characteristics, this intriguing amphibian has recently gained another member in its genus – a newly discovered species known as Brachycephalus dacnis. The toad was named in honor of Project Dacnis, an NGO dedicated to conservation, research, and education. Project Dacnis significantly contributes to the preservation of private regions within the Atlantic Rainforest, including the area where B. dacnis was spotted. This particular area lies [...]

Climate extremes predicted for the Amazon region, such as excessive rain and prolonged drought, could significantly impact the emission and uptake of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Methane emissions from Amazon floodplains For half the year, steady rainfall and rising river levels result in over 800,000 square kilometers of Amazon rainforest’s floodplains being submerged. These swaths of land comprise 20 percent of the total rainforest area. The submerged organic matter, broken [...]

These remnants of our plastic usage, tiny bits smaller than a grain of sand, have made their way into every nook and cranny of our ecosystem, and of our bodies. This was the critical point of a recent study published in Science of the Total Environment, led by a team from Rutgers Health. What are micro- and nanoplastics? These invisible bad guys that we’re talking about are known as micro- and nanoplastic particles (MNPs). Microplastics are fragments smaller than 5 millimeters, [...]

The catastrophic event that wiped out the dinosaurs some 66 million years ago wasn’t all doom and gloom – it also set the stage for a remarkable mutualistic relationship between certain ants and fungi.  The meteor impact that led to mass extinctions created an environment ripe for fungi that thrive on organic matter, which was in abundance as plants and animals perished.  This opened the door for the ancestor of modern leafcutter ants to begin cultivating [...]

What if our Earth, about 800 million years ago, was home to an abundance of diverse lineages of life — far more than the conventional evolution theories suggested? This is the conclusion of a group of dedicated Brazilian researchers who meticulously reconstructed the tree of life from amoebozoans, the ancestors of algae, fungi, plants, and animals. Diverse life forms and evolution Sometimes, you uncover a tale so unexpected, so contrary to what you’ve always believed that [...]

Bacteria that reside in soil and help plant roots fix nitrogen can significantly boost the reproductive capacity of certain plants by making the flowers more attractive, according to new research. The study focuses on Chamaecrista latistipula, a legume in the Fabaceae family, which includes beans and peas. Soil bacteria and plant flowers Soil bacteria enhance the attractiveness of the plant’s flowers to pollinators through a type of mutualistic relationship. [...]

“The presence of microplastics in the human olfactory bulb suggests the olfactory pathway as a potential entry route for microplastics into the brain, highlighting the need for further research on their neurotoxic effects and implications for human health,” noted the researchers. Microplastics in the human body Our lives are more intertwined with plastic than we realize. From our morning cup of coffee to the clothes we wear, plastic has stealthily slipped into almost every aspect [...]

These alarming findings are detailed in the first edition of the State of Wildfires report, which examines extreme wildfires of the 2023-2024 fire season (March 2023 – February 2024), while also exploring their causes. Fires under different climate scenarios For the investigation, the scientists examined whether such events could have been predicted and assessed how risk of similar occurrences might change under different climate change scenarios in future. The report, which will [...]

In São Paulo, Brazil, scientists have discovered that these remarkable trees not only survive but thrive in challenging environments, continuing to provide invaluable contributions to the ecosystem.   Drought in São Paulo’s green spaces In a study focusing on the 2013-14 drought, scientists observed how this extreme weather event affected urban trees. The researchers studied seasonal changes, noting that usually, a rainy summer should encourage vigorous tree [...]