On August 8, a nuclear accident occurred at a Russian weapons testing site near the village of Nyonoksa, located on the shores of the White Sea. Five people were initially killed and three to six injured in what Russian officials called a failed test of an “isotope power source forread more
The country of Brazil is experiencing a record number of wildfires, up 83 percent over than last year, centered in the Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest and a crucial natural carbon sink in the fight against global warming. The fires are being attributed to rampant land clearing for agricultural andread more
Efforts to supply arid regions with water have been undertaken ever since humanity began spreading into the world’s deserts, with ingenious methods being invented throughout history to hydrate populations and their agriculture in deserts and mountains. This problem is becoming more acute as the Earth’s climate shifts: while there are regions that are experiencing increased flooding, there are corresponding locations that suffer more frequent droughts, meaning we need to find new ways of providing the people there with a ready source of water. One engineering team with Ohio State University are now studying new water collection methods, inspired by desert plants and animals, to develop a new generation of simple devices that can literally pull water out of thin air.
The US Food and Drug Administration has granted a group of researchers approval to proceed with the use of the controversial drug psilocybin, a psychedelic compound naturally produced in about 200 species of mushrooms, to treat patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression. This comes as welcome news for researchers that study psychedelic drugs, as current drug laws inhibit the study into the potential medical effects that the forbidden fungus may have to offer.