Urgent action required to protect world’s coral reefs from disappearing within three decades, warn experts
An international team of environmental scientists have published a series of significant recommendations to protect, conserve and study the world’s coral reefs — the ‘canaries in the coal mine’ of climate change. The Vibrant Oceans Initiative presented their white paper on the future of the delicate and crucial habitats at the Our Oceans Conference held […]
Deforestation drives climate change that harms remaining forest
In a paper published today in Nature Communications, a team led by scientists from the University of California, Irvine, using climate models and satellite data, reveal for the first time how protecting tropical forests can yield climate benefits that enhance carbon storage in nearby areas. Many climate scientists use computer simulations to mimic the planet’s […]
New study reveals that healthy plant-based diets are associated with a lower risk of developing diabetes
New research published in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes [EASD]) finds that the consumption of healthy plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, coffee, and legumes, is associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) in generally healthy people and support their role in diabetes prevention. […]
Scientists make leap forward for genetic sequencing: Research to lead to improved personalized medicine and understanding of evolution
In a paper published today in Sciences Advances, researchers in the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of California, Irvinerevealed new details about a key enzyme that makes DNA sequencing possible. The finding is a leap forward into the era of personalized medicine when doctors will be able […]
A new rapid assessment to promote climate-informed conservation and nature-based solutions
A new article, published as a Perspective in the journal Conservation Science and Practice, introduces a rapid assessment framework that can be used as a guide to make conservation and nature-based solutions more robust to future climate. Climate change poses risks to conservation efforts, if practitioners assume a future climate similar to the past or […]
Picture warnings on sodas? A promising tool to fight childhood obesity: Study conducted in ‘mini mart’ laboratory setting shows parents less likely to choose sugary drinks with health warnings
A study published in the journal PLOS Medicine is the first to examine in a realistic setting whether pictorial health warnings on sugary drinks — like juice and soda — influence which beverages parents buy for their children. The findings are promising: The warnings reduced parental purchases of sugary drinks for their kids by 17%. […]
Nasal problem plagued long-nosed crocodile relatives
Research published in the journal Anatomical Record finds that humans have more in common with endangered crocodiles than we think — namely, a deviated septum. Gharials are some of the rarest crocodylians on Earth and members of a group of animals that once roamed the planet with the dinosaurs. Native to India, gharials resemble American […]
Wraparound care coordination associated with many positive outcomes amongst youth with serious and complex behavioral health needs
A study in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP), published by Elsevier, finds that Wraparound Care Coordination (Wraparound), which has been adopted in states and jurisdictions across the country to help meet the needs of children and adolescents with serious emotional and behavioral disorders, produces more positive outcomes for […]
Research reveals new evidence that sugary beverage tax impacts are sustainable, effective: Tax in Seattle shows long-term reduction in demand and added sugars sold
Two new studies published by researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago provide evidence that public policies to reduce consumption of added sugars through taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages are effective and sustainable. Sugar-sweetened beverages like soda, juice, and energy and sports drinks, are the largest contributor of added sugars in American diets. Overconsumption of added […]
Smoggier skies, lower scores? A Brazilian study examines the effects of air pollution on students’ cognitive performance
A new study published in the Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists looks at the causal relationship between outdoor air pollution levels on nationwide university entry examination day and students’ cognitive performance in Brazil. In “The Effects of Air Pollution on Students’ Cognitive Performance: Evidence from Brazilian University Entrance Tests,” authors Juliana […]