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Squall line tornadoes are a type of tornado that are sneaky, dangerous, and difficult to forecast. They form along long rows of storms called squall lines and are generally less intense than supercell tornadoes but still pose a significant risk. Squall line tornadoes are more common in the southeastern United States and often occur in cool months and during the dark hours of the night. Recent research has shown that these tornadoes may be more common and more dangerous than previously thought. Scientists are studying the atmospheric ingredients and wind patterns that contribute to the formation of squall line tornadoes in order to improve forecasting and reduce the risk they pose. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses a new approach to managing wildfires that combines local knowledge and artificial intelligence. The strategy involves allowing certain wildfires to burn under controlled conditions to reduce the risk of larger, more destructive fires. The approach is guided by potential operational delineations (PODs), which divide the landscape into zones where fires can be contained. While this approach shows promise, challenges remain in keeping the PODs updated and ensuring the protection of the interests of Indigenous people who have traditionally managed the land. The article also highlights the benefits of using PODs to prioritize prescribed burns and manage fire risk. [Extracted from the article]

This article profiles 10 early- and mid-career scientists who are working on a range of important issues, including climate change, Alzheimer's disease, and social equity. The scientists come from diverse fields such as paleoanthropology, nanotechnology, atmospheric chemistry, chemical engineering, and evolutionary virology. The article emphasizes the importance of collaboration, diverse perspectives, and mentoring the next generation of scientists. It features profiles of five scientists and their research, including studies on cooperation between plants and arthropods, the composition of molecules in space, measuring the early universe, the social and ethical implications of genomics research, and improving photosynthesis for agricultural productivity. [Extracted from the article]

The year 2023 experienced extreme and unprecedented heat, breaking numerous climate records. Global temperatures reached new highs, with deviations from the norm being astonishingly large. These temperature anomalies were attributed to human-caused climate change. The year also saw sweltering global temperatures, heat waves, catastrophic wildfires, and record-high ocean temperatures. The effects of the heat were detrimental to human health, with increased heat-related deaths and sleep disturbances. Additionally, wildfires burned across various regions, and Antarctic sea ice reached record-low levels. The events of 2023 highlight the urgent need to address climate change and its impacts. [Extracted from the article]

Beyond the Amazon's irreplaceable biodiversity, beyond its colossal carbon stores, there are wind and ocean currents that connect the forest to regions across the globe (SN: 3/11/23, p. 9). Tree species inhabiting the more drought-prone central eastern Amazon tend to grow slower but be more resistant to embolism and vascular collapse than species in the forest's west. Over the last 50 years, the average annual temperature across the forest has climbed at least 0.6 degrees C. And exceptionally severe droughts have struck the forest three times in the last two decades. [Extracted from the article]

Toxic "forever chemicals" known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are being released into the air from landfills in Florida, according to a study published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters. The amount of PFAS detected in the gas emitted by the landfills is comparable to or even greater than the amount found in the liquid runoff from the waste. PFAS have been linked to various health issues, including cancer and developmental problems in children. The study highlights the need for more efficient systems to collect and treat landfill gas to prevent the release of PFAS into the environment. [Extracted from the article]

Europa, a moon of Jupiter, is believed to have a subsurface ocean and is considered one of the most promising places to search for life in our solar system. However, the geologic activity of Europa's seafloor is still unknown. Some scientists believe that the seafloor is geologically inert and therefore unable to sustain life, while others suggest that there may be mysterious mechanisms at work. The upcoming Europa Clipper mission aims to gather more information about the moon's ocean and potentially determine if it contains the necessary ingredients for life. Additionally, there is speculation that Europa may have had more habitable conditions in the past, which could have implications for the search for life elsewhere in the universe. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study published in Nature has shed light on the factors that contribute to rivers abruptly changing course, leading to devastating floods that can impact communities without warning. Researchers found that a combination of superelevation and slope advantage play a crucial role in priming rivers for avulsions. By developing an algorithm that predicts the new path of an avulsed river, scientists hope to improve flood hazard models and help communities prepare for potential disasters. This research could have global implications for identifying areas at risk of river rerouting and developing avulsion hazard maps to mitigate future flood events. [Extracted from the article]

Two independent studies suggest that Betelgeuse, the red supergiant in Orion, may have an unseen companion star. If confirmed, the companion star's orbit is shrinking, and Betelgeuse will eventually swallow it in about 10,000 years. Additionally, physicist Nathan Moore and colleagues propose using X-rays from nuclear blasts to deflect asteroids, with lab experiments and simulations showing promising results. However, the unintended leakage of electromagnetic radiation from SpaceX's Starlink satellites poses a threat to radio astronomy, as the latest generation of satellites emits radiation that is more than 30 times brighter than previous versions, potentially masking observations of dimmer astronomical objects. [Extracted from the article]

According to a recent study published in Nature Communications, the Florida Current, a key ocean current that is part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), has been relatively stable in recent decades. This contradicts previous beliefs that the current was weakening, which had led to concerns about the potential collapse of the AMOC due to climate change. However, the study's data only spans a few decades, so it is still uncertain whether the AMOC has slowed since preindustrial times. The revised dataset does not alter our understanding of the AMOC's long-term evolution. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the work of biogeochemist Jacqueline Gerson, who studies how toxic contaminants, particularly mercury, flow through the environment. Gerson focuses on the impact of small-scale and artisanal gold mining in Peru's Madre de Dios region, where deforestation and the release of mercury into the air are significant consequences of these mining activities. Gerson's research aims to understand the fate of these contaminants in order to better manage and reduce the risks they pose to people. Her work has found that mercury levels are highest in areas closest to the mining, but the dense forest canopy in pristine areas like the Los Amigos Biological Concession can also accumulate and wash mercury to the ground. Gerson is also committed to making STEM fields more inclusive and has coauthored an article on demystifying the graduate school application process. [Extracted from the article]

Researchers have discovered that underground networks of quartz veins can generate enough voltage during earthquakes to attract and concentrate gold from passing fluids. These veins, made mostly of quartz, are created by earthquakes that open underground fractures. Subsequent quakes then reopen existing veins, causing the gold deposit to grow over time. The key to gold concentration in quartz is the material's piezoelectricity, which allows it to develop an electric charge when strained. By mimicking small quakes, scientists were able to generate voltages that caused gold grains to aggregate on quartz slabs. [Extracted from the article]

A new artificial intelligence model has been developed that can predict rogue waves up to five minutes in advance. Rogue waves are unexpected and dangerous swells that can cause harm to ships and beachgoers. The AI program was trained using data collected from ocean buoys and was able to accurately predict the arrival of rogue waves at various locations, even without prior training data. This tool could potentially save lives by providing early warnings of these dangerous waves. [Extracted from the article]

While Cornella might not like absolutes, Phil Baran, who advised Cornella during his postdoctoral work at Scripps Research in San Diego, sees Cornella as fitting into one of two distinct categories: "There are chemists who do chemistry in order to eat, like it's a job. Roger Creel, a Ph.D. student in Austermann's group and the first to join her lab, treasures Austermann's mentorship. Through experiments manipulating the metabolism of neural crest cells, Simões-Costa's team found that the Warburg effect is necessary for the cells to move around during early development. [Extracted from the article]

Toxic fire wall In 2015, Malkin, Meysman and colleagues reported that cable bacteria may help to counteract the onset of euxinia - a fatal buildup of sulfides in oxygen-starved bodies of water. Knowing that cable bacteria could occupy sediments contaminated with hydrocarbons, Marzocchi and colleagues reasoned that these bacteria might be able to assist oil-burning microbes and accelerate oil cleanup. Laboratory experiments show that cable bacteria can support other microbes that consume crude oil, so researchers are investigating how to encourage the bacteria's growth to help clean up oil spills. Cable bacteria can help by harvesting electrons from the sulfides, converting them into sulfates, which the oil-eating microbes use as fuel. [Extracted from the article]

New data reveals that the most destructive Cascadian earthquakes are likely to occur offshore of Washington state and Vancouver Island. The Cascadia megathrust fault, which can generate magnitude 9 earthquakes, is not a single continuous fracture but is composed of at least four segments. The most dangerous segment stretches from off the coast of southern Vancouver Island through Washington state. While the segment near Vancouver Island may host the largest quakes, segments farther south along Oregon's coast may experience slightly smaller yet more frequent temblors. Understanding the fault's geometry is crucial for earthquake forecasting and assessing the risk to major cities in the Pacific Northwest. [Extracted from the article]

The average temperature of the ocean's surface has been the highest ever recorded for over a year, with the heat being stored in the top two kilometers of the ocean increasing for decades. This increase in heat has various impacts, including the potential for an extremely active hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean, coral bleaching on a global scale, and record-low levels of Antarctic sea ice. While the departure of El Niño and the arrival of La Niña may help bring down sea surface temperatures, it does not guarantee a halt to the breaking of temperature records. [Extracted from the article]

A new online tool called HeatRisk has been developed to help people assess the risk of heat-related health issues in their area. By entering their zip code, users can see the current heat risk and air quality levels, as well as a seven-day heat risk forecast. The tool uses a color gradient to map the risk, ranging from pale green for little to no risk to deep magenta for extreme risk. The forecasts are based on data from the National Weather Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, taking into account factors such as unusual temperatures for the time of year, heat duration, and the availability of cool nights. [Extracted from the article]

Tiny rare earth magnets can do the same job as larger magnets made without rare earths. Tesla's use of neodymium alloy magnets in its farthest-ranging Model 3 vehicles has sparked supply chain worries; China provides the vast majority of the world's neodymium (see Page 14). Special Report In Frank Herbert's space opera Dune, a precious natural substance called spice melange grants people the ability to navigate vast expanses of the cosmos to build an intergalactic civilization. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the construction of the Giant Magellan Telescope, which will be Earth's most powerful optical instrument. The telescope will consist of seven primary mirrors, each 8.5 meters wide, arranged in a flower-like formation. It will be located in Chile's Atacama Desert and will capture optical and near-infrared light, potentially allowing for the discovery of habitable planets and signs of alien life. The mirrors are made by melting borosilicate glass and shaping it into a honeycomb structure, which is then polished and coated with aluminum. [Extracted from the article]

The article presents information on the impact of drought, floods and the climate change on rice production. Topics discussed include the struggles of rice farmers due to low water levels in reservoirs and rivers in California, concerns of rice producers in Asia and Africa on the effect of climate change on rice production, the use of water-savign irrigation and rice gene banks to boost rice production, and the vulnerability of rice plants to heat stress.

Computer simulations suggest that the dark dunes on Titan, Saturn's largest moon, may have originated from cometary material. Planetary scientist William Bottke and his colleagues propose that objects from the Kuiper Belt, a region beyond Neptune's orbit that is a source of comets, could have formed Titan's vast dune fields. This scenario could also explain the presence of similar material on other worlds. The prevailing hypothesis that Titan's sand consists of organic particles produced by solar irradiation of the moon's atmosphere faces challenges, and the new scenario offers a potential explanation for the formation of the dunes. The upcoming Dragonfly mission to Titan in 2028 may provide further insights into the origin of the dunes. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study published in Science News suggests that the soothing effect of tea can be enhanced by modifying the microbial community in the roots of tea plants. Researchers found that inoculating the roots with bacteria that increase the synthesis of the amino acid theanine can enrich the qualities of tea. Theanine is believed to be the ingredient in tea that helps us relax and gives it an umami taste. By adding a microbial medley called SynCom to tea plants, the researchers were able to boost the theanine levels in the plants. Further research is being conducted to refine SynCom for easier production. [Extracted from the article]

According to the latest U.S. National Seismic Hazard Model, approximately 230 million people in the United States are at risk of experiencing a damaging earthquake, which is about 40 million more people than previously estimated. The model takes into account data on 130,000 earthquakes, as well as new active faults and ground motion models. The updated model shows the probability of a damaging earthquake in different parts of the country over a 100-year period. The hazard is increased in cities with deep soil, such as Seattle, Los Angeles, and Portland, and decreased away from subduction zones. [Extracted from the article]

The world's oldest fossilized skin, dating back nearly 290 million years, has been discovered in Oklahoma. The fossil belonged to a species of amniote, a group of four-legged vertebrates that includes reptiles, birds, and mammals. The skin was found in an ancient limestone cave system known as Richards Spur, where unique cave conditions contributed to its exceptional preservation. The fossilized skin provides insights into how early animals adapted to life on land, with the development of a thickened outer skin layer that protected them from the elements and helped retain water. [Extracted from the article]

Enceladus, a moon of Saturn, has been found to contain compounds that could support or help the emergence of alien life. Biophysicist Jonah Peter reported that a plume of water vapor erupting from vents in Enceladus' icy shell contains hydrogen cyanide, which is a key building block for proteins, RNA, and DNA. This discovery, along with previous findings of phosphorus in the plume, establishes Enceladus as the first alien ocean world known to possess all life-essential elements. The presence of other compounds in the plume, such as acetylene and ethane, further suggests that Enceladus could be a favorable environment for potential life. [Extracted from the article]

A recent seismic survey of Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier has revealed the presence of rough high-rises of earth beneath the glacier. These rises, comparable in height to the Manhattan skyline, may be slowing the glacier's flow towards the ocean and mitigating future sea level rise. The seismic waves also showed that these rises are likely related to a rift system, which acts as speed bumps on the glacier. These findings will help improve simulations of the glacier's evolution and aid in understanding rates of sea level rise. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the journey and unfortunate end of NASA's Super Pressure Balloon Imaging Telescope (SuperBIT), which was on a mission to study dark matter. The telescope was carried by a pumpkin-shaped balloon filled with helium and traveled around the Southern Hemisphere for 40 days. However, the mission encountered difficulties, including satellite communication failure and unfavorable weather conditions. The telescope ultimately crash-landed in Argentina, but two capsules containing valuable data were recovered. The article emphasizes the importance of contingency plans and suggests that the drop capsule system used in this mission could be implemented in future missions. [Extracted from the article]

Grassland and shrubland fires pose a greater risk to homes in the United States than forest fires, according to a study published in Science. Researchers found that 64 percent of homes destroyed in wildfires from 1990 to 2020 were razed by grassland and shrubland fires. Although forest fires were twice as likely to burn down buildings they encountered, grassland and shrubland fires destroyed more homes overall due to their larger area of destruction. The study also revealed that the number of homes in areas vulnerable to wildfires has increased, emphasizing the need for individuals to assess their wildfire risk and take necessary precautions. [Extracted from the article]

News PLANETARY SCIENCE On Jupiter, lightning jerks and jolts a lot like it does on Earth. Radio wave emissions from Jovian lightning appeared to pulse at a rate comparable to that of Earth's intracloud lightning - arcs of electricity that never strike ground. [Extracted from the article]

"Air conditioning" helps fish stay cool In rivers, Atlantic salmon and other species sometimes escape the heat by flocking to cooler areas near groundwater springs and tributaries. The plume attracted several hundred fish of various species, including Atlantic salmon and brown trout. [Extracted from the article]

News EARTH The world's largest deposit of natural diamonds - and of more than 90 percent of all pink diamonds found so far - may have formed due to the breakup of Earth's first supercontinent, researchers report September 19 in Nature Communications. The diamond-bearing rocks of the Argyle mine in Western Australia probably formed about 1.3 billion years ago, along a rift zone that sundered the supercontinent Nuna, analyses of ancient mineral grains shows. [Extracted from the article]

The pheasant-sized dinosaur's lower leg bones are twice as long as its thigh bones. Early birdlike dinosaurs are thought to have lived lofty lives up in the trees. [Extracted from the article]

News ANIMALS Like something out of science fiction, small colonies of mature corals have been safely frozen and revived for the first time, though more work will be needed to ensure their long-term survival, scientists report August 23 in Nature Communications. But larvae are accessible only when corals spawn, so just a few nights each year, says marine scientist Liza Roger of Arizona State University in Tempe. [Extracted from the article]

Individual leaf temperatures varied in single forest tracts, with some leaves reaching temperatures that far exceeded the tract average. Scientists first reported in 1864 that the leaves of some plants could survive temperatures of up to 50° Celsius, only to perish beyond that threshold. While that is possible, just how long it takes various temperatures to kill the leaves of different species is unclear, Still says. [Extracted from the article]

Black holes stir up ripples in spacetime as they merge. The work gives insight into to the energy that black hole mergers release. Colliding black holes can launch newly melded cosmic sinkholes at speeds up to nearly 10 percent of the speed of light, or about 28,500 kilometers per second, scientists at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York report in the Aug. 18 Physical Review Letters. [Extracted from the article]

News CLIMATE Global temperatures are shattering records as El Niño and climate change compound. Before 1980, El Niño phases (red) were usually linked with temperatures higher than the 20th century average, while La Niña phases (blue) were usually linked with below-average temperatures. Global temperature anomalies during El Niño and La Niña, 1950-May 2023 GRAPH: Warming up The average global temperature typically fluctuates with the phases of a natural climate cycle called ENSO. [Extracted from the article]

Such efforts have helped North and Central America keep screwworms in check for decades, Nikk Ogasa reported in an update to the 1973 Science News article "Fly factory planned" (SN: 6/3/23, p. 4). As the captain of a cargo plane, Schneeberger delivered sterile screwworm fly larvae to Puerto Rico. In the 1970s, a "fly factory" that produced sterile screwworm flies was built to eradicate screwworms, a major livestock pest. [Extracted from the article]

In addition to climate change, logging and wildfires threaten the forest (a stretch in Alberta, Canada, burned by wildfires in May is shown at left). CLIMATE One of nature's woody behemoths - the North American snow forest, spanning much of subarctic Alaska and Canada - may soon shrink. Scientists have suggested that this boreal forest might shift northward as the climate warms, helping maintain its expansive breadth. [Extracted from the article]

Environmental planner and geologist K ristina Hill found motivation for the study while investigating groundwater conditions at a former Superfund site in the San Francisco Bay Area. Not every polluted site in the United States is a Superfund site, but that doesn't make them less hazardous, Hill says. [Extracted from the article]

Stains on Saturn's rings, shown in this picture from NASA's Cassini spacecraft, suggest the halos are no older than 400 million years. Out of millions of dust particles floating among the rings, Kempf and colleagues identified about 160 micrometeoroids that could have hailed from beyond the Saturn system. [Extracted from the article]

News In the unceasing battle against dust, humans possess a deep arsenal of weaponry, from microfiber cloths and feather dusters to vacuum cleaners. Though innocuous, these rough soil skins prevent about 700 teragrams (about 30,000 times the mass of the Statue of Liberty) of dust from wafting into the air each year, reducing global dust emissions by roughly 60 percent, researchers report May 16 in Nature Geoscience. The wind velocities needed to erode dust from soils completely shielded by biocrusts are on average about five times as high as the wind velocities needed to erode bare soils. [Extracted from the article]

News As the Arctic's icebound ground warms, it may unleash toxic substances. But there are probably additional contaminated areas that we don't know about, says permafrost researcher Moritz Langer of the Alfred Wegener Institute in Potsdam, Germany. To identify where the warming could spread industrial pollutants, Langer and colleagues first analyzed the range of Arctic permafrost and whereabouts of industrial infrastructure. [Extracted from the article]

New computer simulations suggest that purported remains of Theia now deep inside Earth could have triggered the onset of global subduction, geodynamicist Qian Yuan of Caltech reported March 13 at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. News Vestiges of a moon-forming cataclysm could have kick-started plate tectonics on Earth. [Extracted from the article]

Rice plants grew in the synthetic Mars dirt but developed shorter, thinner shoots and wispier roots than the plants that sprouted from the potting mix or hybrid soils. Ramachandran and colleagues grew rice plants in a Martian soil simulant made of Mojave Desert basalt. Dirt on Mars may have all the necessary nutrients for growing rice, planetary scientist Abhilash Ramachandran reported March 13 at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. [Extracted from the article]

And if Earth's layers were perfectly spherical and symmetrical, the inner core would not experience a gravitational force as it rotates, says geophysicist Yi Yang of Peking University in Beijing. FEEDBACK FEBRUARY 25, 2023 The rotation of Earth's solid inner core may have recently paused relative to the mantle and crust and now appears to be reversing direction, Nikk Ogasa reported in "Earth's inner core may "reverse" its spin" (SN: 2/25/23, p. 7). The mantle is elliptical and its density varies, so the gravitational forces acting on the inner core at different points are not exactly the same, Yang says. [Extracted from the article]

The fossils may be evidence that the roots of today's marine ecosystems took hold shortly after the Great Dying, Dai says. PALEONTOLOGY Following the most severe known mass extinction in Earth's history, vibrant marine ecosystems may have recovered within just a million years, researchers report in the Feb. 10 Science. Later, other fossil finds, such as the Paris biota in the western United States and the Chaohu biota in China, led scientists to suggest that marine ecosystems re-established themselves within just 3 million years. [Extracted from the article]