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There's no right or wrong way to say 'Appalachia'

People pronounce the word "Appalachia" differently, and much of that contrast depends on where they live. But no matter how you say it, a Virginia Tech project shows that no one way trumps all. The differences are rooted in historical and community influences.

Microplastic tire pollution found in Brisbane balcony dust

Tire particles and potentially toxic tire chemical additives have been found in dust collected from Brisbane residential balconies. University of Queensland researchers examined the balcony dust from homes across inner-city, suburban and near-road settings to see how

The Organisms That Make Earth’s Harshest Places Home

Extremophiles that thrive in the most unforgiving environments aren’t just biological curiosities. Understanding their resilience has many implications for us. The post The Organisms That Make Earth’s Harshest Places Home first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Prescribed burns may be lethal for lizards

Scientists are calling for wildlife surveys to be conducted within hours of prescribed burns after new research revealed that evidence of animal deaths can disappear in less than two weeks, significantly underestimating the true toll of fire on Australia's wildlife.

Q&A: How do federal taxes impact local schools and services?

Increases to the standard federal tax deduction implemented in 2018 were made permanent a year ago, and researchers are beginning to understand the downstream effects on state and local governments. The increased deduction meant many taxpayers received a bigger tax break by

Scientists detect hidden skin damage before it becomes visible

Scientists have discovered a hidden warning sign of skin damage that appears before collagen fibers visibly thin, break, or lose their connections. Using advanced light-based techniques, the team found that collagen’s carefully organized molecular “handedness” can collapse even

Some dinosaurs could rise like giants until they grew too big

Two elephant-sized South American sauropods were unusually well built for standing on their hind legs. Digital tests showed that their robust femurs handled the enormous forces better than those of larger species, especially while the dinosaurs were young. The upright pose may

How the most widespread parasite on Earth reads its genome

A parasite carried by billions of people worldwide often causes harmful infections during pregnancy and in immunocompromised individuals and is a leading infectious cause of blindness in South America. Once it enters the body, it can rapidly multiply, spreading from one cell to

Weather and human activity impact lake extremophiles

The Great Salt Lake is separated by a 20-mile (32-kilometer) causeway into a super-salty north arm and a less-salty south arm, with each hosting distinct communities of extremophiles. These organisms mingle at a gap in the causeway, designed to regulate salinity, that has