Here’s the thing about solar panel waste: We’re about to have a whole heap of it on planet Earth.That’s because solar technology effectively went mainstream around the turn of the millennia, with units that have an estimated lifespan of 25 to 30 years. Now that we're well into the 2020s, millions of modules that were commissioned in those early days are entering retirement. But where will they go?The simplest answer: lots of different places, including many landfills, based on the immediat ...read more

Our research team recently published a study highlighting how partnerships between SciStarter and facilitator organizations like the Girl Scouts of the USA provide a supportive context for extending learning and action associated with participation in citizen science. One of the most inspiring findings of this study was that the vast majority of girls participating in the program (81%) took local action on topics related to science and the environment. Although citizen science has occasionall ...read more

A new study seeks to trace the origins of many of the attendants who lived at the famous archaeological site Machu Picchu during its heyday. Using DNA, the results open a window into the remarkable construction, which was built without mortar or even wheels during the 15th century.Hundreds of workers built Machu Picchu by pushing heavy stones uphill or carving them directly out of the mountainside’s bedrock. For walls, they used a method called “idquo ashlar” in which stones were fitted to ...read more

In a world where the gigantic often steal the spotlight, you may want to also consider exploring the smallest animals in the world.Among the microcosm of compact critters are the world's tiniest vertebrates – animals that, despite their diminutive size, harbor all the complex components necessary for life with a backbone. While insects, arthropods, mollusks and other invertebrates also boast members of vanishingly small stature, the spectrum of vertebrate sizes is truly astounding – from a p ...read more

The word "shark" often brings up the image of a fearsome great white with rows of menacingly sharp teeth, perhaps accompanied by the iconic Jaws theme. But sharks are much more than their Hollywood portrayal. There are over 500 documented species of these marine predators, each showcasing unique traits, adaptations and behaviors. Let's dive into the incredible world of sharks and meet some standout species.1. Demon Catsharks: Enigmatic Additions The most recent addition to the shark family tr ...read more

At a news conference a few days ago, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced that July will go down as the warmest month on record. And it won't be remotely close. "We don't have to wait for the end of the month to know this," he said, speaking on July 27. "Short of a mini ice age over the next days, July 2023 will shatter records across the board." Continuing, he said, "Climate change is here. It is terrifying. And it is just the beginning." At a news conference on July 2 ...read more

It’s a news headline that can send a chill up the backs of pet owners. A small family pet is outside when a bird of prey swoops down and attacks.In Colorado, an eagle preyed on a Pomeranian while it was in the family’s fenced-in yard. In Canada, home security cameras captured a Yorkie puppy escaping an eagle’s grip. And in a Philadelphia public park, a hawk came up behind a small dog with its talons extended.[embedded content]These stories can prompt a pet owner to fear for their anim ...read more

Ask an AI machine like as ChatGPT, Bard or Claude to explain how to make a bomb or to tell you a racist joke and you’ll get short shrift. The companies behind these so-called Large Language Models are well aware of their potential to generate malicious or harmful content and so have created various safeguards to prevent it. In the AI community, this process is known as “alignment” — it makes the AI system better aligned wth human values. And in general, it works well. But it also sets up ...read more

Honey from the Australian honeypot ant (Camponotus inflatus) may have medicinal properties that fight infection. While this has been known among Australia’s indigenous peoples for thousands of years, Western science has now formally studied the organic substance’s antimicrobial properties in a recent study published in PeerJ.The interest in using honey as an antimicrobial treatment in modern medicine has skyrocketed with recent increases in antimicrobial resistance. Other studies have found ...read more

The city of Rome has been around for a long time. According to legend, it was founded over 2,700 years ago and became the most powerful city in the Western world. Volcanic materials are integral to many of the structures, both as building stone and a key ingredient to the remarkably durable Roman concrete. It is no coincidence that Rome is surrounded by volcanic features, some of which have produced cataclysmic eruptions over the past 500,000 years. Welcome to the Roman Magmatic Province.Rome it ...read more