Insects farm on despite their 'apocalypse'

Plus: COVID-19 and obesity, making space for nature, an unprecedented black hole merger and more

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04/26/2020 Insects’ extreme farming methods offer us lessons to learn and oddities to avoid Insects invented agriculture long before humans did. Can we learn anything from them? Read More A century ago, astronomy’s Great Debate foreshadowed today’s view of the universe The argument between Harlow Shapley and Heber Curtis 100 years ago today was ultimately settled by Edwin Hubble. Read More COVID-19 is hitting some patients with obesity particularly hard Doctors say some of their sickest COVID-19 patients are young and obese. One study shows they have higher rates of hospital admission and death. Read More How much space does nature need? 30 percent of the planet may not be enough Nations are drafting a plan to protect 30 percent of Earth by 2030 to save biodiversity. The number reflects politics more than scientific consensus. Read More High-speed gas collisions prevent star birth in galaxies’ bars The spiral galaxy NGC 1300 makes few if any stars in its bright bar. Simulations suggest gas clouds colliding at high speed stunt star formation. Read More The ‘insect apocalypse’ is more complicated than it sounds Freshwater arthropods trended upward, while terrestrial ones declined. But the study’s decades of data are spotty. Read More Gravitational waves have revealed the first unevenly sized black hole pair For the first time, LIGO and Virgo scientists spotted gravitational waves produced when one big black hole merged with a smaller one. Read More Drugs for high blood pressure don’t appear to make COVID-19 worse Two observational studies provide some reassurance for patients taking the drugs. Read More Did heavy rain trigger Kilauea’s eruption? It’s complicated A study suggests the Hawaiian volcano’s outpouring of lava was triggered by heavy rainfall in the months preceding. But some scientists are skeptical. Read More Toxin-producing bacteria can make this newt deadly Bacteria living on the skin of some rough-skinned newts produce tetrodotoxin, a paralytic chemical also found in pufferfish. Read More Privacy policy  |  Update Profile  | Manage Subscriptions  |   Unsubscribe This email was sent by: Society for Science & the Public 1719 N Street NW Washington, DC, 20036, US