The scam machine shows no signs of slowing down, as fraudsters dispense bogus health advice, peddle fake testing kits and issue malware-laced purchase orders

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Hypoxia (low levels of oxygen) is widespread in the coastal waters of the Baltic Sea, according to recently published research. The trend of increasing hypoxia since the 1950 is alarming, although improvements can be seen in some areas as a result of measures to reduce inputs of organic material.

A fungus could offer an alternative to chemical pesticides for the control of biting midges that spread livestock diseases, including Bluetongue and African horse sickness, according to new research.

A new study suggests that abandoned farmland is widespread in Europe and that not all land that has been abandoned is unsuitable for farming. Understanding how abandoned farmland is distributed may be important for making land management decisions – for instance, recultivation versus reversion to forest.

A recent survey of businesses in France, Germany and the UK has revealed that they recycle and refurbish much of their waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). However, some of this information is not being reported under the EU’s WEEE Directive because the waste is being disposed of informally or by contractors, rather than by manufacturers who are responsible for the whole life cycle of the products.

A recent study has projected changes in the spread of malaria caused by climate change and climate variability in Africa by including the effect of variations in land use on local climate. It concludes that the risk of malaria epidemics is likely to shift from the north to the south of the Sahel, and to highland areas previously free of the disease.

Crop pests and pathogens are moving into new habitats, towards the North and South Poles, as global warming progresses, new research suggests. Observation records from around the world show that many crop pests, including insect and bacterial pests, are moving towards the poles at an average rate of 2.7 km per year.

New areas of land suitable for agriculture will open up under climate change’s effects, new research predicts, particularly in far northern regions of the world. However, the overall quality of land for farming will decline and many regions, including Europe, could lose large areas of suitable land.

Driven by trade, the spread of alien species is increasing worldwide. This study combined 60 years of trade data with that on biodiversity and climate to model the spread of plant species across 147 countries. The model predicts significant increases in plant invasions in the next 20 years, especially for emerging economies. The authors say trade legislation must consider biological invasion and focus on regions at high risk.

From driving behavioral change to encouraging doctor-patient collaboration, telemedicine’s time in the sun has proved beneficial as a collateral benefit of Covid-19.

The North American pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is a pest worm species that causes a disease known as pine wilt. It was discovered for the first time in the EU in Portuguese forests in 1999. Today, the entire territory of Portugal is demarcated for the presence of PWN, with a 20 km buffer zone, free from the pest, established along the Spanish border with the aim of preventing its further spread. The spread and establishment of PWN in the rest of EU territory is very likely if no strict measures are taken, as required by Decision 2012/535/EU of the European Commission, with serious economic and environmental consequences. To date, Spain has experienced five outbreaks of PWN, three of which have been successfully eradicated thanks to the EU measures and the effective work of the Spanish forest administration; and two outbreaks are currently being eradicated.

Researchers have developed a new scientific method to estimate the time lag between the introduction of an alien species and its extensive spread. For New Zealand weed species, the study estimated that the average lag was around 20-30 years. Although this may seem to be a long time, seemingly rare but fast-spreading species could become tomorrow's harmful weeds.

Researchers have identified areas of Italy that have a climate capable of sustaining a population of tiger mosquitoes, an invasive mosquito species that can carry several human diseases. The findings also indicate how these areas will expand as the climate changes in future.

By 2090, up to 76.7 million more people in Africa could be at risk of infection by the parasite that causes sleeping sickness, according to recent research. The study predicted which areas of Africa would be at greatest risk in future.

A recent study sheds light on why some alien species are more likely to become invasive than others. The research in Switzerland found that the alien Spanish slug is better able to survive under changing environmental conditions than the native Black slug, thanks to its robust 'Jack-of-all-trades' nature.

Decreasing biodiversity in an ecosystem can increase the spread of disease, research suggests. Researchers studying amphibian communities in natural wetland ecosystems as well as controlled experiments have shown that as diversity increased, infection rates dropped.

Milder winters under climate change could increase the extent of alder tree (Alnus glutinosa) decline in Europe due to the increased spread of the pathogen Phytophthora alni, a recent study has found. However, this may be offset by hotter summers, which reduce the severity of the disease.

A new disease capable of devastating European salamander and newt populations was probably introduced via international wildlife trade, new research has found. The study shows that the disease is deadly for many European species of salamanders and its analysis of more than 5000 amphibians from across four continents suggests the pathogen spread from Asia to Europe via the pet trade.

Driven by trade, the spread of alien species is increasing worldwide. This study combined 60 years of trade data with that on biodiversity and climate to model the spread of plant species across 147 countries. The model predicts significant increases in plant invasions in the next 20 years, especially for emerging economies. The authors say trade legislation must consider biological invasion and focus on regions at high risk.

The ability of organisms to adapt to toxic chemicals like pesticides is essential for their survival, but also an agricultural annoyance. This study shows that interactions between different species can delay the development of pesticide resistance and therefore suggests that biodiversity supports effective pest management.

Sewage sludge and manure are sometimes added to soil to improve crop production. However, these ‘natural fertilisers’ may contain not only nutrients and organic matter but also antibacterial agents. This study investigated their impact on the microbes in soil, revealing an increase in antibiotic resistance genes. The researchers recommend greater efforts to remove antibiotic residues from wastewater and manure.

Last week, my colleague Mariano Lizarraga Fernandez pointed me to the Washington post simulation of COVID-19 and we thought it would be interesting to implement something similar using MathWorks products.... read more >>

In a previous post, I introduced a model simulating the exponential spread of a phenomenon like COVID-19. With more and more talks in the news about deconfinement plans, I thought it would be interesting to run multiple simulations with different deconfinement scenarios and observe the potential outcomes.... read more >>

A study on the transport of radioactive isotopes from Fukushima in the two months after the nuclear incident suggests that they were at official levels of contamination for 34,000 km2 of Japan, and that 2.8% of iodine radionuclides from the event were calculated to have reached the EU.

Video: A Florida marine ecologist narrows down the spread of the first lobster virus.

Danny Ferraro was driving on Highway 105 in Texas when he spotted clouds arranged in an angelic way.

What started off as a recall of one version of Trader Joe’s peanut butter has spread to other brands of peanut butter, other nut butters and tahini.

Scientists are searching for possible sources for life on Earth on the edge of our Solar System.

HIV might never have become a global pandemic if it wasn't for the ecology of what is now known as Kinshasa, and what was then a 1920s colonial hub.

The wildfire in the Florida Everglades has spread to 32,000 acres, and officials are using all the resources they can to contain it.

A study found that microplastics can be kept inside water-dwelling creatures, like mosquitoes, as they age.

Raymond Wang, 17, won prestigious $75,000 award for engineering a system to make cabin air safer.

159 coral reefs were examined in the Asian-Pacific region, and 89 percent of those reefs were contaminated with plastics and disease.

Take the quiz to win 4 tickets and VIP access to one of the band's end-of-the-year shows in Atlanta.

A new study concludes humans have accidentally spread a virus and parasite that are obliterating bees.

The bat-killing fungal infection known as white-nose syndrome has been found in two new U.S. states.

A study found that an invasive species of camel cricket from Asia is now far more common in American basements than the native variety.

These deadly mushrooms have caused five deaths in California since 2010, and even experienced mushroom gatherers can misidentify them.

Stephen Ritz, author of 'The Power of a Plant,' developed a curriculum for indoor gardening that is changing lives and improving schools.

Once isolated to the Central Valley, the hybrid tumbleweed Salsola ryanii is making moves — and fast.

Watch Part I of Chuck's exclusive interview and take the quiz below to win tickets to the 10,000 Lakes Festival.

Watch part 2 of Chuck's interview with Widespread Panic's John Bell.

Holing up at home for four days when sick with the flu may be enough to avoid spreading the virus to others.

Predicted to be a hot trend in 2020, the rise of everything butters and spreads has only just begun.

A description of the key elements comprising IMS SIP technology, including its architecture, network components and signaling protocols.

For most companies, open enrollment is a 30-day period in which employees have the opportunity to select their benefits for the next year. Making an informed decision about which health plan to select is critical for employees, but it can be a little overwhelming, especially if there are several

What started as a single seed has blossomed throughout the Thompson family tree

With the inevitable onset of frustration and anger; providing adequate security for these facilities is a prudent measure to restoring any sense of normalcy should civil unrest occur

By Richard Warren Lipack

This is so beautiful...spreads love all around.