University of Alaska Fairbanks researchers have linked specific chemical signatures found in human hair with a diet of traditional Yup'ik foods. The finding could help scientists make connections between diet and long-term health trends in Alaska Native populations. Read more.
Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) assistant professor of biology Dr. Jesse Filbrun has quantified the contribution of zooplankton to channel and hybrid catfish growth in aquaculture ponds. Read more.
As industry phases out certain toxic PFAS chemicals, the compounds are decreasing in and around the Great Lakes, but replacement chemicals — which some argue also pose serious health concerns — are increasing, according to new research from Canada.
This study, which contains the longest, consistent record of PFAS in Great Lakes precipitation, confirms that environmental practices and regulation can reduce these toxic “forever chemicals” in the environment, but raises questions about whether or not the same will hold true for their replacements. Read more.
Marine sediments tell the history of an environment, including oil spills. By “reading” sediments from the past century, a research team has now determined how much oil hydrocarbon is accumulated in different vegetated coastal habitats of the Arabian Gulf and the significance of this for environmental management. Read more.
What's on your plate? The answer doesn’t just matter for your next dinner — it’s an issue of critical importance to archaeologists, who can infer everything from individual diets to large-scale population movements based on the chemistry of an ancient bone sample. Stable isotope analysis, the study of the nuances of elements in archaeological materials, can unlock all sorts of secrets about climate, diet, and the geographical origins of bones and other materials. Read more.