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Cold calling

New research from the University of Ottawa, a famously cold place, shows that just one week of daily cold-water immersion can help the body’s cells better cope with cold.

In the study, young men who spent 60 minutes a day in 14 degrees Celsius water showed a shift in their cells’ response to cold stress. At first, cold exposure triggered signs of damage, but by the end of the week, cells were activating protective systems instead — breaking down damaged components and reducing early signs of cell death.

These changes suggest that the body can become more resilient to cold not just on the outside, but at the cellular level.

To test how well this cold training worked, researchers took blood samples and cooled them in the lab. After acclimation, the cells responded better to low temperatures, showing more protective activity and fewer signs of stress, even at 4 degrees C. Although some signs of inflammation remained, they were lower than before. The findings point to cold exposure as a possible way to train the body’s cells to handle extreme conditions.

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Nanoplastics everywhere

There’s not a place on Earth free from plastic now. For 75 years, plastic has been a ubiquitous part of the human experience, and since day one, it has been shedding micro- and nanoplastic shards everywhere.

Researchers from Columbia University have now shown why the unique construction that makes plastic so useful also makes it break off into tiny fragments: the layered structure that makes semicrystalline plastic both strong and flexible.

When left alone in water, no sunlight, waves or agitation at all, the softer parts of semicrystalline plastics break down, leading to cracks that release stacks of nanoplastics into the environment.

The tougher, crystalline layers stay intact. The research found that only plastics with a structured, layered design create nanoplastics. These fragments were very different from smooth, lab-made plastic particles, which means they could behave differently in the environment or in living things. A gentle reminder of how much plastic is already found in our oceans, washing machines and water-based human bodies.

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Angry birds

Road noise triggers aggressive shifts in island bird song, a new study suggests.

Galapagos yellow warblers show different behavioral responses to traffic noise depending on how close they live to roads.

Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University simulated intrusions into 38 bird territories on two islands – traffic-heavy Santa Cruz and quieter Floreana – playing bird songs with and without added traffic noise.

Warblers near roads became more aggressive when noise was added, while those farther away became less so.

Birds on both islands behaved similarly despite large differences in vehicle traffic, raising concerns about how even low levels of human infrastructure noise can ripple through wildlife populations in fragile ecosystems.

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Pharmaceutical pollution

Atlantic salmon migrate every year from the Swedish River Dal to the sea, and pharmaceutical waste in the water may be affecting this behavior.

A research team from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Griffith University’s Australian Rivers Institute found that juvenile salmon exposed to the anti-anxiety drug clobazam were more likely to complete the migration and quicker than unexposed fish. The painkiller tramadol had similar effects, suggesting the drugs disrupt social dynamics and influence risk-taking behaviors.

While this may seem like a positive outcome, the researchers warn that any drug-induced change to natural behavior could have unpredictable and potentially harmful consequences for individual species and wider ecosystems. Published in Science, the findings highlight the growing concern around pharmaceutical pollution, especially psychoactive substances, and underscore the need for improved wastewater treatment.

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From bug knowledge to
environmental benefits

Citizen science can be fun and educational, but it can also spur interest among students and teachers that may ultimately benefit the environment.

An Australian school science project called Insect Investigators called upon students from 50 schools to participate in a citizen-science project contributing to scientific research. Using special traps, they gathered insect samples for DNA analysis.

The students who enjoyed these activities were more likely to verbalize their intent to do more to help the planet — this includes protecting natural environments and joining similar science projects.

The teachers also began to include more content about entomology, ecosystems and environmental care in the curriculum. Students and teachers in remote areas also felt more connected to the science world and part of something bigger.

Beyond educational impacts, the project provided benefits to regional and remote schools by creating connections with scientists and generating a sense of community involvement and scientific contribution.

These findings were published in Austral Entomology.

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