Africa’s most feared snake can help to sniff out pollution
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 18-Nov-2025 19:11 ET (19-Nov-2025 00:11 GMT/UTC)
New research from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa (Wits University), has shown that heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury accumulate in the scales of Black Mambas (Dendroaspis polylepis).
The study, conducted on snakes captured in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal and published in Environmental Pollution, was the first of its kind to examine heavy metal accumulation in an African snake species. The results mean that researchers can use scale clippings from these snakes to accurately measure spatial patterns of environmental pollution levels, without harming the snakes.
A recent study published in National Science Review has revealed forests modulate biogenic secondary organic aerosol cooling effects through biogeophysical processes—but direction depends critically on local climate. Where dark canopies dominate, reforestation typically amplifies cooling by warming surfaces and boosting natural aerosol formation. Yet where enhanced airflow creates more clouds, it often suppresses cooling by reducing sunlight and biogenic emissions. This hidden "lever" creates striking regional contrasts, proving that identical forest cover can produce opposite aerosol-mediated climate outcomes. The findings demand location-specific reforestation plans to maximize climate benefits.
Stanford researchers have developed a prototype system that can harvest fertilizer from urine. The approach could provide sanitation, income, and energy in resource-limited regions.
Green hydrogen holds immense promise for decarbonizing energy systems, yet when produced via water electrolysis, it relies heavily on rare and expensive noble metals. This study delves into the emergence of non-noble metal catalysts (NNMCs) as a transformative alternative for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in acidic environments. By unpacking the underlying mechanisms, performance bottlenecks, and degradation routes, the authors offer a roadmap to designing high-performing, stable NNMCs. The review also explores the latest innovations in catalyst engineering—from electronic tuning to surface reconstruction—that enable these cost-effective materials to rival their noble metal counterparts in water-splitting performance.
Innovation Center of NanoMedicine (iCONM), in collaboration with Prof. Takahiro Nomoto's Lab at the University of Tokyo, will hold a seminar on drug design and rationalization of treatment protocols for photodynamic therapy (PDT) based on singlet oxygen imaging on September 19, at 1:30 pm. This is based on a Japan-Germany Bilateral Collaboration Research between DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) and JSPS (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science), with the aim of expanding the framework for joint research on the topic PDT and stimulating its international collaboration.
A new study presents a groundbreaking approach to risk identification and management in the cryptocurrency market by harnessing high-frequency data from nine major digital assets. Using advanced models to separate jump, trend, and cyclical risks, the research reveals that different cryptocurrencies display distinct risk behaviours across multiple dimensions and time frames. By integrating techniques like threshold optimal detection and wavelet coherence analysis, the study not only maps market volatility more precisely but also proposes targeted risk prevention and hedging strategies for investors. These findings offer valuable guidance for navigating the fast-changing and often unpredictable world of crypto investing, helping both institutional and retail participants make better-informed, risk-aware decisions. This multidimensional analysis marks a significant step forward in developing practical tools for robust risk management in digital asset markets.