#Water hyacinth pest chokes Iraq’s vital waterways

“#Water hyacinth pest chokes Iraq’s vital waterways” The water hyacinth—nicknamed the “Nile flower” in Iraq—is an invasive plant native to South America’s Amazon basin that has ravaged ecosystems across the world, from Sri Lanka to Nigeria The broad leaves and delicate purple flowers floating on the Euphrates look breathtaking—but they are suffocating the waterways of…

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#Coronavirus lockdowns increase poaching in Asia, Africa

“#Coronavirus lockdowns increase poaching in Asia, Africa” In this July 2013 photo provided by the Wildlife Trust of India, forest guards check for snares during a patrol in the Manas National Park in northeastern India which is inhabited by tigers and elephants. Located in the Himalayan foothills, the protected forests are known for rare species…

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#Scientists produce first open source all-atom models of COVID-19 ‘spike’ protein

“#Scientists produce first open source all-atom models of COVID-19 ‘spike’ protein” A model of an S-protein. Credit: Dr. Yeolkyo Choi/Lehigh The virus SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the known cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The “spike” or S protein facilitates viral entry into host cells. Now a group of researchers from Seoul National University in…

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#Indonesia’s Mt Merapi erupts, spewing ash 6 km high

“#Indonesia’s Mt Merapi erupts, spewing ash 6 km high” Indonesia’s Mt Merapi is one of the world’s most active volcanoes Indonesia’s Mount Merapi, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, erupted twice on Sunday, sending clouds of grey ash 6,000 metres into the sky, the country’s geological agency said. The two eruptions lasted around seven…

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#Italian glacier covered to slow melting

“#Italian glacier covered to slow melting” Huge white tarpaulins help protect the Presena glacier from melting during summer in the Italian Alps A vast tarpaulin unravels, gathering speed as it bounces down the glacier over glinting snow. Summer is here and the alpine ice is being protected from global warming. In northern Italy, the Presena…

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#New research hints at the presence of unconventional galaxies containing two black holes

“#New research hints at the presence of unconventional galaxies containing two black holes” New research indicates that some galaxies might have two massive black holes at their centers that can emit ultra-powerful jets of energy. Credit: European Space Agency A Clemson University scientist has joined forces with an international team of astronomers to identify periodic…

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