Natural Resource Today Weekly - Issue #133

Author

Rendy Mulaudzi
August 10, 2025

The most significant scientific findings you should know.

University of Chicago:

A comprehensive study published in the journal Science Advances has found that climate change is significantly reducing milk production. Researchers examined data from more than 130,000 cows across Israel over a 12-year period.

Chalmers University of Technology:

A study recently published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment reveals that ships navigating shallow waters can significantly elevate methane emissions. In regions like Neva Bay in the Baltic Sea, researchers discovered that vessel movement disrupts seafloor sediments through pressure shifts and water turbulence, releasing methane into the atmosphere.

University of Hong Kong:

Researchers have found that feeling anxious on Monday can have serious effects on human heart. The study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, shows that older adults who feel stressed at the start of the week have higher levels of a stress hormone, cortisol, in their bodies.

Southeast University:

Scientists are one step closer to treating deafness in children, according to new research published in the journal Nature Medicine. They have used gene therapy to restore hearing.

Heinrich-Heine University:

In a study published in The BMJ, researchers are challenging traditional approaches to weight loss. They found that common lifestyle recommendations such as eating less and exercising more often lead to short-term changes and do not improve long-term health outcomes.

University of California, Los Angeles:

Researchers have discovered that heat waves are getting longer and accelerating faster than global warming. Their findings, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, reveal that heat waves pose growing risks to human health, agriculture, and ecosystems.

Durham University:

Scientists have identified flat landscapes hidden beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet that were shaped by ancient rivers more than 30 million years ago. Their study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, reveals that these landscapes may help slow the flow of ice and reduce the rate of ice loss.

Johns Hopkins University:

Scientists have made a breakthrough in understanding dementia by identifying a hidden layer of brain damage. They have discovered over 200 misfolded proteins in aging rats with memory problems. The research is published in the journal Science Advances.

University of California, Davis:

New research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences sheds new light on marine anoxia (low oxygen levels) during the Late Paleozoic Ice Age. Scientists studied ancient ocean rocks and found evidence of repeated marine anoxia during a glacial period between 310 and 290 million years ago.

Columbia University:

Researchers explored how African communities responded to climate change over the past 11,000 years. Published in the journal One Earth, the study shows that people used flexible mix of farming, herding, fishing, and foraging to survive shifting environments.