Alexandra Gerea -- author profile on ZME Science

Science sexism at its finest: Russian astronauts asked how they will manage without make-up and men

It was exciting at first when Russia announced that six female astronauts would live in a spacecraft in Moscow for eight days, but it went downhill fast.

3D printed cat orthosis can save paws

Sprocket the cat has been fitted with an improvised 3D printed leg brace which has a good chance of saving his leg from amputation. Sprocket, who is just younger than 1 year old, has had his share of misfortunes. He was lucky to survive being hit by a car, but his leg was shattered. He managed […]

Meager 5p bag tax slashes usage by 80%

When the Scottish government introduced a 5 pence tax for plastic bags, they were expecting a significant reduction, but even they weren't expecting such a big success.

Creative new refrigerator keeps things cool without electricity

A team of students in Canada invented a cheap, portable cooling device that doesn't need any electricity.

Your sunscreen could be killing coral reefs, study finds

Covering your body up with sunscreen may protect you against the Sun, but it’s also threatening the world’s coral reefs, a new study found. University of Central Florida professor and diving enthusiast John Fauth and his team found that oxybenzone, a common UV-filtering compound, is in high concentrations in the waters around Hawaii and the Caribbean, two […]

Turning poop to useful energy: Washington develops world's largest waste-to-energy system

The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority recently unveiled a $470 million waste-to-energy system that converts solid sludge (we generally call that human poop) to clean energy.

Earth just had the warmest September on record - by a long shot!

By now, it's almost a statistical certainty: in January 2016, we will say that 2015 was the warmest year on record; for the moment, we can clearly say that this September was the hottest on record.

Video: Jaw dropping drone footage of Sudan's pyramids

Sure, we’ve all heard of Egypt’s pyramids, but have you heard of Sudan’s pyramids? Well, you really should have – they’ve survived in the African desert for 3,000 years, and they’re absolutely spectacular, as we can all see, thanks to this National Geographic drone footage. These pyramids were built by Nubians, the rulers of the ancient […]

England and Wales ban smoking in cars with children

Drivers and passengers who light one up while kids are in the car now face fines in England in Wales, in an attempt to curve down the effects of passive smoking.

First long term study on medical cannabis shows only small adverse effects, but also small reductions in pain

A new study conducted on medical consumption of cannabis came up with some good news, and some bad news: for starters, while there were some adverse effects on consumers, no serious effects were reported. However, the reduction in pain also seems to be very small.

Massive California drought damaging giant sequoias

California is currently experiencing its worst drought in over a millennium. Trillions of gallons of underground waters were lost in 2013 alone, and things are not looking up. Now, a new study has found that not even giant sequoias, majestic trees that have been living for centuries, are safe from the effects of this drought.

It's better to fidget than just sit still scientists find

New research suggests that simply fidgeting around could counter some of the effects of sitting down for too long.

US puts twice as much trash in landfills than previously thought

Americans are sending much more trash to landfills than federal agencies estimated - twice as much, according to a new study.

Cleaning smudge using only water and ultrasounds

Usually, we have to use all sorts of disinfectants, soaps and detergents to scrub away smudge, be it sticky, oozy or greasy. This is not only annoying during housekeeping, but also following medical procedures when instruments have to be cleaned. Researchers at University of Southampton have been working for several years on a different kind high tech solution. They developed a gun-shaped device called the StarStream equipped with a special nozzle that injects water bombarded with ultrasound waves. The mix is so powerful that virtually any kind contamination can be removed.

Your hygiene and cosmetic products are killing the oceans

Eight trillion microbeads are polluting the US waters every day. As the plastic beads are very small, they breach through the water filtration systems, affecting wildlife and ultimately, humans. The main culprit for this microbead invasion is the cosmetics industry, where the particles are used as exfoliating agents and in toothpastes.

Scientists develop new tree of life, with all known organisms

After years of analyzing and reclassifying some 2.3 million species, a group of international researchers from eleven institutions were able to create the most advanced and up to date tree of life. This all inclusive tree is actually pieced together by compiling thousands of other, smaller trees.

Wild animals banned in Netherlands circuses

The Netherlands has joined the list of European countries that have banned wild animals from their circuses. The Netherlands will be prohibiting the use of all wild animals for performance (except performance zoos).

Bees get much needed win as US court rules against neonicotinoid pesticide

Bee numbers have been dropping at alarming rates, and the growing consensus seem to be that only limiting pesticide use (especially for some pesticides) can save them. Now, a US court overturned federal approval for a new formulation called sulfoxaflor, basically banning the pesticide.

Making your bed every day might encourage mites to breed in it

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who religiously make their bed every day in cleanliness and order... and the rest of us. If you're in the latter group, then I've got some good news: keeping your bed messy might be good for your health.

French court condemns Monsanto of chemical poisoning

A French court upheld on Thursday a 2012 ruling in which Monsanto was found guilty of chemical poisoning of a French farmer who suffered from neurological problems after inhaling the U.S. company’s Lasso weedkiller. Alachlor is an herbicide, the second most widely used herbicide in the United States; it’s been banned in Europe since 2006, but in 2004, […]

July 2015 was the hottest month ever recorded

Did you notice something strange about this July? It was hot! Sure, July is supposed to be hot (at least for most of the world), but even by July standards it was hot. If you too have felt like this, you weren’t imagining things: the NOAA recently announced that this July was the hottest month […]

Extremely rare and stinky flower will blossom in Denver for the first time in 15 years

It’s big, it’s beautiful… and it reeks. Amorphophallus titanum, more commonly known as the corpse flower, is the flowering plant with the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world, and it often requires over 7 years to bloom. For this particular flower in Denver, it took 15. The flower will not only delight visitors with its unique look, […]

The Komodo Dragon Chilli is 400 times hotter than a jalapeno - and it's available in supermarkets

The Komodo Dragon Chilli doesn’t look like much; it’s pretty small, reddish (but not very bright) and a bit shriveled; but this pepper measures 1.4 million Scoville units – the official measure of chilli potency. Yes, that’s a lot. “Do not consume whole,” reads the mildly unnerving warning label on the packet. “Do not touch without gloves.” The […]

Unique friendship between wolf and bear documented by Finnish photographer

A female gray wolf and a male brown bear were spotted every day for ten consecutive days, spending time together, playing and even sharing food. “It’s very unusual to see a bear and a wolf getting on like this” says Finnish photographer Lassi Rautiainen, 56, who took these surprising photos. From what I could find, […]

Scientists think they've figured out why green tea helps you lose weight

Green tea is one of those things that’s really healthy for you, but its health benefits have been greatly exaggerated; one of the things which has been consistently reported about green tea is that it helps you lose weight, but scientists didn’t know how (or if) this happens. Now, a team from Poland believe they’ve […]

Community Fridge in Spain lets people avoid food wasting by sharing

Food waste is a growing problem throughout the world; on one hand, we've got so many people starving or living in food insecurity, and on the other hand, in places like Western Europe or the US people are wasting almost 50% of what they eat. It seems rational to find ways to send the excess food to the places where it's most needed, but that doesn't happen nearly as much as it should. With that in mind, people in Galdakao, Spain, took initiative.

Cigarettes are the most littered item in the world - and that's a problem

Smoking is bad. We’re way past the point of discussing that one; it’s bad for your health, it’s bad for the ones around you, and it’s bad for the environment. Cigarette filters are made from thousands of polymer chains of cellulose acetate; once discarded into the environment, these filters create a huge waste problem. Cigarette […]

There are only 4 northern white rhinos on the entire planet

Nabire was a 31-year-old Northern White Rhino from the Dvur Kralove Zoo in the Czech Republic. She suffered from uterine cysts, which made it impossible for her to breed naturally, and ultimately, one of those cysts brought her demise. She was also one of the last 5 white rhinos on the Earth.

Mutation in daisies near Fukushima might not be caused by radiation

After a twitter user and photographer from a city 110 km from Fukushima posted photos of mutated flowers, people started to freak out all over the internet that these plants suffered mutations due to the devastating nuclear incident from 2011 in Fukushima, Japan. According to the photographer @san_kaido, the radiation level near the daisies was measured […]

Chemical pollution in European waters threatens dolphin reproduction

Dolphins in European waters are struggling to reproduce because of the chemical pollution that lingers in their bodies for a very long time - even for their entire lifetime. Scientists were surprised to find polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in their bodies, as PCBs have been banned 30 years ago.

Juvenile Great White Shark Gets Stranded on the Sand, Rescued by Beachgoers

We’re more used to whales washing up ashore, but sharks also do it sometimes. This juvenile shark was apparently trying to hunt some seagulls and ventured out of the water too much for its own good. However, after struggles and apparent dehydration, the shark was saved by beachgoers. Initially, we see the two meter shark […]

What is the Portuguese Man of War

We'll take a look at the Man of War and see what you should do to stay safe on the beach.

Monarch butterfly populations went down 80% in 21 years

A new study has found that monarch butterfly populations have went down at alarming rates in the past couple of decades, going down on average by 80%. In the forests of Mexico, they went down by as much as 90%.

Same sex marriage becomes legal in all the US

Love and Marriage In a landmark decision, the US supreme court overruled 26 states and cracked down on their same-sex marriage bans – this means that effectively, same sex marriage is now legal in all the US. “No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, […]

Why corn is a fruit, tomatoes are berries, rhubarb is a vegetable, and strawberries are neither

Fruits and vegetables – they’re tasty and they’re healthy… but do you know what they really are? Hank Green, which we know for developing EcoGeek, explained on Youtube why some things are fruits, some things are vegetables, and some things are neither. Prepare to have your mind blown: We generally consider vegetables as a side dish […]

Octopus is so cute that 'Adorable' might become its name

Among the best thing about being a biologist is you get to name things when you discover it. Now, a marine researcher in California will name one of the cutest invertebrates we've ever seen: so adorable, that it might actually be named 'adorabilis'.

Ocean acidification could destroy shelled animals by 2030

Ocean acidification, one of the often ignored dangers associated with climate change is becoming increasingly worrying. As our climate becomes hotter and hotter, the oceans become more and more acidic, and this threatens some animals' ability to create and maintain carbonatic shells.

Scientists unravel mystery of Greenland lakes: they're sinking

Geoscientists have finally unraveled one of Greenland's long-standing mysteries: how billions of gallons of water can drain in a matter of hours. They believe that this might also help us better understand how sea levels will rise in the future.

Invasive species still hitch a ride on 2011 Japanese tsunami

The 2011 Japan tsunami was so massive that even today, debris from it keeps washing up in Washington - and that might be a problem. Scientists report that along with the debris, invasive species are also make their way to the USA.

New simulation lab will help researchers better understand hurricanes

A lab from the University of Miami will be able to reproduce hurricane conditions on demand, empowering researchers to study hurricanes in a novel way.

Last ditch effort gives endangered turtles another chance

A female Yangtze giant softshell turtle (quite possibly the last female of her species) has been given another chance to breed. She has been artificially inseminated at the Suzhou Zoo in China, in a last ditch effort to attempt to preserve her species.

Constructive noncompliance - when citizens disobey the laws... and it's a good thing

When citizens stop complying with the laws, it's generally a bad thing - laws are there for a reason, and not respecting the laws carries negative consequences - for the people involved, and for social order. But what if, consciously or not, citizens are actually disobeying the laws in order to enact positive changes? A new MIT study found that sometimes, that's exactly the case.

The ugly truth behind the 'cute' video of the orangutan and tiger cubs

Social media was ecstatic - just look at this video of an orangutan bottle-feeding a tiger cub. Tens of millions of people tuned in to watch this "cuteness overload"... but the truth behind this is not cute at all. It's actually quite saddening. We'll discuss why, after the video.

Pesticide limit may be the last resort to save the bees, White House says

With bee numbers dropping dramatically in the last years, it's time to take some drastic measures, and a White House task force including participation from more than a dozen federal agencies has concluded that limiting pesticide use may be the last resort we have to maintain bee numbers.

Urban Algae Canopy Produces Huge Quantity of Oxygen

It generates as much oxygen as 400,000 square feet of natural woodland, it looks nice, and it can produce lots of biomass – the Urban Algae Canopy is a concept we should probably pay more attention to. It combines biology, modern architecture and electronics, creating a structure that not only generates energy, but also adapts and […]

Dozens of endangered cockatoos trafficked in small plastic bottles

At least 21 cockatoos have been discovered and saved from illegal trafficking; they were recovered at an Indonesian port during an anti-smuggling operation, crammed in 1500 ml bottles. Unfortunately, seven of them didn't survive.

The white thing that sometime appears on chocolate? Scientists studied it with X-Rays

Chocolate is the favorite food of many people throughout the world, bringing joy and happiness into our mouths, one square at a time. But when a whitish coating appears on its surface, most people would think twice before eating. That coating, called chocolate bloom, is actually harmless, but it drastically reduces the visual appeal of […]

Scans reveal what happens in your brain during an out-of-body experience

Neuroscientists at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have created an out-of-body illusion in participants placed inside a brain scanner to see what happens in the brain during this time.

Beautiful winged insects built from computer and video game components

I just love it when stuff that’s thrown away becomes a part of something new and valuable – upcycling, as many people call it. For UK-based artist Julie Alice Chappell (Facebook), it’s about turning technology into art. She takes thrown away computer and video game parts and assembles them into pieces of art, which she then sells […]

Smiley face labels can encourage kids to eat healthier food

An innovative study suggests that something as small as labeling healthy foods with a small smiley face can make kids more interested in buying and consuming healthy food.

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