Cast away: Tracing the voyage of a plastic bottle cap and its hitchhiking marine species
Researchers have traced the journey of a plastic bottle cap recovered near the waters of southern Japan by combining data from the label, chemical clues in tiny shells and ocean current simulations. They found 307 organisms, including a polychaete worm not found in Japanese waters before. The findings, published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, show that when species that significantly shape their environments (ecosystem engineers) colonize plastic debris, entire micro-communities can be transporte
The science section covers breakthroughs in medicine, physics, biology, and technology. We surface discoveries that expand what humanity can do, from new treatments reaching clinical trials to engineering feats that seemed impossible a decade ago. Every link goes to the original publisher so you can read the full study or press release yourself.
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The story of women in art history is mostly a story of not getting seen. Not becaus…
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Conventional satellites can’t detect a wildfire until it’s roughly the size of a cr…
India's new brainstem atlas offers scientists an unprecedented map of one of the brain's least known regions.
Practice may do more than make perfect. Researchers found that extensive training physically reorganizes the brain, allo…