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Carbon Dioxide

All articles tagged with #carbon dioxide

Why Some People Attract More Mosquitoes: It’s All About Chemistry
science5 days ago

Why Some People Attract More Mosquitoes: It’s All About Chemistry

A new synthesis of decades of research shows female mosquitoes first zero in on humans by exhaled carbon dioxide, with body size, metabolism, pregnancy, and exertion increasing the cue. Once close, skin-emitted chemicals—notably carboxylic acids from sweat and skin microbes, plus the mushroom-scent compound 1-octen-3-ol—drive bite attraction and are resilient to washing due to rapid skin-microbiome reestablishment. Blood type signals remain inconclusive, while dark clothing and alcohol can heighten risk. Notably, some pathogens may manipulate hosts to attract more mosquitoes (malaria via HMBPP; dengue/Zika through skin-microbiome changes). Practically, this points to repellents that mask key signals or alter the microbiome, and field tests to identify transmission hubs.

via Indian Defence Review|
#1-octen-3-ol#carbon-dioxide#host-selection
CO2 Turns the Stratosphere Into a Cooling Engine, New Study Finds
science-climate6 days ago

CO2 Turns the Stratosphere Into a Cooling Engine, New Study Finds

New Columbia University–led research, published in Nature Geoscience, identifies why Earth’s upper atmosphere has cooled while the surface warms: increasing CO2 alters how infrared light is absorbed and emitted in the stratosphere, with a particular “Goldilocks zone” of wavelengths driving efficient cooling that expands as CO2 rises. Ozone and water vapor play smaller roles. Cooling strengthens with altitude, and about a doubling of CO2 cools the stratopause by ~8°C, contributing to less heat escaping to space and a feedback that traps more heat near the surface. The study provides a quantitative mechanism for stratospheric cooling and has implications for understanding atmospheres beyond Earth.

via SciTechDaily|
#carbon-dioxide#cooling#infrared-radiation
Why some people are mosquito magnets, and what science now explains
animals9 days ago

Why some people are mosquito magnets, and what science now explains

A new review compiles years of work showing mosquitoes locate humans via chemical cues: CO2 in breath guides them from afar, then skin-emitted compounds like carboxylic acids (and related molecules such as 1-octen-3-ol) attract them up close; the skin microbiome and certain pathogens can tilt the balance toward more bites, informing potential repellents and skin-microbiome approaches to reduce transmission risk.

via Earth.com|
#animals#carbon-dioxide#carboxylic-acids
Rising CO2 is draining nutrients from staple foods, threatening global health
environment26 days ago

Rising CO2 is draining nutrients from staple foods, threatening global health

Rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations are diluting nutrient density in common crops, lowering minerals like zinc and iron in staples such as chickpeas, rice, and wheat. A Leiden University meta-analysis finds nutrient declines since the 1980s with projections showing billions could face hidden hunger and anemia by 2040, especially in low-income regions. The so-called dilution effect occurs as plants accumulate more sugars under higher CO2 but uptake of minerals lags, a problem compounded by soil and temperature changes. Fortification alone isn’t a cure; experts urge diverse diets, nutritious crop varieties, and aggressive emission reductions to protect global health.

via The Washington Post|
#carbon-dioxide#climate-change#environment
Mosquitoes Target Humans Using CO2 and Dark Cues, Not by Following Each Other
science2 months ago

Mosquitoes Target Humans Using CO2 and Dark Cues, Not by Following Each Other

Georgia Tech and MIT researchers tracked hundreds of female Aedes aegypti in 3D to show each mosquito independently uses visual cues and CO2 to fly toward humans; the strongest attraction occurs when both cues are present, causing swarming and feeding around the head and shoulders. The study, published in Science Advances, could inform smarter traps and control strategies, including intermittent suction and lighting cues rather than constant signals.

via ScienceDaily|
#carbon-dioxide#flight-behavior#mosquitoes
Rising CO2 Tied to Subtle Shifts in Human Blood Chemistry
science2 months ago

Rising CO2 Tied to Subtle Shifts in Human Blood Chemistry

A NHANES-based study (1999–2020) finds rising atmospheric CO2 correlates with higher blood bicarbonate and opposite trends in calcium and phosphorus; although changes are small now, models suggest ongoing CO2 increases could push some blood chemistry values toward the limits of healthy ranges in the future, with bicarbonate potentially serving as a biomarker for CO2 exposure.

via ScienceAlert|
#acid-base-balance#bicarbonate#blood-chemistry
Ancient Air, Fresh Clues: 1.4-Billion-Year-Old Bubbles Rewrite Early Earth's Climate
science4 months ago

Ancient Air, Fresh Clues: 1.4-Billion-Year-Old Bubbles Rewrite Early Earth's Climate

Scientists extracted tiny air inclusions from 1.4‑billion‑year‑old salt crystals to directly measure Earth’s ancient atmosphere. The CO₂ levels were far lower than prior estimates, challenging the idea of a CO₂‑rich early atmosphere and suggesting a cooler, methane‑influenced climate that persisted under a faint Sun, with implications for the rise of life and hints for exoplanet habitability.

via Indian Defence Review|
#ancient-atmosphere#carbon-dioxide#early-earth-climate
Amazon Trees Grow Larger and More Resilient Amid Rising CO₂ Levels
environment8 months ago

Amazon Trees Grow Larger and More Resilient Amid Rising CO₂ Levels

A recent study shows that the largest trees in the Amazon are growing taller and multiplying, likely due to increased atmospheric CO2, indicating resilience amid climate change. However, deforestation, fires, and droughts remain significant threats, and the forest's ability to offset global emissions is limited. Protecting intact forests is crucial to maintaining their role as a carbon sink and preventing ecological collapse.

via NBC News|
#amazon-rainforest#big-trees#carbon-dioxide
The Rarity and Distribution of Alien Civilizations in the Galaxy
science8 months ago

The Rarity and Distribution of Alien Civilizations in the Galaxy

Research suggests that plate tectonics and balanced atmospheric CO2 are crucial for long-term habitability and the emergence of technological civilizations, making such planets extremely rare in the galaxy. The study estimates that for multiple civilizations to coexist, they would need to last tens of millions of years, and the closest ETI could be about 33,000 light-years away, highlighting the challenges in detecting extraterrestrial intelligence.

via Universe Today|
#carbon-dioxide#exoplanets#extraterrestrial-intelligence
Climate Extremes Define the Age of Animals
science8 months ago

Climate Extremes Define the Age of Animals

Earth's climate has experienced a vast range of temperatures and conditions over the past half-billion years, driven primarily by atmospheric CO2 levels, with periods of extreme heat and cold that have shaped the evolution and survival of animal life. Modern climate change, caused by rapid CO2 emissions, risks pushing the planet beyond its historical bounds, threatening the biosphere.

via Quanta Magazine|
#carbon-dioxide#climate-extremes#earth-climate-history