215 mn hectares across world can naturally regrow into forests, play key role in curbing climate change

Australian and US researchers have found that around 215 million hectares of land around the world has the potential to naturally regrow into forests, which can sequester 23.4 gigatonnes of carbon in 30 years.

The study, led by Brooke A. Williams of the University of Queensland, was published Wednesday in the journal Nature. The scientists identified degraded land that can naturally regrow into forests, depending on factors such as proximity to existing forest land, soil quality and population density.

They explained how tree planting is a difficult and expensive process that might not even get as many biodiversity returns as natural forests do.

Using systematic models, the study authors showed how there is a huge opportunity to just let degraded land be taken over by forests through natural processes. The results were collated into a map of the world which showcases the regions where the scientists have found this process to be viable.

Last ice age & current global warming have striking similarities

A new study, led by Mohamed M. Ezat of The Arctic University of Norway, found striking similarities between the current scenario of global warming and the last time the world experienced an ice age or glacial period. Published 27 October in the journal Nature Communications, the study analysed conditions in the Arctic region and Atlantic Ocean currents right before the last ice age, which occurred between 2.6 million and 11,700 years ago. These two phenomena have proved to be significant markers of the world’s overall temperature.

Analysing data about the last ice age, the scientists found that before the glacial period began, the Earth underwent intense warming, leading to the melting of Arctic ice.

This melted ice resulted in an imbalance in the Nordic Ocean currents which, in turn, affected the Atlantic Ocean currents. All this eventually led to the loss of heat from the entire Northern Hemisphere, resulting in the last ice age.

Scientists had previously warned that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)—a system of ocean currents that moves water between the surface and depths of the Atlantic Ocean and regulates global temperatures—will collapse by the end of this century if human-induced global warming is not reduced.

Comparing the last ice age to the present day, the study authors say it is a case study on what happens when global warming above pre-industrial level temperatures occurs on Earth, and how water, ice and climate interact in complex and unpredictable ways. Read more here.

New protein can separate rare Earth elements

A team of scientists, led by Penn State University in the US, has discovered a new protein called lanD, which has an interesting feature—it can differentiate between rare Earth elements and help separate them for functional use.

Published Monday in the journal Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences, the study mentions a special ‘binding site’ on this protein, which has the ability to highlight and separate neodymium and praseodymium—two rare Earth elements used to manufacture smartphones.

Since the current rare Earth element mining is a resource-heavy and brute force process, the discovery of the said protein can facilitate major optimisation in this field. The paper also mentions that it can be a more sustainable option of mining.

Scientists use diabetic’s own stem cells to reverse disease

Chinese researchers have successfully reversed type 1 diabetes in a patient by reprogramming her own stem cells to produce insulin, a first-of-its-kind feat. The study, reported by ThePrint earlier and led by Nankai University’s Shusen Wang, published its one-year report Thursday in the journal Cell.

As part of this groundbreaking research, scientists took the patient’s own pluripotent stem cells—which can develop into any other cell in the body—to chemically reprogramme them to perform as islet cells.

Islet cells are pancreatic cells that produce insulin and glucagon, which are hormones regulating blood sugar levels in the body. These reprogrammed cells were then transplanted back into the patient’s body and within 75 days, she became external insulin independent.

By the end of four months, her glucose levels had stabilised, indicating huge progress for diabetes treatment methods and stem cell therapy globally, the study said. At the one-year point, all her glucose and haemoglobin levels are normal, and “the study has met all its clinical endpoints”.