MI weekly selection #588

Widespread decline in genetic diversity
Genetic diversity is declining among a wide range of species, including some not considered threatened, due to factors such as climate change and habitat loss. Genetic diversity declines were found in two-thirds of 628 species of birds, mammals, bony fish and flowering plants studied, threatening the species’ resilience and ability to adapt to climate change.
Full Story: The Guardian
New evidence suggests moon’s recent tectonic activity
A new study reveals that the moon may have experienced geological activity more recently than previously thought, challenging the long-held belief that the moon’s surface has been inactive for billions of years. “After counting the craters around these small ridges and seeing that some of the ridges cut through existing impact craters, we believe these landforms were tectonically active in the last 160 million years,” says geologist Jaclyn Clark, who led the study.
Full Story: ScienceAlert
NEON search for light dark matter
Researchers from the NEON collaboration have published results from their search for light dark matter conducted near a nuclear reactor, according to a study that explored uncharted mass ranges for dark matter particles, setting new limits on their interaction with electrons. While no direct signals were found, the experiment significantly improves previous constraints and highlights the effectiveness of using nuclear reactors for dark matter research.
Full Story: PhysOrg
Ice cores reveal source of historic volcanic eruption
Using ice core records, a team of researchers has traced a significant 19th-century volcanic eruption to the Zavaritskii volcano on Simushir Island, a remote island between Japan and Russia. The study used sulphur spikes and tephra analysis from Greenland ice cores to identify the eruption’s source, resolving a mystery about the cooling event in the Northern Hemisphere during the 1830s.
Full Story: Eos
Bats’ flight linked to unique virus resistance
Research has uncovered that bats’ evolution of flight coincided with the development of unique immune adaptations, making them resistant to many viruses. By analysing the genomes of 20 bat species, the study found that bats have a high number of immune genes, which helps explain bats’ ability to carry viruses such as SARS-related viruses without suffering from severe immune reactions.
Full Story: Nature News