Minnesota lake offers window into early Earth

+ AI and food spoilage; science of chicken soup US Edition - Today's top story: A layered lake is a little like Earth’s early oceans − and lets researchers explore how oxygen built up in our atmosphere billions of years ago [View in browser]( US Edition | 25 October 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( As a reader of this newsletter, you’re interested in science and the discoveries researchers make. But it’s rare to get a figurative seat next to scientists as they do their work. This article by Iowa State geochemist Elizabeth Swanner does exactly that, as she and colleagues probe the [origins of oxygen-based life on Earth from a small lake in Minnesota](. As part of our Scientist at Work series, Swanner takes you with her onto a rowboat to take samples from the deep waters of “modest” Lake Deming, where the lower layers don’t mix with the higher ones as happens in most lakes. By measuring the chemical composition of these samples, she and her colleagues are trying to understand “how billions of years ago [microbes] helped to transform the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans into what they’re like now.” At the end of next month, the COP28 global conference on climate change will start with Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, CEO of the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, at the helm. His presidency of COP28 has been controversial and led to complaints that it’s an attempt by the company to “greenwash” its oil and gas expansion plans, writes Clark University environmental ethics scholar Ibrahim Ozdemir. But Ozdemir says that view is [too simplistic and examines UAE’s proposals](, which include rapid expansion of renewable energy. He and his colleagues found “that the UAE is already providing leadership that goes beyond previous COP presidencies,” he writes. What if plastics were designed with recyclability in mind? A group of material scientists last week published a paper describing a new method to [create and deconstruct polymers, even multiple times](, which today’s materials generally do not allow. “Instead of making a plastic cup that is downgraded each time it gets recycled, manufacturers could potentially make plastics once, collect them and reuse them on and on,” write Katherine Harry and Emma Rettner from Colorado State University, who were part of the research team. Also in this week’s science news: - [A course on the biology of sexual diversity]( - [Past community governance models on the internet could work now]( - [Grandma was right about chicken soup – here’s why]( If there’s a subject you’d like our team of science editors to investigate, please reply to this email. Martin LaMonica Director of Editorial Projects and Newsletters Researchers sample water from various layers to analyze back in the lab. Elizabeth Swanner [A layered lake is a little like Earth’s early oceans − and lets researchers explore how oxygen built up in our atmosphere billions of years ago]( Elizabeth Swanner, Iowa State University An unusual lake with distinct layers of low-oxygen and high-iron water lets researchers investigate conditions like those in the early Earth’s oceans. Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, CEO of the United Arab Emirates’ state oil company, will be leading the COP28 United Nations climate conference. Francois Walschaerts/AFP via Getty Images [Backlash to the oil CEO leading the UN climate summit overlooks his ambitious agenda for COP28 – and concerns of the Global South]( Ibrahim Ozdemir, Clark University An analysis of past UN conference presidencies suggests the 2023 summit’s agenda would do more to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. Single-use plastics. Anton Petrus/Moment [New class of recyclable polymer materials could one day help reduce single-use plastic waste]( Katherine Harry, Colorado State University; Emma Rettner, Colorado State University A team of scientists has developed a method for creating a new class of plastic materials that are potentially more recyclable than single-use plastics. [Rancid food smells and tastes gross − AI tools may help scientists prevent that spoilage]( Carlos D. Garcia, Clemson University; Lucas de Brito Ayres, Clemson University Pantry food can go bad if exposed to oxygen, but an AI model might help develop more effective preservatives and keep food fresher for longer. [Quantum dots − a new Nobel laureate describes the development of these nanoparticles from basic research to industry application]( Louis Brus, Columbia University Louis Brus explains some of the foundational research – and how even the letter carrier wants to shake your hand when you’ve just won a Nobel Prize. [Does chicken soup really help when you’re sick? A nutrition specialist explains what’s behind the beloved comfort food]( Colby Teeman, University of Dayton Grandma swore by it. Now science weighs in on the healing powers of chicken soup. [Are ghosts real? A social psychologist examines the evidence]( Barry Markovsky, University of South Carolina Ghosts can be spooky fun, but there’s no evidence they exist. - [How much time do kids spend on devices – playing games, watching videos, texting and using the phone?]( David Rosenberg, Wayne State University; Natalia Szura, Wayne State University Up to 50% of US teens feel they are addicted to their devices. But help is out there. - [Space rocks and asteroid dust are pricey, but these aren’t the most expensive materials used in science]( Chris Impey, University of Arizona Some space rocks you can get for free – if you know how to identify them. Rarer materials cost more, and the asteroid sample NASA just brought back has a high price tag. - [Being humble about what you know is just one part of what makes you a good thinker]( Eranda Jayawickreme, Wake Forest University Being open to the possibility you could be wrong about your beliefs is an important part of learning about the world. But this trait is not enough on its own. - [The Rio Grande isn’t just a border – it’s a river in crisis]( Vianey Rueda, University of Michigan; Drew Gronewold, University of Michigan When the Rio Grande figures in US news reports, it’s usually in relation to stories about immigration, drug trafficking or trade. But the river is also an important water source – and it’s shrinking. - - [What are roundabouts? A transportation engineer explains the safety benefits of these circular intersections]( - [New treatment for postpartum depression offers hope, but the stigma attached to the condition still lingers]( - [What is a virtual power plant? An energy expert explains]( - [Biological sex is far from binary − this college course examines the science of sex diversity in people, fungi and across the animal kingdom]( - [Let the community work it out: Throwback to early internet days could fix social media’s crisis of legitimacy]( - Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly emails: [Politics Weekly]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Global Economy & Business]( - - About The Conversation: We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](