Science Daily

• Scientists just captured trees glowing with electricity during storms

  Scientists chasing thunderstorms in a retrofitted minivan finally captured something never seen before in nature: faint electrical glows shimmering from treetops during a storm. These “corona discharges,” long suspected but never observed outside a lab, appeared as tiny UV flashes at the tips of leaves. The discovery could reshape how we understand forests, since these bursts may help clean the air by breaking down pollutants.

• 95% success rate: This new trick lures termites straight to their death

  Scientists at UC Riverside have found a clever new way to outsmart termites—by turning their own instincts against them. Using a natural pine scent called pinene, which smells like food to termites, researchers can lure the pests straight toward a targeted dose of insecticide hidden in wood. The result is dramatically higher kill rates—jumping from about 70% to over 95%—without the need for widespread toxic fumigation.

• After 200 years scientists finally crack the “dolomite problem”

  After two centuries of failed attempts, scientists have finally grown dolomite in the lab, cracking a long-standing geological puzzle. They discovered that the mineral’s growth stalls because of tiny defects—but in nature, those flaws get washed away over time. By mimicking this process with precise simulations and electron beam pulses, the team achieved record-breaking crystal growth. The finding could reshape how high-tech materials are made.

• Hundreds of millions at risk as river deltas sink faster than rising seas

  Many of the world’s largest river deltas—home to hundreds of millions of people—are sinking faster than rising seas, according to a sweeping global study. Using high-resolution satellite radar maps, researchers found that human activities like groundwater pumping, reduced sediment flow, and rapid urban growth are driving widespread land subsidence across 40 major deltas.

• These California bees are beating a killer that’s wiping out colonies

  A unique hybrid honeybee thriving in Southern California may hold a powerful clue to saving struggling bee populations. While U.S. beekeepers are losing massive numbers of colonies—largely due to destructive Varroa mites—a locally adapted mix of feral and diverse bee lineages is showing remarkable resilience. These bees aren’t immune, but they carry far fewer mites and are far less likely to require chemical treatments. Even more surprising, their resistance appears to start early in life, with larvae that are less attractive to the parasites.