Smog and poor air quality are not the same. Smog situations are high concentrations of pollutants that last for a relatively short time. Although they do have a negative impact on health, air pollution is much more important because it has a long-term, everyday impact, says Dr. Krzysztof Skotak from the Institute of Environmental Protection - National Research Institute.
Forest anthills can be 'environmental islands' for fungi, say scientists from the Botanical Garden and the Faculty of Biology at the University of Warsaw, who discovered the presence of a specific group of fungi in the hills of the wood ant, different from those in the surrounding forest litter. The presence of anthills can therefore promote local biodiversity.
Mathematics, theoretical computer science, programming - these are the fields of science in which AI will be the first to effectively support scientists. It is only a matter of time before it achieves superhuman capabilities in these areas, Professor Piotr Sankowski tells PAP.
As far as we know, there are four forces in physics that set the world in motion: the strong nuclear interaction, the electromagnetic interaction, the weak nuclear interaction, and the gravitational interaction. The Standard Model perfectly describes the interactions between the first three.
Cryptobiosis is a condition thanks to which tardigrades are able to survive in the most extreme conditions. The cell cytoskeleton may also participate in this phenomenon. Scientists from the Adam Mickiewicz University have just received a grant to study this topic.
Monogamy is not a fundamental feature of nature at all - at least not when it comes to quantum non-locality, shows Polish research published in the prestigious PNAS. Apart from being a huge surprise for physicists, these results have significant consequences for communication, security and testing of quantum networks.
Should learning be easy and happen quickly? Not at all! In order to effectively memorize facts, it is important to put effort into retrieving information - not only repeatedly, but also in different ways, according to a Polish study on memory.
In recent years, birdwatchers have shown an increase in interest in rare birds. This may be related to the growing popularity of the hobby and the rapid spread of information about rare sightings via social media, say researchers.
An international team of scientists has developed concrete made with seawater instead of fresh water. The results of their work may be especially useful in areas affected by water shortages.
As a result of human activity, European forest plants shift their ranges not only towards the poles, as was commonly believed, but also westwards, according to research by an international team including Polish scientists.
Smog and poor air quality are not the same. Smog situations are high concentrations of pollutants that last for a relatively short time. Although they do have a negative impact on health, air pollution is much more important because it has a long-term, everyday impact, says Dr. Krzysztof Skotak from the Institute of Environmental Protection - National Research Institute.
