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Things are about to heat up in much of the U.S. with dangerously hot temperatures in the Midwest and Northeast next week, prompting health officials to urge people to make plans now to stay safe.

Mayumi Barrack sees a pair of mating periodical cicadas getting together, whips out her phone, says, "Hi guys!" and takes their picture.

It's well-known that children raised in families experiencing financial stress face greater risks of psychological and educational difficulties and behavioral problems in later life.

It's relatively common for perpetrators of family violence to threaten suicide to control a victim-survivor's actions. A study by the Australian Institute of Criminology suggests 39% of women who experience coercive control are subject to perpetrators' threats of self-harm.

Freshwater ecosystems are the lifeblood of the natural world, yet they are facing a silent crisis. A 2022 report by the World Wildlife Fund revealed a staggering 83% decline in global freshwater vertebrate populations since 1970, a rate far exceeding that of any other habitat.

NASA's Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, is sending science data again.

There's a lot of science news in seven days, so just because a new study isn't cited here on Saturday morning doesn't mean it didn't happen. A lot more has happened. But also, check out these four stories:

Global emissions of nitrous oxide—a potent greenhouse gas—are outpacing expectations and putting climate change goals in peril, a major study published on Wednesday found.

As the effects of climate change intensify, the need for efficient and equitable climate adaptation policies is becoming more urgent. This is especially true for U.S. coastal counties impacted by climate-induced sea-level rise and the socio-economically vulnerable areas within them that are often characterized by higher flood risks.

In the U.S., as farmers wrestle with extreme heat and drought, heavy rainfall and flooding, and erosion—all factors of climate change which can take a toll on crops—there's been a lot of buzz over regenerative agriculture over the past few years, as big agriculture companies promise opportunities to make money from "carbon farming" while also improving soil health.

CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing has made possible a multitude of biomedical experiments, including studies that systematically turn off genes in cancer cells to look for ones that the cancer cells heavily depend on to survive and grow. These genes, or "cancer dependencies," are often promising drug targets. But new research shows that many of these CRISPR screening experiments rely on components, called CRISPR/Cas9 guides, that do not perform equally well in cells from people of all ancestries, which can cause CRISPR screens to miss cancer dependencies.

The sweet smell of strawberries and other fruits is thanks to a chemical compound called ester, which is also found in many fats and polyesters. The ubiquitous compound can be broken down to produce desirable alcohols and other chemicals for use across industries, including pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, but the process can be costly, both financially and in terms of the environment.

An experiment by a group of physicists led by University of Rochester physics professor Regina Demina has produced a significant result related to quantum entanglement—an effect that Albert Einstein called "spooky action at a distance."

High-temperature fusion plasma experiments conducted in the Large Helical Device (LHD) of the National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS), have renewed the world record for an acquired data amount, 0.92 terabytes (TB) per experiment, in February 2022, by using a full range of state-of-the-art plasma diagnostic devices.

A study, published in the journal HortScienceand released by the USDA-Agricultural Research Service, announced the development of new breeding lines of green leaf, red leaf, and romaine lettuce with remarkable resistance to leafminer, corky root, and downy mildew. This advancement marks a significant step forward in sustainable agriculture, offering farmers robust options to combat common pests and diseases without relying heavily on chemical interventions.

While 2023 is noted for breaking global temperature records (State of the Global Climate 2023), the year also brought an unexpected twist with extreme cold events in Antarctica. A new study published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences reveals the surprising and severe cold spells that struck the continent in late winter (July and August).

The French Polynesian island Moorea is the most beautiful isle in the world, some say. Its lagoons are surrounded by reefs dominated by Porites corals.

A study explores the ethylene-responsive gene VviERF003's influence on glycosylated monoterpenoid synthesis in grapes, which are pivotal for the fruity and floral notes in wines. Understanding this genetic regulation provides insights into how wine aroma can be influenced, potentially allowing for the development of grapes with enhanced or specific aromatic profiles.

Sepsis is a life-threatening infection complication and accounts for 1.7 million hospitalizations and 350,000 deaths annually in the U.S. Fast and accurate diagnosis is critical, as mortality risk increases up to 8% every hour without effective treatment. However, the current diagnostic standard is reliant on culture growth, which typically takes two to three days.

A team of researchers led by Philip Walther at the University of Vienna carried out a pioneering experiment where they measured the effect of the rotation of Earth on quantum entangled photons. The work, published in Science Advances, represents a significant achievement that pushes the boundaries of rotation sensitivity in entanglement-based sensors, potentially setting the stage for further exploration at the intersection between quantum mechanics and general relativity.