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April 2019, ScientificAmerican.com 19

ADVANCES

For more details, visit

http://www.ScientificAmerican.com/

apr2019/advances

GREENLAND

The massive ice sheet covering Greenland

is melting almost four times faster than it was

in 2003, scientists have found. The gigantic

hunk of ice could become a major contributor

to sea-level rise in coming decades.

IN THE NEWS

Quick

Hits

By Jim Daley

NORTHERN IRELAND

Bacteria in a soil sample from Northern Ireland

effectively halt the growth of four types of antibiotic-

resistant “superbugs,” including methicillin-resistant

Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Researchers say the

discovery is an important step in the battle against

such resistant bacteria.

U.S.

A 14-year-old Hawaiian

snail named George,

believed to be the last

of its species, has died.

The archipelago’s

population of land

snails—which was once

incredibly diverse—has

substantially declined.

GUYANA

The Guyanese government signed an agreement with the

European Union to curb illegal logging, improve forest

management and expand the South American nation’s

legal timber industry, which exports to the E.U.

AUSTRALIA

Overuse of water from

the Murray-Darling River

system sparked a massive die-

off of fish in the Down Under

state of New South Wales.

An estimated 100,000 to one

million fish suffocated because

the river levels were too low to

flush out farm runoff; this led

to algal blooms that resulted

in bacterial proliferation,

which caused a drop in oxygen.

LIBERIA

Health officials announced that they found the Ebola virus

in a bat in West Africa for the first time. Previously it

had been found only in bats in Central Africa. The discovery

could help reveal how the virus jumps to humans.

April 2019, Scientifi cAmerican.com 19

ADVANCES

For more details, visit

http://www.ScientificAmerican.com/

apr2019/advances

GREENLAND

The massive ice sheet covering Greenland

is melting almost four times faster than it was

in 2003, scientists have found. The gigantic

hunk of ice could become a major contributor

to sea-level rise in coming decades.

IN THE NEWS

Quick

Hits

By Jim Daley

NORTHERN IRELAND

Bacteria in a soil sample from Northern Ireland

eff ectively halt the growth of four types of antibiotic-

resistant “superbugs,” including methicillin-resistant

Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Researchers say the

discovery is an important step in the battle against

such resistant bacteria.

U.S.

A 14-year-old Hawaiian

snail named George,

believed to be the last

of its species, has died.

The archipelago’s

population of land

snails—which was once

incredibly diverse—has

substantially declined.

G U YA N A

The Guyanese government signed an agreement with the

European Union to curb illegal logging, improve forest

management and expand the South American nation’s

legal timber industry, which exports to the E.U.

AUSTRALIA

Overuse of water from

the Murray-Darling River

system sparked a massive die-

off of fi sh in the Down Under

state of New South Wales.

An estimated 100,000 to one

million fi sh suff ocated because

the river levels were too low to

fl ush out farm runoff ; this led

to algal blooms that resulted

in bacterial proliferation,

which caused a drop in oxygen.

LIBERIA

Health offi cials announced that they found the Ebola virus

in a bat in West Africa for the fi rst time. Previously it

had been found only in bats in Central Africa. The discovery

could help reveal how the virus jumps to humans.

ADVANCES

For more details, visit

http://www.ScientificAmerican.com/

apr2019/advances

GREENLAND

The massive ice sheet covering Greenland

is melting almost four times faster than it was

in 2003, scientists have found. The gigantic

hunk of ice could become a major contributor

to sea-level rise in coming decades.

IN THE NEWS

Quick

Hits

By Jim Daley

NORTHERN IRELAND

Bacteria in a soil sample from Northern Ireland

eff ectively halt the growth of four types of antibiotic-

resistant “superbugs,” including methicillin-resistant

Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Researchers say the

discovery is an important step in the battle against

such resistant bacteria.

U.S.

A 14-year-old Hawaiian

snail named George,

believed to be the last

of its species, has died.

The archipelago’s

population of land

snails—which was once

incredibly diverse—has

substantially declined.

G U YA N A

The Guyanese government signed an agreement with the

European Union to curb illegal logging, improve forest

management and expand the South American nation’s

legal timber industry, which exports to the E.U.

AUSTRALIA

Overuse of water from

the Murray-Darling River

system sparked a massive die-

off of fi sh in the Down Under

state of New South Wales.

An estimated 100,000 to one

million fi sh suff ocated because

the river levels were too low to

fl ush out farm runoff ; this led

to algal blooms that resulted

in bacterial proliferation,

which caused a drop in oxygen.

LIBERIA

Health offi cials announced that they found the Ebola virus

in a bat in West Africa for the fi rst time. Previously it

had been found only in bats in Central Africa. The discovery

could help reveal how the virus jumps to humans.

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