One of the biggest obstacles to the uptake of plant-based alternatives to meat is their dry and astringent feel when they are eaten. Scientists, led by Professor Anwesha Sarkar at the University of Leeds, are revolutionising the sensation of plant proteins, transforming them from a substance that can be experienced as gloopy and dry to...
Mountain treelines, which mark the upper limit for tree growth in high-altitude areas, are shifting as a result of climate change, say researchers. The researchers, led by a scientist at the University of Leeds, used satellite images to develop an algorithm that detects nearly one million kilometres of closed-loop treelines across 243 mountain ranges. Closed-loop...
With world attention on recent wildfires and floods in North America, Europe and China, people should not overlook the devastating impact of climate change in Antarctica, scientists have warned. Antarctica, a cold and remote continent in the southern hemisphere, is composed of “fragile and vulnerable environments” which may be subject to considerable stress and damage...
A chemical process used in the browning of food to give it its distinct smell and taste is probably happening in the oceans, where it helped create the conditions necessary for life. Known as the Maillard reaction after the French scientist who discovered it, the process converts small molecules of organic carbon into bigger molecules...
Consumers in richer, developed nations will have to accept restrictions on their energy use if international climate change targets are to be met, warn researchers. A big challenge in planning emission reductions is to identify the fairest and most equitable way that governments can curtail energy use, a process known as energy demand reduction. Writing...