The heart of the opioid epidemic that killed 665,341 people in the United States between 2005 and 2020 shifted geographically from the Northwest to the East, according to a new geographical analysis.

A recent study in Engineering delves into cyclic CO₂ injection in unconventional reservoirs. The research, integrating multiple factors like microseismic events and geochemistry, aims to understand its impact on oil recovery and CO₂ storage. Findings show that after ten cycles, there’s a rise in oil recovery and underground CO₂ storage, along with changes in reservoir properties.

Mineral deposits in limestone caves show that the now arid interior of Saudi Arabia repeatedly experienced increased rainfall over the last eight million years. An international team of researchers led by the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz supported by the Saudi Heritage Commission, Ministry of Culture, reconstructed the climate of the Saharo-Arabian Desert using isotope analysis of stalagmites. They conclude that the vast desert belt between Africa and Eurasia was not always an impermeable barrier for humans and animals.

Milky seas are a rare bioluminescent phenomenon where vast areas of the ocean glow at night, sometimes for months. This glow, likely caused by Vibrio harveyi bacteria, has been reported by sailors for centuries but remains poorly understood due to its rarity and remote locations, mainly in the Indian Ocean. Researchers at Colorado State University have compiled a 400-year database of sightings, using historical records and satellite data, revealing that milky seas are linked to climatic patterns like the Indian Ocean Dipole and El Niño.