Issue # 338 _ April 2024
Cover
- Global warming leads to emergence of Brazil’s first arid zone and expansion of semiarid climate and dry areas
- The least humid region in the country is in the north of Bahia, close to the border with Pernambuco By Marcos Pivetta and Renata Fontanetto
- Global warming accelerates the water cycle and increases evapotranspiration
- Excess atmospheric moisture can generate both heavy rainfall and prolonged droughts By Marcos Pivetta
- Region in the north of Minas Gerais suffers its driest period in over seven centuries
- The conclusion is based on analysis of the chemical composition of cave rocks in the municipality of Januária, located in the São Francisco River basin By Marcos Pivetta
Planning

Preparatory events gather suggestions for the National Conference on Science, Technology, and Innovation
By Fabrício MarquesIndicators

Brazilian research serves as a reference for public policies in several countries, study shows
Survey highlights the influence of articles by scientists from the state of São Paulo
By Fabrício MarquesPUBLIC POLICY

Report identifies 476 invasive species in Brazil
A study estimated that some of these animals and plants cost the country US$3 billion in damages
By Sarah SchmidtPublic health

The total number of people with obesity worldwide has surpassed one billion
The number is expected to grow by 50% by the middle of next decade
By Giselle SoaresEpidemiology

Frequency of mental illness doubles between childhood and adolescence
By Ricardo Zorzetto and Felipe FlorestiEthology

Underground amphibians produce “milk” to feed their young
Study published in Science describes nursing behavior in caecilian species found in Brazil
By Letícia NaísaEnvironmental management

Coastal protection works do not always prevent marine erosion
Research reveals limitations of strategies used to stop infiltration of the sea
By Carlos FioravantiInterview

Physicist Hans Herrmann explains why dunes are such a fascinating and complex system
By Marcos PivettaAerospace engineering

A drone to explore other planets
Unmanned aerial vehicle is designed to fly on Mars and in inhospitable regions of Earth
By Domingos Zaparolli