Editor's note

When it comes to mercury and food, the typical warning is to avoid too much fish. But researchers have discovered that a dangerous form of mercury is entering rice in China at significant levels. Their study found that airborne mercury – a byproduct of burning coal – is the likely culprit. Noelle Eckley Selin and Sae Yun Kwon write that the finding has implications across Asia because the use of coal power is spreading and rice is a staple food.

Forensic investigators seek out hidden DNA evidence at crime scenes. Doctors search for unseen pathogens in patients' blood. Why shouldn't biologists also be able to detect life forms without seeing them? Stefano Mariani and Judith Bakker explain how they've done just that - hunting for the cellular material that sharks leave behind as they move through the oceans - and why it's such a valuable method.

Martin LaMonica

Deputy Editor

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Mercury enters rice through local industrial activities and through burning coal. David Woo

Another problem with China's coal: Mercury in rice

Noelle Eckley Selin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Sae Yun Kwon, Pohang University of Science and Technology

Study finds that coal pollution in China is leading to people getting significant levels of mercury poisoning from rice.

Normana Karia / shutterstock

'Hidden sharks': how we found a new way to detect them

Stefano Mariani, University of Salford; Judith Bakker, University of Salford

We cannot spot every shark in the ocean. But we can detect their 'environmental DNA'.

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