It’s not often that there’s encouraging news on climate change but researchers at the University of California are testing a method, called enhanced rock weathering, that has the potential to act as a substantial carbon sink.

Also in this week’s science and research news: a possible treatment for treating genetic forms of ALS with an existing drug, what researchers found when they tested a large population for COVID-19, and why Florida is struggling to contain the pandemic.

Martin La Monica

Deputy Editor

Weathering of rocks like these basalt formations in Idaho triggers chemical processes that remove carbon dioxide from the air. Matthew Dillon/Flickr

An effective climate change solution may lie in rocks beneath our feet

Benjamin Z. Houlton, University of California, Davis

To avoid global warming on a catastrophic scale, nations need to reduce emissions and find ways to pull carbon from the air. One promising solution: spreading rock dust on farm fields.

A man with ALS uses a head-mounted laser pointer to communicate with his wife, by pointing to letters and words on a communication board. Fezcat via Wikipedia.com

ALS scientific breakthrough: Diabetes drug metformin shows promise in mouse study for a common type of ALS

Laura P.W. Ranum, University of Florida

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Lou Gehrig's disease, is a crippling, progressive neurodegenerative disease for which there is no cure. Now it seems that a diabetes drug may help some cases.

Random testing conducted in Indiana gives public health officials some of the most representative and accurate data to date. AP Photo/Darron Cummings

Random testing in Indiana shows COVID-19 is 6 times deadlier than flu, and 2.8% of the state has been infected

Nir Menachemi, IUPUI

A team of researchers from Indiana University performed random testing for SARS-CoV-2 across the state. The results offer some of the most accurate data to date about important aspects of the virus.

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