The use of wood in construction has been a staple for millennia, from the majestic Japanese cypress to the sturdy ponderosa pine. Despite its environmental benefits, wood’s susceptibility to damage from sunlight and moisture often pushed it aside in favor of steel and concrete. However, with the growing interest in sustainable building practices, wood is making a comeback.

To overcome the challenges associated with wooden structures, researchers at Kyoto University have developed a groundbreaking method for detecting early signs of coating deterioration. This simple yet effective approach combines mid-infrared spectroscopy with machine learning to predict the extent of degradation before it becomes visible.

The team’s innovative technique uses partial least square regression and genetic algorithms to identify subtle chemical changes in wood coatings. These slight alterations, often too small to detect visually, can be accurately captured by infrared spectroscopy and predicted by the model. This enables researchers to diagnose early coating deterioration with high accuracy, reducing the need for costly visual inspections and preventing further decay.

By integrating chemistry and data-driven modeling techniques, this research demonstrates how traditional craftsmanship and modern data science can work together to support smarter maintenance of sustainable buildings. As Teramoto notes, “We hope this technology will help bridge the gap between traditional craftsmanship and modern data science.”

The researchers are now conducting tests on real wooden buildings, with plans to improve their model for application in new paint and coating product development. Beyond wood, this method may also be applied to materials like concrete or metal, unlocking new possibilities for diagnosing early material failure and improving sustainability across various industries.

California’s High Sierra is home to some of the most stunning natural wonders on the planet. Among these breathtaking landscapes, a new record for California’s highest tree has been discovered – a majestic Jeffrey pine standing tall at 12,657 feet elevation in Sequoia National Park.

Professor Hugh Safford, a forest ecologist from UC Davis, made this serendipitous finding while hiking in the High Sierra. As he paused to admire a foxtail pine and a lodgepole pine, he stumbled upon the Jeffrey pine, which seemed out of place due to its high elevation. “I walk over, and it’s a Jeffrey pine! It made no sense. What is a Jeffrey pine doing above 11,500 feet?” Safford exclaimed.

The Jeffrey pine grows in upper montane areas throughout the Sierra Nevada, but it is not typically found at such extreme high elevations. Yet, Safford recorded Jeffrey pines as high as 12,657 feet elevation – 1,860 feet higher than the highest on record and even higher than lodgepole, limber, and foxtail pines.

This discovery signifies a changing climate amid California’s highest peaks. As snow melts earlier and air temperatures rise, Jeffrey pine seeds are germinating on land that previously found frozen and inhospitable. The Clark’s nutcracker – a bird known for its high-altitude gardening skills – is suspected to be the primary seed disperser, carrying fleshy Jeffrey pine seeds up the mountain from thousands of feet below.

Safford’s work indicates that other species are growing higher than commonly used databases suggest. This finding has significant implications for our understanding of climate change impacts on high-altitude ecosystems. Species attempting to stay ahead of climate changes by moving uphill are doing so far too slowly to keep pace, climate modeling literature suggests. Yet the models do not account for the role of seed dispersals by birds and other species amid shifting windows of ecological opportunity.

The discovery underscores a need for scientists to couple powerful technologies with direct observation. The trees Safford encountered were not detected by any available database, artificial intelligence platform, satellite or remote sensing technology. “People aren’t marching to the tops of the mountains to see where the trees really are,” Safford said. “Instead, they are relying on satellite imagery, which can’t see most small trees.”

This summer, Safford and his students will be out there, hiking along Mount Whitney, Mount Kaweah, and Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks, identifying seedlings, measuring and identifying trees, and helping to develop models of accurate elevations to better understand the changing landscape of the High Sierra.

The study reveals that three consecutive years of drought contributed to the ‘Barbarian Conspiracy’, a pivotal moment in the history of Roman Britain. Researchers argue that peripheral tribes took advantage of famine and societal breakdown caused by an extreme period of drought to inflict crushing blows on weakened Roman defences in 367 CE.

The researchers used oak tree-ring records to reconstruct temperature and precipitation levels in southern Britain during and after the ‘Barbarian Conspiracy’. They found that southern Britain experienced an exceptional sequence of remarkably dry summers from 364 to 366 CE, with average monthly reconstructed rainfall in the main growing season (April-July) falling to just 29mm in 364 CE.

The drought-driven grain deficits would have reduced the grain supply to Hadrian’s Wall, providing a plausible motive for the rebellion there which allowed the Picts into northern Britain. The study suggests that given the crucial role of grain in the contract between soldiers and the army, grain deficits may have contributed to other desertions in this period.

The researchers argue that military and societal breakdown in Roman Britain provided an ideal opportunity for peripheral tribes, including the Picts, Scotti, and Saxons, to invade the province en masse with the intention of raiding rather than conquest. Their finding that the most severe conditions were restricted to southern Britain undermines the idea that famines in other provinces might have forced these tribes to invade.

Ultimately, the researchers argue that extreme climate conditions lead to hunger, which can lead to societal challenges, and eventually outright conflict. The relationship between climate and conflict is becoming increasingly clear in our own time, making these findings relevant not only for historians but also for policymakers and researchers today.