A new soil amoeba species discovered in the "Siberian jungle"
Scientists from St Petersburg University, together with colleagues from Tomsk and Novosibirsk, have discovered a new species of soil amoeba Leptomyxa silvatica n. sp. in Chernevaya taiga located in the south of Western Siberia......»»
Exoplanet discovered in a binary system could explain why red dwarfs form massive planets
In recent years, the number of known extrasolar planets (aka. exoplanets) has grown exponentially. To date, 5,799 exoplanets have been confirmed in 4,310 star systems, with thousands more candidates awaiting confirmation. What has been particularly i.....»»
Evolution in real time: Scientists predict—and witness—evolution in a 30-year marine snail experiment
Snails on a tiny rocky islet evolved before scientists' eyes. The marine snails were reintroduced after a toxic algal bloom wiped them out from the skerry. While the researchers intentionally brought in a distinct population of the same snail species.....»»
One-third of European plant species could be in trouble due to declining seed disperser populations
A team of ecologists at the University of Coimbra, Aarhus University and the University of Bristol has found that approximately one-third of plant species in Europe are under threat of population reduction as the number of seed dispersals declines......»»
Oxidative stress: How protein recycling protects against cell death
Researchers at LMU University Hospital have discovered a new molecular switch that protects against cell death......»»
New plant-based glitter shows no harm to soil organisms
Plastic pollution is everywhere. Each year, over 368 million metric tons of plastics are produced with over 13 million metric tons of it ending up in the soil where it can be toxic to wildlife......»»
Is COVID-19 infecting wild animals? Researcher test species from bats to seals to find out
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have found coronavirus infections in pet cats and dogs and in multiple zoo animals, including big cats and gorillas. These infections have even happened when staff were using personal protective e.....»»
Scammers target Airbnb and Booking.com users
ESET researchers discovered that the organized scammer network Telekopye has expanded its operations to target users of popular accommodation booking platforms like Booking.com and Airbnb. They have also increased the sophistication of their victim s.....»»
Threatened pink sea fan coral breeds in UK aquarium for first time
A threatened species of UK coral has been bred for the first time in a UK aquarium, at the Horniman Museum and Gardens in south London......»»
Researchers develop technique that enables breeding of genetically identical hybrid plants
When different varieties of one plant species are crossed with each other, their hybrid offspring are often more robust and grow more quickly than their parents. However, in the next generation, this effect disappears again......»»
Key gene discovered for regulating rice grain length
Recently, a research team led by Professor Wu Yuejin from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, discovered a key gene that can influence rice grain length by regulating cell proliferation, the RGL2 gene. This pr.....»»
Spectroscopy study determines how catalysts remove dangerous nitrogen oxides
Catalysts belonging to the zeolite family help to remove toxic nitrogen oxides from industrial emissions. Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have now discovered that their complex nano porous structure is crucial. Specifically, individual.....»»
New discoveries: Three tiny species added to South Africa"s spectacular marine life
South Africa's marine realm is globally unique because of the two major ocean currents that meet here. The cold, slow-moving Benguela and the warm, fast-flowing Agulhas currents create a special environment that supports high levels of biodiversity......»»
Advanced technology discovered under Neolithic dwelling in Denmark
Railroad construction through a farm on the Danish island of Falster has revealed a 5,000-year-old Neolithic site hiding an advanced technology—a stone paved root cellar......»»
Animal social interactions could speed up evolution
Scientists typically predict how species evolve by looking at their genes and the environment they live in, but new research from the University of Aberdeen has highlighted a key factor that's often overlooked: social interactions, where the genes of.....»»
Increasing plant diversity in agriculture can promote soil carbon sequestration
A study carried out at the University of Helsinki demonstrates that boosting plant diversity in agriculture can increase plant biomass and improve plant–microbe interactions, both of which promote the storage of carbon in the soil......»»
Indonesia biomass drive threatens key forests: Report
Indonesia's push to add wood-burning to its energy mix and exports is driving deforestation, including in key habitats for endangered species such as orangutans, a report said Thursday......»»
Wildlife populations plunge 73% since 1970: WWF
Wild populations of monitored animal species have plummeted over 70 percent in the last half-century, according to the latest edition of a landmark assessment by WWF published on Thursday......»»
Cosmic-ray neutron rover assists in estimating mesoscale soil moisture on eastern Qinghai-Tibetan plateau
Soil water resources are crucial for hydrological processes and ecosystem functions on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. However, accurately measuring soil moisture distribution in this region is challenging due to diverse ecosystems, complex terrain, and.....»»
Researchers find dragonfly species with darker wings have evolved to withstand heat and attract partners
Temperature determines where species can live and if they are threatened by a warming climate. So, for a long time, biologists studied how heat tolerance affects survival. Yet, less is known about how thermal traits influence reproduction, which is d.....»»
Sludge sequencing: High-throughput single-cell method reveals novel species and genetic diversity
Activated sludge is essential for removing contaminants from wastewater, and understanding the diverse microbial communities it harbors has been a significant task. Traditional methods fail to capture the full spectrum of microbial interactions. Due.....»»