A new study makes the case for asteroid strikes setting in motion global glaciation in the distant past
A research team has picked a side in the "Snowball Earth" debate over the possible cause of planet-wide deep freeze events that occurred in the distant past. According to their new study, these so-called "Snowball" Earth periods, in which the planet'.....»»
First successful test of wild minke whales reveals they have ultrasonic hearing
A team of marine biologists from Norway, the U.S. and Denmark has conducted the first hearing test of a live baleen whale. For their study published in the journal Science, the group corralled a pair of wild minke whales and recorded their brain wave.....»»
The dark energy pushing our universe apart may not be what it seems, scientists say
Distant, ancient galaxies are giving scientists more hints that a mysterious force called dark energy may not be what they thought......»»
Extending classical black hole inequalities into the quantum realm
A recent study in Physical Review Letters explores quantum effects on black hole thermodynamics and geometry, focusing on extending two classical inequalities into the quantum regime......»»
Gene regulation study reports surprising results: Extensive regions of DNA belong to multiple gene switches
Some sequences in the genome cause genes to be switched on or off. Until now, each of these gene switches, or so-called enhancers, was thought to have its own place on the DNA. Different enhancers are therefore separated from each other, even if they.....»»
In Patagonia, more snow could protect glaciers from melt—but only if greenhouse gas are curbed emissions soon
In an era of dwindling glaciers, Southern Patagonia has managed to hold on to a surprising amount of its ice. But, a new study in Scientific Reports from INSTAAR postdoc Matthias Troch suggests that this protective effect might be pushed up against i.....»»
Peaches spread across North America through Indigenous networks, radiocarbon dating and document analysis show
Spanish explorers may have brought the first peach pits to North America, but Indigenous communities helped the ubiquitous summer fruit really take root, according to a study led by a researcher at Penn State......»»
Niagara fireball event leads to discovery of tiniest known asteroid
In an international study led by Western University and Lowell Observatory, scientists describe a pioneering, integrative approach for studying near-Earth asteroids based largely on a November 2022 fireball event that dropped meteorites in the Niagar.....»»
Study: Brilliant white male characters more believable, some viewers say
Brilliant characters often play key roles in movies and TV shows. However, when these characters are played by women and people of color, some audience members dismiss them as unrealistic, even if they portray real people and events, a recent study f.....»»
Image-processing method enhances visualization of electron microscope images in rubber materials
Researchers at University of Tsukuba have developed a new imaging method that clearly visualizes nanoscale structures within rubber materials. The study is published in the journal ACS Applied Nano Materials......»»
Wealthy nations offer $250 bn on climate but pressed for more
Wealthy nations on Friday offered $250 billion a year to help poorer nations hit hardest by global warming but faced immediate calls led by Africa to give more as UN climate negotiations extended into overtime......»»
Ryugu asteroid sample rapidly colonized by terrestrial life despite strict contamination control
Panspermia is the hypothesis that life can survive the transfer between planetary bodies as a secondary path for life to get started on planets throughout a solar system. The discovery of extraterrestrial life on asteroids or within meteorites would.....»»
More than 40% of coral species face extinction, according to new research
Following a global assessment, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has revealed that 44% of reef-building coral species globally are at risk of extinction. The announcement was made at the ongoing COP29 UN climate conference......»»
Parasaurolophus pipes: Modeling the dinosaur"s crest to study its sound
Fossils might give a good image of what dinosaurs looked like, but they can also teach scientists what they sounded like. The Parasaurolophus is a duck-billed dinosaur with a unique crest that lived 70 million to 80 million years ago. It stood around.....»»
Low levels of common contaminants but high levels of other elements in waters linked to abandoned lithium mine
Lithium ore and mining waste from a historic lithium mine located west of Charlotte, North Carolina, are unlikely to contaminate surrounding waters with common pollutants such as arsenic and lead, according to a new study......»»
Study reveals RNA"s unknown role in DNA damage repair
A multi-institutional team of researchers, led by Georgia Tech's Francesca Storici, has discovered a previously unknown role for RNA. Their insights could lead to improved treatments for diseases like cancer and neurodegenerative disorders while chan.....»»
Broadcast police communications may pose privacy risks, especially to Black men
Police radio transmissions contain personally identifiable information that could pose privacy risks for members of the public, especially Black males, according to a new study by researchers at Penn State and the University of Chicago......»»
Study: Yes, tapping on frescoes can reveal defects
Acousticians put a traditional "knock" test for delaminated areas to the test. The US Capitol building in Washington, DC, is adorned with multiple lavish murals created in the 19t.....»»
Introducing "UFO" galaxies—the Milky Way"s dustier cousins
In a new study, a team of astrophysicists led by CU Boulder has set out to unravel the mysteries of UFOs—not the alien spacecraft, but a class of unusually large and red galaxies that researchers have nicknamed Ultra-red Flattened Objects, or UFOs.....»»
Oldies but goodies: Study shows why elderly animals offer crucial scientific insights
A new study on aging in the animal kingdom has highlighted how urgently Earth's oldest and wisest creatures must be protected, with knowledge and environmental stability lost due to human intervention......»»
Florida panthers deemed unaffected by emerging fatal genetic condition in new research
University of Central Florida researchers have helmed a study that found Florida panthers are not particularly susceptible to a potentially transmissible disease that causes cognitive decline leading to death in their prey. The findings abate concern.....»»