Asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs may have led to the invention of "ant agriculture"
The event that wiped out the dinosaurs wasn't all bad. The low-light environment caused by the meteor impact some 66 million years ago favored the spread of fungi that feed on organic matter, which was abundant at the time as plants and animals were.....»»
Scientists create portable, miniature high-speed "electronic nose" that outperforms mice
A group of scientists led by University of Hertfordshire researchers have collaborated to create a particularly fast and small "electronic nose.".....»»
A new puzzle piece for string theory research: Study proves 4-graviton scattering conjecture
String theory aims to explain all fundamental forces and particles in the universe—essentially, how the world operates on the smallest scales. Though it has not yet been experimentally verified, work in string theory has already led to significant.....»»
Fossil collection found in Neanderthal cave suggests abstract thinking
Research led by the Universidad de Burgos has uncovered evidence suggesting Neanderthals engaged in collecting activities based on discoveries at the Prado Vargas Cave in Burgos, Spain. Fifteen Upper Cretaceous marine fossils were found, indicating t.....»»
Enormous cache of rare earth elements hidden inside coal ash waste, study suggests
Coal ash—the chalky remnants of coal that has been burned for fuel—has been piling up across the United States for decades. But new research led by The University of Texas at Austin has found that the national coal ash supply contains enough rare.....»»
How brain evolution is linked to the use of tools
Researchers led by Dr. Alexandros Karakostis from the Institute for Archaeological Science and the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment at the University of Tübingen suggest that changes in the brain could have enabled early.....»»
Populations overheat as major cities fail canopy goals
A new study led by RMIT University in Australia measuring access to nature for eight major global cities found most still have inadequate canopy cover, despite access to an abundance of trees......»»
Why school police officers may not be the most effective way to prevent violence
In 1975, only 1% of public schools had their own police officers. Today, 44% do. A large reason for the increase is the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which led to the creation of the federal Community Oriented Policing Servic.....»»
Statistical approach improves models of atmosphere on early Earth and exoplanets
As energy from the sun reaches Earth, some solar radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere, leading to chemical reactions like the formation of ozone and the breakup of gas molecules. A new approach for modeling these reactions, developed by a team led.....»»
The new Mars landing approach: How we"ll land large payloads on the Red Planet
Back in 2007, I talked with Rob Manning, engineer extraordinaire at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and he told me something shocking. Even though he had successfully led the entry, descent, and landing (EDL) teams for three Mars rover missions, he sa.....»»
Redefining net zero will not stop global warming, scientists say
In a study, led by the University of Oxford's Department of Physics and published 18 November in Nature, an international group of authors who developed the science behind net zero demonstrate that relying on 'natural carbon sinks' like forests and o.....»»
New fossil reveals the evolution of flying reptiles
The pterosaurs are extinct flying reptiles that lived alongside their close relatives, the dinosaurs. The largest of these reached 10 m in wingspan, but early forms were generally limited to around 2 m. In a paper, a team led by paleontologist Dr. Da.....»»
Bee alert: Pesticides pose a real threat to more than 70% of wild bees
A new study reveals alarming risks that pesticides pose to ground-nesting bees, which are crucial for pollination and food production. As agriculture increasingly relies on pesticides to protect crops, the unintended consequences for these essential.....»»
Viscosity of materials key to cell differentiation: New insights could improve design of biomaterials
An IBEC-led study has revealed how mesenchymal stem cells respond to the viscosity of their environment, a key aspect in their differentiation process......»»
Long-lived Schrödinger"s-cat state achieves Heisenberg-limited sensitivity
A team led by Prof. Lu Zhengtian and Researcher Xia Tian from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) realized a Schrödinger-cat state with minute-scale lifetime using optically trapped cold atoms, significantly enhancing the sensit.....»»
Ancient climate study links past ocean acidification to current trends
A research team led by Prof. Li Mingsong at Peking University has provided new insights into the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) and its effects on ocean chemistry......»»
Ultrafast lasers enable manipulation of polar order in a charge density wave at room temperature
Addressing the challenge of controlling electronic states in materials, the scientific community has been exploring innovative methods. Recently, researchers from Peking University, led by Professor Nanlin Wang, in collaboration with Professor Qiaome.....»»
Small vessels underestimated as strike risk to migrating whales, finds study
A new study led by Griffith University researchers has found that current risk assessments of vessel strikes on large whales, such as migrating humpback whales, may be underestimating the threat of smaller vessels, particularly from recreational vess.....»»
Study of Scotland"s last plague reveals humanity in face of "Black Death"
A new study led by the University of Aberdeen has provided greater understanding of Scotland's final deadly brush with the plague......»»
Silver-silica composite catalyst inspired by geochemical cycling exhibits reversible local pH control
A research team led by Dr. Hyung-Suk Oh and Dr. Woong Hee Lee at the Clean Energy Research Center at Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has developed a silver-silica composite catalyst capable of reversible local pH control through a si.....»»
Electric field signals reveal early warnings for extreme weather, study reveals
A new study led by Dr. Roy Yaniv from the Institute of Earth Sciences at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Sheba Medical Center, in collaboration with Dr. Assaf Hochman from The Hebrew University and Prof. Yoav Yair from Reichmann University, ha.....»»