Aurochs and rhinoceros fossils help us understand how the Sahara became a desert
The finding of fossils of an aurochs (Bos primigenius) and a white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum), which lived between 57,000 and 100,000 years ago, at the Oued el Haï site (northeast Morocco), has allowed us to learn more about the climatic chang.....»»
Airborne technology brings new hope to map shallow aquifers in Earth"s most arid deserts
Water shortages are expanding across the Earth. This is particularly acute in desert areas of the Middle East that are subject to both drought and extreme conditions such as flooding. As a result of these uncertainties, there is an increasing relianc.....»»
Scientists demonstrate the survival of quantum coherence in a chemical reaction involving ultracold molecules
If you zoom in on a chemical reaction to the quantum level, you'll notice that particles behave like waves that can ripple and collide. Scientists have long sought to understand quantum coherence, the ability of particles to maintain phase relationsh.....»»
AI can help researchers understand what viruses are up to in the oceans and in your gut
Viruses are a mysterious and poorly understood force in microbial ecosystems. Researchers know they can infect, kill and manipulate human and bacterial cells in nearly every environment, from the oceans to your gut. But scientists don't yet have a fu.....»»
Discovery may explain why Egyptian pyramids were built along long-lost Ahramat branch of the Nile
Some 31 pyramids in Egypt, including the Giza pyramid complex, may originally have been built along a 64-km-long branch of the river Nile which has long since been buried beneath farmland and desert. The findings, reported in a paper in Communication.....»»
NASA tests technology, practices Artemis moonwalks in Arizona desert
To prepare for exploring the moon during NASA's Artemis campaign, the agency is conducting a week-long field test in the lunar-like landscape of San Francisco Volcanic Field near Flagstaff, Arizona to practice moonwalk scenarios......»»
Researchers develop algorithms to understand how humans form body part vocabularies
Human bodies have similar designs. However, languages differ in the way they divide the body into parts and name them. For example, English speakers have two words for foot and leg, whereas other languages express the concepts foot and leg in one wor.....»»
Apple to unveil brand new Siri at WWDC powered by generative AI
Apple is preparing to unveil a major revamp to Siri at WWDC in June, as reported by The New York Times today. The report says the new version of Siri will be powered by generative AI, allowing it to be more conversational and understand more types.....»»
Chemical tweaks to a toad hallucinogen turns it into a potential drug
Targets a different serotonin receptor from other popular hallucinogens. Enlarge / The Colorado River toad, also known as the Sonoran Desert Toad. (credit: Mark Newman) It is becoming increasingly accepted that classic p.....»»
Team compares robot-assisted language learning systems and human tutors in English conversation lessons
Advancements in large language models, robotics, and software such as text-to-speech, have made it possible to develop robots that can understand language, interact physically, and communicate verbally. These breakthroughs have opened up possibilitie.....»»
Is it a bird or a dinosaur? Fossils from Teylers Museum in Netherlands secretly visit UK"s synchrotron
The feathered limbs, sharp teeth and claws of the oldest known bird-like dinosaurs, the Archaeopteryx have fascinated naturalists and paleontologists including Charles Lyell and Charles Darwin who propelled the species to fame especially following pu.....»»
US restorationist solves 60-million-year-old dinosaur fossil "puzzles"
Before a T. rex can tower over museum visitors or a Triceratops can show off its huge horns, dinosaur fossils must first be painstakingly reconstructed—cleaned, fit together and even painted......»»
From fossils to fuel: Energy potential of Mozambique"s Maniamba Basin
In the ever-expanding search for energy resources, a new study has emerged from Mozambique's Maniamba Basin. A team led by Nelson Nhamutole, a Ph.D. student at the University of the Witwatersrand, and his team of scientists from around the world, sha.....»»
Why do metaphors of space help us understand time?
Expressions linking space to time are a common part of our day to day lives. You might say the morning "flew by," or that school exams are "fast approaching." Right now, you might say summer is "just around the corner," while anyone with the vaguest.....»»
Unraveling isopods" culinary secrets and why it matters for ecosystems
New research on desert isopods' dietary preferences is the revelation of the complex factors influencing their food choices. By understanding how these animals meticulously regulate their nutrient intake and prefer biological soil crusts over plant l.....»»
Unraveling life"s origin: Five key breakthroughs from the past five years
There is still so much we don't understand about the origin of life on Earth......»»
We still don’t understand how one human apparently got bird flu from a cow
A genetic analysis and case report reveal new insights and big gaps in our knowledge. Enlarge / Holstein dairy cows in a freestall barn. (credit: Getty | ) The US Department of Agriculture this week posted an unpublished.....»»
New Nevada experiments aim to improve monitoring of nuclear explosions
On an October morning in 2023, a chemical explosion detonated in a tunnel under the Nevada desert was the launch of the next set of experiments by the National Nuclear Security Administration, with the goal to improve detection of low-yield nuclear e.....»»
Researchers develop "founding document" on synthetic cell development
Cells are the fundamental units of life, forming the variety of all living things on Earth as individual cells and multicellular organisms. To better understand how cells perform the essential functions of life, scientists have begun developing synth.....»»
Team evaluates agricultural management practices in new nitrous oxide accounting method
As greenhouse gases go, nitrous oxide (N2O) is a doozy. With a global warming potential 273 times that of carbon dioxide, mitigating N2O could make a big difference. But before mitigation can happen, it's important to understand where the compound is.....»»
Deeper understanding of malaria parasite sexual development unlocks opportunities to block disease spread
For the first time, the developmental stages of the deadliest human malaria parasite have been mapped in high resolution, allowing researchers to understand this ever-adapting adversary in more detail than previously possible......»»