Birds" dazzling iridescence tied to nanoscale tweak of feather structure
The iridescent shimmer that makes birds such as peacocks and hummingbirds so striking is rooted in a natural nanostructure so complex that people are only just beginning to replicate it technologically. The secret to how birds produce these brilliant.....»»
Insect populations flourish in the restored habitats of solar energy facilities
Bumblebees buzz from flower to flower, stopping for a moment under a clear blue Minnesota sky. Birds chirp, and tall grasses blow in the breeze. This isn't a scene from a pristine nature preserve or national park. It is nestled between photovoltaic (.....»»
We are losing tetrapod species at a faster rate than we are rediscovering them, researchers say
Lost species are those that have not been observed in the wild for over 10 years, despite searches to find them. Lost tetrapod species (four-limbed vertebrate animals including amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles) are a global phenomenon—there.....»»
Translating nuclear waste site data into microbial ecosystem insights
A flagship seven-year study led by the University of Oklahoma that explores how environmental stresses influence different ecological processes shaping the composition and structure of microbial communities in groundwater, has been published in the j.....»»
Enhanced photoelectrochemical water splitting with a donor-acceptor polyimide
Polyimide (PI) has emerged as a promising organic photocatalyst owing to its distinct advantages of high visible-light response, facile synthesis, molecularly tunable donor-acceptor structure, and excellent physicochemical stability. However, the syn.....»»
Discovery of second ultra-large structure in distant space further challenges our understanding of the universe
The discovery of a second ultra-large structure in the remote universe has further challenged some of the basic assumptions about cosmology......»»
Picky female sparrows may be more unfaithful
Picky female sparrows may be more unfaithful, new Imperial research suggests. Cheating on social partners is common in birds, and there are clear benefits to males who can raise more offspring without investing in their care. For females, however, th.....»»
Even the oldest eukaryote fossils show dazzling diversity and complexity
The sun has just set on a quiet mudflat in Australia's Northern Territory; it'll set again in another 19 hours. A young moon looms large over the desolate landscape. No animals scurry in the waning light. No leaves rustle in the breeze. No lichens en.....»»
Focused ion beam technology: A single tool for a wide range of applications
Processing materials on the nanoscale, producing prototypes for microelectronics or analyzing biological samples: The range of applications for finely focused ion beams is huge. Experts from the EU collaboration FIT4NANO have now reviewed the many op.....»»
Researchers find a red knot"s character is formed in first year of life
In any group of red knots, respective individuals exhibit a remarkable array of distinct character types. Birds with an exploratory character are motivated to investigate their environment and readily explore unfamiliar areas. Meanwhile, birds with i.....»»
NASA telescopes chase down "Green Monster" in star"s debris
By bringing together data from two NASA telescopes, astronomers may have solved a mystery around a bizarre structure found in the debris field of an exploded star. Their work has uncovered new details about the star's remains, and about the explosion.....»»
Families will change dramatically over the years to come, says study
The number of relatives that an individual has is expected to decrease by more than 35% in the near future. At the same time, the structure of families will change. The number of cousins, nieces, nephews and grandchildren will decline sharply, while.....»»
How a sea animal with a "snot palace" could inspire better pumps
To build more efficient pumping systems, engineers might take inspiration from a tiny filter-feeding sea creature encased in a gelatinous structure known as a "mucus house" or "snot palace.".....»»
Big evolutionary change tied to lots of small differences
Lots of genes changed as a species of snail went from laying eggs to live births. Enlarge / An example of a Littorina species, the common periwinkle. (credit: Bjoern Wylezich) The version of evolution proposed by Charles.....»»
SpaceX sues US labor board, claims agency structure is unconstitutional
NLRB sued by SpaceX after accusing the company of illegally firing employees. Enlarge / Elon Musk at an AI event with Britain Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. (credit: Getty Images | WPA Pool ).....»»
Logging and climate change threaten montane birds
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have studied the effects of forest logging and climate change on bird communities in tropical mountains, by examining over 10 years of data......»»
Feathers from deceased birds help scientists understand new threat to avian populations
As concerns over the world's declining bird population mount, animal ecologists have developed an analytical approach to better understand one of the latest threats to feathered creatures: the rise of wind and solar energy facilities......»»
Fossil birds: Surfaces of cervical vertebrae show conspicuous tubercles that may have served as "internal bony armor"
An international research team has examined unusual skeletal structures of various European bird fossils from the Eocene. The bone surfaces of the approximately 40- to 50-million-year-old cervical vertebrae show conspicuous tubercles, whose origin as.....»»
Study warns of widespread population collapse of African raptors
An international team of researchers has found that Africa's birds of prey are facing an extinction crisis. The study, co-led by researchers from the School of Biology at the University of St Andrews and The Peregrine Fund, warns of declines among ne.....»»
New evidence that insect wings may have evolved from gills
How did insect wings originate? This is a question that represents an unsolved mystery of insect evolution. Despite many years of research, it is still not entirely clear from which body structure insect wings actually evolved and what their original.....»»
DriveFS Sleuth: Open-source tool for investigating Google Drive File Stream’s disk forensic artifacts
DriveFS Sleuth automates the investigation of Google Drive File Stream disk artifacts. The tool can parse the disk artifacts and build a filesystem tree-like structure enumerating the synchronized files along with their respective properties. “.....»»