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.....»»
Researchers use vapor deposition to make covalent organic framework films
Rice University materials scientists developed a fast, low-cost, scalable method to make covalent organic frameworks (COFs), a class of crystalline polymers whose tunable molecular structure, large surface area and porosity could be useful in energy.....»»
Scientists reveal the molecular structure of a complex bacteriophage
The word "virus" is often associated with negative connotations. However, it is important to note that not all viruses are harmful. In fact, there are many viruses that live inside our bodies and play important roles in our health. One example is bac.....»»
What happens in a crow’s brain when it uses tools?
Researchers trace the areas of the brain that are active when birds are using tools. Enlarge / Sure, they can use tools, but do they know where the nearest subway stop is? (credit: Jonas Adner) "A thirsty crow wanted wat.....»»
Ensuring proof of origin through marker-free tracing of logs
Until now, reliably tracing logs to their origin has been difficult to achieve. Researchers at Fraunhofer IPM and their partners have now shown that logs and trunk sections can be identified based on the structure of the cut surfaces. The recent rese.....»»
Ribosomal protein exhibits remarkable evolutionary transformation
A team of researchers from the Universities of Newcastle and Umeå has discovered that a ribosomal protein exhibits a remarkable evolutionary transformation, with its three-dimensional structure changing drastically while its sequence remains relativ.....»»
Research reveals the secret sites where America"s migrating songbirds stop to rest and refuel
Every year, billions of birds migrate thousands of miles from their summer breeding ranges to their warmer wintering ranges and back. However, the question of where these birds stop to rest and refuel along the way has long stumped ornithologists......»»
New understanding of ancient genetic parasite may spur medical breakthroughs
A multidisciplinary study published in Nature has elucidated the structure of the machinery responsible for writing much of our "dark genome"—the 98% of our DNA that has largely unknown biological function. These results may spur entirely novel tre.....»»
Ukrainian cellular and Internet still out, 1 day after suspected Russian cyberattack
Hackers tied to Russian military take responsibility for hack on Ukraine's biggest provider. Enlarge / A service center for "Kyivstar", a Ukrainian telecommunications company, that provides communication services and data transmi.....»»
Ukrainian cells and Internet still out, 1 day after suspected Russian cyberattack
Hackers tied to Russian military take responsibility for hack on Ukraine's biggest provider. Enlarge / A service center for "Kyivstar", a Ukrainian telecommunications company, that provides communication services and data transmi.....»»
Embedding nanodiamonds in polymer can advance quantum computing and biological studies
A nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center is a defect in the crystal structure of diamond, where a nitrogen atom replaces a carbon atom in the diamond lattice and a neighboring site in the lattice is vacant. This and other fluorescent defects in diamond, known.....»»
Advances in nanoscale carrier-based approaches to enhance efficacy of podophyllotoxin
Podophyllotoxin (PPT), an aryltetralin-type lignan isolated from Podophyllum species, exhibits a wide range of biologic and pharmacologic activities, and mainly serves as an antiviral agent or antitumor drug in clinical applications......»»
Study finds configuration of green spaces in cities determines the characteristics of their birds
An international team including researchers from the University of Granada (UGR) and the National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), has studied the distribution of 115 species of birds in spring and 72 that spend the winter in nine European cit.....»»
Climate change research: If warming approaches 2°C, a trickle of extinctions will become a flood
As delegates discuss the climate crisis in Dubai for COP28, the dazzling variety of life found on Earth hangs in the balance......»»
iTunes Store app ends support for buying and renting TV shows and movies
Today’s release of iOS 17.2 takes another step toward killing the iTunes brand once and for all. Via a server-side update tied to today’s software update, Apple has discontinued the ability to buy and rent TV shows and movies via the iTunes app o.....»»
Stellar Cyber incorporates GenAI into its Open XDR Platform
Stellar Cyber has incorporated Generative AI (GenAI) into its Open XDR Platform. With GenAI functionality tied to its knowledge base, Stellar Cyber can significantly improve security analysts’ productivity by enabling them to get answers to the.....»»
Millions of birds lose precious energy due to fireworks on New Year"s Eve, research reveals
Birds are affected by the mass use of fireworks on New Year's Eve up to a distance of 10 km away. With data from weather radars and bird counts, an international team of researchers revealed how many birds take off immediately after the start of the.....»»
Seeing the forest for the birds: Ten principles for bird-friendly forestry
Most of the world's natural forests are subject to logging operations, many of which are highly detrimental to forest birds and other wildlife, and demand for timber is expected to continue to grow. Europe has the highest proportion of the world's fo.....»»
Daily Telescope: Hubble images a dazzling star cluster 158,000 light-years away
It is thousands of times more dense than our corner of the Milky Way Galaxy. Enlarge / This striking image shows the densely packed globular cluster known as NGC 2210, which is situated in the Large Magellanic Cloud. (credit: ES.....»»
Snake charm: Four reasons to love snakes
Picture this: the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and you're enjoying a hike in nature. You haven't a care in the world until you round the corner on your favorite walking trail. And then you see it......»»
Creating a C4-like vein pattern in rice by manipulating SHORT ROOT and auxin levels
C4 plants are distinguished by a unique leaf structure known as Kranz anatomy, characterized by inner vascular bundle sheath cells and outer mesophyll cells. This specialized arrangement confers C4 plants with several advantages over C3 plants, inclu.....»»