Celibacy: Its surprising evolutionary advantages
Why would someone join an institution that removed the option of family life and required them to be celibate? Reproduction, after all, is at the very heart of the evolution that shaped us. Yet many religious institutions around the world require exa.....»»
New study suggests birds began diversifying long before dinosaurs went extinct
A multi-institutional, international team of evolutionary biologists, genetics specialists and phylogenomicists has found evidence that bird species began diversifying long before the dinosaurs went extinct......»»
Foamstars review: Square Enix’s fun Splatoon shooter puts its worst foot forward
Foamstars hides surprising fun and strategic depth under its unfortunately grating presentation......»»
9to5Mac Overtime: Apple Vision Pro – the good, the bad, and the surprising!
On this week’s edition of 9to5Mac Overtime, Fernando and Jeff discuss their hands-on Apple Vision Pro impressions, including their top 5 best features, top 5 surprises, and top 5 worst features. Plus, Fernando answers the question: will he keep his.....»»
Fake grass, real injuries? Dissecting the NFL’s artificial turf debate
Artificial turf has its advantages, but the NFLPA wants it banished from the NFL. Enlarge (credit: iStock/Getty Images) Super Bowl LVIII will be played on a natural grass field in an indoor stadium in Las Vegas on February 11, 2024. H.....»»
Surprising discovery of pharmaceuticals in Norwegian food waste
New research reveals that recycled food waste may be contaminated with pharmaceutical residues. The good news is that fungi cultivated in biogas digestate show minimal absorption of these contaminants. On February 16, Astrid Solvåg Nesse will defend.....»»
Surprising behavior in one of the least studied mammals in the world
Some animals live in such remote and inaccessible regions of the globe that it is nearly impossible to study them in their natural habitats. Beaked whales, of which 24 species have been found so far, are among them: They live far from land and in dee.....»»
DIY Graffiti Projector
“Guerrilla projection, pioneered by artists and advertisers, has been increasingly embraced by activists in recent years as a new medium for delivering messages. The advantages are obvious: With a single high-powered projector, you can turn the si.....»»
Trained AI system learns to design cellular materials for tissue engineering, energy storage
Artificial structures called cellular materials have a network of internal spaces within a solid cell-like matrix. Their porous foam-like architecture combines advantages of low density with strength. Researchers at the National Institute for Materia.....»»
Ice ages were not as dry as we thought, according to surprising new Australian cave study
During ice ages, dry, frozen terrain extended over much of northern Europe, Asia and North America. Many plants and animals retreated from these desolate, harsh landscapes and sought refuge in pockets of more hospitable territory......»»
Finding the best predictor for a galaxy"s metallic content
A team of astronomers has found that the total mass of stars in a galaxy is not a good predictor of the galaxy's abundance of heavier elements, a surprising result according to previous studies. Instead, the gravitational potential of a galaxy is a m.....»»
Fossilized frog with belly full of eggs unearthed in China is oldest of its kind
An international team of Earth scientists, evolutionary biologists and paleontologists has unearthed an ancient frog with a belly full of eggs, the oldest known find of its kind. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the gro.....»»
The surprising secrets of extreme snowfall events in Utah"s central Wasatch
Major snowstorms in Utah's Wasatch Mountains are both a blessing and a curse. They deliver much-needed moisture that supplies water to the state's biggest metropolitan area and fluffy light snow to support the world's finest powder skiing......»»
Smells like evolution: Fruit flies reveal surprises in chemical sensing
A new study in Nature Communications unveils the hidden world of sensory evolution in fruit flies. By delving into the genes and cells behind their delicate noses and tongues, researchers have discovered surprising secrets about how these tiny insect.....»»
The surprising reason insects circle lights at night: They lose track of the sky
It's an observation as old as humans gathering around campfires: Light at night can draw an erratically circling crowd of insects. In art, music and literature, this spectacle is an enduring metaphor for dangerous but irresistible attractions. And wa.....»»
High harmonic spectroscopy retrieves electronic structure of high-pressure superconductors
High pressure has revealed surprising physics and created novel states in condensed matter. Exciting examples include near room temperature superconductivity (Tc > 200 K) in high-pressure hydrides such as H3S and LaH10......»»
Plant receptors that control immunity and development share a common origin, study finds
Plants are continuously evolving new immune receptors to ever-changing pathogens. Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) have traced the origin and evolutionary trajectory of plant immune receptors. Their discovery wi.....»»
Scientists pinpoint growth of brain"s cerebellum as key to evolution of bird flight
Evolutionary biologists at Johns Hopkins Medicine report they have combined PET scans of modern pigeons along with studies of dinosaur fossils to help answer an enduring question in biology: How did the brains of birds evolve to enable them to fly?.....»»
Quick and easy preparation of small-sized metal nanoparticles by microchip laser
Pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) is a reliable and versatile technique for producing metal nanoparticles (NPs) in solution. Its advantages, including the absence of reducing agents, operational simplicity, high purity without purification steps.....»»
Endangered seabird shows surprising individual flexibility to adapt to climate change
How individual animals respond to climate change is key to whether populations will persist or go extinct. Many species are shifting their ranges as the environment warms, but up to now the mechanisms underlying this have been unclear. For Europe's m.....»»
Scientists propose an updated time scale scheme of the Earth"s moon
The moon's evolutionary history is divided into three distinct phases based on the temporal interplay of exogenic and endogenic processes in altering the moon. These phases are defined as Eon-level time scale units, which provide insights into the te.....»»