Dinosaur food and Hiroshima bomb survivors: Maidenhair trees are "living fossils"
Most of us are captivated by the thought of a "living fossil," which is any organism that appeared millions of years ago in the fossil record and survives today, relatively unchanged......»»
New experimental evidence unlocks a puzzle in vascular tissue engineering
Angiogenesis is a process of forming hierarchical vascular networks in living tissues. Its complexity makes the controlled generation of blood vessels in laboratory conditions a highly challenging task......»»
Warming Arctic reduces dust levels in parts of the planet, study finds
Climate change is a global phenomenon, but its impacts are felt at a very local level. Take, for example, dust. Dust can have a huge impact on local air quality, food security, energy supply and public health. Yet, little is known about how global cl.....»»
Ancient giant tortoise fossils found in Colombian Andes
Paleontologists have discovered giant tortoise fossils in Colombia dating back some 57 million years, the university leading the excavation said, with the findings key to understanding South America's prehistoric eras......»»
Sugar in baby food: Why Nestlé needs to be held to account in Africa
Nestlé has been criticized for adding sugar and honey to infant milk and cereal products sold in many poorer countries. The Swiss food giant controls 20% of the baby-food market, valued at nearly US$70 billion......»»
First chromosome-level reference genomes of the ornamental banana and pink banana
The genus Musa, encompassing approximately 70 herbaceous species, is predominantly found in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Oceania. This genus is renowned for being one of the most important food crops globally and popular ornamenta.....»»
Enhancing sweet potato quality analysis with hyperspectral imaging and AI
Sweet potatoes are a popular food choice for consumers worldwide because of their delicious taste and nutritious quality. The red, tuberous root vegetable can be processed into chips and fries, and it has a range of industrial applications, including.....»»
A NASA rover has reached a promising place to search for fossilized life on Mars
While we go about our daily lives on Earth, a nuclear-powered robot the size of a small car is trundling around Mars looking for fossils. Unlike its predecessor Curiosity, NASA's Perseverance rover is explicitly intended to "search for potential evid.....»»
Half our colleagues suffer pain and discomfort from periods—but they"re still a taboo subject at work
Have you ever felt sick at work? Perhaps you had food poisoning or the flu. Your belly hurt, or you felt tired, making it hard to concentrate and be productive......»»
How studying trends in human lifespans can measure progress in addressing inequality
People are living longer lives compared to previous generations but, over the last few decades, there has been a hidden shift—they are passing away at increasingly similar ages......»»
Leaf size and defensive traits found to modulate effects of soil fauna on litter decomposition
Leaf litter, as a multifunctional legacy of plants, plays an essential role in driving biogeochemical cycles, while providing important habitat and food resources for soil organisms. Litter traits and soil fauna play a crucial role in determining lit.....»»
Fragments of bird flu virus genome found in pasteurized milk, FDA says
The test cannot tell if the virus is live. The FDA still assess milk supply as safe. Enlarge / Cows being milked (credit: Getty | Edwin Remsberg) The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday announced that genetic fragmen.....»»
The spam came from inside the house: How a smart TV can choke a Windows PC
The curious case of a living room screen making Windows' Settings app disappear. Enlarge / I have hundreds of UUIDs and I must scream. (credit: Getty Images) The modern "smart" TV asks a lot of us. In exchange for connec.....»»
The bigger the student loan, the smaller the chance of getting good grades
If you are a student living on a loan in the United States, you are less likely to get good grades than your debt-free fellow students. The bigger your student loan, the poorer you perform......»»
Lakes worldwide are facing a slew of health issues that may become chronic
Like humans, lakes are living systems that can suffer from a number of health issues, including circulatory and respiratory problems, infections, nutritional imbalances, and heat-related illnesses. Without treatment, these conditions can become chron.....»»
Researchers create artificial cells that act like living cells
In a new study published in Nature Chemistry, UNC-Chapel Hill researcher Ronit Freeman and her colleagues describe the steps they took to manipulate DNA and proteins—essential building blocks of life—to create cells that look and act like cells f.....»»
Advances in understanding the evolution of stomach loss in agastric fishes
Living beings can evolve to lose biological structures due to potential survival benefits from such losses. For example, certain groups of ray-finned fishes show such regressive evolution—medakas, minnows, puffera, and wrasses do not have a stomach.....»»
Same species, different sizes: Rare evolution in action spotted in island bats
A University of Melbourne researcher has spotted a rare evolutionary phenomenon happening rapidly in real time in bats living in the Solomon Islands......»»
More than 2,100 people are evacuated as an Indonesian volcano spews clouds of ash
More than 2,100 people living near an erupting volcano on Indonesia's Sulawesi Island were evacuated Friday due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami......»»
Study uncovers neural mechanisms underlying foraging behavior in freely moving animals
While foraging, animals including humans and monkeys are continuously making decisions about where to search for food and when to move among possible sources of sustenance......»»
Previously unknown details of aphids in flight to contribute to improved crop security
Researchers led by a scientist at Keele University in Staffordshire have studied the previously unknown flight mechanisms of a common crop pest, to learn more about their movements in a bid to improve food security and prevent the spread of disease......»»