Discoveries gleaned from ancient human DNA
Four research articles published in Nature follow the genetic traces and geographical origins of human diseases far back in time. The analyses provide detailed pictures of prehistoric human diversity and migration, while proposing an explanation for.....»»
Biologists discover how plants evolved multiple ways to override genetic instructions
Biologists at Washington University in St. Louis have discovered the origin of a curious duplication that gives plants multiple ways to override instructions that are coded into their DNA. This research could help scientists exploit a plant's existin.....»»
Burial chamber and grave goods of ancient Egyptian priestess discovered in Asyut
An international team of archaeologists led by Professor Jochem Kahl from Freie Universität Berlin has made an incredible discovery in the necropolis of Asyut, Egypt. Researchers discovered the burial chamber of the ancient Egyptian priestess Idy, d.....»»
Testing thousands of RNA enzymes helps find first "twister ribozyme" in mammals
The "RNA world" hypothesis proposes that the earliest life on Earth may have been based on RNA—a single-stranded molecule similar in many ways to DNA—like some modern viruses. This is because, like DNA, RNA can carry genetic information, but, lik.....»»
Space Innovation Lab experiment heads to International Space Station
The first human tissue samples from Oxford's Space Innovation Lab (SIL) have been launched and are on their way to the International Space Station, where they will be used to study the effects of space microgravity on the human aging process......»»
Reconstructing plesiosaur swimming styles with a bio-inspired control system
A research group may have unraveled the mystery behind the locomotion of the ancient marine reptile, the plesiosaur, by recreating a bio-inspired control system that accounts for motion adjustment......»»
A human topological insulator: Researchers use choreographed dance to explain quantum materials
Science can be difficult to explain to the public. In fact, any subfield of science can be difficult to explain to another scientist who studies in a different area. Explaining a theoretical science concept to high school students requires a new way.....»»
Designs on ancient stone cylinders correspond to origin of writing in Mesopotamia, researchers discover
The origins of writing in Mesopotamia lie in the images imprinted by ancient cylinder seals on clay tablets and other artifacts. A research group from the University of Bologna has identified a series of correlations between the designs engraved on t.....»»
AI learning mechanisms may lead to increase in codebase leaks
The proliferation of non-human identities and the complexity of modern application architectures has created significant security challenges, particularly in managing sensitive credentials, according to GitGuardian. Based on a survey of 1,000 IT deci.....»»
Portal to the past: Geologist identifies metamorphic rock as a crucial feature of the ancient Earth"s carbon cycle
If Earth's history were a calendar year, humans would not appear until the last few minutes before midnight on Dec. 31. During the Proterozoic Eon—2.5 billion years to 543 million years ago—the sun was still a young star, much dimmer than today,.....»»
Tracing the journey from Egyptian cat mummies to modern house pets
EU researchers are testing DNA from archaeological cat remains to help unravel the tale of cat domestication. It probably will not surprise cat owners, familiar with the enigmatic and independent nature of their beloved pets, to know that scientists.....»»
Multi-layered site in Tajikistan"s Zeravshan Valley uncovered, offering new insights into human expansion
In an important discovery, archaeologists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan have uncovered a multi-layered archaeological site in the Zeravshan Valley, central Tajikistan, shedding rare light o.....»»
Big companies profit from poverty but aren"t obliged to uphold human rights. International law must change
There is some disagreement among legal practitioners and scholars about whether corporations have duties under international law......»»
Fingerprints on ancient terracotta figurines show men, women and children worked on figurines
A recent preliminary study by Ph.D. student Leonie Hoff of the University of Oxford, published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology, provides insight into how ancient fingerprints left on terracotta figurines reveal the age and sex of their makers......»»
The Virus That Causes Mpox Keeps Getting Better at Spreading in People
Analysis of a strain of the virus circulating in Central Africa shows genetic mutations indicative of sustained human-to-human spread.....»»
Voting Has Never Been More Secure Than It Is Right Now
Efficient machines, paper ballots and human checks make the U.S. voting system robust.....»»
Baby Girls Switched at Birth Only Realize the Mistake More Than 50 Years Later After DNA Test: A ‘Unique and Complex Case’
Baby Girls Switched at Birth Only Realize the Mistake More Than 50 Years Later After DNA Test: A ‘Unique and Complex Case’.....»»
Ancient mud reveals Australia"s burning history over the past 130,000 years—and a way forward in current fire crisis
Increased land management by Aboriginal people in southeastern Australia around 6,000 years ago cut forest shrub cover in half, according to our new study published in Science of fossil pollen trapped in ancient mud......»»
Scientists detect traces of an ancient Mayan city in southern Mexico using laser-sensor technology
Archaeologists using laser-sensing technology have detected what may be an ancient Mayan city cloaked by jungle in southern Mexico, authorities said Wednesday......»»
Report reveals how the state of our oceans is intrinsically linked to human health
A study published in the journal One Earth explores how marine biodiversity conservation, human health and well-being are connected. The results suggest that marine protected areas can be good for both planet and people......»»
Sudan"s civil war has left at least an estimated 62,000 dead—but the true figure could be far higher
The ongoing war in Sudan has often been overlooked amid higher-profile conflicts raging across multiple continents. Yet the lack of media and geopolitical attention to this 18-month-long conflict has not made its devastation in terms of human lives a.....»»