Earliest known ancestors of scorpions were tiny sea beasts
A local fossil collector in Morocco found the specimen decades ago. Enlarge (credit: UNIVERSITY OF LAUSANNE) In the early 2000s, local fossil collector Mohamed ‘Ou Said’ Ben Moula discovered numerous fossils at Fezou.....»»
How soil bacteria contribute to the growing global issue of antibiotic resistance
Soil plays a much bigger role in the spread of antibiotic resistance than one might imagine. Surprisingly, the ground beneath us is packed with antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs)—tiny codes that allow bacteria to resist antibiotics. Human activitie.....»»
Montserrat"s wandering turtles highlight need for conservation without borders
Sea turtles that nest in Montserrat migrate and feed in the waters of multiple Caribbean countries and territories—according to a new study that highlights the need for international conservation efforts......»»
Image analysis highlights Aldabra Atoll"s remarkable shoreline resilience over 51 years
Despite sea level rise in the Western Indian Ocean, more than 60% of Aldabra Atoll's shoreline remained unchanged from 1960 to 2011, based on aerial and satellite image analysis. On average, the shoreline changed at a rate of 0.25 ± 0.36 meters per.....»»
How sulfur affects the carbon cycle of subtropical seagrass meadows: New findings from Florida Bay
Seagrass meadows have an important climate protection function due to their long-term carbon storage potential. An international research team led by the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW) has now been able to show that seagr.....»»
Mediterranean coral gardens may inevitably be compromised
Based on vast experience at sea and in the laboratory over the last 10 years, the latest study by the Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research at the University of Porto (CIIMAR-UP), Portugal, in collaboration with the Institute.....»»
The latest in poker cheats: Tiny cameras that can see cards as they’re dealt
Several recent schemes were uncovered, so should players everywhere be concerned? Matt Berkey was becoming suspicious. Berkey, a 42-year-old poker pro known for his presence in so.....»»
This tiny electric truck could be the most affordable yet
Looking for an electric truck, but don't want to spend much? The tiny Telo MT1 could be the cheapest electric truck yet......»»
NATO plans to deploy sea drones to monitor and protect undersea cables
Plans to protect critical undersea cables are being drawn up by NATO......»»
Unlocking the secrets of collagen: How sea creature superpowers are inspiring smart biomaterials for human health
Major findings on the inner workings of a brittle star's ability to reversibly control the pliability of its tissues will help researchers solve the puzzle of mutable collagenous tissue (MCT) and potentially inspire new "smart" biomaterials for human.....»»
Autonomous imaging robot can assess embryos" response to environmental change
Scientists have used 3D-printed components to create a robotic instrument that can autonomously monitor the earliest stages of development in any aquatic species. The LabEmbryoCam has been created over the past decade by biologists and technologists.....»»
Record-low Antarctic sea ice can be explained and forecast months out by patterns in winds
Amid all the changes in Earth's climate, sea ice in the stormy Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica was, for a long time, an odd exception. The maximum winter sea ice cover remained steady or even increased slightly from the late 1970s through 2015,.....»»
Unlike other insects, desert ants may use polarity of geomagnetic field for navigation
Desert ants of the Cataglyphis nodus species use the Earth's magnetic field for spatial orientation, but these tiny insects rely on a different component of the field than other insects, a research team led by Dr. Pauline Fleischmann from the Univers.....»»
Biodegradable polymers show promise for nutrient encapsulation and replacing microbeads in beauty products
Microplastics are an environmental hazard found nearly everywhere on Earth, released by the breakdown of tires, clothing, and plastic packaging. Another significant source of microplastics is tiny beads that are added to some cleansers, cosmetics, an.....»»
Copenhagen takes on its biggest climate threat—water
In low-lying Copenhagen where rising sea levels, groundwater and rainfall pose a risk to infrastructure, the Danish capital is trying to adapt and protect urban areas from climate change......»»
MeerKAT confirms the gravitational wave background of the universe in record time
The universe is a turbulent place. Stars are exploding, neutron stars collide, and supermassive black holes are merging. All of these things and many more create gravitational waves. As a result, the cosmos is filled with a rippling sea of gravitatio.....»»
Supreme Court could narrow the scope of federal environmental reviews
In the 1993 movie "Jurassic Park," Dr. Ian Malcolm, a fictional math genius specializing in chaos theory, explains the "butterfly effect," which holds that tiny actions can lead to big outcomes. "A butterfly flaps its wings in Peking," Malcolm posits.....»»
Coastal retreat in Alaska is accelerating because of compound climate impacts, researchers warn
The overlapping effects of sea level rise, permafrost thaw subsidence, and erosion may lead to land loss in Arctic coastal regions that dwarfs the land loss from any single one of these climate hazards, scientists say......»»
Excavations uncover evidence for the emergence and rejection of the earliest state institutions in Iraq
Excavations at a 4th millennium BCE settlement in Iraqi Kurdistan have revealed new clues about the origins of the world's earliest governing institutions, suggesting they emerged partly from their ability to provide large-scale meals, potentially as.....»»
Tiny dancers: Scientists synchronize bacterial motion
Researchers at TU Delft have discovered that E. coli bacteria can synchronize their movements, creating order in seemingly random biological systems. By trapping individual bacteria in micro-engineered circular cavities and coupling these cavities th.....»»
Researchers locate WWI shipwreck off Northern Ireland
HMS Stephen Furness was steaming through the northern Irish Sea on the afternoon of December 13 1917, en route to Liverpool for repairs. The crew maintained a cautious course, altering direction every ten minutes and traveling at a steady 13 knots—.....»»