For birds, blending in may result in more diversity
The saying "Birds of a feather flock together" is being given new meaning by a study published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. Flocking birds often travel in groups made up of a single species, in which individuals are nearl.....»»
Poor teacher training partly to blame for stalled engineering diversity goals
Diversifying the science, technology, engineering and math fields has long been a top priority of many universities and tech companies. It's also a goal of the National Science Foundation, the biggest funder of university-led research and development.....»»
Experiments show backyard birds learn from their new neighbors when moving house
Scientists have found a trigger for social learning in wild animals. An experiment on great tits has pinpointed a single factor—immigration—that can cause birds to pay close attention to others, leading them to rapidly adopt useful behaviors......»»
Socioeconomic status explains most of the racial and ethnic achievement gaps in elementary school
For decades, white students have performed significantly better than Black and Hispanic students on tests of academic achievement. Explanations for these achievement gaps include poverty and systems that result in discrimination. Others cite struggle.....»»
Birds, bees and bats working together means more macadamia nuts
An international research team led by the universities of Göttingen and Hohenheim in Germany has gained new insights into how the interaction of birds, bees and bats significantly increases the quantity and quality of macadamia nuts. Furthermore, th.....»»
Arctic raptors study reveals a new migration pattern, highlighting potential errors in range mapping
Traditionally, migratory birds are thought to arrive at their wintering grounds after fall migration and remain there until the spring migration back to breeding sites. This assumption forms the basis for determining over-wintering ranges and shaping.....»»
Geologists rewrite textbooks with new insights from Cambrian rocks of Grand Canyon
Since soon after our planet formed, Earth's 4.6 billion-year-long history was dominated by single-celled life. Something dramatic happened about 500 million years ago called the Cambrian "explosion," during which an incredible diversity of life forms.....»»
More wet, less dry: How climate change will affect the avalanche situation in Switzerland by the end of the century
Less snow does not mean fewer avalanches. This is the result of a study published in Snow/Seasonal Snow by SLF researcher Stephanie Mayer......»»
Probability training: Preventing errors of reasoning in medicine and law
How trustworthy is a positive HIV test result? How probable is an actual infection when the test is positive? Even professionals often get such questions wrong, which can lead to misdiagnoses and unnecessary surgeries......»»
The fake election bomb threats caused chaos online—it"s a perfect breeding ground for conspiracies
In the 2020 US elections, Joe Biden's win against Donald Trump prompted the Trump campaign to file more than 60 lawsuits challenging the result, mostly focusing on swing states......»»
Washington coast avian flu outbreak devastated Caspian terns, jumped to seals
An epidemiological study found that 56% of a large breeding colony of Caspian terns died from a 2023 outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza at Rat Island in Washington state. Since then, no birds have successfully bred on the island, raising c.....»»
I did an iPhone 16 Pro Max and Galaxy S24 Ultra camera test. The results shocked me
The iPhone 16 Pro Max takes on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in a camera test, and the result is a serious upset given the age difference between them......»»
Secrets and lies: Spies of the Stuart era played a dangerous game in the shadows of an unstable Europe
Stuart monarchs were repeatedly challenged by dangerous threats—a gunpowder plot, a civil war and political revolution. As a result, by the restoration of Charles II in 1660, the English government had come to rely on a shadowy trade of secrets for.....»»
Mini-transmitters show infections with parasites affect local flight behavior of swallows
Swallows infected with parasites move less and in smaller ranges than healthy ones—with detrimental effects on their foraging success and their survival. As a result, infected individuals foraged in less productive areas, such as cultivated farmlan.....»»
Biologists reveal the genetic "switch" behind parrot color diversity
From the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro to the shoulders of pirates: parrots are synonymous with color for people across the world. In a study published in the journal Science, scientists from The University of Hong Kong, together with an international t.....»»
New process enhances thermoplastic blends with polylactic acid
Bio-based thermoplastics are produced from renewable organic materials and can be recycled after use. Their resilience can be improved by blending bio-based thermoplastics with other thermoplastics. However, the interface between the materials in the.....»»
Collisions between planes and birds follow seasonal patterns and overlap with breeding and migration—new research
Bird strikes with aircraft pose a serious threat to human safety. The problem dates back to the early days of aviation, with the first death of a pilot recorded in 1912 when an aircraft crashed into the sea after striking a gull......»»
Citizen science platforms reveal more resources needed to protect birds in Germany
Member states of the European Union are obliged to designate Special Protection Areas (SPAs) as part of the Natura 2000 network. These areas are designed to guarantee the preservation and restoration of bird populations. However, due to the paucity o.....»»
RNA sequencing approach offers real-time and programmable transcriptome sequencing
The high complexity and diversity of the eukaryotic transcriptome poses significant challenges for the efficient detection of specific transcripts. Conventional targeted RNA-seq methods often require labor-intensive pre-sequencing enrichment steps, w.....»»
New insights into mango evolution: Study reveals extensive hybridization within the Mangifera genus
A research team investigated whole chloroplast genomes and nuclear gene sequences from 14 species, uncovering new insights into the genetic diversity and hybrid origins of mango species. They used the evolutionary relationships within the Mangifera g.....»»
Hurricanes: Unprecedented extremes or the new normal?
When Hurricane Helene struck the Southeast in late September, it quickly became one of the deadliest U.S. hurricanes of the last 50 years, second only to Hurricane Katrina. At least 228 people died as a result of the storm. Helene was also one of the.....»»