Forging of joined-up approach at COP29 and COP16 vital for urgent action for climate and nature, say scientists
World leaders must take advantage of a pivotal window of opportunity for forging a much-needed joined-up approach to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss, say scientists from ZSL and York University. Without this, work on tackling either crisi.....»»
Top 10 plant and fungal species named new to science in 2024
Scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and their partners reveal their pick of the top 10 plants and fungi named new to science in 2024......»»
Massive volcanic eruptions did not cause the extinction of dinosaurs, say climate scientists
Massive volcanic eruptions on the Indian peninsula have long been proposed as an alternative cause for the demise of the dinosaurs. This phase of active volcanism took place in a period just before Earth was struck by a meteorite, 66 million years ag.....»»
Nature"s instructions: How fungi make a key medicinal molecule
For roughly a century, ever since Alexander Fleming's accidental discovery of penicillin in 1928, fungi have proven to be a goldmine for medicines. They've provided treatments for a wide range of diseases, from infections and high cholesterol to orga.....»»
Clouds obscure link between extreme rainfall and rising temperatures
Extreme rainfall is usually defined as the heaviest 5% of rain events in a specific area. As global air temperatures rise, scientists expect extreme rainfall to increase. This is because warmer air can hold more moisture. Recent examples of more extr.....»»
UN experts urge three "transformations" for nature
Human societies need a radical overhaul to stop the destruction of the planet, according to the UN biodiversity expert panel's "transformative change" report released Wednesday......»»
Play for the planet: Five climate change games for the festive season
Although most people in the UK are worried about climate change, disagreement about what to do can be polarizing, especially at Christmas when norms around travel, presents and waste are at the forefront of people's attention. People who are concerne.....»»
Where"s my qubit? Scientists develop technique to detect atom loss
Quiet quitting isn't just for burned out employees. Atoms carrying information inside quantum computers, known as qubits, sometimes vanish silently from their posts. This problematic phenomenon, called atom loss, corrupts data and spoils calculations.....»»
Uncovering a centaur"s tracks: Scientists examine unique asteroid-comet hybrid
Although our solar system is billions of years old, we've only recently become better acquainted with one of its more dynamic and captivating inhabitants known as (2060) Chiron......»»
Scientists provide insights into photosystem II under low-light conditions
In higher plants and green algae, photosystem II (PSII) usually combines with light harvesting complex II (LHCII) to form the PSII-LHCII supercomplex. Under low-light conditions, the PSII-LHCII supercomplexes are organized laterally into higher-order.....»»
Melting sea ice in Antarctica causes ocean storms, scientists say
The record-breaking retreat of Antarctic sea ice in 2023 has led to more frequent storms over newly exposed parts of the Southern Ocean, according to a study published Wednesday......»»
How bad will it get? Political scientists have a pessimism bias, study finds
The past decade has seen historic challenges for U.S. democracy and an intense focus by scholars on events that seem to signal democratic decline. But new research released Dec. 17 finds that a bias toward pessimism among U.S. political scientists of.....»»
Swedish oak forests study reveals unexpected patterns in biodiversity, poses challenge for conservation
A new study from Linnaeus University reports that plant and insect diversity in Swedish oak forests increases toward the north. This finding contrasts with established global biodiversity patterns and poses a challenge for the development of climate-.....»»
Ice is melting, seas are rising—how scientists are tracking the changes
Will the sea rise by 20 cm or 3 meters by 2100? This is obviously an interesting question to answer. Predicting the sea level in 75 years requires precise calculations and correct models of the melting of the ice from, e.g., Greenland. To do so, rese.....»»
Scientists witness evolution in action when two lizard species meet for the first time
In South Florida, two Caribbean lizard species met for the first time. What followed provided some of the clearest evidence to date of evolution in action......»»
Ancient clay remedy may have potential to boost modern gut health
A team of scientists has discovered that an ancient medicinal clay known as Lemnian earth (LE) could inspire new understanding of how to support present-day gut health......»»
Climate change made Cyclone Chido stronger: Scientists
Climate change intensified Cyclone Chido as it barreled toward the Indian Ocean archipelago of Mayotte, said a preliminary study by scientists studying the link between global warming and tropical storms......»»
Q&A: Inside the search for dark matter
More than a decade ago, dark matter experts Daniel Akerib and Thomas Shutt joined the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, continuing their mission to uncover the elusive substance. SLAC recently caught up with them to discuss.....»»
Building a backbone: Scientists recreate the body"s "GPS system" in the lab
Scientists at the Francis Crick Institute have generated human stem cell models which, for the first time, contain notochord—a tissue in the developing embryo that acts like a navigation system, directing cells where to build the spine and nervous.....»»
Dormant massive black hole in the early universe challenges existing models
Scientists have spotted a massive black hole in the early universe that is "napping" after stuffing itself with too much food. Like a bear gorging itself on salmon before hibernating for the winter, or a much-needed nap after Christmas dinner, this b.....»»
Thin-film tech makes nuclear clocks a 1,000 times less radioactive and more affordable
In the quest for ultra-precise timekeeping, scientists have turned to nuclear clocks. Unlike optical atomic clocks—which rely on electronic transitions—nuclear clocks utilize the energy transitions in the atom's nucleus, which are less affected b.....»»