Genetics goes to the dogs, finds there’s not much to breed behavior
One of the strongest genetic associations is to "gets stuck behind objects." Enlarge / In the case of the samoyed, selection for physical characteristics produced a dog that sure looks happy. (credit: Zhao Hui) Many dog breeds.....»»
Docudrama can lead to more empathy toward people who are stigmatized in society, study finds
A new study has found that after watching a docudrama about the efforts to free a wrongly convicted prisoner on death row, people were more empathetic toward formerly incarcerated people and supportive of criminal justice reform......»»
Microbes in environment drove methane emissions more than fossil fuels between 2020 and 2022, analysis finds
Microbes in the environment, not fossil fuels, have been driving the recent surge in methane emissions globally, according to a new, detailed analysis published Oct 28 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by CU Boulder researchers a.....»»
Nitrogen-fixing plant diversity declines with over-fertilization, study finds
Anthropogenic nitrogen deposition and climate change can reduce the competitive advantage of nitrogen-fixing plants, leading to reduced diversity of these plants in a community. Surprisingly, changes in temperature and aridity do not contribute to th.....»»
Attribution studies reveal increasing effects of global warming on fire dynamics and public health
Climate change is increasingly influencing fire behavior worldwide and intensifying fire smoke, endangering public health from air pollution caused by fires. These are the results of two new climate change impact attribution studies, both published i.....»»
Departing ISS astronaut still finds time for stunning night shot
NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick is grabbing some last-minute Earth shots from the ISS as he prepares to fly home after more than seven months in orbit......»»
Well-being increases when working hours are reduced, finds Germany-wide study
Well-being increases when working hours are reduced—while productivity remains the same or even increases moderately. This was supported by a Germany-wide study conducted by the University of Münster under the scientific direction of Professor Dr......»»
Research finds 1.1 billion people in multidimensional poverty, with nearly a half-billion in conflict settings
New research from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) has found that poverty rates in conflict-affected nations are almost three times higher than in countries free from conflic.....»»
American lobster population and habitat preferences shifting, study finds
American lobsters along Maine's coast have relocated to new habitats, while the population simultaneously shrunk in abundance and grew older, according to a new study by University of Maine researchers......»»
AI finds racial restrictions in millions of property records
California law requires counties to remove racially restrictive language—constitutionally unenforceable since 1948—from property deeds. Researchers trained a large language model to help......»»
Research provides molecular insights into sexual dimorphism of chicken feathers
Birds possess unique skin appendages called feathers that are derived from the outermost layer of skin cells. Feathers are important for several functions, such as flight, temperature regulation, protection from external stimuli, and mating behavior......»»
Nonnative plants are a major force behind global insect invasions, study finds
In an article in the journal BioScience, an international team of researchers led by Dr. Cleo Bertelsmeier from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, argues that the global spread of nonnative plants is a key factor driving the growing number of i.....»»
Better ocean connectivity boosts reef fish populations, finds study
Research led by the University of Oxford has found that oceanographic connectivity (the movement and exchange of water between different parts of the ocean) is a key influence for fish abundance across the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). The findings are.....»»
Philosopher finds glitch in worldwide patent laws
Dr. Mo Abolkheir, a philosopher specializing in inventions and patents, has identified a logical fallacy—a flawed argument that may appear valid but is based on faulty reasoning—within the law......»»
Pioneering robot system enables 24/7 monitoring of honeybee behavior
Researchers at Durham University, in collaboration with international partners, have developed a robotic system that allows for continuous, long-term observation of honeybee colonies......»»
Research finds that simplistic and outdated communication tools narrows news focus, restricts user interactivity
Digital media technology has changed journalism considerably, and perhaps most obviously in data journalism. Data journalism uses the power of data analysis and visualization to develop news stories that can be highly engaging and accessible to the p.....»»
Plate tectonics drive compositional evolution of the upper mantle, study finds
On present-day Earth, plate subduction continuously modifies the chemical composition of the convecting mantle, and various mantle sources linked to these processes have been widely studied. However, when did global chemical heterogeneity of the conv.....»»
Aquaculture uses far more wild fish than previously estimated, study finds
A study published in the journal Science Advances suggests that global fish farming, or aquaculture, may rely on significantly larger quantities of wild-caught ocean fish than previously calculated. The study is part of a special issue focused on exp.....»»
Employers" lack of understanding limiting job opportunities for people with learning disabilities, study finds
Employers' lack of understanding is limiting employment opportunities for job seekers with learning disabilities, a new study has found......»»
Adaptive ferroelectric materials show promise for energy-efficient supercomputing
Researchers have revealed an adaptive response with a ferroelectric device, which responds to light pulses in a way that resembles the plasticity of neural networks. This behavior could find application in energy-efficient microelectronics......»»
Firms with green innovation patents rewarded in the credit market, finds study
A Queensland University of Technology (QUT) study of the US credit default swap (CDS) market's response to green innovation in the form of green patents found that firms with more green patents had lower borrowing costs and higher credit ratings......»»