Ghosts of species past: Shedding new light on the demise of NZ"s moa can help other flightless birds
New Zealand was once home to giant flightless birds called moa. They had grown accustomed to life without predators. So the arrival of humans in the mid-13th century presented a massive—and ultimately insurmountable—challenge to their existence......»»
Eve releases Matter-enabled version of its smart home light switch
has unveiled the Matter-enabled Eve Light Switch, marking a significant step in smart home technology. This switch allows seamless lighting control without changing bulbs and is compatible with single-pole and 3-way setups. more….....»»
Public attention on the invasive lionfish helps monitor its ecological impact in real time
A new study from the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) has demonstrated that public interest in the lionfish (Pterois miles), an invasive species native to the Indo-Pacific, is aiding in monitoring its spread nearly in real time......»»
Scientists quantify energetic costs of the migratory lifestyle in a free flying songbird
Millions of birds migrate every year to escape winter, but spending time in a warmer climate does not save them energy, according to research by the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (MPI-AB). Using miniaturized loggers implanted in wild blackb.....»»
Time-lapse from ISS shows lightning and mysterious red light
In his final weeks aboard the ISS after six months in orbit, NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick has shared a gorgeous time-lapse of Earth......»»
Q&A: Authors discuss addressing the crisis of species loss
No oncologist would wait for a patient's cancer to spread before treating it. Similarly, waiting to detect the potential loss of a species across all its known habitats means interventions are often too late to turn the tide of extinction, according.....»»
"Scuba-diving" lizards use bubble to breathe underwater and avoid predators
Presenting the world's smallest (and scrappiest) scuba diver: A species of semi-aquatic lizard produces a special bubble over its nostrils to breathe underwater and avoid predators, according to new research from Binghamton University, State Universi.....»»
UN scientists warn about the low representation of women in leadership positions in the water sector
A new publication in Nature Water by UN University scientists sheds light on the persistent gender disparities in the global water workforce. The article, titled "Quantifying Women in the Water Workforce," warns that despite international discussions.....»»
Newly developed OLED could enable compact, lightweight night vision
A new type of OLED (organic light emitting diode) could replace bulky night vision goggles with lightweight glasses, making them cheaper and more practical for prolonged use, according to University of Michigan researchers......»»
How crypto bros wrested Flappy Bird from its creator
Decadelong trademark fight culminates in new game hinting at "Web3 innovation." Enlarge / Imagine owning one of those funky birds as an NFT! (credit: Flappy Bird Twitter/X) Fans of ultra-viral mobile gaming hit Flappy Bi.....»»
New method improves understanding of light-wave propagation in anisotropic materials
Understanding how light travels through various materials is essential for many fields, from medical imaging to manufacturing. However, due to their structure, materials often show directional differences in how they scatter light, known as anisotrop.....»»
Fungi to the rescue: South African scientists use innovative approach to protect apple trees
Gardeners the world over dread the appearance of aphids on their plants. There are around 4,000 species of these sap-sucking insects and about 250 are pests that can wreak havoc on crops in a garden or orchard......»»
Study sheds light on trade-off between noise and power in nanoscale heat engines
Thanks to nanoscale devices as small as human cells, researchers can create groundbreaking material properties, leading to smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient electronics. However, to fully unlock the potential of nanotechnology, addressing no.....»»
The popular Eve Light Switch now supports Matter, no longer requires a hub
The Eve Light Switch with Matter brings added functionality to the popular device, and it can even be controlled without a hub now......»»
Rare woolly rhino mummies emerge from the permafrost
The new finds confirm the existence of a feature seen in cave art. Enlarge / Portion of a reproduction of cave paintings in France, showing rhinos (among other species). (credit: JEFF PACHOUD) For most people, an extinct.....»»
Optogenetic control reveals collective cell behavior
New research led by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) has studied the migratory movement of groups of cells using light control. The results show that there is no leader cell that directs the collective movement, as previously thou.....»»
Earth"s greatest mass extinction 250 million years ago shows what happens when El Niño gets out of control
Around 252 million years ago, the world suddenly heated up. Over a geologically brief period of tens of thousands of years, 90% of species were wiped out. Even insects, which are rarely touched by such events, suffered catastrophic losses. The Permia.....»»
Complex dynamics of 2024 M 7.6 Noto Hanto earthquake in Japan—the long-lasting swarm and its immediate foreshocks
A study published in the journal Earthquake Research Advances sheds light on the relationship between the 2024 magnitude 7.6 Noto Hanto earthquake and a sizable earthquake swarm that began beneath Japan's Noto Peninsula in November 2020......»»
Urgent conservation efforts needed: Possible extirpation of the threatened Malagasy poison frog Mantella cowanii
New research highlights the precarious status of one of Madagascar's most threatened amphibians, the harlequin mantella (Mantella cowanii), revealing small population sizes and the possible extirpation of the species from several of its historic habi.....»»
Research team uses terahertz pulses of light to shed light on superconducting disorder
A team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter (MPSD) in Hamburg, Germany, and Brookhaven National Laboratory in the United States has demonstrated a new way to study disorder in superconductors using ter.....»»
Paleontologists find omnivorous ancestor of the giant panda, revealing it was not always just a bamboo eater
The Hammerschmiede fossil site in southern Germany has yielded finds from about 11.5 million years ago that have rewritten evolutionary history. The sole species of bear discovered to date at the site was a relative of the giant panda. Its diet, howe.....»»