How many ants are on Earth? 20 quadrillion, study says
There are at least 20 quadrillion ants on Earth, according to a new study that says even that staggering figure likely underestimates the total population of the insects, which are an essential part of ecosystems around the world......»»
Lego-pushing bumblebees reveal insect collaboration dynamics
A new study reveals that cooperation by bumblebees isn't simply a result of accumulated individual efforts. Rather, these miniature-brained creatures are not just hard-working pollinators, but also show signs of being master collaborators......»»
Power to the people: Aussies expect more from their local leaders
About two-thirds of Australians believe local governments should have more power than they currently do, according to a new study from The Australian National University (ANU)......»»
Positive school climate boosts high school grades, study finds
A study led by a UC Riverside graduate student has found that Latino high school students achieve higher grades when they perceive a more positive school climate and when they have a stronger sense of self-esteem......»»
Researchers develop "founding document" on synthetic cell development
Cells are the fundamental units of life, forming the variety of all living things on Earth as individual cells and multicellular organisms. To better understand how cells perform the essential functions of life, scientists have begun developing synth.....»»
Wildfires in wet African forests have doubled in recent decades, large-scale analysis finds
A new study presents the first large-scale analysis of fire patterns in West and Central Africa's wet, tropical forests. The number of active fires there typically doubled over 18 years, particularly in the Congo Basin. The increases are primarily du.....»»
Coastal hurricanes around the world are intensifying faster, new study finds
Hurricanes are among the world's most destructive natural hazards. Their ability to cause damage is shaped by their environment; conditions like warm ocean waters, guiding winds, and atmospheric moisture can all dictate storm strength......»»
Human activity is causing toxic thallium to enter the Baltic Sea, finds new study
Human activities account for a substantial amount—anywhere from 20% to more than 60%—of toxic thallium that has entered the Baltic Sea over the past 80 years, according to new research by scientists affiliated with the Woods Hole Oceanographic In.....»»
Targeting friends to induce social contagion can benefit the world, says new research
A new study co-authored by Yale sociologist Nicholas A. Christakis demonstrates that tapping into the dynamics of friendship significantly improves the possibility that a community will adopt public health and other interventions aimed at improved hu.....»»
For microscopic organisms, ocean currents act as "expressway" to deeper depths, study finds
Some of the ocean's tiniest organisms get swept into underwater currents that act as a conduit that shuttles them from the sunny surface to deeper, darker depths where they play a huge role in affecting the ocean's chemistry and ecosystem, according.....»»
Study calls for a repurposing of input subsidies to promote sustainable IPM practices
A CABI-led study has revealed that participation in the Zambia Farmer Input Subsidy Program (FISP)—particularly the flexible e-voucher system—encourages synthetic pesticide use at the expense of sustainable practices......»»
Study finds human noise negatively impacts cricket survival and reproduction
As the sun sets and the sweltering heat gives way to a balmy evening, there's one sound that fills the air, both beloved and bothersome: the rhythmic symphony of chirping crickets. However, human-generated noise can mask the harmony of the cricket so.....»»
Delivery van safety features could mitigate 4 in 10 fatal crashes, study says
Larger vehicles are more likely to cause injuries in crashes because of their greater mass, and the victims are often outside the vehicle......»»
A clock in the rocks: What cosmic rays tell us about Earth"s changing surface and climate
How often do mountains collapse, volcanoes erupt or ice sheets melt?.....»»
The COVID-19 pandemic changed our patterns and behaviors, which in turn affected wildlife
The Earth now supports over eight billion people who collectively have transformed three-quarters of the planet's land surface for food, energy, shelter and other aspects of the human enterprise......»»
Life"s insiders: Decoding endosymbiosis with mathematics
Endosymbiosis, the intimate and long-term relationship where one organism lives inside another, is a cornerstone of life as we know it, and a key to the emergence of complex life on Earth. Many of the mysteries surrounding endosymbiosis are difficult.....»»
Kids study in overheated slum as Philippines shuts schools
Fourth-grader Ella Araza sat on a tiny plastic box in her Manila slum home, trying to finish her homework before the afternoon sun sent temperatures soaring to unbearable levels......»»
The people who are most active on social media are also the most active offline, shows study
Parents often worry about the use of social media among children and young people. Caring about this is a good thing, and there are several reasons why you should pay attention, but there is one thing that parents needn't worry about: young people sp.....»»
Fluidic telescope (FLUTE): Enabling the next generation of large space observatories
The future of space-based UV/optical/IR astronomy requires ever larger telescopes. The highest priority astrophysics targets, including Earth-like exoplanets, first generation stars, and early galaxies, are all extremely faint, which presents an ongo.....»»
The Great Observatory for Long Wavelengths (GO-LoW) proposal
Humankind has never before seen the low frequency radio sky. It is hidden from ground-based telescopes by the Earth's ionosphere and challenging to access from space with traditional missions because the long wavelengths involved (meter- to kilometer.....»»
Investigation reveals varied impact of preschool programs on long-term school success
Early education programs are widely believed to be effective public investments for helping children succeed in school and for reducing income- and race-based achievement gaps. However, a new study conducted by a team of investigators from Teachers C.....»»