Idiotfruit and tree kangaroos: Why the ancient rainforests of Queensland"s Wet Tropics are so distinctive
In Queensland's northern reaches lie the Wet Tropics, spanning about 450 kilometers between Townsville and Cooktown. These mountainous rainforests are a relic of the ancient continent of Gondwana, dating back million of years when Australia and parts.....»»
Researchers prove 120-million-year-old volcanism on moon
Extensive geologic evidence of ancient volcanic activity can be found on the moon, but how long this volcanism persisted has been unclear. However, Prof. Li Qiuli's Lab at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IG.....»»
What is societal collapse? Lessons from the past can help us understand our future, but only to a point
As the climate crisis accelerates, it's hard not to wonder if today's societies can adapt. Growing worries over climate change have sparked interest in the collapse of ancient civilizations and the rise of the (often apocalypse-themed) "cli-fi" genre.....»»
Researcher helps develop new technique to explore oceanic microbes
When Southern Methodist University (SMU) researcher Alexander Chase was a young boy, the sheer diversity of plants in Earth's tropical rainforests fascinated him. He found himself wondering what new species were out there, waiting to be unearthed. Th.....»»
Assorted, distinctive behavior of molten uranium salt revealed by neutrons
In a paper published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, researchers have documented for the first time the unique chemistry dynamics and structure of high-temperature liquid uranium trichloride (UCl3) salt, a potential nuclear fuel sour.....»»
Five lessons from ancient civilizations for keeping homes cool in hot, dry climates
Modern buildings tend to take electricity and air conditioning for granted. They often have glass facades and windows that can't be opened. And when the power goes out for days in the middle of a heat wave, as the Houston area experienced in July 202.....»»
Companies are crafting new ways to grow cocoa, and chocolate alternatives, to keep up with demand
Climate change is stressing rainforests where the highly sensitive cocoa bean grows, but chocolate lovers need not despair, say companies that are researching other ways to grow cocoa or develop cocoa substitutes......»»
Ancient viral genomes preserved in glaciers reveal climate history—and how viruses adapt to climate change
As humans alter the planet's climate and ecosystems, scientists are looking to Earth's history to help predict what may unfold from climate change. To this end, massive ice structures like glaciers serve as nature's freezers, archiving detailed recor.....»»
Chocolate"s future could hinge on success of growing cocoa not just in the tropics, but in the lab
Climate change is stressing rainforests where the highly sensitive cocoa bean grows, but chocolate lovers need not despair, say companies that are researching other ways to grow cocoa or develop cocoa substitutes......»»
What a submerged ancient bridge discovered in a Spanish cave reveals about early human settlement
A new study led by the University of South Florida has shed light on the human colonization of the western Mediterranean, revealing that humans settled there much earlier than previously believed. This research, detailed in a recent issue of the jour.....»»
Ancient gene gives spiders their narrow waist, research reveals
An ancient gene is crucial for the development of the distinctive waist that divides the spider body plan in two, according to a study published August 29 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Emily Setton from the University of Wisconsin-Madiso.....»»
The Vesuvius challenge is using AI to virtually unroll Pompeii"s ancient scrolls
The Vesuvius Challenge is an unparalleled competition in the field of classical studies, with the potential to pave the way for something akin to a second Renaissance. Its objective is to use artificial intelligence (AI) to virtually unroll hundreds.....»»
Ancient sea cow that was attacked by both a primeval crocodile and shark sheds new light on prehistoric food chains
A new study showing how a prehistoric sea cow was preyed upon by not one, but two different carnivores—a crocodilian and a shark—is revealing clues into both the predation tactics of ancient creatures and the wider food chain millions of years ag.....»»
Microscopic fossilized shells reveal ancient climate change patterns
At the end of the Paleocene and beginning of the Eocene epochs, between 59 to 51 million years ago, Earth experienced dramatic warming periods, both gradual periods stretching millions of years and sudden warming events known as hyperthermals......»»
Locked in a glacier: Virus adaptations to extreme weather provide climate change insights
Ancient viruses preserved in glacial ice hold valuable information about changes in Earth's climate, a new study suggests......»»
This bird species was extinct in Europe. Now it"s back, and humans must help it migrate for winter
How do you teach a bird how, and where, to fly? The distinctive Northern Bald Ibis, hunted essentially to extinction by the 17th century, was revived by breeding and rewilding efforts over the last two decades. But the birds—known for their distinc.....»»
Bonobo evidence suggests ancient origin of the "common enemy effect"
In the face of threats from other groups, humans, chimpanzees, and a selection of other species get closer to their own. Now an international team led by Kyoto University has shown that even our more peaceful cousins, bonobos—who have never been ob.....»»
Ancient microbes linked to evolution of human immune proteins
When you become infected with a virus, some of the first weapons your body deploys to fight it are those passed down to us from our microbial ancestors billions of years ago. According to new research from The University of Texas at Austin, two key e.....»»
Paleontologists discover new predatory dinosaur with a distinctive "eyebrow"
Theropod dinosaurs are one of the most important large groups of dinosaurs, including well-known predators, such as Tyrannosaurus and Allosaurus, as well as modern birds. A variety of theropods are known from the Mesozoic Era, the age of the dinosaur.....»»
Environmental laws failing to slow deforestation, researchers say
Australia's environmental laws are failing to stop high rates of tree clearing to make way for agriculture, development and mining, according to University of Queensland research......»»
Ancient civilizations had ways to counter the urban heat island effect—how history"s lessons apply to cities today
As intense heat breaks records around the world, a little-reported fact offers some hope for cooling down cities: Under even the most intense periods of extreme heat, some city blocks never experience heat wave temperatures......»»