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.....»»
Lizards and snakes are 35 million years older than we thought
Reanalysis of a fossil finds that reptiles' traits go back earlier than we thought. Lizards are ancient creatures. They were around before the dinosaurs and persisted long after d.....»»
Triassic reptile with unusual jaws named as a new species
A new species of ancient reptile has been named after spending more than 200 million years buried in the ground. Threordatoth chasmatos was one of the last survivors of the procolophonids, a group of lizard-like animals that were once widespread duri.....»»
The moon"s biggest and most ancient crater is more circular than previously thought
The South Pole-Aitken basin is the moon's oldest and largest visible crater—a massive geological wound 4 billion years old that preserves secrets about the moon's early history, much like a lunar time capsule......»»
Extensive antimicrobial usage sparks warning over increased resistance in locations across Australia
University of Queensland research has found antimicrobial usage is significantly higher in affluent communities in Australia. Samples have been collected from 50 wastewater treatment plants in locations across Australia servicing about 11.3 million p.....»»
Scientists counted 49 ways Australia is destroying the ecosystems we hold dear—but there is hope
Australia's ecosystems face an unprecedented crisis. From rainforests in the continent's north to the alpine bogs and fens of the alps, ecosystems are being pushed towards collapse......»»
James Webb spots ancient Spiderweb cluster that’s 10 billion years old
An image from the James Webb Space Telescope shows a group of galaxies called the Spiderweb protocluster, and it dates to when the universe was young......»»
After decades of plantation agriculture, coconut palms dominate over half of Pacific atoll forests
Coconut palms are king throughout the tropics, serving as the foundation for human lives and cultures across the Pacific Ocean for centuries. However, 200 years of planting by colonial interests transformed the palm from the revered "Tree of Life" to.....»»
Isotope analysis reveals mammoth as key food source for ancient Americans
Scientists have uncovered the first direct evidence that ancient Americans relied primarily on mammoth and other large animals for food. Their research sheds new light on both the rapid expansion of humans throughout the Americas and the extinction o.....»»
Archaeological remains in Alaska show humans and dogs bonded 12,000 years ago
"Dog is man's best friend" may be an ancient cliché, but when that friendship began is a longstanding question among scientists. A study led by a University of Arizona researcher is one step closer to an answer to how Indigenous people in the Americ.....»»
Where to watch the 2024 Christmas Tree Lighting at Rockefeller Center
The country's most iconic Christmas tree will light up the New York City sky. Find out how to watch the 2024 Christmas Tree Lighting at Rockefeller Center......»»
Poplar tree study discovers a photosynthesis gene that boosts plant height
A team of scientists have identified a gene in poplar trees that enhances photosynthesis and can boost tree height. The study, "An orphan gene BOOSTER enhances photosynthetic efficiency and plant productivity," is published in Developmental Cell, and.....»»
Q&A: What fossils reveal about ancient Australian forests and fire
Australia's forest ecosystems, renowned for their extraordinary diversity of rare plants and animals, also play a vital role in mitigating climate change by absorbing and storing carbon. However, fossils from these ancient forests are reshaping the u.....»»
A survey of hundreds of vacationers confirms this ancient wisdom: The journey matters as much as the destination
Americans spent more than US$850 billion on domestic leisure travel in 2023, a sum that looks likely to rise in future years. Whether it's a weekend getaway to a Taylor Swift concert, a long-anticipated holiday visit with family, or a monthlong tour.....»»
Ancient Iberian slate plaques may be genealogical records
A study published in the European Journal of Archaeology by Prof. Katina Lillios and her colleagues has provided a statistical evaluation that may suggest Late Neolithic and Copper Age Iberian (3200–2200 BC) engraved slate plaques may have been one.....»»
Ancient maize samples in Brazilian caves suggest the crop"s domestication may have been completed in South America
Brazilian scientists have determined that ancient specimens of partially domesticated maize (Zea mays, also known as corn) originally from Peruaçu Valley in Minas Gerais state (Brazil) were the farthest from Mexico, the plant's historic center of or.....»»
Sustainable land management practice successfully "uproots" invasive Prosopis juliflora in East Africa
The adoption of a sustainable land management practice (SLM) to manage invasive Prosopis juliflora—considered one of the worlds most threatening non-native tree species—appears to have "uprooted" the problem in East Africa......»»
The "wood wide web": Research questions tree-to-tree nutrient sharing via fungi
The idea of trees "talking" to one another through underground fungal networks—the so-called "wood wide web"—has captured the imagination of the public. This concept, where trees supposedly share nutrients with each other via these networks, has.....»»
Resurrecting an ancestral protein as a novel tool to study RNA biology
By deducing the possible ancient forms of a bacterial enzyme, OIST scientists have resurrected one of its ancestral versions, with a comparably higher ability to chemically modify RNA......»»
Getting to the bottom of Cenozoic deep-ocean temperatures
Understanding ancient ocean temperatures—particularly from the Cenozoic era (the past 66 million years), in which Earth experienced dramatic climate shifts—helps scientists reveal more about the planet's past climates......»»
From HR to work/life balance—How working life has (and hasn"t) changed since ancient Rome
While powerful figures tend to take up the most space in our history books, the vast majority of people in the ancient world were regular working class folks, and most people's lives revolved around the daily grind. A new book sheds light on working.....»»