Lonely flies, like many humans, eat more and sleep less
COVID-19 lockdowns scrambled sleep schedules and stretched waistlines. One culprit may be social isolation itself. Scientists have found that lone fruit flies quarantined in test tubes sleep too little and eat too much after only about one week of so.....»»
History shows that humans are good for biodiversity… sometimes
Humans have been an important driver of vegetation change over thousands of years, and, in some places, had positive impacts on biodiversity, according to a new study......»»
"A history of contact": Geneticists are rewriting the narrative of Neanderthals and other ancient humans
Ever since the first Neanderthal bones were discovered in 1856, people have wondered about these ancient hominins. How are they different from us? How much are they like us? Did our ancestors get along with them? Fight them? Love them? The recent dis.....»»
Can you do better than top-level AI models on these basic vision tests?
Abstract analysis that is trivial for humans often stymies GPT-4o, Gemini, and Sonnet. Enlarge / Whatever you do, don't ask the AI how many horizontal lines are in this image. (credit: Getty Images) In the last couple of.....»»
We Cannot Cede Control of Weapons to Artificial Intelligence
I watched United Nations delegates debate AI-based weapons that can fire without human initiation. Humans cannot be taken out of that decision-making.....»»
Wolves" return has had only small impact on deer populations in Washington state, study shows
Humans drove wolves to extinction in Washington state around the 1930s. Thanks to conservation efforts, by about 80 years later, wolves had returned—crossing first from the Canadian border into Washington around 2008 and later entering the state fr.....»»
Rice gone wild: How humans have inadvertently selected for "weedy" rice
University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers have discovered that the anatomical adaptation helping weedy rice varieties to proliferate is not, as previously believed, confined only to these pest varieties. The research, published recently in the.....»»
Egg cell maintenance: Long-lived proteins may be essential for fertility
Female mammals—including humans—are born with all of their egg cells. Of a woman's one to two million egg cells, about 400 mature before menopause and can be fertilized. Some egg cells therefore survive for several decades—and need to remain fu.....»»
Ars Live: Join us TODAY for a lively discussion on time travel in the movies
Bill and Ted co-creator Ed Solomon joins physicists Sean Carroll and Jim Kakalios Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson/Getty Images) Since antiquity, humans have envisioned various means of time travel into the future or the p.....»»
Brain size riddle solved as humans exceed evolutionary trend
The largest animals do not have proportionally bigger brains—with humans bucking this trend—a study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution has revealed......»»
Advanced Apple Watch health monitoring features are hitting some roadblocks
The long-rumored blood pressure monitoring and sleep apnea features of the Apple Watch probably aren't going to arrive in Apple Watch Series 10, or Apple Watch Ultra 3.A render of the rear sensor of the Apple Watch Series 10Rumors over the years have.....»»
Evidence shows ancient Saudi Arabia had complex and thriving communities, not struggling people in a barren land
To date, little has been known about people living in north-western Saudi Arabia during the Neolithic—the period traditionally defined by the shift to humans controlling food production and settling into communities with agriculture and domesticate.....»»
Is the Motorola Razr 2024 waterproof?
Don't sleep on Motorola's latest flip phones, the Razr and Razr Plus 2024. But are either of them waterproof, and what extent? Here's the lowdown......»»
Sparrows as sentinels: Health study illustrates the interconnectedness of humans and wildlife
Why should a medical student develop an interest in conservation? According to a growing body of evidence, including a recent study co-authored by William & Mary biologist John Swaddle, the seemingly separate fields of health sciences and conservatio.....»»
How studying bat viruses can help prevent zoonotic disease
Bats have become the poster child of emerging zoonotic disease. The creatures harbor a vast array of viruses—some of which cause deadly diseases in humans—yet they rarely get sick themselves......»»
Could we replace Ingenuity with a swarm of robotic bees?
Humans finally achieved controlled flight on another planet for the first time just a few years ago. Ingenuity, the helicopter NASA sent to Mars, performed that difficult task admirably. It is now taking a well-deserved rest until some intrepid human.....»»
What fathers in the animal kingdom can tell us about humans
When people talk about animal parents, often they are thinking about mothers. But the role of fathers in the animal kingdom is fascinating—and can tell us a lot about ourselves......»»
Bone remains indicate extinct humans survived on the Tibetan plateau for 160,000 years
Bone remains found in a Tibetan cave 3,280 m above sea level indicate an ancient group of humans survived here for many millennia, according to a new study published in Nature......»»
Why cats meow at humans more than each other
This is a story that goes back thousands of years......»»
Pooping on the Moon Is a Messy Business
If humans are to return to the moon, space agencies and governments need to figure out the legal, ethical, and practical dimensions of extraterrestrial waste management......»»
Ars Live: Join us July 9 for a lively discussion on time travel in the movies
Bill and Ted co-creator Ed Solomon joins physicists Sean Carroll and Jim Kakalios Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson/Getty Images) Since antiquity, humans have envisioned various means of time travel into the future or the p.....»»