Mars analog stations investigate lichen biodiversity during simulated missions
Once you know where to look for them, lichens are everywhere. These composite organisms—fungal and photosynthetic partners joined into a greater whole—can survive on a vast array of surfaces, from rocks and trees to bare ground and buildings. The.....»»
Wildlife loss is taking ecosystems nearer to collapse, new report suggests
Even for a conservation biologist numbed to bad news about nature, the biennial Living Planet report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is a stark reminder of our failure to arrest the loss of biodiversity—the variety of living things and the ecosy.....»»
Measures to restore biodiversity in peatlands fall short, study finds
Research by ecologist Tom Heuts of Radboud University shows that several experimental measures taken at Frisian farms to restore biodiversity in former peatlands were unsuccessful. Three methods in which the water levels were raised did not have the.....»»
Jude Law battles white supremacists in the riveting trailer for The Order
In the trailer for The Order, Jude Law is an FBI agent asked to investigate a series of crimes that may have been committed by white separatists......»»
New discoveries: Three tiny species added to South Africa"s spectacular marine life
South Africa's marine realm is globally unique because of the two major ocean currents that meet here. The cold, slow-moving Benguela and the warm, fast-flowing Agulhas currents create a special environment that supports high levels of biodiversity......»»
How did magma oceans evolve on early Earth and Mars? Iron chemistry and primordial atmospheres offer clues
Before Earth became the blue planet, it was engulfed by a very different kind of ocean: a vast, deep magma ocean reaching down hundreds or perhaps even thousands of kilometers......»»
Yes, nature is complex—but saving our precious environment means finding ways to measure it
Nature loss directly threatens half the global economy. The rapid destruction of biodiversity should alarm the many Australian businesses dependent on nature, such as those in agriculture, tourism, construction and food manufacturing. Yet nature cons.....»»
Environmental factors influence Southeast Brazil"s coastal biodiversity more than ecological processes, study finds
Sea surface temperature, wave energy and freshwater discharge from rivers influence the abundance and size of the marine organisms that inhabit rocky shores along the coast of Southeast Brazil more than ecological processes such as competition and pr.....»»
NASA announces a new class of space missions: Probe explorers
NASA has sent a whole host of spacecraft across the solar system and even beyond. They range from crewed ships to orbit and to the moon to robotic explorers. Among them are a range of mission classes from Flagships to Discovery Class programs. Now a.....»»
Microbial marvels: Study finds "untapped biodiversity" in the bathroom, on your toothbrush and showerhead
Step aside tropical rainforests and coral reefs—the latest hotspot to offer awe-inspiring biodiversity lies no further than your bathroom......»»
Field study finds using biodiversity instead of pesticides can reduce crop damage from herbivores
Pesticides aren't always necessary. Researchers at the University of Zurich have conducted a comprehensive field study showing that damage from herbivores can be reduced by using biodiversity within a plant species. Different plant genotypes can coop.....»»
Perseverance team revives SHERLOC instrument to help with Jezero crater discovery
In January 2024, the SHERLOC instrument aboard NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover encountered a significant issue. A fault in the instrument's motor caused the dust cover and autofocus mechanism to become inoperative, putting the rover's SHERLOC Ram.....»»
UN biodiversity summit in Colombia aims to turn words into action
Two years after a landmark UN-brokered deal to protect nature from a massive wave of destruction, delegates will gather at a new COP in Colombia in late October to assess their progress......»»
Curiosity rover provides new insights into how Mars became uninhabitable
NASA's Curiosity rover, currently exploring Gale crater on Mars, is providing new details about how the ancient Martian climate went from potentially suitable for life—with evidence for widespread liquid water on the surface—to a surface that is.....»»
Smart TVs are like “a digital Trojan Horse” in people’s homes
48-page report urges FTC, FCC to investigate connected TV industry data harvesting. The companies behind the streaming industry, including smart TV and streaming stick manufacture.....»»
Astronomers investigate the nature of a fast-spinning intermediate polar
Using various X-ray space observatories, astronomers from Columbia University in New York and elsewhere have investigated CTCV J2056–3014—an intermediate polar containing one of the fastest-spinning white dwarfs. Results of the study, published S.....»»
NASA"s Europa Clipper spacecraft will investigate whether an icy moon of Jupiter can support alien life
Discovering extraterrestrial life would be one of the most profound scientific and philosophical revelations that our species has ever made. But such a big discovery won't come easy. Our starting point is to first search other worlds for signs of hab.....»»
Nuclear rockets could travel to Mars in half the time, but designing the reactors that would power them isn"t easy
NASA plans to send crewed missions to Mars over the next decade—but the 140 million-mile (225 million-kilometer) journey to the red planet could take several months to years round trip......»»
ULA’s second Vulcan rocket lost part of its booster and kept going
The US Space Force says this test flight was critical for certifying Vulcan for military missions. United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket, under contract for dozens of flights for.....»»
Low stream diatom biodiversity potentially decreases stream oxygen production in remote islands
Benthic diatoms are the most important and biodiverse primary producers in streams and comprise the basis for the food webs, fueling animals such as insects and stream fishes including trout......»»
A NASA Mars rover has a giant hole in one of its wheels
The wheels on NASA's Curiosity Mars rover are falling apart, but the plucky rover keeps on rolling......»»