Monarchs evolved mutations to withstand milkweed toxins; so did their predators
Monarch butterflies and their close relatives thrive on poisonous milkweed, thanks to genetic mutations that block the effects of the plant's toxins while allowing the poisons to accumulate in the caterpillar or adult insects as deterrents to hungry.....»»
Newly developed material gulps down hydrogen, spits it out, protects fusion reactor walls
University of Wisconsin–Madison engineers have used a spray coating technology to produce a new workhorse material that can withstand the harsh conditions inside a fusion reactor......»»
Resting gray reef sharks change what we know about how they breathe
Predators in perpetual motion. Sleepless in our seas. If that's your image of sharks, you're not alone. And for good reason: sharks must swim to breathe (or so we were told). The science of how sharks sleep and breathe is linked, and while all sharks.....»»
Ancient DNA reveals how a chicken virus evolved to become more deadly
An international team of scientists led by geneticists and disease biologists from the University of Oxford and LMU Munich have used ancient DNA to trace the evolution of Marek's Disease Virus (MDV). This global pathogen causes fatal infections in un.....»»
Seals stay warm and hydrated in the Arctic with larger, more convoluted nasal passages
Arctic seals have evolved many adaptations to cope with their frosty environment—one that you might not immediately think of is the bones in their nasal cavity. Arctic seals have more convoluted nasal passages than seal species that live in milder.....»»
Researchers create stable hybrid laser by 3D printing micro-optics onto fibers
For the first time, researchers have shown that 3D-printed polymer-based micro-optics can withstand the heat and power levels that occur inside a laser. The advance enables inexpensive, compact, and stable laser sources that would be useful in a vari.....»»
Eelgrass proves to be evolutionarily much younger than we thought
Eelgrass, one of the most abundant plants in the ocean, originated in Japan before spreading around the globe. Now, scientists have shed light on both when and how eelgrass adapted and evolved throughout its history......»»
Beluga whales" calls may get drowned out by shipping noise in Alaska"s Cook Inlet
Beluga whales are highly social and vocal marine mammals. They use acoustics to navigate, find prey, avoid predators and maintain group cohesion. For Alaska's critically endangered Cook Inlet beluga population, these crucial communications may compet.....»»
Genetic mutations that promote reproduction tend to shorten human lifespan, study shows
A University of Michigan-led study based on a review of genetic and health information from more than 276,000 people finds strong support for a decades-old evolutionary theory that sought to explain aging and senescence......»»
Parrots and songbirds have evolved distinct brain mechanisms, study shows
When humans learn to speak a language, we learn to produce new vocalizations and use them flexibly for communication, but how the brain is able to achieve this is an important but largely unanswered question, according to Zhilei Zhao, Klarman Fellow.....»»
Study suggests climate played a crucial role in human migration from Africa
About 6 million years ago, in the deep forests of eastern Africa, something spectacular happened. Chimpanzees, our closest relative in the animal kingdom, evolved in one direction, while our earliest ancestors continued in another......»»
Measuring the distances to galaxies with space telescopes
One of the James Webb Space Telescope's science goals is to understand how galaxies in the early universe formed and evolved into much larger galaxies like our own Milky Way. This goal requires that we identify samples of galaxies at different moment.....»»
Method for containing toxins from mine waste could protect drinking water, prevent cancer
Imagine an abandoned mine site, surrounded by dead trees and dotted with dark, red ponds with no signs of aquatic life. This is the result of mine waste left in the environment that gets weathered by water and air. With exposure to the elements over.....»»
The silver bullet that wasn"t: Glyphosate"s declining weed control over 25 years
It has been a quarter century since corn and soybeans were engineered to withstand the withering mists of the herbicide glyphosate. Initially heralded as a "silver bullet" for weed control, the modified crops and their herbicide companion were quickl.....»»
Using clay to combat eternal toxins: Scientists clarify basis for innovative PFAS filter made of clay
PFAS filters available for industrial waste are usually made of activated carbon. As this is comparatively expensive, researchers are looking for alternative filter materials for the so-called "eternal toxins," whose hazardous residues only degrade v.....»»
Snake skulls show how species adapt to prey
By studying the skull shapes of dipsadine snakes, researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington have found how these species of snakes in Central and South America have evolved and adapted to meet the demands of their habitats and food sources......»»
The ocean"s first large swimming apex predators had exceptionally rapid growth, fossil study finds
The rapid diversification of animals over 500 million years ago—often referred to as the Cambrian Explosion—saw the appearance of the first large swimming predators in our oceans. Amplectobelua symbrachiata, a member of the group Radiodonta, whic.....»»
Fish brains may provide insight into the molecular basis of decision-making
How do animals make decisions when faced with competing demands, and how have decision making processes evolved over time? In a recent publication in Biology Letters, Tina Barbasch, a postdoctoral researcher at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic.....»»
Political ideology affected how COVID-19 news was consumed, study finds
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the speed with which available health and safety information evolved was novel to most people around the world. To assess how the public handled the changing guidance, an international research team compared information.....»»
Opinion: Responsible ESG investing in the Global South requires overcoming the Global North"s savior complex
ESG standards (Environment, Social and Governance) are metrics designed to guide responsible investing. The "S" in ESG has evolved into the financial innovation of social impact investing (SII), which promotes social benefits such as environmental pr.....»»
The Ars guide to time travel in the movies
We picked 20 time-travel movies and rated them by scientific logic and entertainment value. Enlarge / The selected films span several decades to show how Hollywood's treatment of time travel in Hollywood has evolved. (credit: Aur.....»»