Murderous mice attack and kill nesting albatrosses on Midway Atoll—scientists struggle to stop them
At the far end of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands lies Kuaihelani—also known as Midway Atoll—a small set of islands home to the world's largest albatross colony. Over a million albatrosses return to Kuaihelani each year to breed. These seemingl.....»»
Massive volcanic eruptions did not cause the extinction of dinosaurs, say climate scientists
Massive volcanic eruptions on the Indian peninsula have long been proposed as an alternative cause for the demise of the dinosaurs. This phase of active volcanism took place in a period just before Earth was struck by a meteorite, 66 million years ag.....»»
Clouds obscure link between extreme rainfall and rising temperatures
Extreme rainfall is usually defined as the heaviest 5% of rain events in a specific area. As global air temperatures rise, scientists expect extreme rainfall to increase. This is because warmer air can hold more moisture. Recent examples of more extr.....»»
UN experts urge three "transformations" for nature
Human societies need a radical overhaul to stop the destruction of the planet, according to the UN biodiversity expert panel's "transformative change" report released Wednesday......»»
Where"s my qubit? Scientists develop technique to detect atom loss
Quiet quitting isn't just for burned out employees. Atoms carrying information inside quantum computers, known as qubits, sometimes vanish silently from their posts. This problematic phenomenon, called atom loss, corrupts data and spoils calculations.....»»
Uncovering a centaur"s tracks: Scientists examine unique asteroid-comet hybrid
Although our solar system is billions of years old, we've only recently become better acquainted with one of its more dynamic and captivating inhabitants known as (2060) Chiron......»»
Scientists provide insights into photosystem II under low-light conditions
In higher plants and green algae, photosystem II (PSII) usually combines with light harvesting complex II (LHCII) to form the PSII-LHCII supercomplex. Under low-light conditions, the PSII-LHCII supercomplexes are organized laterally into higher-order.....»»
Assault on DEI: Critics use simplistic terms to attack the programs, but they are key to uprooting workplace bias
Prominent politicians have recently increased their attacks on workplace programs that promote diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI. They claim that initiatives that seek to be inclusive are divisive and lack merit......»»
Melting sea ice in Antarctica causes ocean storms, scientists say
The record-breaking retreat of Antarctic sea ice in 2023 has led to more frequent storms over newly exposed parts of the Southern Ocean, according to a study published Wednesday......»»
How bad will it get? Political scientists have a pessimism bias, study finds
The past decade has seen historic challenges for U.S. democracy and an intense focus by scholars on events that seem to signal democratic decline. But new research released Dec. 17 finds that a bias toward pessimism among U.S. political scientists of.....»»
Ice is melting, seas are rising—how scientists are tracking the changes
Will the sea rise by 20 cm or 3 meters by 2100? This is obviously an interesting question to answer. Predicting the sea level in 75 years requires precise calculations and correct models of the melting of the ice from, e.g., Greenland. To do so, rese.....»»
Scientists witness evolution in action when two lizard species meet for the first time
In South Florida, two Caribbean lizard species met for the first time. What followed provided some of the clearest evidence to date of evolution in action......»»
Ancient clay remedy may have potential to boost modern gut health
A team of scientists has discovered that an ancient medicinal clay known as Lemnian earth (LE) could inspire new understanding of how to support present-day gut health......»»
Climate change made Cyclone Chido stronger: Scientists
Climate change intensified Cyclone Chido as it barreled toward the Indian Ocean archipelago of Mayotte, said a preliminary study by scientists studying the link between global warming and tropical storms......»»
Building a backbone: Scientists recreate the body"s "GPS system" in the lab
Scientists at the Francis Crick Institute have generated human stem cell models which, for the first time, contain notochord—a tissue in the developing embryo that acts like a navigation system, directing cells where to build the spine and nervous.....»»
Dormant massive black hole in the early universe challenges existing models
Scientists have spotted a massive black hole in the early universe that is "napping" after stuffing itself with too much food. Like a bear gorging itself on salmon before hibernating for the winter, or a much-needed nap after Christmas dinner, this b.....»»
Thin-film tech makes nuclear clocks a 1,000 times less radioactive and more affordable
In the quest for ultra-precise timekeeping, scientists have turned to nuclear clocks. Unlike optical atomic clocks—which rely on electronic transitions—nuclear clocks utilize the energy transitions in the atom's nucleus, which are less affected b.....»»
A critical security flaw in Apache Struts is under attack, so patch now
Criminals are apparently using already available Proof-of-concept to attack Apache Struts......»»
Young exoplanet"s atmosphere unexpectedly differs from its birthplace
Just as some children physically resemble their parents, many scientists have long thought that developing planets should resemble the swirling disk of gas and dust that births them......»»
Carnivorous squirrels documented in California
A ground squirrel with cheeks stuffed with nuts, seeds or grains is a common sight. But a new study provides the first evidence that California ground squirrels also hunt, kill and eat voles. The study, led by the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire a.....»»
Brain cells mature faster in space but stay healthy: ISS study
Microgravity is known to alter the muscles, bones, the immune system and cognition, but little is known about its specific impact on the brain. To discover how brain cells respond to microgravity, Scripps Research scientists, in collaboration with th.....»»