New concept explains how tiny particles navigate water layers, with implications for marine conservation
A new UBC study published recently in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science has unveiled insights into how microscopic organisms such as marine plankton move through water with different density layers......»»
Finding the "sweet spot": Marine animals save energy by swimming at optimal depths
Researchers from Swansea and Deakin Universities have found that marine animals across mammals, birds and reptiles swim at similar relative depths when traveling and not feeding to save energy......»»
Detailed bedbug genome analysis may improve pesticides
Bedbugs. Just mentioning the tiny, biting insects that live on human blood and infest mattresses, couches, and bedding strikes fear into most people. In addition to the anxiety, itching, and rashes an outbreak can cause, bedbugs can be difficult to i.....»»
New study says we"re unlikely to find liquid water on Mars anytime soon
More than a hundred years ago, astronomer Percival Lowell made the case for the existence of canals on Mars designed to redistribute water from the Martian ice caps to its lower, drier latitudes. This necessarily meant the existence of Martians to bu.....»»
Research explores nanobubble stability and its real-world implications
Gases are essential for many chemical reactions, and bubbles are one way for these gases to be held in solution. When compared to larger bubbles, nanobubbles have increased stability—meaning that they can remain in a solution longer without popping.....»»
New data from "the last ice area" may help long-term conservation efforts in the Arctic
Earlier this year our international team of scientists from the Refuge Arctic consortium departed Iqaluit, Nvt. on a 56-day research expedition in the far north. We were sailing aboard the icebreaker CCGS Amundsen and our main objective was to study.....»»
Sea sponge-inspired microlenses offer new possibilities in optics
Beneath the ocean's surface, simple marine animals called sea sponges grow delicate glass skeletons that are as intricate as they are strong. These natural structures are made of a material called silica—also known as bioglass—that is both lightw.....»»
Unlocking the journey of gold through magmatic fluids
When one tectonic plate sinks beneath another, it generates magmas rich in volatiles such as water, sulfur and chlorine. As these magmas ascend, they release magmatic fluids, in which sulfur and chlorine bind to metals such as gold and copper, and tr.....»»
Huge and rare Mekong catfish spotted in Cambodia, raising conservation hopes
Six critically endangered Mekong giant catfish—one of the largest and rarest freshwater fish in the world—were caught and released recently in Cambodia, reviving hopes for the survival of the species......»»
Paleoenvironmental study at Waterfall Bluff reveals leopard seal far from Antarctic waters
Waterfall Bluff Rock Shelter (WB) (Eastern Cape Province (ECP), South Africa) contains archaeological deposits demonstrating persistent and continuous human occupation spanning from Late Marine Isotope Stage 3 (~39ka–29ka) to the mid-Holocene (~8ka.....»»
Giraffes" uphill battle: Slopes more than 20° pose challenges for their conservation
New research finds that giraffes much prefer flat terrain and do not traverse slopes of more than 20°, which severely limits the areas in, and outside, protected reserves they can access. The findings, which are yet to be published, were presented a.....»»
Video: A biologist explains how animals move
For millennia, humans have observed and have been inspired by the ways that animals move. Some researchers theorize that paintings in famous caves like Chauvet and Lascaux, made more than 30,000 years ago, were designed to show the ways a horse might.....»»
Seabed seismographs unlock mysteries of longest runout sediment flows
Durham University scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in marine geoscience, revealing unprecedented insights into the dynamics of Earth's longest runout sediment flows......»»
The science of shopping: Neuroeconomist explains what happens in the brain when we buy
'Tis the season for spending for many. An estimated 197 million people shopped from Black Friday to Cyber Monday, according to the National Retailer Federation. On Black Friday alone, consumers spent a record $33.6 billion......»»
A first step towards integrating marine plastics into urban recycling
In response to the millions of tons of marine litter, mostly plastics, floating on the oceans, the need to manage this waste effectively is more urgent than ever. Faced with this reality, the UPV/EHU's Materials + Technologies research group decided.....»»
Physicists uncover strong light-matter interactions in quantum spin liquids
Physicists have long theorized the existence of a unique state of matter known as a quantum spin liquid. In this state, magnetic particles do not settle into an orderly pattern, even at absolute zero temperature. Instead, they remain in a constantly.....»»
Southern states brace for water changes, report finds
Water is everywhere. It falls freely from the sky and flows across the earth. Humans are inextricably connected to water and to forests. Changes in land use, forest conditions, and climate affect water – with consequences for drinking water treatme.....»»
Floods, insufficient water, sinking river deltas: Hydrologists map changing river landscapes across the globe
A study in Science by researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and University of Cincinnati has mapped 35 years of river changes on a global scale for the first time......»»
Conservation leads to benefits: Large marine protected areas are boosting fish catch rates
Increases in catch rates for fish such as tuna have been demonstrated near recently created Large-Scale Marine Protected Areas (LSMPAs), including Revillagigedo in Mexico. This shows that LSPMAs are large enough to protect highly migratory species su.....»»
Studies pin down exactly when humans and Neanderthals swapped DNA
We may owe our tiny sliver of Neanderthal DNA to just a couple of hundred Neanderthals. Two recent studies suggest that the gene flow (as the young people call it these days) betw.....»»
How soil bacteria contribute to the growing global issue of antibiotic resistance
Soil plays a much bigger role in the spread of antibiotic resistance than one might imagine. Surprisingly, the ground beneath us is packed with antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs)—tiny codes that allow bacteria to resist antibiotics. Human activitie.....»»