New map of "stopover hotspots" provides insights for conservation of eastern US migratory landbirds
Every autumn, billions of birds migrate across the eastern U.S. en route to their wintering sites. As the birds undertake their journeys, however, they are faced with increasing threats, including habitat loss, storms, feral cats and other predators,.....»»
Opinion: Southern Africa is seen as a leader in wildlife conservation, but its market-driven approach is deeply flawed
Southern Africa's wildlife economy is often hailed as a successful model. The idea behind this model is that biodiversity and wildlife are used as the basis of sustainable economic growth, through an increase in wildlife numbers and in a country's re.....»»
Q&A: Extreme weather in South Africa is disrupting tourism—research tracks the impact on coastal areas
South Africa has experienced some extreme weather events in recent months. These have included floods and an uncommon tornado in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, floods in the Eastern Cape and mid-latitude cyclones in the Western Cape. Kaitano.....»»
Study measures toughness of bettong and potoroo foods to aid in conservation efforts
From sifting through topsoil for native truffles to cracking open hard shells of seeds and nuts to munch on the tasty kernels, Australia bettongs and potoroos are described as "ecosystem engineers" in a two-way relationship between their rich diet an.....»»
Textile scientists offer fresh insights on why some clothes get smellier
Ever noticed that a polyester T-shirt is smellier than a cotton one after you work out? New University of Alberta research now shows why......»»
New shapes of photons open doors to advanced optical technologies
Researchers from the University of Twente in the Netherlands have gained important insights into photons, the elementary particles that make up light. They 'behave' in an amazingly greater variety than electrons surrounding atoms, while also being mu.....»»
Study demonstrates the use of community science as a conservation tool for wildlife population estimation
Researchers have demonstrated a cost-effective method for estimating population size using a combination of freely available community science data and small numbers of structured surveys. The study, published in Scientific Reports, highlights the im.....»»
Novel protein involved in mitochondrial gene expression identified
Researchers at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics at Karolinska Institutet have characterized a novel GTPase involved in ribosome production in mitochondria. The study, published in Nature Communications, provides new insights into.....»»
Starlings" migratory behavior found to be inherited, not learned
Young, naïve starlings are looking for their wintering grounds independently of experienced conspecifics. Starlings are highly social birds throughout the year, but this does not mean that they copy the migration route from each other......»»
Study demonstrates how a simple metric could steer global economy towards halting and reversing biodiversity loss
Businesses are keenly aware that consumers value ethical business practices, including the protection of biodiversity, and many have committed to biodiversity conservation. A road block, however, turns out to be the large variety of ways that have be.....»»
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.....»»
Energy landscape theory sheds light on evolution of foldable proteins
A new study led by Rice University's Peter Wolynes offers new insights into the evolution of foldable proteins. The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences......»»
Why do you keep your house so cold? Study suggests childhood home temperature can predict adult thermostat settings
Childhood home temperature and community connectedness can help predict how U.S. residents set their thermostats, offering new ways to encourage energy conservation and combat climate change, according to a study published July 3 in the journal PLOS.....»»
Study reveals ancient Nile floods were highly variable during wetter climates
Global warming as well as recent droughts and floods threaten large populations along the Nile Valley. Understanding how such a large river will respond to an invigorated hydrological cycle is therefore a pressing issue. Insights can be gained by stu.....»»
240,000 people evacuated in China rainstorms
Nearly a quarter of a million people were evacuated in eastern China as rainstorms lashed swathes of the country and caused the Yangtze and other rivers to swell, state media reported Wednesday......»»
Discovering new anti-aging secrets from the world"s longest-living vertebrate
New experimental research shows that muscle metabolic activity may be an important factor in the incredible longevity of the world's oldest living vertebrate species—the Greenland shark. These findings may have applications for conservation of this.....»»
Artificial light is a deadly siren song for young fish
New research finds that artificial light at night (ALAN) attracts larval fish away from naturally lit habitats while dramatically lowering their chances of survival in an "ecological trap," with serious consequences for fish conservation and fishing.....»»
Researcher develops model of influencer importance within Instagram networks
A study published in the International Journal of Electronic Marketing and Retailing has provided new insights into social media influencers, particularly focusing on those in the women's fashion sector on the well-known image and video sharing platf.....»»
Historic iceberg surges offer insights on modern climate change
A great armada entered the North Atlantic, launched from the cold shores of North America. But rather than ships off to war, this force was a fleet of icebergs, and the havoc it wrought was on the ocean current itself......»»
As No Mow May ends, here"s why we should keep patches of lawn permanently wild
Over the last century, nearly all of the UK's wildflower meadows have been destroyed by expanding farms, towns and cities. This loss of habitat has driven nature's decline, according to research led by birds and nature conservation charity the RSPB......»»
Researcher uses satellite imagery to investigate ancient urbanism in eastern Africa
At the U of A's Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies, Wolfgang Alders, a National Science Foundation SBE Postdoctoral Fellow, is using satellite imagery and archaeological methods to better understand the origins of urban life on the eastern Afri.....»»