Nine new and exotic creatures for the pulsar zoo
Researchers using MeerKAT in South Africa have discovered nine millisecond pulsars, most of them in rare and sometimes unusual binary systems, as the first result of a targeted survey. An international team with significant contributions from AEI (Ha.....»»
New animal family tree raises questions about the origin of nervous systems
Sponges are more closely related to us than some animals with a nervous system. Enlarge / These complex creatures seem to be the earliest branch of the animal tree. We're more closely related to sponges than we are to them. (cred.....»»
Researchers use structured light on a chip in another photonics breakthrough
In everyday life we experience light in one of its simplest forms—optical rays or beams. However, light can exist in much more exotic forms. Thus, even beams can be shaped to take the form of spirals; so-called vortex beams, endowed with unusual pr.....»»
MeerKAT radio telescope catches a "Mini Mouse" in the sky
Using the MeerKAT radio telescope, European astronomers have serendipitously discovered a new radio nebula during observations of the black hole binary GRS 1915+105. The newfound object, dubbed "the Mini Mouse," is a young radio pulsar escaping its b.....»»
Converging ocean currents bring floating life and garbage together
The North Pacific "Garbage Patch" is home to an abundance of floating sea creatures, as well as the plastic waste it has become famous for, according to a study by Rebecca Helm from Georgetown University, U.S., and colleagues. The paper is published.....»»
Zoonomia: Genetic research reveals all we share with animals
By comparing the genetic blueprints of an array of animals, scientists are gaining new insights into our own species and all we share with other creatures......»»
New exposé of Australia"s exotic pet trade shows an alarming proliferation of alien, threatened and illegal species
Australia has a global reputation for being tough on biosecurity. There are strict rules around the import and export of both native and exotic species. Security is tight, and advanced screening technology commonplace at ports of entry and mail cente.....»»
Mixing theory and observation to envision a warmer world
Climate changes are conjuring a whirlwind ride that seems to present some creatures opportunities to thrive. Scientists scripting supercharged scenarios caution the difference between seasonal coping and long-term adaption is vast—and tricky to pre.....»»
Arctic ice algae heavily contaminated with microplastics, reports new research
The alga Melosira arctica, which grows under Arctic sea ice, contains ten times as many microplastic particles as the surrounding seawater. This concentration at the base of the food web poses a threat to creatures that feed on the algae at the sea s.....»»
PSR J0901-4046 is the most magnetized radio pulsar known, study finds
Astronomers have investigated an ultraslow radio pulsar known as PSR J0901-4046, finding that it has an extremely high magnetic field—at a level of 30 quadrillion Gauss. The discovery, published April 7 in Physical Review D, makes PSR J0901-4046 th.....»»
Primordial black holes may have "frozen" the early universe
Primordial holes formed in the exotic conditions of the big bang may have become their own source of matter and radiation......»»
Renfield and 5 more of the best vampire comedy TV shows and movies
Vampires are among the most prominent creatures in pop culture, and a few great comedy films and TV shows have helped them create a fresh subgenre......»»
What are these blue creatures washing up on Southern California beaches?
Thousands of dark blue creatures have been washing ashore at beaches across the state, littering the shores and bewildering passersby from Marin to Orange county......»»
A novel way to get to the excited states of exotic nuclei
An atomic nucleus assumes discrete energy levels when added energy excites that nucleus. These energy levels are the nucleus' unique fingerprint; no two nuclei have identical energy patterns. For exotic nuclei, which have unbalanced numbers of proton.....»»
Whether you"re a snorkeler or CEO, you can help save our vital kelp forests
What if we told you the world has forests harboring creatures with three hearts and where the canopy can grow by a foot a day? What if we told you it was silently disappearing? What if we told you we now have the chance to bring it back?.....»»
Rare video of wombats offers a glimpse into the bizarre realm of animal reproduction
If you look at where wombats deposit their poo, you realize they must be able to perform some surprising acrobatics. It has always amazed me to see wombat scats on top of grass tussocks or logs, because I've always wondered how the stocky creatures m.....»»
Nature favors all creatures great and small over medium size, finds research
Life may come in all shapes and sizes, but in nature the most extreme size ranges predominate, according to Rutgers researchers......»»
Three newly discovered sea worms that glow in the dark named after creatures from Japanese folklore and marine biologist
A research group from Nagoya University in central Japan has discovered three new species of bioluminescent polycirrus worms from different parts of Japan. Usually found in shallow water, polycirrus are small worms, known for their bioluminescence. T.....»»
Semiconductor lattice marries electrons and magnetic moments
A model system created by stacking a pair of monolayer semiconductors is giving physicists a simpler way to study confounding quantum behavior, from heavy fermions to exotic quantum phase transitions......»»
Bigger flowers, greater rewards: Plants adapt to climate disruptions to lure pollinators
There's been a well-documented shift toward earlier springtime flowering in many plants as the world warms. The trend alarms biologists because it has the potential to disrupt carefully choreographed interactions between plants and the creatures—bu.....»»
Light pulses can behave like an exotic gas
In work published in Science, the team led by Prof. Dr. Ulf Peschel reports on measurements on a sequence of pulses that travel thousands of kilometers through glass fibers that are only a few microns thin. The researchers were surprised by the resul.....»»