Researchers identify human activities as drivers of biodiversity decline in central Mexico"s reserves
New research shows the diversity of plant and animal life in 14 tropical reserves in Mesoamerica has plummeted since 1990 as roads and cattle ranches have expanded into protected areas. Large mammals, birds, and reptiles are disappearing, while disea.....»»
Researchers propose a new, holistic way to teach synthetic biology
The field of synthetic biology, the science of manipulating biology, has a lot of "cooks in the kitchen," which has both helped it flourish and made it unusually difficult to create a cohesive, consistent curriculum for students at every level of stu.....»»
Lucy, discovered 50 years ago in Ethiopia, still towers over our understanding of human origins
In 1974, on a survey in Hadar in the remote badlands of Ethiopia, U.S. paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson and graduate student Tom Gray found a piece of an elbow joint jutting from the dirt in a gully. It proved to be the first of 47 bones of a sing.....»»
Unlocking biodiversity insights from the tropical Andes
Despite hosting some of the world's most biodiverse ecosystems and the urgency of the region's conservation challenges, researchers in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru often struggle to share their unique insights into these complex ecosystems with the glo.....»»
Research team develops surfaces designed to discourage spread of resistant bacteria
Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections are becoming a major societal challenge. To solve this problem, researchers are working on new drugs that kill bacteria without promoting resistance, and on new materials that prevent the formation of bacteri.....»»
Most pristine trilobite fossils ever found shake up scientific understanding of the long extinct group
Researchers have described some of the best-preserved three-dimensional trilobite fossils ever discovered. The fossils, which are more than 500 million years old, were collected in the High Atlas of Morocco and are being referred to by scientists as.....»»
Gravitational wave researchers cast new light on Antikythera mechanism mystery
Techniques developed to analyze the ripples in spacetime detected by one of the 21st century's most sensitive pieces of scientific equipment have helped cast new light on the function of the oldest known analog computer......»»
Innovative UAV and deep learning method enhances maize tassel detection accuracy
A research team has developed an innovative method utilizing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and deep learning techniques to accurately identify tassel states in maize hybridization fields before and after manual detasseling. This approach significan.....»»
Dunes decoded: A comprehensive and precise mapping for coastal conservation
Coastal dunes are complex and rich areas at the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. They are extremely rich in biodiversity and play a crucial role in both environmental and human well-being, such as protecting inland settlements fr.....»»
Researchers develop deep-learning model that outperforms Google AI system to predict peptide structures
Researchers at the University of Toronto have developed a deep-learning model, called PepFlow, that can predict all possible shapes of peptides—chains of amino acids that are shorter than proteins, but perform similar biological functions......»»
Uranium science researchers investigate feasibility of intentional nuclear forensics
Despite strong regulations and robust international safeguards, authorities routinely interdict nuclear materials outside of regulatory control. Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory are exploring a new method that w.....»»
Novel peptide formulation shows promise of restoring cognitive decline in schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a complicated mental health disorder accompanied by a wide range of symptoms such as hallucinations, impaired cognitive ability, and disorganized speech or behavior. It has been associated with anomalies in neurotransmission due to t.....»»
Study projects loss of brown macroalgae and seagrasses with global environmental change
Researchers predict that climate change will drive a substantial redistribution of brown seaweeds and seagrasses at the global scale. The projected changes are alarming due to the fundamental role of seaweeds and seagrasses in coastal ecosystems, and.....»»
What can social media tell us about public views on climate change?
IIASA researchers contributed to a new study, analyzing the main narratives in public discussions of climate change on social media. The research is published in the journal Current Research in Environmental Sustainability......»»
Young voters have growing power, but broken politics leave them "fatalistic," studies find
Young voters from the millennial generation and Gen Z are emerging as the demographic center of power in American politics, but new studies by UC Berkeley researchers find they are fatalistic about critical problems such as economic inequality, clima.....»»
Fifty-three experts weigh in on the global methane budget
Accurate estimates of atmospheric greenhouse gas levels are needed to understand and address the drivers of climate change. Of particular interest is atmospheric methane, which has increased in concentration by 160% since preindustrial times and acco.....»»
Aging Might Not Be Inevitable
There are biological underpinnings to aging—and so researchers are investigating cell manipulations, transfusions of young blood, and chemical compounds that can mimic low-calorie diets......»»
Scientists develop the next generation of highly efficient memory materials with atom-level control
Like the flutter of a butterfly's wings, sometimes small and minute changes can lead to big and unexpected results and changes in our lives. A team of researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) has made a very small change t.....»»
Ecologists reconstruct history of biodiversity in Indo-Australian archipelago and its rise as a hotspot
The Coral Triangle, also known as the Indo-Australian Archipelago, is renowned for having the greatest marine biodiversity on our planet. Despite its importance, the detailed evolutionary history of this biodiversity hotspot has remained largely a my.....»»
Exciting applications for marine degradable, bio- and CO2-based PISOX polymers
Researchers at the Industrial Sustainable Chemistry (ISC) group at the Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences have developed a new class of bio- and CO2 based PISOX polymers with surprising properties and applications......»»
Key mechanism of herpesvirus egress uncovered, offering new target for antiviral therapies
An international team of researchers, led by the Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), have uncovered crucial details on how herpesviruses exit the cell nucleus without compromising the integrity of the nuclear envelope. Herpesvirus infections are wid.....»»