Rice gone wild: How humans have inadvertently selected for "weedy" rice
University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers have discovered that the anatomical adaptation helping weedy rice varieties to proliferate is not, as previously believed, confined only to these pest varieties. The research, published recently in the.....»»
When should you rescue a hedgehog? An expert guide
Hedgehogs are the most rescued wild animal in the UK. Here's our guide to help you know when they need to be rescued—and when it is best to leave them alone......»»
New insights into the Denisovans—the hominin group that interbred with modern day humans
Scientists believe individuals of the most recently discovered hominin group (the Denisovans) that interbred with modern day humans passed on some of their genes via multiple, distinct interbreeding events that helped shape early human history......»»
New tools give researchers hope for fungus-ravaged US bats
Standing at a woodland entrance to the world's longest cave system in Kentucky, a park ranger warns those about to enter of an extremely deadly fungus—not for humans, but for the bat populations it has devastated across North America......»»
Space policy is about to get pretty wild, y’all
Saddle up, space cowboys. It may get bumpy for a while. The global space community awoke to a new reality on Wednesday morning. The founder of this century's most innovative space.....»»
Critical Palo Alto Networks Expedition bug exploited (CVE-2024-5910)
A vulnerability (CVE-2024-5910) in Palo Alto Networks Expedition, a firewall configuration migration tool, is being exploited by attackers in the wild, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) confirmed on Thursday. About CVE-2024-.....»»
Veterinarian identifies household threats for pets
There's no place like home; it's where our pets find comfort, security, and safety. Some common household items, however, can inadvertently bring danger to a pet's loving household......»»
What’s in ‘The Box’?!? Why this cult sci-fi movie is still an intriguing mess after all these years
After 15 years, The Box is still a weird, wild, and confusing thriller that continues to puzzle and intrigue viewers, but is it still worth watching?.....»»
Evolutionary anthropologist presents hypothesis about why humans are dominating the world over other animals
Why is human culture—the shared body of knowledge passed down across generations—so much more powerful than animal cultures?.....»»
Assessing the efficacy of clinical drugs targeting SARS-CoV-2 main protease
Over the last few years, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for COVID-19, has undergone significant changes, evolving from the original wild-type strains to the highly transmissible omicron variant......»»
Australian dragon study reveals surprising link between motor systems control and sleep rhythms
Sleep is one of the most mysterious, yet ubiquitous components of our biology. It has been described in all major groups of animals, including worms, jellyfish, insects or cephalopods, and in all vertebrates, from fish to humans. Common characteristi.....»»
"Shallow" sports and "deep" social hierarchies: Not all pecking orders are created equally
University of Michigan researchers have added a new dimension to the mathematics used to predict the outcomes of all manner of competitions, including sports, games and social hierarchies in both humans and animals......»»
Genetic repair via CRISPR can inadvertently introduce other defects, researchers show
The CRISPR molecular scissors have the potential to revolutionize the treatment of genetic diseases. This is because they can be used to correct specific defective sections of the genome. Unfortunately, however, there is a catch: under certain condit.....»»
Deaf male mosquitoes don"t mate, researchers discover
Romance is a complex affair in humans. There's personality, appearance, seduction, all manner of physical and social cues. Mosquitoes are much more blunt. Mating occurs for a few seconds in midair. And all it takes to woo a male is the sound of a fem.....»»
Novel flame aerosol system excels at creating nanoparticles
Since prehistoric times, humans have used fire to transform raw materials into valuable goods. Examples include using flames to turn clay into pottery, and silica into glass......»»
Spraying rice with zinc oxide nanoparticles protects yields during heat waves, study finds
A small team of horticulturists in China and the U.S. has found that spraying rice plants with a zinc oxide nanoparticle solution helps them better handle the stress of a heat wave. In their study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of.....»»
Svalbard Global Seed Vault evokes epic imagery and controversy because of the symbolic value of seeds
Two-thirds of the world's food comes today from just nine plants: sugar cane, maize (corn), rice, wheat, potatoes, soybeans, oil-palm fruit, sugar beet and cassava. In the past, farmers grew tens of thousands of crop varieties around the world. This.....»»
Portal to the past: Geologist identifies metamorphic rock as a crucial feature of the ancient Earth"s carbon cycle
If Earth's history were a calendar year, humans would not appear until the last few minutes before midnight on Dec. 31. During the Proterozoic Eon—2.5 billion years to 543 million years ago—the sun was still a young star, much dimmer than today,.....»»
Monkeys know who will win the election—primal instincts humans share with them shape voters" choices
As Election Day looms with Kamala Harris and Donald Trump locked in a dead heat, pollsters and pundits are scrambling for clues to predict the outcome......»»
Not too big, not too small: Why modern humans are the ideal size for speed
The fastest animal on land is the cheetah, capable of reaching top speeds of 104 kilometers per hour. In the water, the fastest animals are yellowfin tuna and wahoo, which can reach speeds of 75 and 77 km per hour respectively. In the air, the title.....»»
H5N1 Detected in Pig Highlights the Risk of Bird Flu Mixing with Seasonal Flu
Humans and pigs could both serve as mixing vessels for a bird flu–seasonal flu hybrid, posing a risk of wider spread.....»»