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.....»»
China’s radar killer drone shoots better than AI, humans with new ChatGPT-like brain
China’s radar killer drone shoots better than AI, humans with new ChatGPT-like brain.....»»
Distracted driving tool shows just how far you can travel while texting
The key to being safe as a driver is to keep your eyes on the road. Humans who think they can multitask while sitting at the wheel of a moving car continue to be a problem—one t.....»»
Variations in scientific ethics: Chinese scientists prioritize government service more than global peers
In a new study of physicists from the U.S., U.K. and China, Rice University and Santa Clara University researchers found that Chinese scientists feel a greater obligation to serve their government with research efforts than international counterparts.....»»
It all started with a Big Bang: The quest to unravel the mystery behind the birth of the universe
How did everything begin? It's a question that humans have pondered for thousands of years. Over the last century or so, science has homed in on an answer: the Big Bang......»»
Discovery challenges existing theories of magnetism in kagome metals
A discovery by Rice University physicists and collaborators is unlocking a new understanding of magnetism and electronic interactions in cutting-edge materials, potentially revolutionizing technology fields such as quantum computing and high-temperat.....»»
Do Spiders Dream Like Humans Do?
During the pandemic, researcher Daniela Rößler couldn't go out, so she started looking around her for her next research project. Then she found a really big one, and it had been right in front of her all along......»»
How researchers can maximize biological insights using animal-tracking devices
Biologgers allow us to see with unprecedented precision how animals move and behave in the wild. But that's only part of the picture, according to a UC Santa Cruz ecologist renowned for using biologging data to tell a deeper story about the lives of.....»»
New Age ritual that send "bad energies" up in smoke may contribute to overharvesting of wild plants
A commercialized New Age ritual is causing not only "unwanted energies" to go up in smoke, but also foreign wild plants. A study by Utrecht University researchers Isabela Pombo Geertsma and Anastasia Stefanaki, alongside colleagues from Wageningen UR.....»»
Prolonged brain development of marmosets could serve as model for human evolution
The development of primate brains is shaped by various inputs. However, these inputs differ between independent breeders, such as great apes, and cooperative breeders, such as the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) and humans. In these species, gro.....»»
These hornets break down alcohol so fast that they can’t get drunk
"No signs of intoxication or illness, even after chronically consuming huge amounts of alcohol." Many animals, including humans, have developed a taste for alcohol in some form, b.....»»
Scientist on personal mission to improve global water safety makes groundbreaking discovery
A study published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters and led by the University of Bristol sheds new light on how arsenic can be made less dangerous to humans has the potential to dramatically improve water and food safety, especially in th.....»»
What animal societies can teach us about aging
Red deer may become less sociable as they grow old to reduce the risk of picking up diseases, while older house sparrows seem to have fewer social interactions as their peers die off, according to new research showing that humans are not the only ani.....»»
Invasive plants drive homogenization of soil microbial communities across US, new study finds
Invasive plants are doing more than just taking over landscapes—they're also changing the soil beneath them. A new study co-authored by Matthew McCary, assistant professor of biosciences at Rice University, reveals that these species are reshaping.....»»
NASA’s oldest active astronaut is also one of the most curious humans
"We made the mistake of peeking out the Cupola windows." For his most recent trip to the International Space Station, in lieu of bringing coffee or some other beverage in his "per.....»»
More social species live longer, study finds
New research from the University of Oxford has revealed that species that are more social live longer and produce offspring for a greater timespan. This is the first study on this topic which spans the animal kingdom, from jellyfish to humans......»»
COVID lessons learned? UN summit mulls plan for healthy planet, and humans
The COVID-19 and Ebola outbreaks brought into stark relief the harms that can come to humans if we interfere too much with nature, placing ourselves in contact with animals carrying unknown pathogens......»»
"Yikes": While gaming, Musk inadvertently broadcasts "scary" near-abort of Starship booster landing
"Yikes": While gaming, Musk inadvertently broadcasts "scary" near-abort of Starship booster landing.....»»
Study reveals the twists and turns of mammal evolution from a sprawling to upright posture
Mammals, including humans, stand out with their distinctively upright posture, a key trait that fueled their spectacular evolutionary success. Yet, the earliest known ancestors of modern mammals more resembled reptiles, with limbs stuck out to their.....»»
When things get tight: How does the embryo in rapeseed react to mechanical constraints?
In 2021, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded for elucidating the biology of mechanosensors. These discoveries revealed how mechanical forces generated by touch influence tissue differentiation and morphogenesis in animals and humans.....»»
Synthetic asexual reproduction system in hybrid rice shows promise for seed production
Apomixis is a form of asexual reproduction that allows hybrid rice to propagate by seeds. Recently, a collaborative research team led by Professor Li Jiayang from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology (IGDB) of the Chinese Academy of Sc.....»»