Scientists discover crude oil decimates sea otter buoyancy
Sea otters are famed for their luscious pelts, but the fur almost led to their extinction. By 1938, only a tiny population of ~50 remained clinging to the central California coast. Since then, the mammals have battled back. However, the charismatic c.....»»
Russian oil spill contaminates 50km of Black Sea beaches
Russia Wednesday expanded an operation to clean up thousands of tonnes of oil that spilt into the sea and contaminated 50 kilometers of beaches after tanker ships were wrecked in a storm......»»
Climate change made Cyclone Chido stronger: Scientists
Climate change intensified Cyclone Chido as it barreled toward the Indian Ocean archipelago of Mayotte, said a preliminary study by scientists studying the link between global warming and tropical storms......»»
Building a backbone: Scientists recreate the body"s "GPS system" in the lab
Scientists at the Francis Crick Institute have generated human stem cell models which, for the first time, contain notochord—a tissue in the developing embryo that acts like a navigation system, directing cells where to build the spine and nervous.....»»
Dormant massive black hole in the early universe challenges existing models
Scientists have spotted a massive black hole in the early universe that is "napping" after stuffing itself with too much food. Like a bear gorging itself on salmon before hibernating for the winter, or a much-needed nap after Christmas dinner, this b.....»»
Thin-film tech makes nuclear clocks a 1,000 times less radioactive and more affordable
In the quest for ultra-precise timekeeping, scientists have turned to nuclear clocks. Unlike optical atomic clocks—which rely on electronic transitions—nuclear clocks utilize the energy transitions in the atom's nucleus, which are less affected b.....»»
Young exoplanet"s atmosphere unexpectedly differs from its birthplace
Just as some children physically resemble their parents, many scientists have long thought that developing planets should resemble the swirling disk of gas and dust that births them......»»
Brain cells mature faster in space but stay healthy: ISS study
Microgravity is known to alter the muscles, bones, the immune system and cognition, but little is known about its specific impact on the brain. To discover how brain cells respond to microgravity, Scripps Research scientists, in collaboration with th.....»»
Low glycemic index rice seen as promising solution to mitigate Asia"s diabetes crisis
A new paper recently published by scientists explores the potential of low glycemic index (Low GI) rice to combat the growing diabetes epidemic, particularly in Asia......»»
Resource-rich countries still often invest unsustainably
Countries that earn a lot of money from oil, coal, minerals and other natural capital by no means invest it wisely. A lot of money flows away into corruption and unsustainable investments. Investing more sustainably in education, health and infrastru.....»»
Gladiator II: A historian on the real north African kingdom of Numidia—and the men who ruled it
"Gladiator II" opens with a Roman fleet brutally laying siege to a city in the north African kingdom of Numidia. On the big screen we see ships set ablaze by pots of burning oil and defenders impaled by man-sized iron bolts. The so-called barbarian i.....»»
Study maps bed bugs" genomes in unprecedented detail to find out why they just won"t die
Scientists mapped near-gap-free and near-error-free genomes of a susceptible bed bug strain and a superstrain around 20,000 times more insecticide-resistant, offering the broadest look yet at the full scope of their resistance mutations......»»
New stadiums, airports and oil links: The environmental cost of Saudi Arabia"s 2034 World Cup
Fifa has confirmed Saudi Arabia as the host of the 2034 men's World Cup, meaning the biggest football event on the planet will return to the Middle East......»»
Antarctica"s tipping points threaten global climate stability
Antarctica is approaching a series of cascading tipping points that could reshape ecosystems and intensify global climate disruptions, according to a new study by an international team of scientists, including researchers from the University of Tasma.....»»
Boltz-1: Fully open-source model rivals AlphaFold3 for predicting biomolecular structures
MIT scientists have released a powerful, open-source AI model called Boltz-1 that could significantly accelerate biomedical research and drug development. The paper is available on the bioRxiv preprint server......»»
Captive tilapia study shows cold-blooded animals using behaviorally-induced fever to battle infection
A team of life scientists at East China Normal University has found that at least one type of cold-blooded animal uses behaviorally-induced fever to battle infections. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the g.....»»
Black hole genealogy: A new way to discover "ancestors" of cosmic phenomena
A research team has proposed a new method to reconstruct the "family tree" of black holes. Published in The Astrophysical Journal, this research offers a way to infer the properties of the black hole progenitors of these mergers, one of the most brut.....»»
Scientists decipher genome map of Lycium barbarum
Lycium barbarum, commonly known as goji berry, is renowned for its pectin polysaccharides (LBPPs), which offer a range of benefits including antioxidant, immune-regulating, and anti-aging effects. However, the absence of a genetic map for Lycium barb.....»»
Protective salt marshes along coasts are in danger across the globe but it"s not too late to act, researchers say
Salt marshes are among coastal habitats endangered by both rising sea levels and urban development......»»
Patients whose allergies cause the sniffles have different fungi living in their noses, scientists discover
Nearly a quarter of Portuguese adults have allergies that cause a runny nose. This respiratory disease, formally called allergic rhinitis and frequently associated with asthma, is a common problem around the world, and the upper airway is a key targe.....»»
Scientists reveal characteristics of Salmonella dry surface biofilm
Food scientists at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have revealed key characteristics of the foodborne pathogen Salmonella dry surface biofilm (DSB), a previously overlooked type of biofilm that commonly exists in dry food processing enviro.....»»