Scientists Establish the Best Algorithm for Traversing a Map
Dijkstra’s algorithm was long thought to be the most efficient way to find a graph’s best routes. Researchers have now proven that it’s “universally optimal.”.....»»
"Time capsule" lunar samples link the moon"s past and present
Samples collected from the surface of the moon by the crew of Apollo 16 more than 50 years ago have helped scientists reconstruct billions of years of lunar history......»»
Male stalk-eyed flies with short eyestalks are less attractive to females but fight more fiercely, scientists discover
In stalk-eyed flies, longer eyestalks attract the ladies. Females prefer males with longer eyestalks, and other males are less likely to fight them for access to females. But some males have a copy of the X chromosome which always causes short eyesta.....»»
Scientists find southern killer whales of the Pacific have access to enough food, deepening mystery of their struggles
A pair of marine mammal scientists at The University of British Columbia, has found that claims that a lack of access to salmon is what is driving the crash in population numbers for southern resident killer whales of the Pacific are wrong......»»
Scientists untangle the challenging complexities of radiocarbon in ice cores
ANSTO scientists, Dr. Andrew Smith, Dr. Quan Hua and Dr. Bin Yang have contributed to a paper that elucidates how in situ cosmogenic radiocarbon (14C) is produced, retained and lost in the top layer of compacting snow (the "firn layer") and the shall.....»»
Team develops promising new form of antibiotic that makes bacterial cells self-destruct
To address the global threat of antibiotic resistance, scientists are on the hunt for new ways to sneak past a bacterial cell's defense system. Taking what they learned from a previous study on cancer, researchers from the University of Toronto (U of.....»»
Lignin molecular property discovery could help turn trees into affordable, greener industrial chemicals
Trees are the most abundant natural resource living on Earth's land masses, and North Carolina State University scientists and engineers are making headway in finding ways to use them as sustainable, environmentally benign alternatives to producing i.....»»
Molecular "cut and sew" process could accelerate drug design
A innovative molecular "cut and sew" process by University of Dundee scientists has allowed the design of a research tool that will accelerate drug design for diseases for which no other options exist, including cancer......»»
Could injecting diamond dust into the atmosphere help cool the planet?
A multi-institutional team of climatologists, meteorologists and Earth scientists has found evidence that dropping diamond dust from an airplane into the atmosphere could cool the planet. In their study published in the journal Geophysical Research L.....»»
Scientists identify potential deep-ocean greenhouse gas storage solution
As the planet continues to warm and the ramifications of human-driven climate change continue to amplify, the need to find ways to mitigate climate change is growing. In Nature Communications, University of California, Irvine scientists describe a ne.....»»
Bumblebee queens choose to hibernate in pesticide-contaminated soil, scientists discover
An alarming discovery from University of Guelph researchers raises concerns for bumblebee health, survival and reproduction. U of G environmental sciences researchers Drs. Nigel Raine and Sabrina Rondeau have found that bumblebee queens are more like.....»»
First results from the Axion Dark-Matter Birefringent Cavity experiment establish a new technique for axion search
Researchers at MIT recently published the first results of an experiment aimed at searching for axion dark matter by probing the axion-induced birefringence of electromagnetic waves. While these findings, published in Physical Review Letters, did not.....»»
Scientists create new overwintering sites for monarch butterflies on a warming planet
The migration of the monarch butterfly is one of the wonders of the natural world. Each autumn, a new generation of monarch butterflies is born in the northern United States and southern Canada. Hundreds of millions of these butterflies then fly to t.....»»
AI-controlled robots can be jailbroken, and the results could be disastrous
Penn University researchers have developed an algorithm that can jailbreak a number of popular robotics platforms, often with a 100% success rate......»»
Study: Smaller, more specific academic journals hold more sway over conservation policy
Scientists don't just want their results to be published; they want them to be published in the most influential journal they can find. This focus on a high impact factor is driven by their concerns about promotion and tenure, but it may be overlooki.....»»
More efficient phenotypic screening method can simultaneously test multiple drugs
Some of the most widely used drugs today, including penicillin, were discovered through a process called phenotypic screening. Using this method, scientists are essentially throwing drugs at a problem—for example, when attempting to stop bacterial.....»»
New method for measuring luminescence lifetime offers versatility in scientific imaging
Oxygen is a key molecule for life, and in order to understand ecosystem dynamics it can be important to follow its ways in much detail. Optical sensors that use luminescent dyes have long been used to map oxygen levels in marine systems. Oxygen reduc.....»»
How can policymakers and scientists speed up progress to achieve Sustainable Development Goals?
IIASA researchers helped to identify three focus areas at the intersection of science and policy, which could foster transformative action to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Their priorities include exploiting.....»»
Putting out a brain on fire: Researchers map how antibodies bind in rare autoimmune disorder
Imagine you wake up in a hospital without a single memory of the last month. Doctors say you had a series of violent episodes and paranoid delusions. You'd become convinced you were suffering from bipolar disorder. Then, after a special test, a neuro.....»»
Scientists Peeked Underneath the Seafloor and Discovered Something "Totally Unexpected"
Scientists Peeked Underneath the Seafloor and Discovered Something "Totally Unexpected".....»»
Cats associate human words with images, experiment suggests
A small team of animal scientists at Azabu University, in Japan, has found via experimentation that common house cats are capable of associating human words with images without prompting or reward. In their study, published in the journal Scientific.....»»