Searching for the decay of nature"s rarest isotope: Tantalum-180m
Tantalum is one of the rarest elements and has multiple stable isotopes. The least abundant tantalum isotope, Ta-180 is found naturally in a long-lived excited state, a feature unique to this isotope. In excited states, a nuclei's protons or neutrons.....»»
Granting legal "personhood" to nature is a growing movement: Can it stem biodiversity loss?
Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing......»»
Nature degradation could cause a 12% loss to UK GDP, new analysis suggests
The deterioration of the UK's natural environment could lead to an estimated 12% loss to GDP, according to new analysis. In comparison, the financial crisis of 2008 took around 5% off the value of the UK GDP, while the COVID-19 pandemic cost the UK u.....»»
First-of-its-kind study shows that conservation actions are effective at halting and reversing biodiversity loss
A study published April 25, in the journal Science provides the strongest evidence to date that not only is nature conservation successful, but that scaling conservation interventions up would be transformational for halting and reversing biodiversit.....»»
The best laptop brands for 2024
The best laptops offer high performance, great looks, and solid build quality. When searching, it's smart to start with top brands. These are the best options......»»
Mantle heat may have boosted Earth"s crust 3 billion years ago
Little is known about the nature and evolution of Earth's continental crust before a few billion years ago because cratons, or stable swaths of the lithosphere more than 2–3 billion years old, are relatively rare......»»
See the Southern Ring Nebula in 3D
Planetary nebula are some of nature's most stunning visual displays. The name is confusing since they're the remains of stars, not planets. But that doesn't detract from their status as objects of captivating beauty and intense scientific study......»»
Scientists map soil RNA to fungal genomes to understand forest ecosystems
If a tree falls in the forest—whether or not anyone registers the sound—one thing is for sure: there are lots of fungi around. Within a forest's soil, hundreds of species decompose debris, mobilize nutrients from that decay, and deliver those nut.....»»
Researchers unveil PI3K enzyme"s dual accelerator and brake mechanisms
A group of researchers have expanded conventional knowledge on a critical enzyme that controls cell migration. In a publication in the journal Nature Communications, they reported that phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) not only acts as an accelerator.....»»
Vast DNA tree of life for plants revealed by global science team using 1.8 billion letters of genetic code
A new paper published today (April 24) in the journal Nature by an international team of 279 scientists led by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew presents the most up-to-date understanding of the flowering plant tree of life......»»
AI designs active pharmaceutical ingredients quickly and easily based on protein structures
A new computer process developed by chemists at ETH Zurich makes it possible to generate active pharmaceutical ingredients quickly and easily based on a protein's three-dimensional surface. The new process, detailed in Nature Communications, could re.....»»
Future hurricanes could compromise New England forests" ability to store and sequester carbon
Nature-based climate solutions can help mitigate climate change, especially in forested regions capable of storing and sequestering vast amounts of carbon. New research published in Global Change Biology indicates that a single hurricane in New Engla.....»»
Astrophysicists work toward unification of turbulence framework—weak-to-strong transition discovered in turbulence
Turbulence is ubiquitous in nature. It exists everywhere, from our daily lives to the distant universe, while being labeled as "the last great unsolved problem of classical physics" by Richard Feynman. Prof. Dr. Huirong Yan and her group from the Ins.....»»
Researchers create artificial cells that act like living cells
In a new study published in Nature Chemistry, UNC-Chapel Hill researcher Ronit Freeman and her colleagues describe the steps they took to manipulate DNA and proteins—essential building blocks of life—to create cells that look and act like cells f.....»»
New JWST observations reveal black holes rapidly shut off star formation in massive galaxies
New research published in Nature showcases new observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) that suggest black holes rapidly shut off star-formation in massive galaxies by explosively removing large amounts of gas......»»
First discovery in decades of blue whales near Seychelles
Blue whales are fascinating animals. At 24–30 meters in length (longer than a basketball court) they are the largest creatures on Earth. They are also among the rarest. Estimates suggest that there are only about 5,000 to 15,000 blue whales left in.....»»
Computer model helps support theory of asteroid Kamo"oalewa as ejecta from the moon
A small international team of planetary scientists has found evidence supporting the theory that the near-Earth asteroid Kamo'oalewa is ejecta from the moon. In their paper published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the group describes their data-dri.....»»
Planning at multiple scales for healthy corals and communities
Governments in the Mesoamerican Reef region are exploring the use of nature-based solutions to strengthen coral health and societal benefits for coastal communities. A new study led by Stanford researchers in collaboration with scientists from the Wo.....»»
Beta-decay measurements in mirror nuclei pin down the weak nuclear force
The Standard Model of Particle Physics is scientists' best understanding of the forces that describe how subatomic particles interact. The Standard Model encompasses four forces: the strong nuclear force, the weak nuclear force, the electromagnetic f.....»»
Springing simulations forward with quantum computing
Though "coupled oscillations" may not sound familiar, they are everywhere in nature. The term "coupled harmonic oscillators" describes interacting systems of masses and springs, but their utility in science and engineering does not end there. They de.....»»
East Africa"s "soda lakes" are rising, threatening their iconic flamingos
Huge pink flocks of millions of flamingos—flamboyances of flamingos—are one of nature's great spectacles. But colleagues and I have uncovered worrying trends in the salty and highly-alkaline "soda lakes" of east Africa where most of these birds l.....»»