Small birds boast range of flight styles thanks to evolutionary edge
Small birds have explored a wide variety of styles of flight, ranging from hovering hummingbirds to bounding sparrows to soaring swifts and swallows. A new Cornell University study could explain why......»»
Taking a closer look at AI’s supposed energy apocalypse
AI is just one small part of data centers’ soaring energy use. Enlarge / Someone just asked what it would look like if their girlfriend was a Smurf. Better add another rack of servers! (credit: Getty Images) Late last.....»»
NASA’s commercial spacesuit program just hit a major snag
"Unfortunately Collins has been significantly behind schedule." Enlarge / NASA astronaut Christina Koch (right) poses for a portrait with fellow Expedition 61 Flight Engineer Jessica Meir, who is inside a US spacesuit for a fit c.....»»
Is generative AI really going to “wreak havoc” on the power grid?
AI is just one small part of data centers’ soaring energy use. Enlarge / Someone just asked what it would look like if their girlfriend was a Smurf. Better add another rack of servers! (credit: Getty Images) Late last.....»»
The dark side of loan guarantee programs for SMEs
There is always a downside. Even for loan guarantee programs for small businesses, launched during financial crises to stave off the drying up of credit, particularly likely in periods of recession. It turns out these programs also have negative effe.....»»
In a world-first, researchers map a 4,200 km transatlantic flight of the painted lady butterfly
In October 2013, Gerard Talavera, a researcher from the Botanical Institute of Barcelona at CSIC, made a surprising discovery of painted lady butterflies on the Atlantic beaches of French Guiana—a species not typically found in South America. This.....»»
Hidden mechanisms behind hermaphroditic plant self-incompatibility revealed
A new study presents an evolutionary-biophysical model that sheds new light on the evolution of the collaborative non-self recognition self-incompatibility, a genetic mechanism in plants that prevents self-fertilization and promotes cross-fertilizati.....»»
How to watch SpaceX’s triple-booster rocket take its 10th flight on Tuesday
SpaceX is about to send its triple-booster Falcon Heavy rocket skyward in its first mission since December last year......»»
Rocks on Rapa Nui tell the story of a small, resilient population—not a doomed, overpopulated island
Conventional wisdom holds that the island of Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, once had a large population that crashed after living beyond its means and stripping the island of resources. A new research study my colleagues and I conducted has s.....»»
Mystery of massive aurora in Arctic skies in December 2022 solved by astronomers
A small team of astronomers affiliated with several institutions in Japan, working with a pair of colleagues in the U.S., has solved the mystery of the unusually smooth aurora that appeared in the Arctic sky in December of 2022......»»
I thought Motorola’s new $550 Android phone would be great. I was wrong
The new Motorola Edge (2024) promises to deliver flagship-level specs and features at a reasonable $550 price. But is it any good? I reviewed it and found out......»»
I never wanted to build another small form factor PC — until now
My one attempt at a small form factor PC made never want to go back, but things are changing......»»
Deals: Amazon drops Apple Watch Series 9 to $299, Apple Watch Ultra 2 to $714
Amazon's latest Apple Watch sale drops the price of the Series 9 to $299 and the rugged Ultra 2 with a titanium case to $714.Early Prime Day discounts are in effect on current Apple Watches, with the Series 9 getting a $100 markdown on select styles.....»»
NASA faces $80,000 claim after space debris hit family home
An American family is claiming more than $80,000 from NASA after a small piece of debris fell from space and smashed through the roof of their Florida home, a law firm said Friday......»»
X will soon limit the ability to livestream to Premium subscribers
There’s been a lot going on at X recently when it comes to attempts to make more money from the platform. After Elon Musk confirmed his plans to introduce a small fee for new users, X has now confirmed that it will soon limit the ability to livestr.....»»
Space instruments provide early warnings for solar flares
When a solar flare leaps out from around the sun, a small fleet of scientific instruments designed and built at the University of Colorado Boulder form a first line of defense—spotting these massive eruptions before any other instrument in space, t.....»»
Supporting the right small changes can have big impacts on climate action, say researchers
Small changes in our everyday actions can trigger significant, rapid societal shifts especially when it comes to climate action. A new IIASA-led study highlights the importance of analyzing these dynamics with a comprehensive framework to harness the.....»»
Augmented reality speeds spacecraft construction at NASA Goddard
Technicians armed with advanced measuring equipment, augmented reality headsets, and QR codes virtually checked the fit of some Roman Space Telescope structures before building or moving them through facilities at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center i.....»»
Blooming through adversity: Roses" genetic defense against salinity stress
A cutting-edge study illuminates the intricate mechanisms of rose plants' resistance to salt stress, a critical issue for global agriculture. The research identifies the phenylpropane pathway, especially flavonoids, as key to this tolerance, offering.....»»
Many more bacteria produce greenhouse gases than previously thought, study finds
Caltech researchers have discovered a new class of enzymes that enable a myriad of bacteria to "breathe" nitrate when in low-oxygen conditions. While this is an evolutionary advantage for bacterial survival, the process produces the greenhouse gas ni.....»»
Study challenges popular idea that Easter islanders committed "ecocide"
Some 1,000 years ago, a small band of Polynesians sailed thousands of miles across the Pacific to settle one of the world's most isolated places—a small, previously uninhabited island they named Rapa Nui. There, they erected hundreds of "moai," or.....»»