Studying vampire bats to predict the next pandemic
In June, Virginia Tech Assistant Professor Luis Escobar led a team of students into the Andes Mountains and lowlands of Colombia to understand how vampire bats can help predict and prevent the next big epidemic. Escobar is an expert in assessing how.....»»
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.....»»
Impact of COVID-19 "will affect exam results well into the 2030s," says study
Educational damage from the COVID-19 pandemic will have an impact on school pupils well into the 2030s, according to a study involving the University of Strathclyde......»»
A better way to predict Arctic riverbank erosion
Arctic riverbanks are typically resilient, thanks to the power of permafrost. This permanently frozen soil locks in sediment, leading to low erosion rates. But as Arctic river water warms due to climate change, some researchers worry that riverbanks.....»»
Dead Boy Detectives review: a Sandman spinoff that stands on its own
Longing for the monster-of-the-week days of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Supernatural? Then Dead Boy Detectives, Netflix's new fantasy show, is just the ticket......»»
Crises like pandemics or financial crashes could stall progress on gender diversity in boardrooms
Forget shattering the glass ceiling—a new research study published in The Leadership Quarterly warns that crises like the recent COVID-19 pandemic or a global financial crash could slam the brakes on progress toward improving gender diversity in bo.....»»
How studying trends in human lifespans can measure progress in addressing inequality
People are living longer lives compared to previous generations but, over the last few decades, there has been a hidden shift—they are passing away at increasingly similar ages......»»
A key gene helps explain how the ability to glide has emerged over-and-over during marsupial evolution
People say "When pigs fly" to describe the impossible. But even if most mammals are landlubbers, the ability to glide or fly has evolved again and again during mammalian evolution, in species ranging from bats to flying squirrels. How did that come a.....»»
Spintronics research shows material"s magnetic properties can predict how a spin current changes with temperature
Spintronics is a field garnering immense attention for its range of potential advantages for conventional electronics. These include reducing power consumption, high-speed operation, non-volatility, and the potential for new functionalities......»»
Same species, different sizes: Rare evolution in action spotted in island bats
A University of Melbourne researcher has spotted a rare evolutionary phenomenon happening rapidly in real time in bats living in the Solomon Islands......»»
"Harvesting data": Latin American AI startups transform farming
For centuries, farmers used almanacs to try to understand and predict weather patterns......»»
Lemur"s lament: When one vulnerable species stalks another
What can be done when one threatened animal kills another? Scientists studying critically endangered lemurs in Madagascar confronted this difficult reality when they witnessed attacks on lemurs by another vulnerable species, a carnivore called a fosa.....»»
Scientists trigger mini-earthquakes in the lab
Earthquakes and landslides are famously difficult to predict and prepare for. By studying a miniature version of the ground in the lab, scientists at the UvA Institute of Physics have demonstrated how these events can be triggered by a small external.....»»
Weather prediction models can also forecast satellite displacements
New research finds that modern weather models can accurately predict satellite movements due to the energy emitted and reflected by the Earth. In addition to weather prediction, weather models can also help understand and predict how satellites respo.....»»
Abigail review: a wacky thrill ride that has plenty of bite
Abigail is a gloriously gory vampire horror movie......»»
Abigail’s ending, explained
Here's everything you need to know about the ending of the new vampire horror film, Abigail......»»
Africa is full of bats, but their fossils are scarce—why these rare records matter
Africa is home to more than 20% of the world's bat population. There are more than 200 species to be found on the continent. South Africa is particularly diverse, with 72 bat species......»»
Dual-beamline photoelectron momentum microscopy upgrade advances valence orbital analysis
The world's first dual-beamline photoelectron momentum microscope has been developed at the UVSOR Synchrotron Facility, Japan. This innovative experimental station brings breakthroughs in studying the behavior of electrons in materials governing mate.....»»
Arboviruses, mosquitoes and potential hosts tracked in real time in São Paulo city
The technology used to sequence SARS-CoV-2 at record speed early in the COVID-19 pandemic has been successfully tested as a technique to monitor arboviruses and diseases transmitted mainly by mosquitoes......»»
Studying spaceflight atrophy with machine learning
Even intense exercise by astronauts cannot compensate for muscle atrophy caused by microgravity. Atrophy occurs, in part, by way of an underlying mechanism that regulates calcium uptake. Recent research has shown exposure to spaceflight alters the up.....»»
Study investigates coronavirus dynamics in bats: Lower biodiversity means more pathogens
The loss of biodiversity poses a challenge for nature and humans alike. A study led by Ulm University shows that a decline in biodiversity promotes the spread of potentially zoonotic pathogens......»»