The science of why hawks are one of nature"s deadliest hunters
The sight of hundreds of thousands of bats streaming from their roost at dusk is one of nature's great spectacles. Swarms can be so dense they resemble rising smoke at a distance. But the aerial antics of the birds of prey that hunt them are just as.....»»
The Secret Alchemy of Making Ice Cream
Ice cream is deceptively simple, but that sweet burst of flavor and soft melt on the tongue is a finicky, frozen science of water, fat, and air delicately held together......»»
Addressing climate change and inequality: A win-win policy solution
Climate change and economic inequality are deeply interconnected, with the potential to exacerbate each other if left unchecked. A study published in Nature Climate Change sheds light on this critical relationship using data from eight large-scale In.....»»
Traces of antimatter in cosmic rays reopen the search for "WIMPs" as dark matter
One of the great challenges of modern cosmology is to reveal the nature of dark matter. We know it exists (it constitutes more than 85% of the matter in the universe), but we have never seen it directly and still do not know what it is......»»
New article provides orientation to using implementation science in policing
Since the 2020 murder by Minneapolis police of George Floyd brought nationwide calls for change amid concerns that prevailing practices were not grounded in evidence and created harm, policing has been in turmoil. Implementation science (IS) involves.....»»
Unique IDs for individual (digital) specimens from natural history museums streamline and future-proof science
The wealth of data hosted in natural history collections can contribute to finding a response to global challenges ranging from climate change to biodiversity loss to pandemics. However, today's practices of working with collected bio- and geodiversi.....»»
Centuries ago, the Maya storm god Huracán taught that when we damage nature, we damage ourselves
The ancient Maya believed that everything in the universe, from the natural world to everyday experiences, was part of a single, powerful spiritual force. They were not polytheists who worshipped distinct gods but pantheists who believed that various.....»»
New species of clearwing moth from Guyana discovered in Wales
A new species of moth has been described far away from home following a cross-continent detective journey that included Natural History Museum scientists from separate fields, a budding young ecologist with a knack for community science, a globe-trot.....»»
The medicines we take to stay healthy are harming nature. Here"s what needs to change
Evidence is mounting that modern medicines present a growing threat to ecosystems around the world. The chemicals humans ingest to stay healthy are harming fish and other animals......»»
People infer the past better than the future, study finds
If you started watching a movie from the middle without knowing its plot, you'd likely be better at inferring what had happened earlier than predicting what will happen next, according to a new Dartmouth-led study published in Nature Communications......»»
Skiing calls on UN climate science to combat melting future
World skiing's governing body joined forces with the UN's weather agency on Thursday in a bid to feed its meteorological expertise into managing the "existential threat" to winter sports posed by climate change......»»
Study reveals oyster reefs once thrived along Europe"s coasts—now they"re gone
Oysters once formed extensive reefs along much of Europe's coastline—but these complex ecosystems were destroyed over a century ago, new research shows. The paper, published in the journal Nature Sustainability, is titled "Records reveal the vast h.....»»
Citizen scientists create buzz with new insect discovery
More than 60% of Australia's known insects are unnamed and a mystery to science. Of an estimated 500,000 Australian species, roughly half are insects, but many aren't categorized......»»
Investigating the statistical likelihood of triple star systems hosting exoplanets
Why is it important to search for exoplanets in triple star systems and how many can we find there? This is what a recent study accepted by Astrophysics & Space Science hopes to address after a pair of researchers from the University of Texas at Arli.....»»
Study: Conservative users" misinformation sharing drives higher suspension rates, not platform bias
A new paper, "Differences in misinformation sharing can lead to politically asymmetric sanctions," published today in Nature suggests that the higher quantity of social media policy enforcement (such as account suspensions) for conservative users cou.....»»
The biodiversity jukebox: How sound can boost beneficial soil microbes to heal nature
In a race against time, scientists are exploring new ways to restore natural systems. Alongside traditional methods such as planting trees, reducing pollution and reintroducing native species, a surprising new tool is emerging: sound. Ecologists can.....»»
Preserving nature"s genetic resources: Wild banana relatives of mainland Southeast Asia reveal hidden diversity
In a new study, researchers have uncovered a wealth of hidden diversity among wild banana species in mainland Southeast Asia. The discovery, which has been published in PLoS ONE, highlights the critical importance of conserving these genetic resource.....»»
LEGO-inspired RNA sensors enable customizable gene control
A research team has developed an RNA-based sensor platform that can regulate gene expression in bacteria. Their findings were recently featured in the journal Advanced Science......»»
Color, color everywhere—mother nature shares a mosaic of bright colors this fall in New England
Cool, crisp weather can trigger the urge to get out and go leaf peeping and this year could be a particularly good year to hit the road and admire New England's spectacular foliage season. According to Steve Roberge, Extension forestry specialist and.....»»
Predicting river flow dynamics using stable isotopes for improved ecosystem health
An international science team has made significant strides in understanding river flow dynamics. The findings leverage isotope hydrology techniques such as measuring stable isotopes in water molecules to elucidate the contributions of various water s.....»»
EU eyes more research to reclaim global science lead
The European Union's chief on Tuesday warned that the continent was "losing ground" in the global technology race and must boost research spending to "turn the tide"......»»