The surprising marine biodiversity in the Barcelona Forum beach
A study identified 514 marine species in the bathing areas of the Barcelona Forum, an artificial beach affected by different anthropogenic impacts. This high biodiversity—which includes the presence of exotic species—is a shocking finding in such.....»»
Marine sharks and rays "use" urea to delay reproduction, finds study
Urea—the main component of human urine—plays an important role in the timing of maturation of sharks, rays and other cartilaginous fish......»»
Low-intensity grazing is locally better for biodiversity but challenging for land users, study shows
A team of researchers led by the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig University (UL), and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) has investigated the motivation and potential incentives for and challenge.....»»
Theoretical biologists test two modes of social reasoning and find surprising truths in simplicity
Imagine a small village where every action someone takes, good or bad, is quietly followed by ever-attentive, nosy neighbors. An individual's reputation is built through these actions and observations, which determines how others will treat them. The.....»»
Climate change reveals intricate dynamics of reproductive barriers in marine species
Monash University scientists have uncovered insights into how rising temperatures influence the reproductive interactions and species boundaries of marine organisms......»»
Isotopic evidence reveals surprising dietary practices of ancient hunter-gatherers
It has long been thought that meat played an important role in the diet of hunter-gatherers before the Neolithic transition. However, due to the scarcity of well-preserved human remains from Paleolithic sites, little information exists about the diet.....»»
Mammals on "sky islands" may be threatened by climate change, human development
A new study sheds light on how climate change and human development threaten mammal species living in isolated biodiversity hotspots known as "sky islands.".....»»
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......»»
Deer are expanding north, and that"s not good for caribou: Scientists evaluate the reasons why
As the climate changes, animals are doing what they can to adapt. Researchers from UBC Okanagan—which includes partners from Biodiversity Pathways' Wildlife Science Center, the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, the University of Alberta, a.....»»
TESS finds its first rogue planet
Well over 5,000 planets have been found orbiting other star systems. One of the satellites hunting for them is TESS, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. Astronomers using TESS think they are made a rather surprising discovery; their first free.....»»
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.....»»
Climate change could become the main driver of biodiversity decline by mid-century, analysis suggests
Global biodiversity has declined between 2% and 11% during the 20th century due to land-use change alone, according to a large multi-model study published in Science. Projections show climate change could become the main driver of biodiversity declin.....»»
Cichlid fishes" curiosity promotes biodiversity: How exploratory behavior aids in ecological adaptation
Cichlid fishes exhibit differing degrees of curiosity. The cause for this lies in their genes, as reported by researchers from the University of Basel in the journal Science. This trait influences the cichlids' ability to adapt to new habitats......»»
The high and mighty Himalayas: A biodiversity hotbed facing significant challenges
The Himalayas are home to a vast diversity of species, consisting of 10,000 vascular plants, 979 birds and 300 mammals, including the snow leopard, the red panda, the Himalayan tahr and the Himalayan monal......»»
Most bees don"t die after stinging—and other surprising bee facts
Most of us have been stung by a bee and we know it's not much fun. But maybe we also felt a tinge of regret, or vindication, knowing the offending bee will die. Right? Well, for 99.96% of bee species, that's not actually the case......»»
Researchers uncover "parallel universe" in tomato genetics
In a paper appearing in Science Advances, Michigan State University researchers have unraveled a surprising genetic mystery centered on sugars found in what gardeners know as "tomato tar.".....»»
Bioluminescence first evolved in animals at least 540 million years ago, pushing back previous oldest dated example
Bioluminescence first evolved in animals at least 540 million years ago in a group of marine invertebrates called octocorals, according to the results of a new study from scientists with the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History......»»
Microsoft’s Phi-3 shows the surprising power of small, locally run AI language models
Microsoft’s 3.8B parameter Phi-3 may rival GPT-3.5, signaling a new era of “small language models." Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) On Tuesday, Microsoft announced a new, freely available lightweight AI language model.....»»
From the coast to the deep sea, changing oxygen levels affect marine life in different ways
Earth's atmosphere maintains a constant level of oxygen, whether it is a wintry, rainy day or hot summer. Across the ocean, oxygen concentrations vary enormously between different places and over time. Sometimes oxygen levels change within the course.....»»
Laser-treated cork absorbs oil for carbon-neutral ocean cleanup
Oil spills are deadly disasters for ocean ecosystems. They can have lasting impacts on fish and marine mammals for decades and wreak havoc on coastal forests, coral reefs, and the surrounding land. Chemical dispersants are often used to break down oi.....»»
Secrets of the Octopus takes us inside the world of these “aliens on Earth”
Dr. Alex Schell on the surprising things we're learning about these amazing creatures Enlarge / A Day octopus (Octopus cyanea) named Scarlet parachutes her web over a coral head while Dr. Alex Schnell observes. (credit: National.....»»