The surprising origins of the Tarim Basin mummies
As part of the Silk Road and located at the geographical intersection of Eastern and Western cultures, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region has long served as a major crossroads for trans-Eurasian exchanges of people, cultures, agriculture, and lang.....»»
The Creator producer on making a sci-fi studio blockbuster at a fraction of the price
Producer Jim Spencer shares details on the origins of The Creator and how an original sci-fi blockbuster was made for a modest budget......»»
Did animal evolution begin with a predatory lifestyle?
Were the first animals predators or filter feeders like the sponges living in today's oceans? And what role did symbiosis with algae play, as with reef-building corals? Surprising findings by a research group led by Prof. Dr. Thomas W. Holstein of He.....»»
Why an unusual global export industry keeps growing in a developing country
The global citrus export industry based in South Africa is a surprising outlier in many ways, not least for its vigorous growth. Somehow, the diverse industry has emerged as the second biggest in the world after Spain......»»
Feds" cash stream supports Colorado River conservation—but the money will dry up
Despite a megadrought, states in the West have been able to avoid drastic cuts to their allocations of Colorado River water this year not only because of surprising storms but also thanks to generous financial incentives from all levels of government.....»»
Study shows ribosome-binding antibiotics can help some bacteria survive for longer
Scientists have found a surprising effect of some antibiotics on certain bacteria—that the drugs can sometimes benefit bacteria, helping them live longer......»»
Ediacaran fossils reveal origins of biomineralization that led to expansion of life on Earth
Life on Earth began from a single-celled microbe, while the rise to the multicellular world in which we live arose due a vital chemical process known as biomineralization, during which living organisms produce hardened mineralized tissue, such as ske.....»»
Workers uncover eight mummies and pre-Inca objects while expanding the gas network in Peru
Some archaeologists describe Peru's capital as an onion with many layers of history, others consider it a box of surprises. That's what some gas line workers got when their digging uncovered eight pre-Inca funeral bales......»»
Largest asteroid sample ever collected is coming down to Earth
Chunks of asteroid that could tell us about the earliest days of the 4.5 billion-year-old solar system and the possible origins of water on our planet are set to land in the Utah desert Sunday......»»
Environmental physicist discusses marine heat waves
An extraordinary heat wave is assailing the world's oceans with an intensity that is surprising climate researchers. Environmental physicist Nicolas Gruber provides some context......»»
Two new species of ancient primates resembling lemurs identified
Fossil evidence from the Tornillo Basin in West Texas and the Uinta Basin in Utah reveals two new species of omomyids—a family of small-bodied early primates from the Eocene epoch. The findings also clarify previously disputed taxonomic distinction.....»»
Peru"s Operation Mercury stopped most illegal gold mining in one biodiversity hotspot—then the COVID-19 pandemic hit
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is a lifeline for many who live in Madre de Dios, a region in southeastern Peru, where poverty is high and jobs are scarce. But the economic development in this part of the Amazon basin comes at a cost, as it cau.....»»
Researchers reveal origins of zirconium nitride"s superior performance
A group of researchers have unraveled the mysteries behind a recently identified material—zirconium nitride (ZrN)—that helps power clean energy reactions. Their proposed framework will help future designs for transition metal nitrides, paving a p.....»»
Research reveals surprising influences on an employee"s intention to quit
Research in the International Journal of Enterprise Network Management reveals unexpected factors that influence an employee's intentions to quit their job in information technology. The findings challenge the received wisdom and could shed light on.....»»
Researchers develop first method to study microRNA activity in single cells
MicroRNAs are small molecules that regulate gene activity by binding to and destroying RNAs produced by the genes. More than 60% of all human genes are estimated to be regulated by microRNAs; therefore, it is not surprising that these small molecules.....»»
Six new species of Western Australian trilobites discovered
Six new species of trilobites have been found deep underground in the Canning Basin of Western Australia. Dr. Patrick Smith at the Australian Museum and Heidi Allen from Geological Survey of WA tell us how this discovery has reshaped our understandin.....»»
Ancient Amazonians intentionally created fertile "dark earth"
The Amazon river basin is known for its immense and lush tropical forests, so one might assume that the Amazon's land is equally rich. In fact, the soils underlying the forested vegetation, particularly in the hilly uplands, are surprisingly infertil.....»»
Archaeologists find 500-year-old board game carved in ruins of Polish castle
Nine-man morris, or mill, is a two-person strategy game with ancient origins. Enlarge / Archaeologists excavating the ruins of an early 16th-century Polish castle discovered a carved strategy board game called Mill. (credit: Toma.....»»
Telling AI model to “take a deep breath” causes math scores to soar in study
DeepMind used AI models to optimize their own prompts, with surprising results. Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) Google DeepMind researchers recently developed a technique to improve math ability in AI language models like.....»»
Tiny sea creatures reveal the ancient origins of neurons
A study in the journal Cell sheds new light on the evolution of neurons, focusing on the placozoans, a millimeter-sized marine animal. Researchers at the Center for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona find evidence that specialized secretory cells found.....»»
Apple sneaks in very old devices into iPhone 15 event video -- and omits one, too
Hidden in the background of many moments in Apple's iPhone 15 launch event were familiar old products, but there was also a very surprising omission.Spot the iSight box in the backgroundApple likes to make it look as if those presentations from the m.....»»