Tireless ecosystem engineers or nuisance animals? Beavers" presence felt in Boise River
Some of the trees along the Boise Greenbelt at the southeast end of the city are wrapped at their bases with chicken wire. These are not Christmas trees, and this ornamentation, strung by the city of Boise in conjunction with volunteer groups, is not.....»»
Human mouth bacteria reproduce through rare form of cell division, research reveals
One of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet is closer than you think—right inside your mouth. Your mouth is a thriving ecosystem of more than 500 different species of bacteria living in distinct, structured communities called biofilms. Nearly.....»»
Engineers smash rocks to see what occurs when top layer of an asteroid-like object is hit with extreme external force
Johns Hopkins engineers have uncovered new details about how granular materials such as sand and rock behave under extreme impacts—findings that could someday help protect the Earth from dangerous asteroids......»»
How fruit flies use internal representations of head direction to support goal-directed navigation
Animal behavior is known to rely on transforming sensory information into motor commands, often influenced by an animal's internal needs. While in mammals and other large animals this process is supported by complex brain processes, simpler versions.....»»
New species of Antarctic dragonfish highlights its threatened ecosystem
A new species of Antarctic dragonfish, Akarotaxis gouldae or Banded Dragonfish, has been discovered in waters off the western Antarctic Peninsula by researchers at William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). The species, named in ho.....»»
Research highlights drought risk and awareness gaps in global society
Natural disasters have threatened human beings and the ecosystem. Among the various natural disasters, drought is one of the most insidious and costliest, adversely affecting the global economy and livelihoods. Unlike sudden disasters such as earthqu.....»»
New moves for self defense—how plants can inspire future soft robotic design
For plants, cleaning the air, providing food and medicines, and preserving our ecosystem is just another day's work. In the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, however, plants are being studied in new ways to inspire f.....»»
What if you flew your warp drive spaceship into a black hole?
Warp drives have a long history of not existing, despite their ubiquitous presence in science fiction. Writer John Campbell first introduced the idea in a science fiction novel called Islands of Space......»»
Q&A: Protecting people and animals from eastern equine encephalitis
With mosquito-borne disease eastern equine encephalitis currently circulating in New England, Emily Reinhardt '20 (CAHNR), assistant clinical professor, and Ash Nakashima, graduate student, in UConn's Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science.....»»
Researchers urge closing outdated water rule to aid Colorado River crisis
Researchers investigating the historic stresses of the American West's water supply have identified a simple solution that could put parts of the Colorado River Basin on a more sustainable path......»»
Researchers model physics of the pumping technique used to achieve air on a skateboard half-pipe
A team of engineers and mathematicians from ETH Zürich, working with colleagues from The Institute of Statistical Mathematics, and ATR Institute International, both in Japan, has successfully modeled the physics involved when humans pump on skateboa.....»»
The Mac mini doesn"t sell in huge volumes, but is a crucial part of Apple"s ecosystem
The Mac mini, initially an affordable entry into Apple's ecosystem, has evolved into a versatile machine, though sales data paint a mixed picture of its popularity.Mac mini computerFirst introduced in 2005, the Mac mini was designed as an entry point.....»»
Astrobotic’s lander didn’t make it to the Moon because of a failed valve
Engineers are redesigning parts of the propulsion system on Astrobotic's next lunar lander. Enlarge / Astrobotic's Peregrine lander, with some of its propellants visible, before shipment from the company's headquarters in Pittsbu.....»»
Efforts to modernize the Columbia River Treaty provide an opportunity to right the wrongs of the past
The Columbia River Treaty is a landmark water-management agreement, ratified in 1964, by the United States and Canada which aimed to co-ordinate water management within the Columbia River Basin, particularly through the construction of four large dam.....»»
A way to recover silver from dead solar panels with 98% efficiency
A multi-institutional team of chemists, metallurgists and engineers has developed a highly efficient way to retrieve silver from dead solar panels. Their paper is published in Environmental Technology & Innovation......»»
SpaceX forced to delay Polaris Dawn mission
SpaceX has stepped back from its attempt to launch Polaris Dawn on Tuesday after engineers discovered a ground-based issue......»»
Darwin"s fear was unjustified: Study suggests fossil record gaps not a major issue
Fossils are used to reconstruct evolutionary history, but not all animals and plants become fossils and many fossils are destroyed before we can find them (e.g., the rocks that contain the fossils are destroyed by erosion). As a result, the fossil re.....»»
Widespread culling of crocodiles is not an effective way to stop attacks on humans, study shows
Education and community awareness, removal of problem animals and exclusion areas are significantly more effective in reducing saltwater crocodile attacks in the Northern Territory than a widespread culling program to reduce crocodile numbers, accord.....»»
Floods ease in Bangladesh but 300,000 still in shelters
River waters in low-lying Bangladesh are receding after days of deadly floods but 300,000 people are still in emergency shelters requiring aid, disaster officials said Sunday......»»
The 8 best subwoofers for 2024: add boom to your movie or music room
Need a little more low-end presence in your home theater sound? It might be time to invest in a dedicated subwoofer, and we know of several great models!.....»»
Test of a prototype quantum internet runs under New York City for half a month
To introduce quantum networks into the marketplace, engineers must overcome the fragility of entangled states in a fiber cable and ensure the efficiency of signal delivery. Now, scientists at Qunnect Inc. in Brooklyn, New York, have taken a large ste.....»»