Tree pollen carries SARS-CoV-2 particles farther, facilitates virus spread
Most models explaining how viruses are transmitted focus on viral particles escaping one person to infect a nearby person. A study on the role of microscopic particles in how viruses are transmitted suggests pollen is nothing to sneeze at......»»
Invasive flathead catfish impacting Susquehanna"s food chain, researchers find
Flathead catfish—native to the Mississippi River basin—were first detected in the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania in 2002, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In the two decades since then, the invasive species has spread throughout the ri.....»»
Q&A: Experts discuss the beaver, a controversial mammal
When an endangered species succeeds in repopulating its former habitat, the immediate reaction is one of joy. In the long term, however, its spread is often associated with conflict. One example is the beaver, a keystone species. Other keystone speci.....»»
An ill kitten in Nebraska sparked efforts to stamp out the spread of rabies
The 2023 illness and death in Nebraska of a stray kitten infected with rabies set off a large-scale effort to discover how the feline became infected in the first place......»»
How to spot AI deepfakes that spread election misinformation
Generative AI systems, such as ChatGPT, are trained on large datasets to create written, visual or audio content in response to prompts. When fed real images, some algorithms can produce fake photos and videos known as deepfakes......»»
Nonnative plants are a major force behind global insect invasions, study finds
In an article in the journal BioScience, an international team of researchers led by Dr. Cleo Bertelsmeier from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, argues that the global spread of nonnative plants is a key factor driving the growing number of i.....»»
Physicists show that neutron stars may be shrouded in clouds of axions
A team of physicists from the universities of Amsterdam, Princeton and Oxford have shown that extremely light particles known as axions may occur in large clouds around neutron stars. These axions could form an explanation for the elusive dark matter.....»»
A method to switch between optical pulling and pushing forces by altering the shape of Fermi arcs in Weyl systems
Optical forces, which act like an invisible "hand," are capable of precisely controlling tiny particles. Optical tweezers, a well-known tool, use this force to capture and manipulate small objects such as cells, bacteria, and viruses. This effect is.....»»
New benchmark helps solve the hardest quantum problems
From subatomic particles to complex molecules, quantum systems hold the key to understanding how the universe works. But there's a catch: when you try to model these systems, that complexity quickly spirals out of control—just imagine trying to pre.....»»
A look into cloudy liquids: New method makes the expansion of turbid drops in water visible
When driving though a bank of fog, car headlights are only of limited help as the light is scattered by the water particles suspended in the air. The situation is similar when you try to observe the inside of a drop of milk in water or the internal s.....»»
How the invasive spiny water flea spread across Canada, and what we can do about it
Across the tranquil waters of Canada's vast network of lakes and rivers, a quiet invader is on the move. The spiny water flea, Bythotrephes cederströmii, is a microscopic predator that is forever altering the ecological fabric of aquatic habitats in.....»»
Are you tasty to mosquitoes? Study offers clues into when and why they bite
As mosquitoes and mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue fever spread across the world, researchers say that a key strategy to prevent these illnesses may be dissuading the insects from biting their victims in the first place. But while scientists have.....»»
Study explores how children engage with dual-language books
Dual-language books (DLBs) are ones with the story told in two languages—sometimes with both languages on the same page, and other times in a two-page spread with the first language on one page and the second language on the other......»»
Black Bears Find Special Treat Inside Fallen Tree & It’s Straight Out of a Cartoon
Black Bears Find Special Treat Inside Fallen Tree & It’s Straight Out of a Cartoon.....»»
Why Disasters Like Hurricanes Milton and Helene Unleash So Much Misinformation
Falsehoods spread when uncertainties—and emotions—are high after hurricanes.....»»
Study suggests dolphins could be exposed to potentially harmful microplastics through inhalation
U.S. researchers have detected microplastic particles in air exhaled by wild bottlenose dolphins, suggesting that inhalation may be a relevant route of exposure to these potentially harmful contaminants. Miranda Dziobak of the College of Charleston i.....»»
To keep Miami"s tree canopy resilient, tropical species may be the best option for planting
In Miami—a place known for one of the most diverse tree canopies in the world—nearly half of the native trees may struggle to survive in the coming decades, a new University of Miami study indicates......»»
Fossil pollen reveals history of Southern Hemisphere Westerlies
In Bergen, Maaike Zwier analyzed pollen in sediment cores from lakes on Kerguelen Islands and South Georgia. In this way, she can say something about the local climate going back almost 12,000 years. The study is published in the journal Quaternary S.....»»
First coherent picture of an atomic nucleus made of quarks and gluons
The atomic nucleus is made up of protons and neutrons, particles that exist through the interaction of quarks bonded by gluons. It would seem, therefore, that it should not be difficult to reproduce all the properties of atomic nuclei hitherto observ.....»»
Seven new frog species discovered in Madagascar
An international team of researchers have discovered seven new species of tree frogs that make otherworldly calls in the rainforests of Madagascar. Their strange, high-pitched whistling calls sound more like sound effects from the sci-fi series "Star.....»»
Saturday Citations: All that sparkles is plastic; woke tree diversity; the gravitational basin in which we reside
This week, astronomers considered whether dark energy varies over cosmic timescales. Via neutron analysis, physicists revealed that some Early Iron Age swords were altered recently by swindlers in order to be more historically exciting. And a profess.....»»