Tropical paper wasps babysit for neighbors
Wasps provide crucial support to their extended families by babysitting at neighboring nests, according to new research by a team of biologists from the universities of Bristol, Exeter and UCL published today in Nature Ecology and Evolution......»»
Fermenting a future for food in Australia
Forming a National Food Plan and appointing a food minister are among the key recommendations of a white paper into growing a precision fermentation industry in Australia......»»
New fossil reveals the evolution of flying reptiles
The pterosaurs are extinct flying reptiles that lived alongside their close relatives, the dinosaurs. The largest of these reached 10 m in wingspan, but early forms were generally limited to around 2 m. In a paper, a team led by paleontologist Dr. Da.....»»
Human brain organelles study shows dopamine neurons must work a lot harder than those in primate relatives
A team of neurologists, bioengineers and radiologists has found that two neurons in the human brain that code for dopamine production have to work harder than similar cells in primate relatives. The group has posted a paper describing their work on t.....»»
Archaea shape microbiomes by using molecular spring-loaded daggers
In a paper published in Science Advances, the Pilhofer Lab (IMBB) together with the Albers Lab from the University of Freiburg describe the structure and function of contractile injection systems from haloarchaea and show how it can structure the loc.....»»
Physicists create the first fully mechanical qubit
A team of physicists at ETH Zürich has built the first-ever working mechanical qubit. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their novel idea for creating such a qubit and how well it has worked during testing......»»
Evo—an AI-based model for deciphering and designing genetic sequences
Computer scientists, bioengineers and AI specialists from the Arc Institute and Stanford University have developed an AI-based model capable of decoding and designing genetic sequences. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group descr.....»»
Tropical Storm Sara pounds Honduras with heavy rain
Tropical Storm Sara dumped heavy rains with the potential to cause disastrous flooding Thursday as it churned inland along the northeastern coast of Honduras......»»
Markets for forest products respond to technology, says report
Technology is changing every facet of the forest products market. That may mean fewer jobs in the future as the industry shifts to labor-saving technology, with the steepest declines in the pulp and paper sector, according to a new report released by.....»»
Kinetic Alfvén waves may be key to mystery of solar corona heating
Syed Ayaz, a researcher at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), has published a paper in Scientific Reports that builds on an earlier first-of-its-kind study that examined kinetic Alfvén waves (KAW) as a possible explanation for why the so.....»»
What determines support for EU-climate policy? Study reveals acceptance depends on inclusion of social policy measures
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time, and the European Union has set itself ambitious targets to become climate-neutral by 2050. A new policy paper from the Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality" at the University.....»»
A 41-million-digit prime number is the biggest ever found—but mathematicians" search for perfection will continue
Imagine a number made up of a vast string of ones: 1111111…111. Specifically, 136,279,841 ones in a row. If we stacked up that many sheets of paper, the resulting tower would stretch into the stratosphere......»»
Experiments show backyard birds learn from their new neighbors when moving house
Scientists have found a trigger for social learning in wild animals. An experiment on great tits has pinpointed a single factor—immigration—that can cause birds to pay close attention to others, leading them to rapidly adopt useful behaviors......»»
Climate scientist combines research and teaching into "perfect storm" of discovery
This fall, Hurricanes Helene and Milton served as painful reminders of how climate change is fueling extreme weather, supplying warmer ocean waters and warmer air temperatures that lead to wetter, stronger tropical cyclones......»»
Two-faced membrane channel provides a simple, efficient way to separate oil and water
A team of chemists and engineers in China has developed a new, efficient way to separate oil and water mixtures. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes how they developed their new technique, how it works and the many po.....»»
Encouraging quiet during zoo visits might lead to a better appreciation of the animals, say researchers
Encouraging quietness during zoo trips can help visitors better appreciate their inhabitants and lead to more fulfilling, respectful and informative experiences, a new paper argues......»»
Decadal climate patterns reveal new insights into tropical cyclone formation and El Niño-Southern Oscillation link
A new study has revealed how decadal-scale climate fluctuations impact the ability of climate models to simulate tropical cyclone frequency in response to El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. This finding offers an improved understanding of t.....»»
Sustainable hydrophobic cellulose shows potential for replacing petroleum-related products
A recent study has aimed to create hydrophobic paper by exploiting the mechanical properties and water resistance of cellulose nanofibers, and so produce a sustainable, high-performance material suitable for packaging and biomedical devices. This inv.....»»
Defibrillation devices can still save lives using 1,000 times less electricity, optimized model finds
In a paper published in Chaos, researchers from Sergio Arboleda University in Bogotá, Colombia, and the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta used an electrophysiological computer model of the heart's electrical circuits to examine the effect o.....»»
A single atom can change the directional profile of the light emitted in scanning tunneling microscopes
Researchers from Madrid explain a phenomenon that allows the direction of light emission to be controlled at the atomic scale. The paper provides a detailed explanation of how the profile of the light collected in a scanning tunneling microscope (STM.....»»
The secrets of baseball"s magic mud: Study quantifies its properties to show it"s not simply a superstition
The unique properties of baseball's famed "magic" mud have never been scientifically quantified—until now. In a paper in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applie.....»»