Unraveling a debate on insect cognition
There's a debate among insect-cognition researchers, but the two camps have been arguing for so many decades that many onlookers are no longer sure what they are arguing about. SFI Postdoctoral Fellow Kelle Dhein, a philosopher and historian, has pub.....»»
Global study shows a third more insects come out after dark
A groundbreaking study, led by Dr. Mark Wong of The University of Western Australia, has provided the first global picture of insect activity patterns across the fundamental day–night cycle......»»
Research finds pronoun use not only shaped by language but also beliefs
Pronouns like "he" and "she" are at the center of much debate as society tries to shift to using more gender-inclusive pronouns like "they"—especially when referring to those with identities that do not fit with traditional pronouns. Research at th.....»»
Does fighting inflation always lead to recession? What 60 years of NZ data can tell us
There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession......»»
Illinois residents encouraged to destroy the eggs of invasive insects to slow spread
While Chicagoans were alarmed to learn the spotted lanternfly had been found in Illinois last year, experts say spring is the time to take action against that insect—as well as another damaging invasive species that has made far more inroads and go.....»»
High-speed imaging and AI help us understand how insect wings work
Too many muscles working too fast had made understanding insect flight challenging. Enlarge / A time-lapse showing how an insect's wing adopts very specific positions during flight. (credit: Florian Muijres, Dickinson Lab).....»»
Crucial building blocks of life on Earth can more easily form in outer space, says new research
The origin of life on Earth is still enigmatic, but we are slowly unraveling the steps involved and the necessary ingredients. Scientists believe life arose in a primordial soup of organic chemicals and biomolecules on the early Earth, eventually lea.....»»
Unraveling water mysteries beyond Earth: Ground-penetrating radar will seek bodies of water on Jupiter
Finding water on distant planets and moons in our solar system is a challenge, especially when the instrument is thousands of kilometers away from the surface, but scientists presenting at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly describe how.....»»
Unraveling the mysteries of consecutive atmospheric river events
In California's 2022-2023 winter season, the state faced nine atmospheric rivers (ARs) that led to extreme flooding, landslides, and power outages—the longest duration of continuous AR conditions in the past 70 years. Scientists at Lawrence Berkele.....»»
How insects control their wings: The mysterious mechanics of insect flight
Many of us would love the superpower to fly, and for good reason: Flight offers a crucial evolutionary advantage. Flying enables an animal to travel large distances quickly, in search of food and new habitats, while expending far less energy than wal.....»»
OpenAI winds down AI image generator that blew minds and forged friendships in 2022
How a group of friends found themselves at the center of a fierce debate about the future of art. Enlarge / An AI-generated image from DALL-E 2 created with the prompt "A painting by Grant Wood of an astronaut couple, american go.....»»
Study examines influence of social media on televised debate viewing
Anyone who regularly watches news or sports has likely noticed the steady creep of content competing for screen space, whether it be stock market prices, social media posts, game scores or some other graphic display. Previous studies have indicated t.....»»
The beginnings of modern science shaped how philosophers saw alien life—and how we understand it today
Speculation about extraterrestrials is not all that new. There was a vibrant debate in 17th-century Europe about the existence of life on other planets......»»
Cold Coulomb crystals, cosmic clues: Unraveling the mysteries of space chemistry
While it may not look like it, the interstellar space between stars is far from empty. Atoms, ions, molecules, and more reside in this ethereal environment known as the Interstellar Medium (ISM). The ISM has fascinated scientists for decades, as at l.....»»
Unraveling differences in temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter decomposition under various oxygen conditions
Soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition is a key process that affects soil carbon storage and greenhouse gas emissions. Investigating the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of SOM decomposition and its regulating mechanisms is important for improving pred.....»»
Evolution"s recipe book: How "copy paste" errors led to insect flight, octopus camouflage and human cognition
Seven hundred million years ago, a remarkable creature emerged for the first time. Though it may not have been much to look at by today's standards, the animal had a front and a back, a top and a bottom. This was a groundbreaking adaptation at the ti.....»»
Yellow-eyed grasses may have more insect visitors than previously thought
Scientists previously believed that a family of flowering plants called yellow-eyed grasses didn't attract many insect visitors, but the recent discovery of a fungus that hijacks the plant and forms fungal "pseudoflowers" has researchers rethinking t.....»»
Decoding the language of cells: Profiling the proteins behind cellular organelle communication
In cellular biology, unraveling the complexities of cellular function at the molecular level remains a paramount endeavor. Significant scientific focus has been placed on understanding the interactions at organelle contact sites, especially between m.....»»
Unraveling the song of ice and fire across the American landscape with machine learning
In the rugged terrain of the western United States, where wildfires rage unchecked, a surprising connection emerges with the tumultuous skies of the central US. A recent study published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences explores the intriguing rela.....»»
Apple says Palestinian flag emoji recommendation when "Jerusalem" is typed on iPhone will be fixed
Apple says a bug is causing iPhone keyboards to recommend the Palestinian flag emoji when a user types "Jerusalem." Apple's recent iOS 17.4.1 update made a change to the iPhone that has thrust the company into the middle of a debate it likely w.....»»
Unraveling the behavior of nanoconfined water and ice in extreme conditions
Understanding water behavior in nanopores is crucial for both science and practical applications. Scientists from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) have revealed the remarkable behavior of water and ice under high pressure and temperature, and str.....»»