While some insects are declining, others might be thriving
Observations of abundance changes in one group of insects—for example grasshoppers—say very little about how other types of insects, such as flies, are doing, even in the same place. This is because different groups of insects may show similar tr.....»»
Why we need to talk about older people and climate change in Africa
Africa is often viewed as a relatively young continent, with less than 7% of the population over 60. But this is set to change. Declining fertility rates and increasing life expectancy mean that by 2050, the number of people over 60 in Africa is proj.....»»
New study reveals why the mighty Darling River is drying up—and it"s not just because we"re taking too much water
Water flows in mainland Australia's most important river system, the Murray-Darling Basin, have been declining for the past 50 years. The trend has largely been blamed on water extraction, but our new research shows another factor is also at play......»»
Bulrush once kept NZ"s wetlands and lakes thriving—now it could help restore them
With about 90% of New Zealand's natural wetlands drained or severely damaged during the past decades, we need to understand the role of native plants in the restoration of these important habitats......»»
US Mac shipments flat, ahead of expected M4 Mac launch
A new market intelligence report suggests that US Mac shipments were flat in the previous quarter, with Apple’s market share slightly declining. Mac was up just half a percent year-on-year, against an overall average of 3.7%, but it’s likely t.....»»
"Invisible forest" of phytoplankton thrives as ocean warms, study shows
An "invisible forest" of phytoplankton is thriving in part of our warming ocean, new research shows......»»
One company appears to be thriving as part of NASA’s return to the Moon
"This has really been a transformational year for us." Enlarge / The second Intuitive Machines lander is prepared for hot-fire testing this week. (credit: Intuitive Machines) One of the miracles of the Apollo Moon landin.....»»
Oceanic life found to be thriving thanks to Saharan dust blown from thousands of kilometers away
Iron is a micronutrient indispensable for life, enabling processes such as respiration, photosynthesis, and DNA synthesis. Iron availability is often a limiting resource in today's oceans, which means that increasing the flow of iron into them can in.....»»
Ocean sediment is a "mudtropolis"—meet the carbon-cycling creatures thriving beneath the seabed
Sitting in darkness, deep below the sunlit surface, an iridescent nightmare awaits its prey. With precision and speed, it strikes and slices a passing fish clean in half with a set of jaws twice the width of its head. The armor-plated creature retrea.....»»
Fungi to the rescue: South African scientists use innovative approach to protect apple trees
Gardeners the world over dread the appearance of aphids on their plants. There are around 4,000 species of these sap-sucking insects and about 250 are pests that can wreak havoc on crops in a garden or orchard......»»
Earth"s greatest mass extinction 250 million years ago shows what happens when El Niño gets out of control
Around 252 million years ago, the world suddenly heated up. Over a geologically brief period of tens of thousands of years, 90% of species were wiped out. Even insects, which are rarely touched by such events, suffered catastrophic losses. The Permia.....»»
Edible insects show promise as sustainable nutritional source
As the global population grows and traditional livestock production increasingly strains environmental resources, there is a rising interest in alternative protein sources. Edible insects, particularly grasshoppers, are abundant in regions like Camer.....»»
"Art for insects" could help save pollinators
Gardens can become "living artworks" to help prevent the disastrous decline of pollinating insects, according to researchers working on a new project......»»
In abortion ban states, sterilization spiked after Dobbs and kept climbing
Sterilizations spike with abortion bans and declining access to care and contraception. Enlarge / A woman holds a placard saying "No Forced Births" as abortion rights activists gather at the Monroe County Courthouse for a protest.....»»
How viruses move through insects for transmission of diseases
Viruses are master parasites that have adapted to infect many host species. Some viruses even use multiple hosts to spread their infections—such as arboviruses that use insects to move their infections to mammalian hosts like humans. Understanding.....»»
"Have more babies!" Some say it"s necessary, but this demographer isn"t convinced
"Birthrates are plummeting worldwide. Can governments turn the tide?" "The world is running out of children as global birth rates collapse!" "Could a declining birth rate impact Colorado's economy?".....»»
The Mosquito-Borne Disease ‘Triple E’ Is Spreading in the US as Temperatures Rise
Eastern equine encephalitis, which has a high mortality rate, is becoming more common in North America as climate changes expands the habitats of insects......»»
Plant thermogenesis has played key role in attracting pollinating insects for at least 200 million years, study suggests
Thermogenesis is a process by which organisms generate internal heat. Although it is usually associated with animals, some plants have also developed this ability. This metabolic process allows certain parts of the plant, such as flowers and inflores.....»»
Bat population collapse linked to increased pesticide use and more than 1,000 infant deaths
Bats are considered a natural pesticide, widely relied on by farmers as an alternative to chemical pesticides to protect their crops from insects. But since 2006, many bat populations have collapsed in counties in North America due to an invasive fun.....»»
Miniature treadmills accelerate studies of insects walking
Fruit flies walking on miniature treadmills are helping scientists learn how the nervous system enables animals to move in an unpredictable and complex world......»»
Soil pollution surpasses climate change as top threat to underground biodiversity, study finds
Earthworms, insects and mites are all at risk from soil pollution, and scientists are worried that we know very little about the damage it's causing......»»