Why moths might be more efficient pollinators than bees and butterflies
If you've ever felt underestimated and ignored, spare a thought for your local moths. Honeybees, bumblebees and butterflies are almost synonymous with pollination. People love them for their intimate relationship with flowers—we can't grow a lot of.....»»
Two-year study shows some varieties of annual flowers have a place in pollinator-friendly gardens
While wildflowers and perennials are a must for supporting pollinators, there's no denying the popularity of many annual flowers for their colorful, visual appeal. Annuals are often thought of as pollinator "deserts," but a new study suggests choosin.....»»
Team develops efficient host-vector system for a model archaeon by solving CRISPR-based host-plasmid conflict
A research group has constructed versatile genetic tools for Saccharolobus islandicus REY15A, one of the very few archaeal models for archaea biology and CRISPR biology research......»»
Solid-state polymer heat pump gets rid of the heat itself
Polymer changes temperature, shape when charged, moving to where the heat needs to be. Enlarge (credit: Jorg Greuel) Heat pumps are the most energy-efficient way of controlling indoor temperature. By moving heat between.....»»
The Volvo VNL, a heavy truck purpose-designed for North American roads
Blindspot cameras and radars, a more efficient engine, and lower-drag cab all help. Enlarge / America sends five times more freight by truck than rail, so it's important to start making those trucks more fuel efficient and safer......»»
Genes spatially organize for efficient mRNA splicing, study shows
The nucleus of each of your cells contains all the genetic information (the genome) necessary to build every type of cell and protein in your entire body. Like a complex library in a tiny space 50 times smaller than the width of a human hair, genes a.....»»
Bio-inspired materials" potential for efficient mass transfer boosted by a new twist on a century-old theory
The natural vein structure found within leaves—which has inspired the structural design of porous materials that can maximize mass transfer—could unlock improvements in energy storage, catalysis, and sensing thanks to a new twist on a century-old.....»»
Bee body mass, pathogens and local climate influence heat tolerance
How well bees tolerate temperature extremes could determine their ability to persist in a changing climate. But heat tolerance varies between and within populations, so a research team led by Penn State entomologists examined bee physical traits—su.....»»
Male or female? Scientists discover the genetic mechanism that determines sex development in butterflies
Scientists of the Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with University of Liverpool have found the genetic mechanism that determines whether individuals of the butterfly species Bicyclus anynana become male or female......»»
Lego-pushing bumblebees reveal insect collaboration dynamics
A new study reveals that cooperation by bumblebees isn't simply a result of accumulated individual efforts. Rather, these miniature-brained creatures are not just hard-working pollinators, but also show signs of being master collaborators......»»
First high-resolution 3D nanoscale chemical imaging achieved with multi-modal tomography
By exploiting a smart learning algorithm that fuses two microscopy signals, University of Michigan researchers have accomplished high-resolution, efficient 3D chemical imaging for the first time at the one-nanometer scale. For context, a nanometer is.....»»
Hornets found to be primary pollinators of two Angelica species
Researcher Ko Mochizuki of the University of Tokyo discovered that two species in the genus Angelica are pollinated primarily by hornets. This overturns the conventional belief that Angelica species are "generalists," meaning that there is not one pr.....»»
Intel’s big bet on efficient GPUs might actually work
An early look at Intel's next-gen Battlemage architecture holds promising signs for performance and power efficiency......»»
Thiol-ene click reaction offers a novel approach to fabricate elastic ferroelectrics
A research group led by Prof. Li Runwei and Hu Benlin at the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a facile and efficient approach to fabricate elastic relaxor ferroelectrics.....»»
More efficient molecular motor widens potential applications
Light-driven molecular motors were first developed nearly 25 years ago at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. This resulted in a shared Nobel Prize for Chemistry for Professor Ben Feringa in 2016. However, making these motors do actual work.....»»
A shade closer to more efficient organic photovoltaics
Transparent solar cells will transform the look of infrastructure by enabling many more surfaces to become solar panels. Now, materials called non-fullerene acceptors that can intrinsically generate charges when exposed to sunlight could make semitra.....»»
Most bees don"t die after stinging—and other surprising bee facts
Most of us have been stung by a bee and we know it's not much fun. But maybe we also felt a tinge of regret, or vindication, knowing the offending bee will die. Right? Well, for 99.96% of bee species, that's not actually the case......»»
Sugar gums have a reputation as risky branch-droppers but they"re important to bees, parrots and possums
I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne's Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for many decades. It was a fine tree—tall and dominating. Less than a year after my retirement, it shed a couple of major l.....»»
Nanofibers rid water of hazardous dyes: Researchers develop efficient filters based on cellulose waste
Using waste to purify water may sound counterintuitive. But at TU Wien, this is exactly what has now been achieved. Researchers have developed a special nanostructure to filter a widespread class of harmful dyes from water......»»
Researchers create nanostructures for efficient and sustainable degradation of pollutants
The need for sustainable and environment-friendly solutions has accelerated the global demand for green and renewable technologies. In this regard, semiconductor photocatalysts have emerged as an attractive solution, owing to their potential in mitig.....»»
In Ecuadoran Amazon, butterflies provide a gauge of climate change
Biologists on a trail in the Ecuadoran Amazon hold their breath as they distribute a foul-smelling delicacy to lure butterflies, critical pollinators increasingly threatened by climate change......»»