The Netherlands is a major agricultural exporter. But look beyond euros to land, animal feed, calories and protein, and a different picture emerges. In a study published in Nature Food, researchers at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) conclude that the Dutch contribution
Physicists and instrument makers in Leiden have succeeded in optimizing a spring that almost completely filters out vibrations at temperatures near absolute zero. This breakthrough opens the door to a new generation of highly sensitive experiments. The research is published in
Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science has developed a toxicity assessment system that automatically measures and analyzes the heart rate of Daphnia magna. Capable of processing heart rate data from approximately 150 individuals per hour, the system can assess the
Living cells constantly exchange ions (i.e., charged particles) via the thin barrier that surrounds their interior, known as the outer membrane. Neuroscientists and medical researchers have long been trying to devise effective methods to measure this exchange of ions, which is
An enigmatic new species of wormlion fly, whose larvae construct clever pitfall traps to capture prey, has been revealed in a study led by researchers at Dali University in China.
People living in Germany have more confidence in themselves today than 20 years ago. They have more faith in their ability to influence their own lives and key life events. This has now been shown in a long-term study conducted by Dr. Theresa M. Entringer from the University of
When it comes to choosing a partner, some species prefer males that stand out from the crowd. Evolutionary biologists call the resulting process negative frequency-dependent selection. It means that a male has a huge mating advantage when his appearance is rare but loses that
It is important that teachers and students are aware of and understand the major shortcomings of technology, state Norwegian researchers who have studied the use of AI in the classroom.
A large asteroid that will zoom harmlessly past Earth on Saturday will be visible to stargazers using a small telescope or large binoculars, the European Space Agency announced Wednesday.
To function normally, nearly every cell in the human body relies on G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to receive and send signals. That's why GPCRs are targeted by roughly one-third of all FDA-approved drugs.
It's time we gave seagrass the credit it's due. This hero of a plant protects coastlines, stores vast amounts of carbon and supports ecosystems that people and wildlife depend on. But we don't often hear about it when it comes to ocean conservation. That's partly because we
Diamonds have long been coveted for their beauty. Their dazzling color and clarity make them perfect candidates for luxury jewelry. However, it's their other unique characteristics, including their hardness, thermal conductivity and chemical resistance, that make diamonds
The company has been touting its quantum technology for years, but some experts say these claims just don’t pass muster
They’re evolving faster than we can stop them The post How City Rats Are Becoming Resistant to Poison appeared first on Nautilus .
Researchers were unsure whether alpha particles would aid or hinder fusion. Simulations suggest they help, by dampening turbulence.
What if consciousness isn’t limited to brains like ours? Philosophers Eric Schwitzgebel and Jeremy Pober argue that consciousness could arise in many different forms of life, even in beings built from radically different materials than those found on Earth. Drawing on the
From detecting the ripples of colliding black holes to imaging individual chemical bonds, mechanical transducers have repeatedly transformed our understanding of the universe. So far, however, the sensitivity of these devices has been intrinsically limited by the laws of
Researchers in Taiwan have developed a cell-free extracellular matrix material from axolotl skin that helped mouse burn wounds close faster and show signs of reduced fibrotic scarring. The findings suggest that one of nature's most remarkable regenerators may inspire future
A research team from Hiroshima University, the University of Colorado, and other collaborators have demonstrated that space-time crystals—exotic structures that, under external drive, loop endlessly through both space and time—can be created using everyday liquid-crystal
Oestrogen levels fluctuate throughout a woman's menstrual cycle, which may impact how efficiently a drug that targets the brain can reach its destination
As companies face increasing pressure to address climate change, many are choosing to publicly announce voluntary carbon-elimination goals.
Researchers at Oregon State University have potentially found a new way to treat the most aggressive form of brain cancer, glioblastoma, whose two-year survival rate is less than 30%.
For five years now, a distinctive green laser beam has been shining at night up to 30 kilometers (19 miles) above the harbor of the island's capital. It forms part of a high-energy lidar with which the Leibniz Institute for Atmospheric Research (TROPOS) operates continuous
Popular music may be reflecting a growing culture of vices, according to new research from the Center for Digital Music at Queen Mary University of London. The analysis of musical evolution found that song lyrics have become increasingly negative over the past six decades, with
Scientists have discovered a tiny group of neurons in an ancient brain region that acts like a built-in focus filter, helping the brain ignore distractions and zero in on what matters most. When researchers temporarily switched off these neurons in mice, the animals became
You're the grillmaster at the annual family Fourth of July barbecue, and you're sweating bullets standing over the grill in the sweltering summer heat. You're trying to stay cool by pressing a cold beer can to your forehead, but to no avail. You can't go inside because, once
For conservation and the management of human–wildlife conflicts, it is of great interest to know which species are eaten by carnivores. Scientists from the Ngorongoro Hyena Project at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) analyzed this dynamic for
Scientists have uncovered a surprising new twist in what happens when cells die. As dying cells break apart, they leave behind tiny “footprints of death” packed with newly discovered particles that help guide the immune system to clean up the remains. But researchers found that
A prehistoric scorpion was the largest ever to exist, and it may have preyed on land and freshwater species.
Multiferroics are materials that exhibit more than one prominent "ferroic" property, such as ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity. One of their most advantageous features is that they allow engineers to control their magnetic states with electric fields or vice versa, due to an
The largest study of its kind has found hospital workers' phones are carrying the same superbugs that kill millions of people worldwide each year. An international team of researchers, including several from Bond University, analyzed DNA samples from 95 mobile phones belonging
A hidden population of South African leopards has revealed a remarkable evolutionary story. Researchers analyzing entire leopard genomes discovered that the Cape Floristic Region’s leopards are not only much smaller than most African leopards, but also genetically distinct
The area surrounding our galaxy’s central supermassive black hole contains three strangely different populations of stars – but one hidden black hole could explain all of them
New research reveals that many "green" claims are almost impossible to verify, often masking the full truth. University of Technology (UTS) professor of marketing Natalina Zlatevska said shoppers often rely on the labels as a shortcut when making quick decisions in supermarkets.
As temperatures rise, some creatures pick fights while others struggle to learn
Echinoderms, such as starfish, sea urchins and sea lilies, use small, flexible, tubular projections called "tube feet" for locomotion, feeding, respiration and sensory perception. Crinoids, a subgroup of echinoderms, are known to have a long fossil record, but these fossils
A new study suggests early humans were using fire in South Africa’s Wonderwerk Cave as far back as 1.79 million years ago. Researchers found burned bones deep inside the cave, where natural wildfires could not have reached, indicating that fire was likely carried in and
A brutal heat wave blanketing much of Europe has prompted reminders that extreme heat poses a particular threat to the health of children and the elderly.
Massive stars much bigger than our sun always come in pairs or groups, not alone. But astronomers don't fully understand how these groupings form. In a new study, astronomers using ALMA have serendipitously discovered a young system containing nine baby stars forming together,
Scientists have detected the highly contagious H5 bird flu strain in a second Australian state, the nation's agriculture minister said Wednesday.
Europe braced Wednesday for another day of a sweltering heat wave that has smashed records, left tens of thousands of people without power and sent air conditioner sales zooming on a continent unused to and ill-equipped to handle searing heat.
A groundbreaking superconducting X-ray spectrometer has begun operation at BESSY II, giving Europe its first TES-based system and boosting photon detection efficiency by up to 1,000 times. The advance enables scientists to explore atomically thin materials, nanostructures, and
A study of nearly 300 people across northern Britain found that vitamin D levels often stay low all year in groups most at risk. Surprisingly, summer sunshine did not significantly boost vitamin D levels among older adults or people from minoritized ethnic backgrounds.
During Norway's first match of the FIFA World Cup against Iraq on June 17, several small vibrations were recorded on the seismometer. A particularly clear signal was observed when Erling Haaland scored.
Flour made from the brown seaweed Sargassum filipendula can increase the nutritional value and digestibility of gluten-free cookies. This conclusion is based on a study published in the journal Food Research International.
If drought in an area persists longer, elephants move closer to areas near human settlements. This is the finding of research by biologist Irene Bouwman of Radboud University. During short-term droughts, the animals remain close to rivers and lakes and move less than normal.
Scientists from the Department of Microbiology at the University of Malaga, who are also members of the Institute of Subtropical and Mediterranean Horticulture "La Mayora" (IHSM), have discovered a previously unknown mechanism that allows the bacterium Bacillus cereus, which is
It is illegal to use paraquat in at least 74 jurisdictions worldwide, including the European Union, China, Malaysia, Brazil and, most recently, the U.S. state of Vermont.
Scientists found that one tiny genetic change can completely alter how a coronavirus behaves in different species. Comparing SARS-CoV-2 with a closely related bat-only virus, they showed that a single amino-acid difference affects whether the immune system fights back or gets
A new "prescription for the planet" aims to address the deepening environmental crisis.
