Genomic tool can help measure resilience in Merino sheep
A new resilience test for merino sheep is using hereditary markers to help producers identify which animals are better able to cope with stressors in their environment.
A new resilience test for merino sheep is using hereditary markers to help producers identify which animals are better able to cope with stressors in their environment.
All living organisms are known to inherit genes, DNA sequences that contain instructions for producing specific proteins and performing biological functions, from their parents. In some cases, however, genes can also shift between different species via a process known as
Asking open-ended questions and weaving conversations into everyday activities helps toddlers' communication skills, new research shows. Three recently published University of Otago–Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka studies analyzed the outcomes of the Enhancing Rich Interactions (ENRICH)
Dark matter accounts for 85% of the matter in the universe, but scientists still do not know what it is made of. A study, published in Physical Review Letters, by Rice University researchers proposes a detector design that could help search for axions, hypothetical particles
The Smithsonian Natural History Museum’s latest exhibit, “From These Lands,” connects visitors with America’s natural history.
Small farms grow much of the world's food, but from space they are nearly invisible. Their fields are tiny and ill-defined, and the satellite tools built to track crops were designed for the large, uniform fields of industrial agriculture, not the sub-hectare plots that feed
Abandoned farmland can be transformed into wildflower-rich grassland habitat without the need for expensive and labor-intensive seeding, a new study by UCL researchers finds.
Hawking radiation is a form of radiation emitted by black holes, as theoretically predicted by Stephen Hawking. It suggests that black holes do not merely swallow matter—as had previously been assumed—but also emit very faint radiation themselves. This radiation has not yet
Analysis of 3,000 incidents in Canada reveals which animal–human activity combos are especially risky. Of note: Elk and campgrounds are a bad mix.
Worsened drought stress, changing rainfall patterns, flowers and pollinators thrown out of sync: These only scratch the surface of the ways climate change challenges plant life. But warmer air and higher carbon dioxide levels can also fuel faster plant growth, limit plants'
Spider venoms contain ingredients that could lead to a new treatment to protect honeybees from the deadly Varroa destructor mite, according to a study led by the University of the Sunshine Coast. Researchers identified components in the venoms of the Tasmanian cave spider and
Sunburn is a serious problem in the Southern Hemisphere, where depleted ozone provides less protection from UVB. Tadpoles are at particular risk because they are growing rapidly, making them vulnerable to UVB DNA damage. Niclas Lundsgaard of The University of Queensland (UQ),
How did a large crab end up trapped inside a plastic bottle with an opening smaller than its body? Hiroshima University researchers investigated this unusual marine mystery, revealing a lesser-known impact of marine plastic pollution on crustaceans.
Chat apps, email, and cloud files have become the primary record of how power is exercised. Archivists are trying to preserve them before formats go dark or messages disappear without a trace
This new group, which is led by Harvard professor Avi Loeb, aims to advise the Trump administration and the U.S. intelligence community, as well as to publish its findings in peer-reviewed journals
Immigrant workers protected by a key humanitarian status make significant contributions to New York state's economy and communities, according to new Cornell University research.
Inside every cell are lipid molecules that make up cellular membranes, helping organelles communicate and respond to stress. Researchers have struggled to observe lipids in action because current detection tools lack sufficient sensitivity and selectivity, hindering advances in
One of the world's most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons, nicknamed "Gus," was showcased Wednesday at Sotheby's auction house in New York ahead of its sale later this month.
Sightings of humpback whales off Rio de Janeiro's coast are surging as they recover from decimation due to commercial whaling, prompting an acceleration in the demand for whale-watching excursions to spot the huge marine creatures during their annual migration.
A study examining air quality and respiratory health in communities surrounding the Salton Sea in Southern California shows how environmental conditions, poor housing quality and structural inequities combine to place children at greater risk for respiratory illness.
The breakthrough could reveal previously hidden ancient human activity inside caves, acting as ‘genetic archives’
The more people expand into previously natural areas, the more wildlife and humans step on each other's toes, leading to more interactions that may result in conflict. This includes national parks, where people flock to recuperate and enjoy the outdoors.
A new research tool is highlighting publicly owned land that may have potential for affordable housing development in B.C., with early analysis revealing more than 50,000 parcels of publicly owned land in B.C. and up to 273,000 potential housing units on vacant and underused
NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory has officially begun full operations for the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), one of the world's largest astronomical imaging surveys. Behind the scenes, Japanese researchers and engineers are drawing on technologies and expertise
There are some magical limits to how much energy we can get out of a heat pump. This story is about pushing the technical limits. It is about getting more energy out than you put in. And it's about how SINTEF—one of Europe's largest applied research organizations—the renewable
In marine environments, sponges tend to eat other organisms to get their nutrients. But a study published in Functional Ecology by researchers at the University of Amsterdam's Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), demonstrates how sponges may also use
A comprehensive 15-year study published in Biodiversity Data Journal details the growing threat of extreme weather to white storks (Ciconia ciconia) in Bulgaria. The research, which is part of the topical collection "Restoration of species of conservation importance," analyzes
New research led by a University of Alaska Fairbanks archaeologist reveals that the earliest Native Americans had highly specialized diets, primarily hunting the largest animals on the landscape, and they targeted these megafauna consistently from Alaska to South America.
Searching for habitable worlds beyond our solar system involves more than having a planet orbit within its star's habitable zone, the region where temperatures could be just right for liquid water to exist on the surface. On Earth, where water comprises approximately 75% of the
Decades-old hospital samples have helped University of East Anglia (UEA) researchers uncover how a deadly antibiotic-resistant "superbug" quietly tightened its grip across the globe. It lurked in hospital corridors for decades, largely unnoticed by the wider public.
A study published in the journal Biological Invasions indicates that Brazil currently has at least 82 non-native mollusk species, in addition to 13 whose origin cannot be determined. This represents a 215% increase compared with 2011, when 26 species were reported.
A researcher at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of The University of Alabama System, has published a new study in The Astrophysical Journal suggesting that tiny charged dust grains near the sun may significantly influence how energy moves through the solar
They knew their gesture was futile and could have serious personal repercussions, but that didn't stop more than 1.5 million Russians from signing anti-war petitions after their country invaded Ukraine.
Published in Nature Climate Change, new research from the University of Wisconsin–Madison finds that reaching net-zero emissions by midcentury would substantially improve public health in the United States. However, climate strategies that heavily depend on carbon dioxide
Carbon materials, such as carbon fibers and activated carbons, are essential across a wide variety of fields, encompassing everything from aerospace engineering to fuel cells and thermal insulation. For decades, Raman, infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have
The byproducts of modern society appear to be messing with the love life of two tiny fish species that have long coexisted in Mexican rivers.
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic chemicals widely used in industrial processes and consumer products because of their resistance to heat, water and oil. However, these same properties also make them highly resistant to environmental
Empowering patients to retake control of their back pain produced surprising results The post When It Comes to Back Pain, Maybe You Should be Your Own Doctor appeared first on Nautilus .
The media is full of news of war, terrorism and armed conflict, and this shapes our perceptions of violence. However, if we look at the costs resulting from these forms of violence, the numbers are surprising: About 12% of the global cost comes from war and terrorism. A much
A study titled "Monitoring major biodiversity stronghold in war zones: model predicts Lake Chad remains Africa's most important wetland for waterbirds" estimates that Lake Chad supports nearly 2.5 million waterbirds, making it one of the most important wetlands for birdlife in
Bugs run rampant in the summer, and if you have ever suffered a mosquito bite and regretted not putting on bug spray, you should know about nature's insect repellent: the Indiana bat. Federally endangered since 1967, the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) helps with pest control and
Exoplanet atmospheres have become prime targets for astrobiologists in the search for life beyond Earth. This is because exoplanet surfaces can't be directly imaged yet, so astronomers must get creative in how they search for signs of life, also called biosignatures. Presently,
A prototype cell partly capable of replicating itself has been created using 36 existing bacterial genes, but it's not really a living organism – yet
A prototype cell partly capable of replicating itself has been created using 36 existing bacterial genes, but it's not really a living organism – yet
Contrary to common stereotypes, seniors' digital savvy is surging. New research from Rutgers University-New Brunswick suggests one reason: Digital tools are essential for the development and maintenance of age-friendly initiatives—programs and policies designed to support and
Superworms, a mealworm-like form of beetle larva commonly used as pet food, are efficient cleaners of skeletons, according to a study published in PLOS One by Fatemeh Rastekar of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, and colleagues.
Solar cells and photocatalysts can be surprisingly inefficient. Despite light consisting of many wavelengths, the range that even highly efficient devices use is limited. Other wavelengths, especially long wavelengths, simply pass through the material without being used as
Well-being is increasingly regarded as an important indicator of societal progress, extending beyond economic growth to capture how people experience and evaluate their lives. It is also closely connected to health, longevity, productivity and quality of life. It has also been
The reproductive organs might have hidden role The post Ovaries Might Take on an Immune Function After Menopause appeared first on Nautilus .
The next time you post a nature photo online, you might be contributing to a major scientific breakthrough—just as several citizen scientists did when they helped discover the wasp Eupelmus curvator in Japan.