One of the longest stellar dimming events ever observed was likely caused by the gigantic saucer-like rings of either an unseen brown dwarf or "super-Jupiter" blocking its host star's light, astronomers say. For decades, the star—which sits 3,200 light-years from Earth and is
A multinational research team led by Professor Tong Zhang from the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU Engineering), in collaboration with an international team, has developed a new framework to assess and track
NASA's Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx) was built for the ambitious purpose of performing an all-sky survey. The data it collects from more than 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars in the Milky Way over
Current global climate models (GCMs) support with high confidence the view that rising greenhouse gases and other anthropogenic forcings account for nearly all observed global surface warming—slightly above 1 °C—since the pre-industrial period (1850–1900). This is the
Phosphorus is essential for plant growth and ecosystem productivity. In many natural forests, plants rely on soil microbes to release bioavailable phosphorus from organic matter. The PhoD gene, which encodes the key enzyme alkaline phosphatase, is a central marker for this
When severe weather strikes, the National Weather Service's (NWS) Office of Water Prediction (OWP) makes critical flood forecasts with the National Water Model. Despite improvements over time, the model's performance has plateaued in recent years, leaving researchers from the
When a cell divides, it performs a feat of microscopic choreography—duplicating its DNA and depositing it into two new cells. The spindle is the machinery behind that process: It latches onto chromosomes (where DNA is stored) and separates them so they can settle into their new
How do the different parts of an adult plant communicate with each other when it suffers an injury, is waterlogged, burnt or exposed to environmental stress? Today we can answer this question thanks to an innovative optical imaging system developed by the Università degli Studi
From table salt to snowflakes, and from gemstones to diamonds—we encounter crystals everywhere in daily life, usually cubic (table salt) or hexagonal (snowflakes). Researchers from Noushine Shahidzadeh's group at the UvA Institute of Physics now demonstrate how mesmerizing
In a time of perpetual crisis, more and more mothers are trying to find the solutions that their governments seem unwilling to provide The post The Pressure Moms Feel to Solve the World’s Problems appeared first on Nautilus .
Recent research suggests that Saturn's bright rings and its largest moon, Titan, may have both originated in collisions among its moons. While Cassini's 13-year mission expanded our understanding of Saturn, the discoveries of its young rings and Titan's rapidly shifting orbit
Researchers at the University of Bayreuth have developed a method using artificial intelligence that can significantly speed up the calculation of liquid properties. The AI approach predicts the chemical potential—an indispensable quantity for describing liquids in
The element cobalt is considered a typical ferromagnet with no further secrets. However, an international team led by HZB researcher Dr. Jaime Sánchez-Barriga has now uncovered complex topological features in its electronic structure. Spin-resolved measurements of the band
What if cattle were selected not only for their productivity, but also for their resistance to disease? A study conducted by a team of scientists combining systemic immunology, genomics and machine learning provides a better understanding of what shapes animals' immunity, even
Geographic information system (GIS) maps help researchers, policymakers, and community members see how environmental risks are spread throughout a given region. These types of interactive, layered maps can be used for storytelling, education, and environmental activism. When
A new study reports that climate warming can increase soil carbon accumulation in boreal Sphagnum peatlands by boosting plant productivity, protecting iron, and inhibiting microbial decomposition. These responses contrast sharply with warming-enhanced soil carbon
Hurricane Helene, one of the deadliest hurricanes in US history, did not affect people's views on climate change or their intentions to vote for politicians advocating stricter climate policies. This is shown in a new study from the University of Gothenburg. "Attitudes
A national survey of the four supply-chain sectors involved in the production and sale of flowers and ornamental plants shows that sustainability practices—those already implemented and those planned for the future—differ by sector. The findings could provide a roadmap of
If humankind is to explore deep space, one small passenger should not be left behind: microbes. In fact, it would be impossible to leave them behind, since they live on and in our bodies, surfaces and food. Learning how they react to space conditions is critical, but they could
Yes, bees dream. We can even imagine what. The post The Dreams of a Bumblebee in Autumn appeared first on Nautilus .
Research at the University of Jyväskylä (Finland) reveals that autonomous parvoviruses, such as canine parvovirus, are highly capable of affecting the internal balance of the nucleolus. The results provide new basic information about the interaction between viruses and
A decade-long study has revealed that rising atmospheric CO₂ and warming work together to reduce the availability of phosphorus in rice-upland crop rotation systems, potentially threatening future food security. The research, which was led by scientists from the Institute of
Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute for One Health (HIOH), a site of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), together with an interdisciplinary team of partners, have identified the fire-footed rope squirrel (Funisciurus pyrropus) as a likely natural reservoir of
Hydrogels are soft, jelly-like materials that can absorb large amounts of water. They are widely used in medical technologies such as contact lenses and wound dressings, and are also a staple of laboratory research, where they are used to grow bacteria. But scientists have long
Many researchers thought that earthquakes in the Himalayas recur at regular intervals – but an analysis of sediment cores has shown they are largely random, and the region has seen far more than we previously realised
The soil microbiome is critical for the ecosystem, and agricultural practices that promote microbial diversity can support plant health and help protect against pests. But it is unclear which practices are most beneficial, and what motivates farmers to choose them.
Probing the vibration of atoms provides detailed information on local structure and bonding that define material properties. Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) offers extremely high resolution to probe such vibrations. Krystof Brezina and Mariana Rossi from the MPI for the
New research shows the effects of marine heat waves on sponges could be much more severe as temperatures rise. More intense marine heat waves as a result of climate change could lead to the mass loss of a sponge species found around Aotearoa New Zealand, a new study suggests.
A synthetic hormone once sparked a supermarket showdown, but today it has all but disappeared from dairy farms The post The Major Milk Controversy That Quickly Dried Up appeared first on Nautilus .
Researchers at the University of Huddersfield have used ancient DNA to reveal that hunter-gatherers in one part of Europe survived for thousands of years longer than anywhere else on the continent—and have uncovered the pivotal role of women in the process. The research was
Research results from Innsbruck, Schwabmünchen, and Düsseldorf demonstrate how the most widely used green phosphors in commercial LEDs can be replaced by representatives of an entirely new class of compounds. Green luminescence, as required for ubiquitous white-light LEDs,
The Chincha Kingdom was transporting seabird excrement from islands to valleys as early as the 13th century, and this powerful fertiliser may have been key to its economic success
A multi-institutional team of researchers led by Virginia Tech's Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC has for the first time identified specific patterns of brain chemical activity that predict how quickly individual honey bees learn new associations, offering important
New archaeological evidence reveals that seabird guano—nutrient-rich bird droppings—was not only essential to boosting corn yields and supercharging agriculture in ancient Peru, but it may have been a driving force behind the rise of the Chincha Kingdom as one of the most
Global climate mitigation scenarios shape real-world policy choices of who cuts emissions, who pays, and who benefits from climate action. A new IIASA-led essay published in PLOS Climate identifies how these influential tools address equity and justice, with implications for
Researchers have identified a new type of visual cell in deep-sea fish larvae that challenges a century of knowledge about vertebrate visual systems. Dr. Fabio Cortesi from The University of Queensland's School of the Environment said the finding could lead to new camera
Maize farmers in Peru’s Chincha Valley were fertilizing their crops with seabird poop as early as the year 1250
It’s giving researchers insights into the microbiome—and you can help The post New Smart Underwear Unlocks the Serious Science of Human Flatulence appeared first on Nautilus .
Just in time for Valentine's Day, space offers a heart-shaped greeting. The star Mira A, about 300 light-years from Earth, has released material into an expanding cloud of gas and dust resembling a heart. Both the amount of material and the speed at which the star ejected it
The Trump administration's drive to increase domestic production of fossil fuels and mining of key minerals likely cannot be accomplished without a key constituency: Native nations.
Valentine's Day is traditionally a time of heart-shaped balloons, overpriced roses and fully booked restaurants. Couples kiss and hold hands, smiling selfies celebrate a day of public displays of devotion.
The people of Berlin woke on August 13, 1961, to discover that their city had been split in two.
At the Winter Olympics, athletes race down immaculate white slopes. The snow looks perfect. But it is largely manufactured.
A new study finds a variety hair extensions—from natural to synthetic—contain chemicals associated with cancer, birth defects and reproductive issues
Dashiell Hammett mentioned Sam Spade's jutting chin in the opening sentence of his novel, "The Maltese Falcon." Spade's chin was among the facial features Hammett used to describe his fictional detective's appearance, but starting with that distinctive chin was—at least from an
What appears to be a single volcanic eruption is often the result of complex processes operating deep beneath the surface, where magma moves, evolves, and changes over long periods of time. To fully understand how volcanoes work, scientists study the volcanic products that
The performance and stability of smartphones and artificial intelligence (AI) services depend on how uniformly and precisely semiconductor surfaces are processed. KAIST researchers have expanded the concept of everyday "sandpaper" into the realm of nanotechnology, developing a
Islands are famous for producing some of the world's strangest creatures, and now a new international study shows that the evolution of bird species on Hawaiian islands includes an ibis with unusually small eyes and limited visual capacity. The team from University of
Antibiotic treatments are losing effectiveness against a range of common bacterial pathogens, including E. coli, K. pneumoniae, Salmonella and Acinetobacter, according to a warning issued by the World Health Organization last October. For the microbe that gives rise to
A research team from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has introduced a soil amendment called humic acid-modified bentonite (HAMB). This amendment effectively enhances a soil's ability to hold onto ammonium while significantly reducing
