The possibility of life on other planets is one of the biggest mysteries in science. But what would happen if we actually found it? Our scientists are preparing for this possibility by helping to develop a new system that can analyze samples for signs of extraterrestrial life
An Indigenous-led study of Perth primary schools has found that educators often rely on symbolic gestures rather than meaningful action to support Aboriginal children at school, prompting calls for Noongar storytelling, ceremony and language to be embedded in the curriculum and
Superconducting qubits—bits of quantum information—have been widely considered a promising technology for moving quantum computing forward. But there's still much work to be done before they can be brought out of a near absolute zero temperature environment. The lab of
University of California San Diego researchers have developed a new tool for understanding and modifying any microbiome, including the human microbiome. The approach, called Microbial Interaction and Niche Determination (MIND), accurately predicts how microbes compete within
The biological carbon pump moves carbon from near the ocean's surface to deeper regions, maintaining the upper ocean's ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere. One component of this system is driven by eddies, or relatively small-scale circular water currents powered by
Heat is a ubiquitous form of energy that, unlike others, is notoriously difficult to store due to its natural tendency to dissipate. While this property is essential for phenomena like solar energy reaching Earth, it also poses a significant technological challenge.
Maintaining connections between natural habitats may support beneficial microbes that help wildlife defend against disease. In a new study of tropical amphibians, a team led by Penn State biologists found that amphibians in connected natural forests and aquatic habitats were
In a new report published in the journal Environmental Justice, Paul Mohai of the University of Michigan examined how new tools are leading to innovative policies to protect vulnerable communities from disproportionate environmental burdens.
Scientists have discovered that deep-water corals in the Galapagos region vanished for more than 1,000 years before eventually recovering. The findings reveal that deep-water coral ecosystems may be more susceptible to climate change than previously thought.
Georges Cuvier, the 19th-century French anatomist who first recognized pterodactyls as flying reptiles, wrote that "of all the beings whose ancient existence has been revealed to us, [they are] the most extraordinary."
Imagine ordering a truffle dish in a fancy restaurant, and you might picture pricey gourmet mushrooms from France or Italy. But recent decades have seen an upstart on the truffle scene. Today, one of the world's largest producers of some of the most prized truffles, known as
Researchers at The University of Manchester have shown that microbial communities from terrestrial hot springs could be harnessed to convert industrial CO2 emissions into useful products, offering new routes toward a circular, low-carbon economy.
Recent findings from research we have been carrying out at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at Cern in Geneva suggest that we might be closing in on signs of undiscovered physics.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is arguably the most celebrated child prodigy in history, composing his first pieces of music aged five, his first symphony at eight and his first opera at 11. After a study in 1993 found that listening to Mozart could improve spatial IQ—prompting
Canadian researchers studying 450-million-year-old fossils near Quebec City have identified a new species of basal-medusozoan: Paleocanna tentaculum, a soft-bodied, tube-shaped polyp with a ring of tentacles. Closely related to modern jellyfish, the species was identified from
If you walk across the open yard in front of the Physics, Math and Astronomy building at the University of Texas at Austin, you'll see a 17-story tower and a huge L-shaped building. What you won't see is what's underneath you. Two floors below ground, behind heavy double doors
Scientific models have predicted that climate change will drive oceans in the Northern Hemisphere to warm faster than oceans in the Southern Hemisphere. However, observational data over the last 70 years show the opposite—that Southern Hemisphere oceans are warming faster. New
This shimmering region of star-formation, a close-up of the Trifid Nebula about 5,000 light-years from Earth, was captured in intricate detail by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The colors in Hubble's visible light image, which marks the 36th anniversary of the mission's launch
An international research team has rediscovered a dinosaur tracksite in the Saijrakh area of northern Mongolia. The site was originally reported about 70 years ago but had since been lost due to a lack of detailed documentation and follow-up investigation. The team conducted
Teeth are like tiny biological time capsules. They tell stories about ancient diets and environments long after their owners have died and landscapes have changed.
Archaeologists are unearthing evidence of long-term human occupation in the mountains of the Republic of Georgia. A new paper published in the journal Antiquity reports on eight years of digging on the Javakheti Plateau, one of the least-explored regions in the South Caucasus.
New research shows astronauts tend to grip objects in microgravity as if they felt as heavy as or heavier than they would on Earth, a finding that could help future space exploration
British Columbia's wildlife is in trouble, and governments aren't working hard enough to keep wild animals and plants alive. How do we know?
In biological systems, especially for protein molecules, the formation of nanotubular structures is often guided by molecular folding. The folding process organizes interaction sites and enables the formation of complex architectures with high structural precision. However,
On Earth, people grip objects to ensure they don't fall. In space, this process changes: When astronauts hold an object without moving it and then let go, the object doesn't fall because there is no gravity. But when astronauts move the object any which way, inertia takes the
Scientists have uncovered a novel mechanism through which skin cells organize and control protein production during homeostasis and wound healing, according to a new study published in Developmental Cell. The findings offer new details on how skin tissues maintain their
In a study of 6.5 million children in Brazil, higher temperatures were associated with worse nutrition outcomes, especially in vulnerable groups.
Every year, the countries competing in the International Mathematical Olympiad arrive with a booklet of their best, most original problems. Those booklets get shared among delegations, then quietly disappear. No one had ever collected them systematically, cleaned them, and made
A humpback whale's likely final days in the Baltic Sea have been livestreamed across the globe as multiple rescue efforts failed to coax it back into deeper waters while the marine mammal gets sicker and weaker.
These mysterious species have a lot of tricks The post A Brief History of the Bizarre-Looking Anglerfish appeared first on Nautilus .
After a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck of the coast of Japan and set off tsunami warnings, there’s an elevated risk of a “megaquake” following in its wake
Among the various plastic recycling methods being explored, one promising approach is biological plastic recycling, also known as biorecycling, which utilizes enzymes or microorganisms to break down polymer molecules. One group of enzymes attracting attention is microbial
Using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST), Chinese astronomers have inspected two nearby galactic globular clusters, namely NGC 6517 and NGC 7078. The study resulted in the discovery of six new millisecond pulsars in these clusters, which are
An injured kea with just half a beak has used what's left as a weapon that gives him dominance over a captive colony of the birds
By a dictionary definition, the word resilient means an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change. The key words here? "Recover" and "change."
An invasive algae already well-established in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands is raising concern among researchers as it threatens to spread into the main Hawaiian Islands. Scientists from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) have
This iconic spacecraft launched nearly 49 years ago and is running perilously low on power
Madagascar is home to seven species of baobab trees, of which six are found nowhere else on the planet. Many of the trees have been alive for well over 1,000 years. The ancient trees have become symbols of Madagascar itself. They're also gifts to climate science.
Celebrated British zoologist Desmond Morris, who died Sunday aged 98, shook up the world in 1967 when his book "The Naked Ape" posited that humans are essentially primates still captive to evolutionary impulses.
Oceanographers from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa discovered that microbial communities—from the sunlit surface to extreme depths—in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre exhibit robust seasonal cycles. The study provides new insight into how high levels of biodiversity are
Researchers have developed a thin plastic film that tears apart viruses on contact, offering a promising new way to keep high-touch surfaces such as smartphones and hospital equipment from spreading disease. The innovation is not only effective at killing viruses, but also far
An earthquake registering a preliminary magnitude of 7.7 off northern Japan on Monday prompted a short-lived tsunami alert and the advisory of a higher risk of a possible mega-quake for coastal areas there.
An international study published in Current Biology presents the results of the analysis of ancient mitochondrial DNA obtained from eight Neanderthal teeth discovered in Stajnia Cave, Poland. For the first time, the research reconstructs the genetic profile of a small group of
With their dazzling blooms, orchids are among the most famous and collected flowering plants on Earth. But orchids are not just beautiful and rare. They can also provide clues into the broader health of global ecosystems.
Researchers have uncovered that an orthogonal molecular architecture directs the formation of a rare double-cable structure, offering a new blueprint for advancing the fundamental design of energy-active materials. By guiding charges to move along separate pathways, the new
A migratory bird brain, the Eurasian blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), has been mapped for the first time using high-resolution light microscopy. The open-source software tools developed, and the detailed processes published, form a foundation for new brain atlases to be built for
The effects of cocaine pollution in the world’s waterways The post Cocaine Fish: How Salmon Behave When Amped Up on Coke appeared first on Nautilus .
The bacterial flagellar motor is finally understood after 50 years. In its workings, columnist Natalie Wolchover finds the essence of life. The post What Physical ‘Life Force’ Turns Biology’s Wheels? first appeared on Quanta Magazine
An international study, led by researchers from Griffith University, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, the Zoological Society of London and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, is the first to demonstrate the effects of cocaine contamination on fish
A study reported in Current Biology shows how physical disabilities in the animal world can be overcome through behavioral innovation. The report features an endangered kea parrot in captivity at New Zealand's Willowbank Wildlife Reserve named Bruce who is missing his entire
