Look at the armpits—or, technically, the "wingpits. That's what Scott Mehus, education director at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minn., told a group of bird watchers recently as they prepared to scan the winter skies for a majestic raptor that's especially tricky to
Nucleotide synthesis—the production of the basic components of DNA and RNA—is essential for cell growth and division. In most animal cells, this process depends closely on properly functioning mitochondria, the organelles responsible for respiration and energy production. When
Researchers at the University of Oxford have developed a powerful new method to visualize an essential lithium-ion battery electrode component that had been extremely difficult to trace before. The discovery, published in Nature Communications, could lead to increased
Tropical forests help to generate vast amounts of rainfall each year, adding weight to arguments for protecting them as water and climate pressures increase, say researchers. A new study led by the University of Leeds has put a monetary value on one of forests' least recognized
Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory are helping to pave a path for the eventual discovery of dark matter. With new approaches to measurement in the quantum realm, using quantum optical sensing techniques, ORNL scientists are developing the
Industrial yeasts are a powerhouse of protein production, used to manufacture vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, and other useful compounds. In a new study, MIT chemical engineers have harnessed artificial intelligence to optimize the development of new protein manufacturing
Bacteria have evolved to adapt to all of Earth's most extreme conditions, from scorching heat to temperatures well below zero. Ice caves are just one of the environments hosting a variety of microorganisms that represent a source of genetic diversity that has not yet been
On Feb. 13, the leaders of seven states announced, one day before a Trump administration deadline, that there is still no deal to share the diminishing waters of the Colorado River. That leaves the Southwest in a quagmire with uncertain repercussions while the river's depleted
"My Name is Oswald," a new song cycle telling the stories of St Oswald of Northumbria, premiered in a performance in the King's Chapel on 12 February. Based on research by Dr. Johanna Dale, Visiting Fellow in the Department of History, and Professor Sarah Bowden, Professor of
An estimated 7,700 gallons of jet fuel spilled into the James River on Feb. 13 near Newport News Shipbuilding, according to officials. The spill happened during a refueling operation involving the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy, which is nearing completion at the shipyard,
As cash transfer programs expand across the United States, critics often warn that giving people money could spark reckless behavior, leading to injuries or even deaths. But a sweeping 11-year analysis of Alaska’s long-running Permanent Fund Dividend program tells a different
Scientific publishing relies on peer review as the mechanism that maintains trust in what we publish. When we read a journal article, we assume experts have rigorously scrutinized it before publication. This crucial system is currently under severe strain.
Today the world of Egyptology faces a silent crisis—not of looting, although that plays a part, but of disconnection. Walk into any major museum, from Copenhagen to California, and you see glass cases filled with what could be called orphaned artifacts: remarkable objects,
A new light-based sensor can spot incredibly tiny amounts of cancer biomarkers in blood, raising the possibility of earlier and simpler cancer detection. The technology merges DNA nanotechnology, CRISPR, and quantum dots to generate a clear signal from just a few molecules. In
You may not have noticed, but that endless snowpack has developed a slow leak—in this case, historically slow. Its endurance continues to climb the charts among the snowpacks of yesteryear—and in at least one way may well be unprecedented in the period of record dating to the
A teacher-incentive program in South Carolina has led to striking long-term benefits for students, including lower rates of felony arrest and reduced reliance on government assistance in early adulthood, according to a new study published in the Journal of Public Economics.
New research has revealed the biggest threats driving species toward extinction in northern San José, Costa Rica. Led by Newcastle University, the study found that the greatest potential to reduce species extinction risk in the Northern Sub-catchments of San José, Costa Rica,
New research led by Professor Claudine Bowyer-Crane has uncovered a complex picture of how COVID-19 reshaped the lives of young learners in England. The ICICLES study was initiated while Professor Bower-Crane was at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research
Brazilian researchers have developed a methodology that uses remote sensing to map the impact of frost on corn crops. This reduces exposure to climate risks and uncertainty regarding agricultural losses.
Beginning two summers ago in a building lacking reliable power and internet, dozens of teenagers in Bo City, Sierra Leone watched videos about climate science, then discussed opportunities to build resilience in one of the world's most climate-vulnerable nations. The Community
When couples attend relationship counseling, it benefits not only their partnership but also their individual well-being. But which aspects of the training are most influential in this respect? A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign published in the
Researchers at the University of Würzburg have shown that dung beetles suffer in canopy openings that have been deliberately created to promote biodiversity. Rising temperatures are significantly exacerbating the problem.
Isotope analysis reveals that social status and wealth had a profound impact on diet in medieval England, showing that people from different social groups in medieval Cambridge ate markedly different food. The research, carried out as part of the "After the Plague" project at
We like to think that animals follow the crowd. If most of the group does something, surely the individual will copy. But what if the story is more complicated? What if the deciding factor isn't just what the majority is doing, but how strongly you already feel about it? That's
Researchers from North Carolina State University have used laser ablation to create ultra-stretchable, superomniphobic materials without the use of harsh chemical solvents. The materials—which are useful in applications ranging from soft robotics to artificial skin
A new pilot study examining how immigrant residents engage with city services and government processes in Long Beach suggests that heightened federal immigration enforcement is undermining democratic participation, even among U.S. citizens who fear for undocumented family
At high densities, white-tailed deer inhibit growth of trees but increase the overall diversity of smaller plant and weed species, according to a long-term study published recently. The work is published in the journal PLOS One.
A research team led by UAB researcher David Reverter has discovered the molecular mechanism that describes in detail the process regulating cell division in bacteria, based on the binding of the MraZ protein to the dcw gene cluster. The research has been published in Nature
In the eastern Utah desert, carbon-dioxide-saturated water bubbles, sprays and foams from the ground. These cold-water geysers, sometimes called soda pop geysers, are a new and reliable Earth-based analog for scientists studying plume eruptions of ocean worlds in the outer
As governments and companies race to meet climate pledges, from net-zero goals to near-term emissions cuts, Cornell researchers have developed a blockchain-based platform to improve how those commitments are recorded and verified. Carbon registries serve as repositories for
The Amazon rainforest is of crucial importance to the Earth's ecosystem, given its capacity to store substantial amounts of carbon in its vegetation. In 2023, the region experienced unusually high temperatures, reaching 1.5°C above the 1991–2020 average, accompanied by unusual
Creatures that can change from one form to another are a staple of science fiction: Think werewolves and Transformers. Nature, too, has its shapeshifters, such as dimorphic fungi. While scientists have known for some time that they can reversibly transition between yeast and
The discovery of a vertebra is another piece of the puzzle of missing apex predators The post Giant Pythons Once Roamed Prehistoric Taiwan appeared first on Nautilus .
Researchers at Tokyo Metropolitan University have studied how fruit flies tune their development in response to environmental changes (diapause). Studying fruit fly strains from different latitudes across Japan, they showed that the sensitivity to starting reproductive diapause
It’s an elephant’s way of getting a feel for their surroundings The post Here’s What the Whiskers on an Elephant’s Trunk Do appeared first on Nautilus .
Quantum computers are alternative computing devices that process information, leveraging quantum mechanical effects, such as entanglement between different particles. Entanglement establishes a link between particles that allows them to share states in such a way that measuring
Many technological applications, such as sensors and batteries, greatly rely on electrochemical reactions. Improving these technologies depends on understanding how electrochemical reactions work. However, most current methods cannot look at electrochemical reactions in detail.
A mathematical equivalent of a microscope with variable resolution has shed light on why some atoms are exceptionally stable, a riddle that has persisted in nuclear physics for decades
An injured seabird sought help by pecking at the door of an emergency room at a hospital in Germany until medical staff noticed it and called firefighters to help with its rescue.
Most bacteria, including many bacterial pathogens, are surrounded by an outer protective layer of sugar molecules, known as a capsule. This primarily protects the bacteria from environmental influences, but also serves as a kind of cloak of invisibility, enabling them to evade
A new national monitoring program provides, for the first time, area-representative knowledge of semi-natural grasslands in Norway. The results show that this habitat covers a larger area than previously mapped, but that most grasslands are abandoned and in the process of
Researchers at The University of Manchester have developed a new way to design Earth-observation satellite missions that could help protect the space environment while continuing to deliver vital data for tackling global challenges, such as climate change, food production,
The Doñana National Park, considered one of Europe's most valuable wetlands, is expected to lose its marshland in 61 years, according to calculations from a major water-resource monitoring study carried out by the University of Seville. The study has developed an innovative
Haoyu Cheng, Ph.D., assistant professor of biomedical informatics and data science at Yale School of Medicine, has developed a new algorithm capable of building complete human genomes using standard laboratory technology. His tool, called hifiasm (ONT), eliminates the need for
A new study published in Conservation Biology shows that geotagged social media photos can significantly improve biodiversity datasets, especially in regions underrepresented in global monitoring efforts. Led by scientists from the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity
It's time for the Winter Olympics, and people across the globe will sit in front of their TVs with the hope that their country brings home lots of medals. But why does this make us happy? Why do we get so excited when the person we support is doing well in sports? After all,
There aren't any native lion or tiger populations living in Japan today, but this was not always the case. Fossil evidence indicates that at least one species of large cat roamed the archipelago during the Late Pleistocene—a period lasting from approximately 129,000 to 11,700
Maybe we should call mpox “squirrelpox” The post This Forest Rodent Serves as a Reservoir for the Deadly Mpox Virus appeared first on Nautilus .
By 2050, offshore wind power capacity in the North Sea is set to increase more than tenfold. Researchers at the Helmholtz Center Hereon have analyzed the long-term overall impact of this large number of wind farms on the hydrodynamics of the North Sea for the first time. They
It's one of the latest technologies for sequestering carbon: crush silicate rocks, add to crop soil, and let the rock dust naturally react with carbon dioxide. The reactions bind carbon into stable mineral forms that can persist for millennia, while also enriching the soil with
