The cactus on your windowsill may grow slowly, but new research shows that cacti are surprisingly fast at creating new species. Biologists have long thought that pollinators and specialized flowers drive the formation of new plant species. But scientists at the University of
Inside a diseased cell, the genes are in chaos. Some are receiving signals to overproduce a protein. Others are reducing activity to abnormal levels. Up is down and down is up. The right molecule could restore order, reversing dysregulation in specific genes. But finding the
An interdisciplinary team of authors from Canada, Austria, the U.S. and Germany has outlined how immuno-epidemiology and individual decision-making on non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) can be understood jointly in the future—and which data are still missing—in a
Birds play a larger role in the dispersal of wild cotton than previously assumed. This is shown by a study in the journal Oikos, carried out in southern Africa. Researchers discovered that birds actively collect wild cotton as nesting material and in doing so move seeds over
There’s a new reason to avoid cleaning out your closet The post Mathematics Suggest That Fashion Is on a 20-Year Cycle appeared first on Nautilus .
Fashion insiders and beauty magazines have long cited the "20-year-rule"—the idea that clothing trends often resurface every two decades. According to Northwestern University scientists, that observation isn't just anecdotal. It's a mathematical reality.
Piezoelectric materials, which convert mechanical stress into electricity and vice versa, are essential components in sensors, actuators, and energy-harvesting devices. However, the best piezoelectric materials, such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT), are toxic because they
Going to the grocery store these days can be a painful experience, with record-high price hikes biting into Canadian food budgets. However, as many societies around the world already know, a cheap, plentiful source of protein is literally at our feet: insects, especially
A unique collection of prehistoric bowhead whale bones, dating back 11,000 years, reveals a previously untold story of the relative impacts of humans on nature. The time series of ancient fossils show that commercial hunting of bowhead whales, which spanned 400 years and ceased
The Indo-Pacific is the largest marine biogeographical region on Earth and a global center of marine biodiversity. Nevertheless, there are gaps remaining in our understanding of the diversity, distribution, and endemism of many animal groups in this vast area, especially in
It's said that statistics don't lie, but they often don't tell the whole truth, either. A Cornell statistics expert has come up with a method he believes can boost statistical power and significantly reduce bias—vital for research involving outcomes that differ by
Cigarette butts are the most common form of litter worldwide. Trillions are discarded every year in cities, parks, beaches, along railway tracks and roadside environments. Despite their small size, these remnants of smoked cigarettes represent a persistent form of pollution
Scientists at Caltech have figured out how to precisely engineer tiny three-dimensional (3D) metallic pieces with nanoscale dimensions. The process can work with any metal or metal alloy and yields components of surprising strength despite having a porous and defect-ridden
Australian scientists have made a significant leap forward in energy storage technology with the world's first proof-of-concept quantum battery. Similar to conventional batteries, this quantum version charges, stores and discharges energy—and is the first to do so.
How does fine dust aggregate into building blocks that ultimately form entire planets like our Earth? A research team led by the University of Bern, with the participation of ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich and the National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) PlanetS
Research from the Department of Environmental Health Sciences explores how common sunscreen ingredients behave under light exposure. Led by associate professor Eric Vejerano, the team tested seven commercially available sunscreens (including four mineral-based formulas) and
Humans really do rule the world. We took over fast and far, more than any other wild vertebrates. We inhabit nearly every corner of the world, and can thrive in deserts, tropical rainforests and even extremely cold climates. But how? Scientists say we did it through not only
Academic freedom continues to decline worldwide. Over the last decade, it has declined in 50 countries, while only nine countries have registered improvements. The countries that have experienced a decline include several democracies, such as the United States of America
Skoltech researchers and their colleagues from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, have created an important building block for future 6G communication technology, which will make wireless data transfer at superior transmission rates possible. The newly developed piece
According to WHO, approximately 6% of the worldwide population who contract COVID-19—some 400 million people—go on to develop a long-lasting form of the disease. These figures demonstrate that the persistent form of the disease remains a problem and is a major public health
Accurately measuring small shifts in biological markers, like proteins and neurotransmitters, or harmful chemicals in the water supply, can identify critical problems before they have a chance to impact patients or the environment. While some existing sensors can monitor the
A study clarifies the date of an important technological milestone: the adoption of the bow and arrow in western North America. The replacement of older weapons by bows and arrows occurred independently in several prehistoric cultures. Briggs Buchanan and colleagues explore
One man’s trash … The post Discarded Plastic Can Be Converted Into Parkinson’s Drug appeared first on Nautilus .
Substances capable of mutating human genetic material—altering and permanently damaging it—are present in many everyday products. Researchers at Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU) have, for the first time, detected mutagens and concurrently cytotoxic substances in food,
American politics is increasingly characterized by high levels of polarization and divisive rhetoric, despite stated preferences among voters for civility and substantive debate. Sean J. Westwood and colleagues sought to understand what might incentivize a politician to use
A new laser range-finding technique, inspired by quantum physics, that can measure distances under strong solar background has been demonstrated by researchers at the University of Bristol. The team has proved their hypothesis by testing out their new method on some of the
How can we measure time more than 500 million years into the past? A study recently published in Nature Communications by researchers at the University of Lausanne presents a new geological "rock clock" that allows major climate events from the dawn of complex animal life to be
Scientists have debated for decades whether economies can continue to grow without increasing greenhouse gas emissions. A new study by a Penn State researcher has found that this may be possible, but only under strict conditions and mostly for the world's wealthiest nations.
New paired studies from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities show that machine learning can improve the prediction of floods. The studies, published in Water Resources Research and the Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Data Mining, demonstrate how
In December 2023, the Peruvian Andes were hit by a severe drought followed by a wave of nighttime freezing temperatures. The "cold shock" didn't just wither crops and cause widespread hunger; it reached deep into the homes of the families who live there.
Every eleven years, the sun's magnetic field flips. Sunspots—dark, cooler regions on the sun's surface that mark intense magnetic activity and often trigger solar eruptions—appear at mid-latitudes and migrate toward the star's equator in a butterfly-shape pattern before fading
Could ancient humans really have built the pyramids without extraterrestrial help? Or do such questions reveal more about modern anxieties than the past itself?
How males adjust their behavior to keep the beat The post The Secret of Fireflies’ Synchronous Flashing appeared first on Nautilus .
Networks exist in both nature—such as biological systems like food webs and gene regulatory networks—and in engineered systems as seen in power grids. Though natural and engineered systems share an overarching goal—providing a mechanism for interacting components to transmit
Energy-from-waste facilities are often positioned as a cleaner alternative to landfill, transforming rubbish into electricity and reducing the UK's waste burden. But new research suggests that there may be a hidden cost to this process: potentially hazardous chemical residues
South of Fall Creek by the edge of the woods, the moths would gather. They were, of course, drawn by light—set out by a researcher working in Cornell University's old Insectory building. In 1889, the lure came from a kerosene lantern, the pan underneath collecting the samples.
The ocean naturally absorbs CO₂ from the atmosphere, acting as a carbon sink. This capacity is determined by a natural chemical property referred to as ocean alkalinity. If the alkalinity increases, the ocean has the potential to absorb more CO₂. There are several proposed
For the first time, a quantum radiation reaction in strong electromagnetic fields has been demonstrated experimentally by allowing electrons to collide with an extremely intense and powerful laser beam. The research findings provide insights needed for new quantum-mechanical
The higher education sector is more aware of disability than it was a few years ago. Universities are more willing to provide support, and attitudes have improved. What students describe day to day, however, tells a different story.
Eyewitness accounts and videos taken from across the Midwest reveal the streak of a large fireball across the daytime sky
Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have uncovered how the bacteria that causes tuberculosis fuels itself during infection, providing new insights into one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases. The study, published in The EMBO Journal, provides the
The Large Hadron Collider just produced a never-before-seen particle made of charm and down quarks
And ode to one of nature’s most maligned creatures The post Consider the Cockroach appeared first on Nautilus .
In one of the biggest surprises of NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, its target asteroid, Bennu, turned out to be a jagged, rugged world covered in large boulders, with few of the smooth patches that earlier observations from Earth-based instruments had indicated.
Scientists have discovered a defensive method of cells that resembles Spiderman shooting his web to ensnare enemies. These cells defend our bodies from the early stages of viral infection by synthesizing a sticky "web" to trap viral genomes. The paper is published on the
Quantum catalysts are specialized resources that enable quantum state transformations previously thought impossible, holding promise for advancements in quantum computing and thermodynamics. A recent international study has identified the conditions under which these catalysts
A suspected meteor that fell over the Cleveland area on Tuesday shook homes and startled residents who heard a boom that some compared to an explosion.
A previously unknown species of leaf warbler has been discovered in Japan. The Ijima's Leaf Warbler has proven to be two different species, not just one. Every year, a few new bird species are identified around the world. The unusual aspect in this case is that it is not
Demand for odor detection is growing in diverse fields such as food security, medical diagnostics, and environmental monitoring, but current technologies face limitations. Living cells with olfactory receptors can serve as sensitive odor detectors; however, cell-based sensors
A new genetic study published in the journal Cell is filling in some important details about the earliest inhabitants of Palau, an island nation in the western Pacific Ocean consisting of approximately 340 islands.
