Although the genetic material of most living organisms is DNA, various self-replicating agents rely instead on RNA, including RNA viruses and viroids, which are infectious RNA molecules that are smaller and structurally simpler than RNA viruses. These RNA-based replicators are
Shrinking water levels at the Great Salt Lake are not just about Utah's water supply—they may pose a serious risk to public health. New research from a team at Utah State University and the University of Utah documents the ways metal-laden dust from the drying lakebed may find
Playing a little extra with your dog improves the emotional bond between owner and dog, according to a new study from Linköping University. However, training did not give the same results. The study is relevant for all dog owners, whether they have young or adult dogs.
North American sweat bees change color depending on the surrounding humidity. It might be a more widespread phenomenon among insects.
For more than 270 million years, trilobites were among the most successful and diverse creatures on Earth, with over 22,000 known species spanning the Paleozoic Era. Yet, despite their abundance in the fossil record and their presence on every continent, one of the most
Florida's Indian River Lagoon has been an ecosystem in decline going back to 2011, when harmful algal blooms led to a severe decline in seagrass, the foundational component of shallow coastal ecosystems.
Scientists are homing in on a mysterious wasting disease that has killed billions of sea stars along the Pacific coast of North America since 2013. Sea star wasting disease can rapidly wipe out entire populations, leaving gooey puddles of tissue in its wake. A new study by
Penguins may look charmingly awkward on land, but new research shows their bodies are finely tuned for powerful, efficient movement both on land and underwater. A team of anatomists from Midwestern University, in collaboration with SeaWorld San Diego and Scarlet Imaging, has
New research has highlighted how inadequate environmental regulations and assessments of contaminated industrial land in India are endangering human populations and wildlife ecosystems.
Members of the Atapuerca Research Team from the Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES), the Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), the University of Burgos, and the Center Européen de Recherche et d'Enseignement des
The science of memories has been pursued and studied since the days of ancient Greece and Aristotle. Today, research conducted by Dima Bolmatov, assistant professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at Texas Tech University, is considering how memories are stored on a
The Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH) has taken part in a study published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology that provides new insights into subsistence strategies during the Middle to Upper Paleolithic at the site of Cova Eirós
Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz may have identified why many cancer patients say food suddenly tastes unpleasant during treatment. The study, published today in Development, found that a class of targeted cancer drugs known as tyrosine kinase inhibitors
Roses are among the most economically significant ornamental plants worldwide, with widespread applications in the cut flowers, garden, and cosmetics industries. Yet fewer than 10% of rose species have contributed to modern cultivated roses. Until recently, available
Evidence-based management is increasingly used by organizations to aid in decision-making, but research in this area is limited. In a new study, researchers developed and validated a new measure—the Evidence-Based Management Source Utilization Scale (EBM-SUS)—that is tailored
As long as there's been an internet, there's been a way to hack it. Scientists have spent decades imagining a different kind of network, one where the laws of physics make eavesdropping physically impossible, not just technically difficult. They call that dream a quantum
Are they remnants of primordial Earth or extraterrestrial in origin? The post The Mystery of the Giant Blobs at the Center of the Earth appeared first on Nautilus .
Soil biologist Eric Slessarev has some advice for conservationists, landscapers, and farmers with fallow fields: Go touch deep-rooted grass. Or better yet, go plant some. Slessarev, an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology in Yale's Faculty of Arts and
Researchers from the University of Twente and Harvard University have developed a new way to generate ultraviolet (UV) light on a photonic chip at power levels high enough for real-world use. For the first time, the technique produces milliwatt-level UV light on a chip. It is
The universe has a hidden structure, and a University of Virginia professor is mapping it in 3D, using 46 million galaxies and quasars and 19 million stars. Satya Gontcho A Gontcho, an assistant professor in the Department of Astronomy, is part of a team using the Lawrence
Astronomers at the University of Hawaiʻi have precisely measured the age of a nearby sun-like star and its unusual companion, known as a brown dwarf, an object that falls between a planet and a star. The discovery offers new clues into how brown dwarfs grow and change over time.
If you were to ask democracy scholars what they consider the greatest threat to American democracy, you might assume it is voters who support undemocratic practices or policies. But the real answer may surprise you: These voters are not the main problem.
A research collaboration, including a team of students from the University of Michigan, has published a new report that dives into an understudied aspect on changing ice cover on the Great Lakes. Namely, how do residents, business leaders and other stakeholders in the region
A new technology has been proposed that could fundamentally solve the issue of smartphones overheating during high-spec gaming or extended video streaming. Researchers at KAIST have discovered the principle of processing signals using the minute vibrations of magnets (spin
Researchers at Durham have helped unlock a new understanding of how bacteria import antimicrobial peptides—the molecules that can kill or inhibit microbes. The research sheds new light on SbmA, a key transporter protein found in the membranes of bacteria such as E. coli. Their
Scientists from Skoltech have presented a review on the use of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in metal-ion batteries. The work, published in Progress in Materials Science, systematizes over a decade of research and opens new directions for creating environmentally friendly,
Celebrating the scientific and technical contributions of Rome on the mythical birthday of the eternal city The post Rome Was Built Today appeared first on Nautilus .
Researchers at Umeå University have identified two human cell proteins, NUP98 and NUP153, that play a crucial role in how viruses such as tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), West Nile virus, and dengue virus replicate in the body. The findings challenge existing views of how
Researchers have provided new insights into the evolutionary origin of sideways walking in crabs. Their study, published today as a Reviewed Preprint in eLife, presents the largest comparative dataset on crab locomotion to help understand the origins of the animals' iconic
Livestock farming causes a significant share of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. According to a new study, the carbon footprint of milk may be considerably larger than commonly calculated when carbon released from the soil is also considered. The work is published in The
Human activities have always shaped both biological and cultural diversity. An international team led by the University of Vienna has now investigated the link between the threat to species and that to languages. Linguists and biodiversity researchers identified a common key
For every life-changing new drug that comes to market, many candidates fail along the way. An artificial intelligence-based tool developed at the University of Oregon could help scientists better predict how hypothetical new drugs might act in the body before running expensive
Journalism classes are usually not paired with business lessons. While there have been calls for increasing business knowledge in journalism, research from the University of Kansas has found that high school journalists are learning business skills even though they are not a
Relatively simple habitat management can influence population genetics, providing conservation managers with the opportunity to support genetic resilience not only through breeding programs or translocations, but also by changing how essential resources are distributed in the
You might go for a walk in the forest to disconnect from work and calm your nerves after a busy week. The chirping and calls of birds in the canopy above might be exactly what allows you to relax.
What culinary practices prevailed in the South Caucasus during the Bronze Age? A new study shows that the cuisine was remarkably diverse. The evidence highlights a multi-ingredient cuisine alongside the central role of dairy products, fruit and grape-based beverages in
Researchers at DTU have found that a particular type of lactic acid bacteria displays considerable potential for producing plant-based yogurt alternatives. The bacteria can inhibit potentially harmful bacteria and break down sugars that cause stomach discomfort.
A study published in Science Advances shows that, in moss and the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, commonly known as thale cress, leaf formation relies on very similar cellular dynamics, with growth concentrated at their base. Led by scientists at Université de Montréal, the
Following NASA's Artemis II mission successfully splashing down on Earth, engineers started diving into detailed analysis of data to assess how key systems and subsystems on the Orion spacecraft, SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, and systems at the launch pad at the agency's
The telltale V-formations of migrating Canada geese each spring are usually welcome harbingers of warmer weather. They are also a visible warning that your chances of stepping on something unpleasant in a local park, sports field or greenspace have dramatically increased. The
A study investigating microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in agricultural settings has found they reduced plant growth and entered plant tissues through the soil, raising new concerns about food safety and human exposure. The study, led by Griffith University, tested how
In her debut book, science writer Roxanne Khamsi offers a new view of mutations that’s not limited to birth and death.
The total solar eclipse in 2024 hushed the Earth by striking awe in the humans in its path The post The Peace That an Eclipse Brings appeared first on Nautilus .
This observation from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, released on March 23, 2026, gives an unparalleled, detailed look at the aftermath of a supernova and how it has evolved over the telescope's long lifetime.
Red-leaf lettuce is red due to anthocyanins, a class of polyphenolic pigments widely studied for their antioxidant properties. In plants, anthocyanins are synthesized through enzymatic reactions originating from the amino acid phenylalanine. Along this biosynthetic pathway,
Tens of kilometers above Earth's surface, high-energy particles from outer space constantly strike the atmosphere, creating showers of energetic secondary particles that rain down from the sky. Approximately one of these particles passes through your head every second, but the
Scientists from the Laboratory of Dermatological Photobiology of the University of Malaga, in collaboration with Cantabria Labs España, have carried out a study in which, for the first time, they have demonstrated how a natural extract—the Aspalathus linearis, the rooibos
Young children who spend more time on screen-based activities and less time talking with adults tend to have weaker language skills, according to a recent study from the University of Tartu. The findings highlight that daily interaction—rather than screen limits alone—plays a
A comprehensive new study extending the U.S. Historical Climatology Network (USHCN) record back to 1899 finds that both hot and cold temperature extremes across the contiguous United States have declined over the past 127 years. The research, performed by Dr. John R. Christy,
New research has revealed dairy calves that are fed less complete tasks faster and remember more in pursuit of milk, but miss out on play. Calves that were given more food were more inclined to play. The study, led by the University of Bristol and published in Scientific
