New forms of fentanyl are created every day. For law enforcement, that poses a challenge: How do you identify a chemical you've never seen before? Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) aim to answer that question with a machine learning model that can
Amino acids, the building blocks necessary for life, were previously found in samples of 4.6-billion-year-old rocks from an asteroid called Bennu, delivered to Earth in 2023 by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission. How those amino acids—the molecules that create proteins and peptides in
A novel type of three-dimensional (3D) polar topological structure, termed the "polar chiral bobber," has been discovered in ferroelectric oxide thin films, demonstrating promising potential for high-density multistate non-volatile memory and logic devices. The result was
As the climate crisis becomes a part of daily life with unprecedented heat waves and cold snaps, technology to effectively remove greenhouse gases is emerging as a critical global challenge. In particular, catalytic technology that decomposes harmful gases using oxygen is a key
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas with strong heat-trapping capabilities. Although there is less methane in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, the foremost greenhouse gas, researchers attribute 30% of modern global warming to methane. Observations show that methane levels
… after coopting viruses long ago to do its dirty work The post The Parasite That Chemically Castrates Its Moth Host appeared first on Nautilus .
A new smart platform invented by Purdue University researchers to wirelessly monitor subsoil health could change the landscape of agricultural sensing systems. The invention addresses a critical need in agriculture nationwide: the efficient use of water, fertilizers and
Climate change and evolving growing conditions present new challenges for breeding. It is important to take local environmental conditions into account. An international team led by the IPK Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research has used AI and big data to
A new study conducted at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) shows that grassland-based grazing systems—currently covering a third of Earth's surface and representing the world's largest production system—will see a severe contraction as global temperatures
Many ecologists hypothesize that, as global warming accelerates, change in nature must speed up. They assume that as temperatures rise and climatic zones shift, species will face local extinction and colonize new habitats at an ever-increasing rate, leading to a rapid
For many years, the deep ocean has been seen as a nutrient-poor environment where microbes living in the water survive on very limited resources. But new research from the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) challenges that idea. A study led by SDU-biologists at the Department
The climate fiction movie The Day After Tomorrow, released in 2004, popularized the devastating effects of sudden climate change on Earth. The plot dramatizes the consequences of a shut-down in an ocean current, and features the Northern Hemisphere plunging, within a few weeks,
In a new study published in Cell, scientists in the Bork Group at EMBL Heidelberg reveal that microbes living in similar habitats are more alike than those simply inhabiting the same geographical region. By analyzing tens of thousands of metagenomes, the team found that while
A novel study uncovers how a subtle chemical tweak transforms the naturally occurring phytotoxin into a powerful molecular glue, 12-deoxyfusicoccin (12-dFC), that locks 14-3-3 proteins onto the intrinsically disordered translational repressor GIGYF2 in human cells. Through
An international team of researchers has developed a breakthrough method for producing MXenes—an important family of two-dimensional materials—with unprecedented purity and control. The new "gas–liquid–solid" process enables the synthesis of pure MXenes with uniformly
When actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds bought a low-level Welsh soccer club in 2021, their goal was not just to save a sports team. In the FX docuseries "Welcome to Wrexham," which chronicles the stars' efforts to revitalize Wrexham AFC, the pair has been explicit about
A research team led by Prof. Zhang Tianshu from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a low-stress electro-optic switch based on large-aperture β-barium borate (BBO) slab crystals and integrated it into an Nd:YAG hybrid-cavity
Quantum materials and superconductors are difficult enough to understand on their own. Unconventional superconductors, which cannot be explained within the framework of standard theory, take the enigma to an entirely new level. A typical example of unconventional
People are more likely to act helpfully in situations where there are poorer choices to give to others, according to a new study that tested willingness to help others in different contexts.
A new comprehensive review details the challenges and opportunities of carbon monitoring in cities The post Living, Breathing Cities Pose Challenges for Carbon Monitoring appeared first on Nautilus .
The boreal forest—the world's largest terrestrial biome—is warming faster than any other forest type. To understand the changing dynamics of boreal forests, Min Feng and colleagues analyzed the biome from 1985 to 2020, leveraging the longest and highest-resolution satellite
From 1948 to 1953, a gold mine called Giant Mine released about 5 tons of arsenic trioxide per day into the environment around Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. Emissions declined from the 1950s until the mine closed in 2004, but the surrounding landscape remains
Smart AI voice concierges are increasingly being deployed for routine tasks once held by hotel front desk staff. From requesting extra towels to asking for a late check-out, many of these common guest inquiries are now being handled by in-room voice AI devices, a kiosk or
The irregular, swirling motion of fluids we call turbulence can be found everywhere, from stirring in a teacup to currents in the planetary atmosphere. This phenomenon is governed by the Navier-Stokes equations—a set of mathematical equations that describe how fluids move.
As artificial intelligence advances, computers demand faster and more efficient memory. The key to ultra-high-speed, low-power semiconductors lies in the "switching" principle—the mechanism by which memory materials turn electricity on and off. A South Korean research team has
Academics from the University of Sheffield are warning that current gambling advertising rules may be insufficient after new research revealed that television gambling ads significantly influenced betting activity during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The study examined betting
Physical forces from gravity, muscle contraction, and more have strong impacts on how the cells in our bodies behave. For instance, weight-bearing exercise helps stave off osteoporosis because cells in our bones sense that force and build more bone to support it. Cells of our
Stainless steel is widely known for its impressive corrosion resistance, but it is not invincible. When exposed to environments containing chloride ions, such as seawater, the risk of corrosion increases. To achieve the sleek, clean appearance the material is famous for,
For life to develop on a planet, certain chemical elements are needed in sufficient quantities. Phosphorus and nitrogen are essential. Phosphorus is vital for the formation of DNA and RNA, which store and transmit genetic information, and for the energy balance of cells.
A major study by an international team of researchers using data from the NASA/ESA/ASI Cassini spacecraft has revealed a lattice-like structure of crisscrossing reflected waves that flow downstream behind the moon in Saturn's equatorial plane, but also reach up to very high
Ripples in space-time from a pair of merging black holes have been recorded in unprecedented detail, enabling physicists to test predictions of general relativity
Hyesang Chang and colleagues, from Stanford University, explored why some children struggle to learn math compared to their peers in a new JNeurosci paper. Children selected which numbers were bigger than others across different trials, with quantities represented as numerical
Just after 9 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, final beams of oxygen ions—oxygen atoms stripped of their electrons—circulated through the twin 2.4-mile-circumference rings of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and crashed into one another at nearly the speed of light inside
Goats are increasingly being used in efforts to manage invasive common buckthorn in Midwestern woodlands. New research demonstrates when and how they are best used.
After years of work building an exquisitely sensitive instrument, University of Chicago scientists stood and watched as it flew up and out of sight into the fiercely blue Antarctic sky. Launched on Dec. 20, it would travel for the next 23 days on a NASA balloon along the very
A new study published in the journal Urban Ecosystems has revealed that the common black garden ant (Lasius niger) behaves differently depending on whether it lives in a bustling city or the quiet countryside. The researchers, led by an international team from Ukraine, Germany,
A new study reveals that Egyptians were using a mechanically sophisticated drilling tool far earlier than previously suggested. Researchers at Newcastle University, and the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, have re-examined a small copper-alloy object excavated a century ago from a
NASA on Monday delayed by one day the journey of four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) over weather conditions.
Here's a statistical challenge worthy of a grandmaster: How do you create an accurate ranking system when the best players usually don't win? This is the conundrum of elite chess. The stronger the players, the greater the odds of the match ending in a draw.
The charismatic, robust, and impressive North American mountain sheep is losing its habitat to industrial mining, the changing climate, and human activity. And unless action is taken to protect this popular and inherently American species, it could face extinction.
Frustrated by AI industry claims of proving math results without transparency, a team of leading academics has proposed a better way
Bad Bunny performed part of the Super Bowl halftime show from a powerline set, drawing attention to the problem of widespread blackouts in Puerto Rico
Historical injustices such as slavery and colonialism are not just matters of the past but active forces shaping present-day inequality and development, according to new legal research published in a leading African human rights volume. A new co-authored chapter by Mr. Olusegun
A team of physicists from the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with collaborators, has identified the dominant physical mechanism responsible for energy release in the nuclear isomer molybdenum-93m (Mo-93m). Using high-precision
For people who have been quietly struggling with doubts about their relationship, the weeks leading up to Valentine's Day can feel fraught. As Feb. 14 approaches, questions that were once easy to sidestep often become harder to ignore. In a study that tracked romantic couples
As soon as you drive over the top of the Peak District and down into Sheffield you can see the light pollution—and it's horrible, said a participant in a research project into darkness and light pollution.
When we think about birds, we often picture their colorful plumage: the iridescence of a peacock's tail or the electric blue flash of a kingfisher. Or we might consider how they use voices, from the song of the nightingale to the coo of a dove or the shriek of a jay.
Large blooms of seaweed are increasingly being reported along coastlines globally, from Europe and Asia to the tropics and beyond.
Miriam Menkin didn’t achieve the same fame as her colleague John Rock, but the life-changing procedure wouldn’t be possible without her The post The Woman Who Paved the Way for IVF appeared first on Nautilus .
After major disasters, public debate often treats them as unexpected or unprecedented. This reaction is not necessarily about the absence of warnings. It reflects how societies process shock—and how authorities often explain disruption as unavoidable, rather than the result of
