The Medieval Friar Who Foretold Carl Sagan’s “Star-Stuff”
Before science could prove it, this philosopher saw our place in the stars The post The Medieval Friar Who Foretold Carl Sagan’s “Star-Stuff” appeared first on Nautilus .
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How the 'Queen of the night' flower rapidly produces its iconic scent
Floral scents play essential ecological roles, attracting pollinators and deterring herbivores. Geraniol, a monoterpene with a sweet, rose-like aroma, is a major commercial fragrance component widely used in the perfume and flavor industries. In most flowering plants, geraniol
Green-synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles from desert plants show broad antimicrobial activity
As drug-resistant infections continue to rise, researchers are looking for new antimicrobial strategies that are both effective and sustainable. One emerging approach combines nanotechnology with "green" chemistry, using plant extracts instead of harsh chemicals to produce
First complete record of global underground CO₂ storage released
The first-ever audited account of the actual amounts of CO2 stored underground by CCS projects globally has been released. It was created by a new international consortium of scientists and industrial partners, including NTNU.
Asteroid 2024 YR4 was Earth's first real-life defense test
At this point in history, astronomers and engineers who grew up watching "Deep Impact" and "Armageddon," two movies about the destructive power of asteroid impacts, are likely in relatively high ranking positions at space agencies. "Don't Look Up" also provided a more modern,
Cohesion, charging and chaos on the lunar surface
Most people interested in space exploration already know lunar dust is an absolute nightmare to deal with. We've already reported on numerous potential methods for dealing with it, from 3D printing landing pads so we don't sand blast everything in a given area when a rocket
Balloon telescope captures new details of matter swirling around black holes
An international collaboration of physicists including researchers at Washington University in St. Louis has made measurements to better understand how matter falls into black holes and how enormous amounts of energy and light are released in the process.
Smelly Socks Make for More Ethical Research
Traps to monitor river blindness spread could replace human volunteers and reduce the disease’s spread The post Smelly Socks Make for More Ethical Research appeared first on Nautilus .
Sugar transporters found to boost aminoglycoside antibiotic entry into bacteria
Aminoglycosides are antibiotics effective against a wide range of bacteria including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Until now however, their mode of entry into bacteria has remained unknown. Scientists at the Institut Pasteur, working with
From artificial organs to advanced batteries: A breakthrough 3D-printable polymer
A new type of 3D-printable material that gets along with the body's immune system, pioneered by a University of Virginia research team, could lead to safer medical technology for organ transplants and drug delivery systems. It could also improve battery technologies.
Traditional Hawaiian fishponds help shield fish from climate change impacts
Traditional Hawaiian fishponds (loko iʻa) are emerging as a model for climate resilience, according to a study from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB). The research, published in npj Ocean Sustainability, revealed Indigenous
Study finds Marion County Record raid created 'shared press distress' among fellow journalists
When police raided a newspaper in the small town of Marion in 2023, they made international headlines as computers and phones were seized in an apparent attack on press freedom. New research from the University of Kansas has found the incident sparked "shared press distress"
Open-access tool navigates expanding world of metal–organic frameworks for easier discovery
A new open-access tool created by University of Toronto Engineering researchers provides a systematic way to organize and synthesize knowledge about metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)—a class of materials with applications in drug delivery, catalysis, carbon capture and more.
Delaying net zero may mean centuries of hotter, longer, more frequent heat waves
We must prepare for a future of frequent, deadly heat waves, which will worsen in severity the longer it takes to reach net zero, new research has shown.
Sea urchin mass mortality events: Studies identify primary drivers
Two pioneering studies by researchers from the School of Zoology and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History at Tel Aviv University, led by Dr. Omri Bronstein, have identified the primary drivers of sea urchin mass mortality events over recent decades: pathogens, storms, and
Enduring patterns in world's languages: One-third of grammatical 'universals' stand up to rigorous testing
Despite the vast diversity of human languages, specific grammatical patterns appear again and again. A new study reveals that around a third of the long-proposed "linguistic universals"—patterns thought to hold across all languages—are statistically supported when examined with
Prescribed burning helps store forest carbon in big fire-resistant trees, long-term Sierra Nevada study shows
A two-decade-long experiment in the Sierra Nevada found that regular prescribed burns promote carbon sequestration in live trees and plants, maintaining forests' long-term ability to store carbon while also reducing wildfire hazard.
Small changes in turnout could substantially alter election results in the UK in the future, study warns
Small changes in turnout could substantially alter election results in the future because the U.K. now has a multiparty system with majoritarian voting rules, warns a new study published in Parliamentary Affairs.
Astronomers reveal flat 'Diamond Ring' in Cygnus X is a burst bubble remnant
An international team led by researchers from the University of Cologne has solved the mystery of an extraordinary phenomenon known as the "Diamond Ring" in the star-forming region Cygnus X, a huge, ring-shaped structure made of gas and dust that resembles a glowing diamond
Lethal aggression among chimpanzees tied to larger territories and higher infant survival
The Ngogo chimpanzees of Uganda's Kibale National Park have long been known for violent clashes with neighboring groups, often resulting in deaths—a phenomenon sometimes described as "chimpanzee warfare."
Lethal dose of plastics for ocean wildlife: Surprisingly small amounts can kill seabirds, sea turtles and marine mammals
By studying more than 10,000 necropsies, researchers now know how much plastic it takes to kill seabirds, sea turtles, and marine mammals, and the lethal dose is much smaller than you might think. Their new study titled "A quantitative risk assessment framework for mortality
Fake survey answers from AI could quietly sway election predictions
Public opinion polls and other surveys rely on data to understand human behavior. New research from Dartmouth reveals that artificial intelligence can now corrupt public opinion surveys at scale—passing every quality check, mimicking real humans, and manipulating results
The woman and the goose: A 12,000-year-old glimpse into prehistoric belief
A 12,000-year-old clay figurine unearthed in northern Israel, depicting a woman and a goose, is the earliest known human-animal interaction figurine. Found at the Late Natufian site of Nahal Ein Gev II, the piece predates the Neolithic and signals a turning point in artistic
From warriors to healers: Muscle stem cell signal redirects macrophages toward tadpole tail regeneration
Researchers Sumika Kato, Takeo Kubo, and Taro Fukazawa of the University of Tokyo have discovered that c1qtnf3, a secreting factor, namely a protein molecule that is secreted by a cell and influences functions of other cells, is expressed in putative muscle stem cells and
Earth's earliest life 3.3 billion years ago revealed by faint biosignatures
A new study uncovered fresh chemical evidence of life in rocks more than 3.3 billion years old, along with molecular traces showing that oxygen-producing photosynthesis emerged nearly a billion years earlier than previously thought.
Medieval communities boosted biodiversity around Lake Constance for centuries, study reveals
One of the major realizations of the Anthropocene era has been the importance of biodiversity for the functioning of the Earth system, as well as for human societies.
A clay figurine unveils a storytelling shift from 12,000 years ago
A carefully crafted figure of a goose and a woman suggests that art reflecting spiritual beliefs entered a new phase among early villagers in the Middle East.
Iron-sulfur cluster found essential for proper ribosome assembly in cells
A single iron-sulfur building block directly determines whether ribosomes—the protein factories of our cells—work smoothly or not. This is the conclusion of a recent research project led by the RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau. The findings significantly expand our understanding of
Wastewater from 47 countries often suppresses resistant bacteria, challenging common assumptions
Municipal wastewater contains a large range of excreted antibiotics and has therefore long been suspected to be a spawning ground for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Now, a study led by a team from the University of Gothenburg and published in Nature Communications provides a
Beyond the usual suspect: Nitrogen feeds algae blooms, researchers find
Nitrogen is a bit of a conundrum. In its gaseous form it's the most abundant element in the atmosphere, but few organisms can readily use it. And while all living organisms contain nitrogen, a new University of Vermont study finds that even tiny amounts of nitrogen can fuel
Equatorial reefs may act as refugia for corals during marine heat waves
A global analysis of coral bleaching across 81 countries reveals that reefs in the equatorial Coral Triangle region were exposed to the weakest marine heat waves over the past two decades and may function as safe havens for corals even as global warming robs the planet of most
Key corn protein linked to stronger, longer-lasting seed
A new international study co-led by the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment shows how a single genetic change helps protect corn seeds during storage. This offers plant breeders a clear target for developing varieties that stay
Omo-Turkana Basin fossil catalog helps piece together early hominin record
The Omo-Turkana Basin, where the Omo River drains into Lake Turkana in Africa, has been one of the three most valuable regions for the study of hominin evolution in Africa. Since the 1960s, many large-scale studies have taken place in the region and contributed to our
Scientists map genetic distribution of maerl-forming algae across south-west Britain
A habitat-building coralline algae that provides a vital nursing ground for marine species and an important blue carbon ecosystem has been genetically mapped around south-west Britain in a first-of-its-kind study.
These Whales Can Eat Anyone Under the Table
But their impressive appetites seem to be in tune with their ecosystems The post These Whales Can Eat Anyone Under the Table appeared first on Nautilus .
New computational tool helps scientists interpret complex single-cell data
Researchers from Turku Bioscience Center at the University of Turku, Finland, have developed a new computational method to interpret complex single-cell data. The method helps researchers identify and group cell types across samples.
NASA, SpaceX launch US–European satellite to monitor Earth's oceans
About the size of a full-size pickup truck, a newly launched satellite by NASA and its partners will provide ocean and atmospheric information to improve hurricane forecasts, help protect infrastructure, and benefit commercial activities, such as shipping.
Worries about climate change are waning in many well-off nations—but growing in Turkey, Brazil and India
Polling on public attitudes to climate change show a dip in the numbers who worry about it in many high-income countries, compared with three years ago. This declining public concern will be a worry to those governments looking to push forward with new environmental measures.
Seven in ten people think the papers regularly publish false information
The resignation of the BBC's director general and CEO of news is only the latest symptom of a deeper malaise in the media, a crisis of trust that runs through broadcasters and newspapers alike.
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus vaccine effectiveness linked to T cell response
A new study shows that the effectiveness of current vaccines against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is due to the response of T cells against the disease, rather than the production of antibodies. The work is an important step in identifying
California beaches are holding steady or gaining width, showing more resilience than expected
Two new studies from researchers at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography provide encouraging news about California's beaches at both local and statewide scales.
Severe floods cut global rice yields, threatening food security for billions
Severe flooding has slashed global rice yields in recent decades, threatening food security for billions of people who depend on the grain. The losses amounted to approximately 4.3%, or 18 million tons of rice per year, between 1980 and 2015, according to research from Stanford
Ultracold potassium-cesium molecules assembled in absolute ground state
Researchers from Hanns-Christoph Nägerl's group have produced the world's first ultracold KCs molecules in their absolute ground state. Starting by mixing clouds of potassium and cesium atoms cooled almost to absolute zero temperature, they were able to use a combination of
Interface-driven catalyst design combines clean hydrogen production and urea conversion
Prof. Pi-Tai Chou's group at National Taiwan University Department of Chemistry has created a catalyst that turns two challenges into one solution: it produces clean hydrogen with remarkable efficiency while breaking down urea with ease. This breakthrough not only lowers the
Molecular switch helps cancer cells survive harsh conditions
Cells are regularly faced with environmental stresses that may damage or destroy them. To survive, they quickly adjust their gene expression to protect themselves. This is especially true for cancer cells, which must contend with a microenvironment that is inherently
These Ants Kill Their Own Queen
The tale of parasitic species that coerce their victims into committing matricide The post These Ants Kill Their Own Queen appeared first on Nautilus .
How adding plants to your driveway could reduce winter flood risks
When it comes to adapting cities to a rapidly and dramatically changing climate, the garden is on the frontline of the fight. Gardens act as green sinkholes, allowing excess rainwater to escape, as well as helping to cool cities in summer.
A wolf raided a crab trap. Was it tool use or just canine cunning?
Video from the Haíɫzaqv Nation Indigenous community shows a wolf hauling a crab trap ashore. Scientists are split on whether it counts as tool use.
Autistic dogs? Neurodiversity in our pets and what it might mean for us
I live with several cocker spaniels. They are smart and affectionate, but sometimes air-headed, impulsive and extremely sensitive. It's common for friends to describe my dogs as "having ADHD" as one of my canine whirlwinds whizzes past.
G20 and the civil society elite: Spectacle instead of meaningful action
Behind the talk of fighting inequality at the group of 20 most powerful economies in the world, the G20, lies a carefully staged show—one that manages dissent rather than redistributes power.
