For decades, scientists have relied on a chemical fingerprint inside water molecules to determine where plants get their moisture. The method shaped our understanding of drought resilience, groundwater use, and ecosystem survival. But there was a problem. The fingerprints
For decades, the basics of plant growth have been taught in grade school: Plants make their food out of water from the soil, light from the sun and carbon dioxide from the air in a process called photosynthesis. What gets less attention is that plants release some of that
In most plants and animals, including humans, mitochondria are inherited exclusively, or nearly exclusively, from the mother. By contrast, paternal transmission is observed only occasionally, and the mechanisms behind this phenomenon have remained largely unknown. In a study
Pollen exposure is linked to poorer exam results taken at the end of secondary (high) school (matriculation), with the effects especially noticeable in subjects involving math, including physics and chemistry, finds research published online in the Journal of Epidemiology &
Crystalline nanomaterials are valuable because their highly ordered structures give them useful properties for technologies such as data storage and optical devices. But forming nanoparticles from those orderly crystals is difficult because, instead of snapping into place, the
Diastereomers are structurally identical molecules that are not mirror images of each other. Diastereomers can have different biological activities, potencies or toxicities, which means they can influence biological systems, be separated from one another and more. To fully
When a new species is discovered, it's tempting to imagine an adventure novel, said Chan Kin Onn of Michigan State University. "Most people have this image of an intrepid explorer braving an isolated mountain or some other remote place, and stumbling across a creature that no
In recent years, van der Waals crystals have evolved from scientific curiosities into a versatile platform for exploring novel quantum phases and unconventional nanophotonic phenomena. Their layered nature allows stacking, twisting and interfacing with a remarkable atomic
For years, the Prairie Pothole Region has bothered me in a very specific way. On a map, it looks like a normal landscape: fields, gentle slopes, small streams. But hydrologically, it behaves like something else entirely. The surface is peppered with countless
A recent study published in PLOS ONE has shed light on public perceptions of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) in wildlife conservation across Czechia, Germany, and Italy. The research, conducted as part of the BioRescue project, highlights public attitudes toward ART,
How much carbon dioxide do parks and individual trees in cities absorb, and how much do they release? To answer this question, researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed a high-resolution CO₂ biogenic flux model. Their findings show that, on average,
Scientists at the EU4MOFs research network have taken the initiative to standardize the reporting of synthetic procedures and material properties of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). To this aim, they have developed the concept of a "Material Preparation Information File
After more than a decade of research, scientists have discovered the natural mechanism behind a novel form of cell death called ferroptosis. The work, described in the current issue of Cell, points toward an entirely new strategy for treating many types of cancer and
Despite some modest progress over the past two decades, Canada's waste diversion efforts remain wanting: according to the Canadian government, only 27% of the country's waste is recycled, composted, or otherwise diverted from disposal. In 2022, 26.6 million tons of solid waste
Understanding how cells are organized and how their molecular components interact in a coordinated and cooperative manner is a central goal of modern life sciences. To answer these questions, researchers need to observe many structures inside the same cell at once and map how
Recently-revealed notebooks belonging to a late paleontologist contain the missing information needed to help researchers finish their study of a remarkable fossil discovered nearly three decades ago.
A new catalyst strategy developed at Institute of Science Tokyo uses BaSi2 as a support for nickel and cobalt to decompose ammonia at lower temperatures. By forming unique ternary transition metal–nitrogen–barium intermediates that facilitate nitrogen coupling, the system
A research group led by Associate Professor Tetsuya Muramoto from the Faculty of Science, Toho University, has established a CRISPR genome editing technique that enables comparative analysis of the evolution of multicellularity across different species of social amoebae
Intrinsically disordered proteins lack a fixed structure, which is why they have been considered "undruggable" targets for drug development for years. However, these proteins play a key role in numerous diseases—ranging from various types of cancer to neurodegenerative
The temperate rainforests of the Chilean Coast Range are home to a spectacular array of life: iridescent blue lizards, tiny wild cats called kodkods, and curly vines of waxy red bellflowers. Towering over this biodiversity are endangered ancient conifers, called alerce
Yellowstone National Park is home to the world’s most impressive geysers The post World’s Largest Acid Geyser Erupts, Right in Our Backyard appeared first on Nautilus .
A University of Queensland study has shown that a deadly scorpion's venom carries an extra biochemical sting that could be used to guide future medical treatments and tests. The paper is published in the journal Biochimie.
Researchers at the University of Bath have developed a new technology that uses bacteria to build, chemically stabilize, and test millions of potential drug molecules inside living cells, making it much quicker and easier to discover new treatments for difficult-to-treat cancers.
Private companies are no longer peripheral participants in U.S. space activities. They provide key services, including launching and deploying satellites, transporting cargo and astronauts to the International Space Station, and even sending landers to the moon.
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has started releasing its first discoveries: including supernovae, variable stars and asteroids, which will from now on be discovered at an astonishing rate as it begins its Legacy Survey of Space and Time, a ten-year survey probing the deepest
Indigenous people who were the first to inhabit the area now known as Michigan—before the Europeans arrived—may have cultivated maize (corn) more prominently than previously assumed for such a northern population. Researchers from the University of New Hampshire found that
When we seek happiness, what exactly are we searching for? And when we wish happiness on someone else, what is it that we truly desire for them?
This image, taken with ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), seems to have captured a cosmic hawk as it spans its wings. While the dark clouds in the middle of the image make up the head and body of the bird of prey, the filaments extending away from the body to the left and right
Nocturnal insects may use both Earth's magnetic field and visual cues to guide their migratory flight behaviors, according to recent findings. The research, published in eLife, presents compelling evidence on how geomagnetic and visual cues are integrated in a nocturnally
The earliest mass graves in Europe date back just over 7,000 years. They reveal brutal evidence for violence beyond the simple act of killing. The motives for these events are probably diverse but consistently highlight an intention to kill large numbers of enemies across sex
Scientists have long focused on rising temperatures to understand how climate change is reshaping the natural world. But there's a critical blind spot in that picture: rain. A new global study reveals precipitation has been largely overlooked in studies of how climate change
Unretouched triangular microlithic projectile points have been identified from their impact traces in the oldest occupation layers of the Obi-Rakhmat site in Uzbekistan, dating to 80,000 years ago. Their size corresponds to small arrowheads, which are directly comparable to
There are many open questions about how our planet formed 4.55 billion years ago: When did plate tectonics start? When did the Earth's mantle begin to vigorously circulate in a process called convection? What was Earth like early in its lifetime? Because no rock records from
Astronomers with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX) have used data from the project to make the largest, most accurate 3D map yet of the light emitted by excited hydrogen in the early universe, 9 billion to 11 billion years ago. This specific form of
Managers looking to improve worker performance are increasingly turning to AI tools to boost productivity and decision quality. But research published in the journal Management Science suggests that technology alone won't determine results. The biggest gains come when workers
The best candidate for next-generation magnetic devices—technology that can power, store, sense or transport information—may be, counterintuitively, antiferromagnets. Today, the most widely used magnetic materials are ferromagnets, which exhibit permanent magnetization and
Using AI to identify wildlife reveals a potential "transferability crisis," researchers say. Marketing for AI imaging systems often suggests that models can easily tackle novel scenarios across ecosystems and settings, much in the same way as human observers. But in a new
There’s a way for the tiny resilient creatures to thrive even on the red planet The post Watch How Water Bears Can Survive in Martian Dirt appeared first on Nautilus .
A new computational method allows modern atomic models to learn from experimental thermodynamic data, according to a University of Michigan Engineering and Université Paris-Saclay study published in Nature Communications. Leveraging a machine learning technique called score
A new study underscores the importance of a "growth mindset" in entrepreneurs when faced with business challenges. Specifically, the study shows that entrepreneurs who think they can change their views on conserving or spending business resources are more resilient when faced
Tiny life forms tucked into debris from an asteroid hit could catapult to other planets—including Earth—and survive, a new Johns Hopkins University study finds. The work demonstrates that a certain hardy bacterium easily withstands extreme pressure comparable to an ejection
Foods marketed as "natural" are not consistently more nutritious than their conventional counterparts, and some front-of-package nutrition labels may unintentionally encourage manufacturers to swap sugar for non-sugar sweeteners, according to a new study by researchers at the
Behind every breakthrough, there is a quest for truth. This desire is wired into humans—an insatiable curiosity about the world. Questions about truth have perplexed philosophers for thousands of years, but many focus on distinguishing fact from fiction. Gila Sher, professor of
A method for making quantum computers less error-prone could let them run complex programs such as simulations of materials more efficiently, thus making them more useful
Mental health problems can be a barrier for many people seeking employment, but new research from the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business shows that remote work options can increase participation in the labor market. The study, "Psychological barriers to participation in the
National parks in the United States represent a treasure trove of natural, historical, and recreational landscapes, but their health is at risk. A comprehensive new study on the climate-change vulnerability of national parks, published in Conservation Letters, has found that
These results are preliminary, but they could eventually improve ovarian health and fertility in women, researchers say
Snakes may be best known for slithering. But consider that these animals also perform one of the most extreme feats of posture control found in nature: They can stand nearly straight upright on a narrow perch without falling, lifting 70% of their body length, despite having no
Few pests eat away at farm profitability as much as soybean cyst nematode (SCN). Causing at least $1.5 billion in yield losses annually, it's soybean's single biggest threat. Unfortunately, soybean's most effective tool, genetic resistance, is starting to fail. That's why a
Many large herbivores that once roamed modern-day Panama have declined or died out—including the 6-meter-long giant ground sloth and elephant-related creatures called Cuvieronius. New research suggests that introducing large herbivores in Panama's forests could fill the gap
