Recent epic leaps in genetics have created a biodiversity library. As the genetic make-up of animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, and viruses has been mapped, researchers racing to develop solutions to today's global challenges run into a question:
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) acts as an important coenzyme that helps convert food into energy within the body. Korean researchers have successfully created a new artificial enzyme for the first time in the world by combining this riboflavin (flavin) with metal, adding the metal's
Grassland degradation fundamentally reshapes how biodiversity supports ecosystem multifunctionality, shifting it from being plant-dominated to being mediated by soil microbes, according to a new study led by Prof. Yang Yuanhe from the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy
An extinct snake has slithered its way out of obscurity over four decades after its discovery. The newly described species of reptile, Paradoxophidion richardoweni, is offering new clues in the search for the origin of "advanced" snakes.
Climate change is accelerating continental rifting, the geological process where landmasses slowly pull apart. According to a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports, the East African Rift System (EARS) became more tectonically active after its major lakes shrank
Using sophisticated RNA sequencing technology, biomedical researchers can measure the activity of our genes across millions of single cells, creating detailed maps of tissues, organs, and diseases. Analyzing these datasets requires a rare combination of skills: a deep
A decade ago, a seminal speech by Mark Carney, then governor of the Bank of England and current Canadian prime minister, set out how climate change presented an economic risk that threatened the very stability of the financial system.
The world's most important climate summit—known this year as COP30—has begun in the Amazonian port city of Belém, Brazil. It promises to be contentious: key countries haven't submitted new climate plans, and negotiations are held up by disputes over who should pay for climate
There have been at least three watershed moments in how humans access information.
Historians have traced myths about the Black Death’s rapid journey across Asia to one 14th-century poem by Ibn al-Wardi. His imaginative maqāma, never meant as fact, became the foundation for centuries of misinformation about how the plague spread. The new study exposes how
The world is losing vast swaths of forests to agriculture, logging, mining and fires every year—more than 20 million acres in 2024 alone, roughly the size of South Carolina.
It is early evening in Australia's top end, and a hunter stalks its prey. Keenly alert, the northern quoll follows the sound of rustling in the leaf litter. It must be some kind of frog, the small carnivorous marsupial decides, and pounces. But the quoll is seized by an
The female of the species has devil-like black horns, and a taste for extremely rare pollen. But until now, this Australian native bee has never been officially named or identified.
On Quandamooka Sea Country (Moreton Bay), a team of multi-disciplinary scientists have captured unique footage that cements the popular bayside site's importance as a humpback whale nursing and resting area.
The chemical industry is one of the largest on Earth, essential for supplying us with pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, materials and more. Great care is taken to optimize reagents and conditions for each reaction, striving for efficiency and, increasingly, sustainability.
From muscle atrophy to bone loss, astronauts face a number of health risks while in space.
Scientists at Japan's Institute for Molecular Science have achieved a 1,000-fold enhancement in white-light generation inside water by using non-harmonic two-color femtosecond laser excitation. This previously unexplored approach in liquids unlocks new nonlinear optical
Research from the Manchester Institute of Education offers vital early insights into how AI tools can be responsibly and effectively embedded into teacher training. The preliminary findings from year 1 of the three-year longitudinal pioneering research project explore the
Species that evolved rapidly in body size—such as the greater kudu and bighorn sheep—have fewer cancerous tumors, but the same is not true for non-cancerous tumors, according to new research.
Work continues on designs for robots that can help assist the first human explorers on the moon in over half a century. One of the most important aspects of that future trip will be utilizing the resources available on the moon's surface, known as in-situ resource utilization
A new study led by the Rees Centre in the University of Oxford's Department of Education challenges how success is defined for young people leaving the care system, revealing that official metrics often fail to reflect what matters most to care leavers themselves.
The government shutdown's strain on air traffic control has not only led to limitations on airlines, but spaceflight too.
Carnivorous plants of the genus Pinguicula (butterworts) from Mexico apparently use the same water-saving photosynthesis type as many succulent plants, such as cacti. Botanists from the SNSB and LMU Munich have now demonstrated CAM photosynthesis in carnivorous plants for the
What makes plants grow to a certain size? From the tiniest cells to whole leaves, roots, and stems, growth has to be carefully coordinated—but until now, it has been hard to compare findings from different studies.
In northeast Laos, close to the mountainous country's border with Vietnam, sits a sheer cliff nearly four times as tall as the Willis Tower. Known as Phou Pha Thi and considered sacred by local communities, it's where the most U.S. Air Force troops were lost in the Vietnam War.
A novel technology that utilizes light of different wavelengths to control cellular functions by inducing reversible assembly and disassembly of molecules has been developed. This breakthrough could pave the way for new approaches in treating superficial cancers, such as skin
The EU is considering introducing a blanket ban on the man-made chemicals called PFAS because of the risks they pose. Researchers have now found that these substances can even alter the genes of birds before they hatch.
New research into racism in South Australian schools highlights that clear, consistent frameworks support safer, more inclusive school communities.
There are parts of Australia where koalas are talked about like urban legends.
A new study of nearly 800 barred owls on the West Coast shows the invasive predator feeds on 29 species given special conservation status by federal and state governments.
Education about climate change and sustainability is a vital part of responding to a rapidly changing world, including the negative effects of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
Dr. Peter Shi from Macquarie Business School explains how low-carbon supply chain finance helps businesses reduce emissions, unlock green funding and build resilient, profitable networks amid global climate challenges.
New research has found a simple sit-stand routine at work significantly reduces lower back pain, offering a high-impact solution for employees in sedentary work environments. The study was published in Applied Ergonomics.
Research led by the University of Auckland has cast light on the evolutionary origins of one of nature's first motors, which developed 3.5 billion to 4 billion years ago to propel bacteria.
In seahorses, it is the males who carry offspring to term. The females lay their eggs into a special brood pouch on the bellies of the males where they are fertilized by the male's sperm. In the brood pouches, embryos are provided with nutrients and oxygen from the males'
In February, the James Webb Space Telescope will briefly be able to observe asteroid 2024 YR4, which currently has a 4 per cent chance of hitting the moon in 2032. Depending on what it sees, the odds of collision could drastically increase
During winter months, frost can unleash icy havoc on cars, planes, heat pumps, and much more. But thermal defrosting with heaters is very energy intensive, while chemical defrosting is expensive and toxic to the environment.
From dogs and cats to dairy cows and sea turtles, animals around the world are suffering from various cancers, obesity, diabetes, and degenerative joint disease. Understanding the forces driving an increase in these non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is vital for both animal and
A globally cited statistic about the role of irrigation for food security that has formed foundational evidence for policy-making and scientific research is used on a hearsay basis and is based on weak evidence, according to a new study.
Astronomers have conducted multiwavelength observations of a recently detected fast X-ray transient designated EP241107a. Results of the observational campaign, published November 4 on the arXiv preprint server, shed more light on the nature of this transient, suggesting a
The stranded crew of a Chinese space mission is "in good condition, working and living normally," China's Manned Space Engineering office said on Tuesday.
Quantum computers, machines that process information leveraging quantum mechanical effects, could outperform classical computers on some optimization tasks and computations. Despite their potential, quantum computers are known to be prone to errors and their ability to perform
Sunk in grief and alcoholism, this neuroscientist discovered the power of memory in himself The post He Erased Memory in Mice. Then Thought About Erasing His Own appeared first on Nautilus .
For over a decade, mathematicians have failed to agree whether a 500-page proof is actually correct. Now, translating the proof into a computer-readable form may finally settle the matter
Arynes are highly reactive organic intermediates featuring a triple bond within an aromatic ring. Their strong reactivity enables them to form bonds with a wide range of functional groups, making them valuable tools for the synthesis of complex aromatic molecules in drug
A planned supersized floating wind turbine with two spinning heads will generate nearly double the amount of energy as the current record-holder
Scientists at EPFL have unraveled the mystery behind why biological nanopores, tiny molecular holes used in both nature and biotechnology, sometimes behave unpredictably. By experimenting with engineered versions of the bacterial pore aerolysin, they discovered that two key
Researchers in Osaka have found that stem cells from fat tissue can repair spinal fractures similar to those caused by osteoporosis. By turning these cells into bone-forming clusters and pairing them with a bone-rebuilding material, rats regained stronger, healthier spines. The
Japanese researchers uncovered a universal rule describing why life’s growth slows despite abundant nutrients. Their “global constraint principle” integrates classic biological laws to show that multiple factors limit cellular growth in sequence. Verified through E. coli
Earth scientists have discovered how continents are slowly peeled from beneath, fueling volcanic activity in an unexpected place: the oceans.
