Scientists uncovered a 310-million-year-old fish fossil with a “tongue bite,” teeth on the roof and floor of its mouth that worked like a second jaw. This adaptation, previously thought to have appeared much later, shows how fish rapidly experimented with new feeding strategies after mass extinction.
A tiny embryo fold changed the course of evolution
A small tissue fold in fly embryos, once thought purposeless, plays a vital role in stabilizing tissues. Researchers show that it absorbs stress during early development, and its position and timing likely shaped its evolutionary emergence.
New Self-Assembling Material Could be the Key to Recyclable EV Batteries
Today’s electric vehicle boom is tomorrow’s mountain of electronic waste. And while myriad efforts are underway to improve battery recycling, many EV batteries still end up in landfills.
Deforestation May Cause Over a Third of Heat-Related Deaths in Tropical Regions
Deforestation in tropical countries could contribute to increased deaths from heat exposure in nearby populations, new research has shown.
Student Project Reveals the Underwater World of Falmouth Harbour
A student from the University of Plymouth is using her dissertation project to reveal some of the fascinating marine life living in the waters of Falmouth Harbour.
The flawed carbon math that lets major polluters off the hook
Past climate assessments let big polluters delay action, placing more burden on smaller nations. A new method based on historical responsibility demands steep cuts from wealthy countries and more financial support for poorer ones. Courts are now stepping in, making climate justice not just political but also legal.
A simple metal could solve the world’s plastic recycling problem
Scientists at Northwestern University have developed a groundbreaking nickel-based catalyst that could transform the way the world recycles plastic. Instead of requiring tedious sorting, the catalyst selectively breaks down stubborn polyolefin plastics—the single-use materials that make up much of our daily waste—into valuable oils, waxes, fuels, and more.
Central Asia’s last stable glaciers just started to collapse
Snowfall shortages are now destabilizing some of the world’s last resilient glaciers, as shown by a new study in Tajikistan’s Pamir Mountains. Using a monitoring station on Kyzylsu Glacier, researchers discovered that stability ended around 2018, when snowfall declined sharply and melt accelerated. The work sheds light on the Pamir-Karakoram...
EVs Reduce Climate Pollution, but by How Much? New U-M Research Has the Answer
Drivers can now compare the greenhouse gas emissions of different vehicles based on size, usage, powertrain type and even location.
The Brain’s Activity at Rest May Provide Clues to Alzheimer’s Disease Progression, Diagnosis
Some regions of the brain in people with Alzheimer’s reorganize more often while at rest than in people without the disease––and in healthy people this frequent reshuffling sometimes predicts who will develop the condition later, according to a new study from the University of Michigan and Columbia University.