Researchers demonstrated how amino acids could spontaneously attach to RNA under early Earth-like conditions using thioesters, providing a long-sought clue to the origins of protein synthesis. This finding bridges the “RNA world” and “thioester world” theories and suggests how life’s earliest peptides may have formed.
Why most whale sharks in Indonesia are scarred by humans
Whale sharks in Indonesia are suffering widespread injuries, with a majority scarred by human activity. Researchers found bagans and boats to be the biggest threats, especially as shark tourism grows. Protecting these gentle giants may be as simple as redesigning fishing gear and boat equipment.
Spiders turn fireflies into glowing traps
In Taiwan’s forests, researchers discovered a clever hunting trick by the sheet web spider Psechrus clavis. Instead of immediately devouring captured fireflies, the spiders allow them to glow in the web, luring other insects, sometimes even more fireflies, into the trap. Experiments with LED lights confirmed this eerie strategy: webs...
These “plastivore” caterpillars can devour a plastic bag in just 24 hours
Scientists have discovered that waxworm caterpillars can break down polyethylene plastic, one of the most common and persistent pollutants on Earth. These “plastivores” metabolize plastic into body fat within days, offering a striking potential solution to the global waste crisis. But there’s a twist: on a plastic-only diet, the caterpillars...
Lancaster Professor Calls for More Action to Protect the Ozone Layer
Surprising satellite data reveals that the amount of ozone-depleting chlorine in the stratosphere is not decreasing as quickly as expected.
Fast-Tracking Mining in B.C. Without Repeating Past Mistakes
B.C. finds itself at a crossroads as global demand for critical minerals surges, driven by the clean energy transition and competition with China.
Why These Hairy Caterpillars Swarm Every Decade – Then Vanish Without a Trace
Western tent caterpillars might not be on your mind every year, but during their peak outbreaks, they’re impossible to ignore—hairy larvae wriggling across roads and swarms of caterpillars climbing houses to form yellow silken cocoons.
The bright yellow worm that turns ocean poison into golden survival crystals
Deep beneath the Pacific Ocean, a bright yellow worm thrives where no other animals dare, in toxic hydrothermal vents saturated with arsenic and sulfide. By cleverly turning these poisons into a golden mineral once prized by Renaissance painters, the worm neutralizes the deadly threat and survives in one of Earth’s...
The ancient oxygen flood that forever changed life in the oceans
Ancient forests may have fueled a deep-sea oxygen boost nearly 390 million years ago, unlocking evolutionary opportunities for jawed fish and larger marine animals. New isotopic evidence shows that this permanent oxygenation marked a turning point in Earth’s history — a reminder of how fragile the ocean’s oxygen balance remains...
Sharks’ teeth are crumbling in acid seas
Even sharks’ famous tooth-regrowing ability may not save them from ocean acidification. Researchers found that future acidic waters cause shark teeth to corrode, crack, and weaken, threatening their effectiveness as hunting weapons and highlighting hidden dangers for ocean ecosystems.