The very first cells obtained their energy from geochemical reactions. Researchers have now managed to recreate this ancient metabolic process in their laboratory.
Zoo life boosts object exploration in orangutans
A new study comparing wild and zoo-housed Sumatran orangutans reveals that life in a zoo significantly alters how orangutans interact with their environment. Researchers analyzed over 12,000 instances of daily exploratory object manipulation (EOM) -- the active manipulation and visual inspection of objects associated with learning and problem-solving -- across...
Seasonal changes affect alcohol tolerance and your waistline
Researchers have found that drug effectiveness, alcohol tolerance, and carbohydrate metabolism change with the seasons. Their findings are based on a comprehensive seasonal gene expression map, which investigated over 54,000 genes in 80 tissues in monkeys across one year. The study has implications for drug prescription and precision medicine.
Restoring oil wells back to nature with moss
In what could represent a milestone in ecological restoration, researchers have implemented a method capable of restoring peatlands at tens of thousands of oil and gas exploration sites in Western Canada. The project involves lowering the surface of these decommissioned sites, known as well pads, and transplanting native moss onto...
One of Earth’s ancient volcanic mysteries solved
A new study traces a 120-million-year-old 'super-eruption' to its source, offering new insights into Earth's complex geological history.
Landmark experiment sheds new light on the origins of consciousness
An experiment seven years in the making has uncovered new insights into the nature of consciousness and challenges two prominent, competing scientific theories: Integrated Information Theory (IIT) and Global Neuronal Workspace Theory (GNWT). The findings mark a pivotal moment in the goal to understand the elusive origins consciousness.
Giant croclike carnivore fossils found in the Caribbean
Imagine a crocodile built like a greyhound -- that's a sebecid. Standing tall, with some species reaching 20 feet in length, they dominated South American landscapes after the extinction of dinosaurs until about 11 million years ago. Or at least, that's what paleontologists thought. A new study shows the Caribbean...
Wildfire Maps Help Firefighters in Real Time
A NASA sensor recently brought a new approach to battling wildfire, providing real-time data that helped firefighters in the field contain a blaze in Alabama.
A Vast Molecular Cloud, Long Invisible, Is Discovered Near Solar System
The detection of the celestial body by a Rutgers-led team could redefine understanding of interstellar medium.
High-Wire Act: Soft Robot Can Carry Cargo Up and Down Steep Aerial Wires
Researchers have created a light-powered soft robot that can carry loads through the air along established tracks, similar to cable cars or aerial trams.