Koalas suffered a massive population decline that left them with dangerously low genetic diversity. However, new genomic research suggests their rapid rebound may be helping reverse some of that genetic damage. As koala numbers rise, recombination is mixing their remaining DNA into new combinations, which can rebuild functional diversity. The...
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Scientists discover tiny ocean fungus that kills toxic algae
Scientists have discovered a newly identified marine fungus that can infect and kill toxic algae responsible for harmful blooms. The microscopic parasite, named Algophthora mediterranea, attacks algae such as Ostreopsis cf. ovata, which produces toxins that can irritate the lungs, skin, and eyes of people exposed during coastal blooms. Remarkably,...
Study Reveals Climatic Fingerprints of Wildfires and Volcanic Eruptions
Volcanoes and wildfires can inject millions of tons of gases and aerosol particles into the air, affecting temperatures on a global scale.
Hunting Pressure is Shrinking Safe Space for Mandrills in Equatorial Guinea
Researchers from the University of Bristol Veterinary School, in collaboration with Bristol Zoological Society and partners in Equatorial Guinea, have uncovered alarming evidence that hunting pressure is dramatically reducing the safe habitat available to mandrills inside Monte Alén National Park, one of Central Africa’s most important rainforest strongholds.
Canadian Drinking Water at Risk Long After Wildfires, UBC Study Warns
Canada’s drinking water can remain at risk long after wildfires burn out, according to a UBC-led global review that found water-quality impacts often emerge months or years later—not just immediately after a fire.
Humpback whale recovery is changing who fathers the calves
A new study shows that as humpback whale populations recover from past whaling, older males are gaining a major advantage in reproduction. Early in the recovery, breeding groups were dominated by younger whales. But as more mature males returned, they increasingly fathered more calves than their younger rivals. Scientists say...
Ocean temperatures may be protecting Earth from a planet-wide drought
Ocean temperatures may be quietly protecting the world from a global drought catastrophe. By analyzing more than a century of climate data, researchers discovered that droughts rarely spread across the planet at the same time, affecting only about 1.8%–6.5% of global land simultaneously—far less than earlier estimates. The reason lies...
T. rex took 40 years to reach full size, study finds
Tyrannosaurus rex may have taken far longer to grow up than scientists once thought. By analyzing growth rings in fossilized leg bones from 17 tyrannosaur specimens and using new statistical methods, researchers found that the famous predator likely took about 40 years to reach its full size—around eight tons—rather than...
Half of Amazon insects could face dangerous heat stress
A sweeping new study of more than 2,000 insect species reveals a troubling reality: many insects may be far less capable of coping with rising temperatures than scientists once hoped. Researchers found that while some species living at higher altitudes can temporarily boost their heat tolerance, many insects in tropical...
Scientists discover the protein that malaria parasites can’t live without
Scientists have uncovered a crucial weakness in the malaria parasite that could open the door to new treatments. Researchers identified a protein called Aurora-related kinase 1 (ARK1) that acts like a traffic controller during the parasite’s unusual cell division process, ensuring its genetic material is properly separated as it multiplies....