A new study by geobiologists traces the cause of the first known mass extinction of animals to decreased global oxygen availability, leading to the loss of a majority of animals present near the end of the Ediacaran Period some 550 million years ago.
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In ironic twist, CRISPR system used to befuddle bacteria
Researchers flip nature's script by engineering a virus to carry a CRISPR system to change a bacterium's genes.
Rare ‘fossil’ clam discovered alive
Discovering a new species is always exciting, but so is finding one alive that everyone assumed had been lost to the passage of time. A small clam, previously known only from fossils, has recently been found living at Naples Point, near Santa Barbara.
Emperor Penguins Granted Protections Under Endangered Species Act
Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced that emperor penguins have been listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) based on evidence that the animal's sea ice habitat is shrinking and is likely to continue to do so over the next several decades.
Agriculture in Mexico’s Chihuahuan Desert
This photograph was captured by an astronaut onboard the International Space Station (ISS) as the spacecraft orbited over the city of Nuevo Casas Grandes and the surrounding Chihuahuan Desert.
Rethinking mountain water security
Water security in mountain regions relies on a broader understanding of the complex interlinks of water supply and demand that goes far beyond the study of glacier melt.
Entomologists issue warning about effects of climate change on insects
In a new scientific review, a team of 70 scientists warned that climate change affects insects in ways that will 'drastically reduce our ability to build a sustainable future based on healthy, functional ecosystems' if no action is taken.
Fearful cats also express other problematic behavior: Socialization important already at early stages of life
Researchers have discovered a number of mutual connections between feline fearfulness, aggression and excessive grooming. Identifying such connections can provide means for preventing problematic behavior.
Microplastic pollution threats the world’s coastal lagoons
Globally, the coastal lagoons of Lagos (Nigeria), Sakumo (Ghana) and Bizerte (Tunisia) -- close to large urban centers and without waste and sewage treatment systems -- are among the most affected water ecosystems of this nature by microplastic pollution. However, the highest concentrations of microplastics have been detected in Barnes...
Lianas more likely to infest smaller trees in Southeast Asian forests, transforming knowledge in understudied area
Woody climbing plants, known as lianas, are more likely to infest smaller trees in Malaysian forests and therefore stop them growing to their full potential, which may have implications for climate change.