Despite Earth's most devastating mass extinction wiping out over 80% of marine life and half of land species, a group of early reptiles called archosauromorphs not only survived but thrived, venturing across the supposedly lifeless tropics to eventually evolve into the dinosaurs and crocodiles we know today. Armed with a...
New MIT study reveals how biofilms help stop microplastic build-up
Where do microplastics really go after entering the environment? MIT researchers discovered that sticky biofilms naturally produced by bacteria play a surprising role in preventing microplastics from accumulating in riverbeds. Instead of trapping the particles, these biofilms actually keep them loose and exposed, making them easier for flowing water to...
New Study Shows Alligators Aren’t All That’s Lurking in Georgia’s Swamps
Gator research uncovers increased levels of mercury in the state’s swamps.
AI Stirs up the Recipe for Concrete in MIT Study
With demand for cement alternatives rising, an MIT team uses machine learning to hunt for new ingredients across the scientific literature.
Research Shows Rivers Release Ancient Carbon Dioxide Into the Atmosphere, Uncovering a Greater Role for Plants and Soil in the Carbon Cycle
A new study has revealed for the first time that ancient carbon, stored in landscapes for thousands of years or more, can find its way back to the atmosphere as CO₂ released from the surfaces of rivers.
Rivers are exhaling ancient carbon — and climate math just changed
Ancient carbon thought to be safely stored underground for millennia is unexpectedly resurfacing literally. A sweeping international study has found that over half of the carbon gases released by rivers come from long-term, old carbon sources like deep soils and weathered rocks, not just recent organic matter. This surprising discovery...
Cleaner fish: Tiny healers or hidden spreaders in coral reef ecosystems?
Reef "beauty salons" staffed by tiny cleaner fish aren t just for parasite removal they may also shape the microbial life of the entire ecosystem. A fascinating new study shows these bustling fish stations influence which microbes move around the reef, possibly helping or harming coral health. Cleaner gobies, it...
Something more toxic than gators is hiding in the swamps
Mercury contamination is surfacing as a serious concern in parts of Georgia and South Carolina, particularly in regions like the Okefenokee Swamp. University of Georgia researchers found alarmingly high levels of the neurotoxic metal in alligators, especially in older individuals and even hatchlings suggesting the toxin is passed both up...
Pincer plot twist: How female earwigs evolved deadly claws for love and war
Female earwigs may be evolving exaggerated weaponry just like males. A study from Toho University found that female forceps, once assumed to be passive tools, show the same kind of outsized growth linked to sexual selection as the male's iconic pincers. This means that female earwigs might be fighting for...
First-Of-Its-Kind Technology Helps Man With Als ‘Speak’ in Real Time
New brain-computer interface system enables faster, more natural conversation.