An international research team has investigated how nanoplastic particles deposited in the body affect the effectiveness of antibiotics. The study showed that the plastic particles not only impair the effect of the drugs, but could also promote the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Alcohol consumption among non-human animals may not be as rare as previously thought, say ecologists
Anecdotes abound of wildlife behaving 'drunk' after eating fermented fruits, but despite this, nonhuman consumption of ethanol has been assumed to be rare and accidental. Ecologists now challenge this assumption. They argue that since ethanol is naturally present in nearly every ecosystem, it is likely consumed on a regular basis...
It’s not to be. Universe too short for Shakespeare typing monkeys
It would take far longer than the lifespan of our universe for a typing monkey to randomly produce Shakespeare, a new study reveals.
Reactor could make direct air capture more energy efficient
Researchers have developed an electrochemical reactor that has the potential to drastically reduce energy consumption and cost for direct air capture.
12 new Oriental weevil species discovered using advanced imaging tools
Two of these new species are present in Japan: Aphanerostethus magnus (Oo-daruma-kuchikakushi-zoumushi) and Aphanerostethus japonicus (Nippon-daruma-kuchikakushi-zoumushi). One of these, Aphanerostethus japonicus, is also found in Yanbaru National Park, Okinawa. This is the first time x-ray microtomography has been used to remove obscuring scales to examine underlying differences in morphology for...
Crunching fruit fly and human data via machine learning and systems biology results in the identification of key metabolites that impact lifespan in both species
Discoveries that impact lifespan and healthspan in fruit flies are usually tested in mice before being considered potentially relevant in humans, a process that is expensive and time intensive. A pioneering approach leapfrogs over that standard methodology and identifies a metabolite that may hold promise as a target for aging.
Using Weather Radar to Track Australia’s Migrating Birds
For the first time, scientists have used data from weather radar not to track storms, but to count birds as they travel across Australian skies.
New Approach Paves the Way for Harvesting and Storing Solar Energy Efficiently
Researchers of the universities of Mainz and Siegen have developed novel molecular systems for storing solar energy.
Weddell seals in the Antarctic strategically time their most extreme dives to maximize foraging
Weddell seals in Erebus Bay, Antarctica, may look like couch potatoes when they are resting on ice. However, these seals, which are the southernmost population of the southernmost living mammals, are exceptional divers that can reach depths of more than 900 meters and recorded dives lasting 96 minutes, which is...
Have we found all the major Maya cities? Not even close, new research suggests
Researchers used laser-guided imaging to uncover vast unexplored Maya settlements in Campeche, Mexico, revealing more than 6,500 pre-Hispanic structures, including a previously unknown large city with stone pyramids. Their study enhances our understanding of the ancient civilization's extent and complexity in an area largely overlooked by archaeologists.