A team of researchers has made strides in understanding the formation of massif-type anorthosites, enigmatic rocks that only formed during the middle part of Earth's history. These plagioclase-rich igneous rock formations, which can cover areas as large as 42,000 square kilometers and host titanium ore deposits, have puzzled scientists for...
Rare archaeological site reveals ‘surprising’ Neanderthal behaviour at Pyrenees foothills
An unchartered area in the foothills of the Southern Pyrenees in Spain is providing insights into a poorly known period of Neanderthal history, offering clues that could help archaeologists uncover the mystery of their downfall, according to new research.
Tropical Atlantic mixing rewrites climate pattern rules
Changes in the Atlantic Ocean's mixed layer are the primary force behind the Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV).
How bread dough gave rise to civilization
A major international study has explained how bread wheat helped to transform the ancient world on its path to becoming the iconic crop that today helps sustain a global population of eight billion.
In Montana’s Northern Plains, Swift Foxes Are Back from the Brink
The swift fox — known as Nóouhàh-Toka’na to the Aaniiih and Nakoda tribes — once roamed the Western plains from Texas to Canada, eating small rodents and insects. But their numbers swooned with the arrival of settlers, who plowed their grasslands and set poison baits for canine predators.
Mizzou Scientists Achieve More than 98% Efficiency Removing Nanoplastics from Water
University of Missouri scientists are battling against an emerging enemy of human health: nanoplastics. Much smaller in size than the diameter of an average human hair, nanoplastics are invisible to the naked eye.
Newly Discovered Ability of Comammox Bacteria Could Help Reduce Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Agriculture
An international research team led by the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science (CeMESS) at the University of Vienna has discovered that comammox bacteria, first identified by them in 2015, can grow using guanidine, a nitrogen-rich organic compound, as their sole energy and nitrogen source.
Common equine painkiller disrupts assisted reproduction technique efficiency in mares
Researchers have discovered that phenylbutazone, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) commonly prescribed in horses, can affect the ability of a mare's egg cells -- called 'oocytes' -- to become viable embryos, which is a crucial step in assisted reproduction in horses.
Scientists Find Oceans of Water on Mars. It’s Just Too Deep to Tap
Using seismic activity to probe the interior of Mars, geophysicists have found evidence for a large underground reservoir of liquid water — enough to fill oceans on the planet’s surface.
Mature Forests Vital in Frontline Fight Against Climate Change
Older trees have important carbon capture role – countering existing theories that mature woodland has no capacity to respond to elevated carbon dioxide levels.