Archaeologists face a major challenge when they intend to acquire information about buildings or facilities of which only ruins remain. This was a particular challenge for the remnants of the Roman water mills in Barbegal in Southern France, dating back to the 2nd century CE. This unique industrial complex consisted...
Melanin from cuttlefish ink as a sustainable biomass resource
Melanin is a ubiquitous compound in nature, produced by many organisms. However, its potential as a biomass resource to produce value-added chemicals and materials remains relatively unexplored. In a recent study, researchers investigated the chemical decomposition of melanin derived from cuttlefish ink and showcased its application in the synthesis of...
Sixty-million-year-old grape seeds reveal how the death of the dinosaurs may have paved the way for grapes to spread
Scientists discovered the oldest fossil grapes in the Western Hemisphere, which help show how after the death of the dinosaurs, grapes spread across the world.
This desert moss has the potential to grow on Mars
The desert moss Syntrichia caninervis is a promising candidate for Mars colonization thanks to its extreme ability to tolerate harsh conditions lethal to most life forms. The moss is well known for its ability to tolerate drought conditions, but researchers now report that it can also survive freezing temperatures as...
Air pollution exposure during childhood linked directly to adult bronchitis symptoms
A research team has shown that exposure to air pollution during childhood is directly associated with bronchitis symptoms as an adult. To date, many investigations have established air pollution exposure while young is consistently associated with lung problems during childhood -- and childhood lung problems are consistently associated with lung...
Ecologists reconstruct the history of biodiversity in the Indo-Australian archipelago and its rise as a hotspot
The Coral Triangle, also known as the Indo-Australian Archipelago, is renowned for having the greatest marine biodiversity on our planet. Despite its importance, the detailed evolutionary history of this biodiversity hotspot has remained largely a mystery. An international research team has now shed light on this history, reconstructing how biodiversity...
Investigating newly discovered hydrothermal vents at depths of 3,000 meters off Svalbard
Hydrothermal vents can be found around the world at the junctions of drifting tectonic plates. But there are many hydrothermal fields still to be discovered. During a 2022 expedition of the MARIA S. MERIAN, the first field of hydrothermal vents on the 500-kilometer-long Knipovich Ridge off the coast of Svalbard...
Home Reef Volcano Grows
Dry land is ephemeral at Home Reef, a mid-ocean volcano in the central Tonga islands.
A dog’s puppyhood can cause ‘puppy blues’ reminiscent of baby blues
Bringing a puppy home is usually a happy event, but sometimes the life change that comes with it can provoke significant negative emotions. Researchers found that almost half of dog owners experience anxiety, weariness or frustration during their dog's puppyhood stage.
Climate change to shift tropical rains northward
Atmospheric scientists predict that unchecked carbon emissions will force tropical rains to shift northward in the coming decades, which would profoundly impact agriculture and economies near the Earth's equator. The northward rain shift would be spurred by carbon emissions that influence the formation of the intertropical convergence zones that are...