For more than a decade, astronomers have been trying to get a closer look at GJ 1214b, an exoplanet 40 light-years away from Earth.
Fossil of mosasaur with bizarre ‘screwdriver teeth’ found in Morocco
Scientists have discovered a new species of mosasaur, a sea-dwelling lizard from the age of the dinosaurs, with strange, ridged teeth unlike those of any known reptile. Along with other recent finds from Africa, it suggests that mosasaurs and other marine reptiles were evolving rapidly up until 66 million years...
Summer Temperatures Arrive Early
A springtime heatwave has made large swaths of western North America feel like the dog days of summer.
Newcomers May Change Ecosystem Functions – Or Not
In a study tracking climate-induced changes in the distribution of animals and their effects on ecosystem functions, North Carolina State University researchers show that resident species can continue managing some important ecological processes despite the arrival of newcomers that are similar to them, but resident species’ role in ecosystem functioning...
NASA, Rocket Lab Announce Coverage for Second TROPICS Launch
After successfully launching the first pair of small satellites earlier this month from New Zealand, NASA and Rocket Lab are now targeting no earlier than 1:30 a.m. EDT Monday, May 22 (5:30 p.m. NZST), to launch the second pair of storm tracking CubeSats into orbit.
Automated Window Shades Show Potential for Significant Energy Savings, Illinois Tech Study Finds
Research done at Willis Tower in Chicago shows that automated insulating window shades can significantly reduce energy consumption, with strong positive response from office users.
What did the earliest animals look like?
Surprisingly, genome comparisons have failed to resolve a major question in animal evolution: Which living animals are the descendants of the earliest animals to evolve in the world's oceans? Scientists performed a detailed chromosomal analysis that comes down definitively in favor of comb jellies, or ctenophores, as the most recent...
Is it an ant? Is it a plant? No, it’s a spider!
A species of tiny, colorful jumping spider employs two lines of defense to avoid being eaten: camouflaging with plants and walking like an ant. Researchers report that this combination of camouflage and movement mimicry helps the spiders evade spider-eating spiders but does not deter hungry praying mantises.
Assessing emotions in wild animals
A new study examines indicators of mental wellbeing in wild animals to improve conservation efforts.
Engineers Design Sutures That Can Deliver Drugs or Sense Inflammation
Inspired by sutures developed thousands of years ago, MIT engineers have designed “smart” sutures that can not only hold tissue in place, but also detect inflammation and release drugs.