A global research effort led by Colorado State University shows that extreme, prolonged drought conditions in grasslands and shrublands would greatly limit the long-term health of crucial ecosystems that cover nearly half the planet.
Road Noise Can Actually Make Squirrels Feel Safer, New Study Finds
Human disturbance has a significant impact on the behaviour and habitat use of urban wildlife, however, in some situations urban grey squirrels may actually feel safer from predators where our activity is high.
MIT finds traces of a lost world deep within planet Earth
Researchers have discovered chemical fingerprints of Earth's earliest incarnation, preserved in ancient mantle rocks. A unique imbalance in potassium isotopes points to remnants of “proto Earth” material that survived the planet’s violent formation. The study suggests the original building blocks of Earth remain hidden beneath its surface, offering a direct...
Acoustic Tagging Seeks Answers to King Salmon Decline
An ambitious new research project is aiming to better understand the lives of king salmon by focusing on their difficult journey from freshwater habitat to the ocean.
Scientists just found real teeth growing on a fish’s head
Scientists discovered true teeth growing on the head of the spotted ratfish, a distant shark relative. The toothed structure, called a tenaculum, helps males hold onto females during mating. Genetic evidence shows these head teeth share the same origins as oral teeth, overturning assumptions that teeth only evolve in jaws....
A giant asteroid hit Earth, but its crater is missing
Researchers discovered a new field of ancient tektites in South Australia, revealing a long-forgotten asteroid impact. These 11-million-year-old glass fragments differ chemically and geographically from other known tektites. Although the crater remains missing, the find exposes a massive event once thought unrecorded, offering clues to Earth’s tumultuous past and planetary...
Forged in fire: The 900°C heat that built Earth’s stable continents
New research reveals that Earth’s continents owe their stability to searing heat deep in the planet’s crust. At more than 900°C, radioactive elements shifted upward, cooling and strengthening the landmasses that support life. This ancient heat engine also distributed valuable minerals, giving scientists new clues for exploration and for spotting...
This tiny worm uses static electricity to hunt flying insects
A parasitic worm uses static electricity to launch itself onto flying insects, a mechanism uncovered by physicists and biologists at Emory and Berkeley. By generating opposite charges, the worm and insect attract, allowing the leap to succeed far more often. High-speed cameras and mathematical modeling confirmed this “electrostatic ecology” in...
Engineering Next-generation Fertilizers
MIT postdoc Giorgio Rizzo harnesses plant chemistry to design sustainable fertilizers that could reshape modern farming.
UK Heatwaves Overwhelm Natural Ecological Safeguards to Increase Wildfire Risk
Extreme conditions including 40C heat seen in 2022 led to all fuel sources in heathlands to dry leading to significant increase in threat of wildfire incidents.