A team of scientists has used artificial intelligence (AI) to map the activities of seafloor invertebrate animals, such as worms, clams and shrimps, across all the oceans of the world.
Simple food swaps could cut greenhouse gas emissions from household groceries by a quarter
Switching food and drink purchases to very similar but more environmentally friendly alternatives could reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from household groceries by more than a quarter (26%), according to a new study.
Echidnapus identified from an ‘Age of Monotremes’
Australian researchers have found evidence of the oldest known platypus and a new species, dubbed 'echidnapus', which has a platypus-like anatomy alongside features that more closely resemble an echidna.
Florida fossil porcupine solves a prickly dilemma 10-million years in the making
An exceptionally rare fossilized porcupine skeleton discovered in Florida has allowed researchers to trace the evolutionary history for one of North America's rarest mammals.
Earth scientists describe a new kind of volcanic eruption
By analyzing the dynamics of 12 back-to-back explosions that happened in 2018, researchers describe a new type of volcanic eruption mechanism. The explosions were driven by sudden pressure increases as the ground collapsed, which blasted plumes of rock fragments and hot gas into the air, much like a classic stomp-rocket...
Investigating the origin of circatidal rhythms in freshwater snails
While most organisms have biological clocks synchronized with the day-night cycle (circadian rhythms), marine animals in tidal areas have also developed circatidal rhythms to align with the tidal cycle. Comparing the activity and genetic expression of snails from tidal and non-tidal areas, researchers demonstrate that circatidal rhythms develop as snails...
Combating carbon footprint: Novel reactor system converts carbon dioxide into usable fuel
Boilers are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. In a recent study, researchers developed a method to convert CO2 emissions from small boilers into methane, which makes use of an optimized reactor design that evenly distributes the CO2 feed. This, in turn, results in significantly lower temperature increments and...
On repeat: Biologists observe recurring evolutionary changes, over time, in stick insects
An evolutionary biologist reports evidence of repeatable evolution in populations of stick insects.
High H5N1 influenza levels found in mice given raw milk from infected dairy cows
Mice administered raw milk samples from dairy cows infected with H5N1 influenza experienced high virus levels in their respiratory organs and lower virus levels in other vital organs, according to new findings. The results suggest that consumption of raw milk by animals poses a risk for H5N1 infection and raises...
Entomologist sheds light on 250-year-old mystery of the German cockroach
Entomologists have solved the 250-year-old origin puzzle of the most prevalent indoor urban pest insect on the planet: the German cockroach. The team's research findings, representing the genomic analyses of over 280 specimens from 17 countries and six continents, show that this species evolved some 2,100 years ago from an...