The Qing Dynasty in China, after over 250 years, crumbled in 1912. An international research team has pinpointed key reasons behind the collapse, revealing parallels to modern instability and offering vital lessons for the future.
Extreme El Niño weather saw South America’s forest carbon sink switch off
Tropical forests in South America lose their ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere when conditions become exceptionally hot and dry, according to new research. For a long time, tropical forests have acted as a carbon sink, taking more carbon out of the air than they release into it, a...
Most species are rare, but not very rare
More than 100 years of observations in nature have revealed a universal pattern of species abundances: Most species are rare but not very rare, and only a few species are very common. These so-called global species abundance distributions have become fully unveiled for some well-monitored species groups, such as birds....
Scientists unpick how lung cells induce immune response to influenza
Researchers have discovered some new and surprising ways that viral RNA and influenza virus are detected by human lung cells, which has potential implications for treating people affected by such viruses.
Digging deeper into how vaccines work against parasitic disease
Researchers have determined how Leishmaniasis vaccine candidates, created using mutated disease-causing parasites, prompt molecular-level changes in host cells that have specific roles in helping generate the immune response.
Newly discovered fungus helps destroy a harmful food toxin
Patulin is a harmful mycotoxin produced by fungi typically found in damaged fruits, including apples, pears, and grapes. In a recent breakthrough, researchers identified a new filamentous fungal strain that can degrade patulin by transforming it into less toxic substances. Their findings provide important insights into the degradation mechanisms for...
Mutation rates in whales are much higher than previously reported
An international team of marine scientists has studied the DNA of family groups from four different whale species to estimate their mutation rates. Using the newly determined rates, the group found that the number of humpback whales in the North Atlantic before whaling was 86 percent lower than earlier studies...
Two out of three volcanoes are little-known. How to predict their eruptions?
What is the risk of a volcano erupting? To answer this question, scientists need information about its underlying internal structure. However, gathering this data can take several years of fieldwork, analyses and monitoring, which explains why only 30% of active volcanoes are currently well documented. A team has developed a...
Using evidence from last Ice Age, scientists predict effects of rising seas on coastal habitats
The rapid sea level rise and resulting retreat of coastal habitat seen at the end of the last Ice Age could repeat itself if global average temperatures rise beyond certain levels, according to an analysis by an international team of scientists.
A new breakthrough in obesity research may allow you to lose fat while eating all you want
This is a significant development that brings hope to the one billion individuals with obesity worldwide. Researchers have discovered new insights into the regulation of fat metabolism. The focus of their study lies within the star-shaped non-neuronal cells in the brain, known as 'astrocytes'. Furthermore, the group announced successful animal...