The first-ever Africa-wide assessment of great apes -- gorillas, bonobos and chimpanzees -- finds that human factors, including roads, population density and GDP, determine abundance more than ecological factors such as forest cover.
Northern lakes warming six times faster in the past 25 years
Lakes in the Northern Hemisphere are warming six times faster since 1992 than any other time period in the last 100 years, new research has found.
Some of the world’s oldest rubies linked to early life
While analyzing some of the world's oldest colored gemstones, researchers discovered carbon residue that was once ancient life, encased in a 2.5 billion-year-old ruby.
A new Earth bombardment model
A team has updated its asteroid bombardment model of the Earth with the latest geologic evidence of ancient, large collisions. These models have been used to understand how impacts may have affected oxygen levels in the Earth's atmosphere in the Archean eon, 2.5 to 4 billion years ago.
African grey parrots may have better self-control than macaws
African grey parrots may be better able than macaws to delay gratification -- rejecting an immediate reward in favour of a better one in the future -- according to a new study.
Termite brains can grow in anticipation of a single moment of flight and light
In a dampwood termite colony only a select few will, quite literally, see the light. The insects are unique due to their mating flights and the adaptability of their role within the colony, which is based on the overall needs of the group. King and queen termites must leave the...
Changing ocean currents are driving extreme winter weather
Slower ocean circulation as the result of climate change could intensify extreme cold weather in the U.S., according to new research.
First dinosaur era crab fully preserved in amber discovered
Researchers describe the first crab from the Cretaceous dinosaur era preserved in amber. The study used micro CT to examine and describe Cretapsara athanata, the oldest modern-looking crab (approximately 100 million years old) and the most complete fossil crab ever discovered.
Origin of domestic horses finally established
The modern horse was domesticated around 2200 years BCE in the northern Caucasus. In the centuries that followed it spread throughout Asia and Europe. An international team of 162 scientists collected, sequenced and compared 273 genomes from ancient horses scattered across Eurasia to come up with this finding.
Europeans in the Americas 1000 years ago
The Vikings were active in North America in the year 1021 AD. This now represents the earliest -- and only -- known year in which Europeans were present in the Americas prior to the arrival of Columbus in 1492 AD. It also represents a definitive point in time by which...