A new study suggests the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to rapidly analyze vast amounts of biodiversity data could revolutionize conservation efforts by enabling scientists and policymakers to make better-informed decisions.
Discovery: a better, more targeted termite terminator
Researchers have identified a chemical that kills about 95 percent of a western drywood termite colony without off-target effects on mammals.
Study of velvet worm slime could revolutionize sustainable material design
A new discovery about the slime ejected by velvet worms could revolutionize sustainable material design. The findings outline how a naturally occurring protein structure, conserved across species from Australia, Singapore and Barbados over nearly 400 million years of evolution, enables the slime's transformation from liquid to fiber and back again....
Slickrock: Geologists explore why Utah’s Wasatch Fault is vulnerable to earthquakes
Using rock samples collected from the Wasatch Fault, geoscientists combined experiments and analysis with examinations of fault rock textures. The team's research revealed significant clues about the Wasatch Fault's earthquake risk. Researchers explain why properties of fault rocks and geologic events that occurred more than a billion years ago portend...
Development, agriculture present risks for drinking water quality
Converting forest land to urban development or agricultural use can present risks to water quality when done near streams or river sources. This study examined data from 15 water treatment plants in the Middle Chattahoochee watershed to model the impacts of four potential land use scenarios several decades into the...
2024 sea level ‘report cards’ map futures of US coastal communities
Researchers have released their 2024 U.S. sea level 'report cards,' providing updated analyses of sea level trends and projections for 36 coastal communities. Encompassing 55 years of historical data in a new, interactive dashboard, the report cards aid planning and adaptation efforts by forecasting rates of sea level rise to...
How hunting harriers home in on their prey
Owls, well adapted to hearing the exact location of prey, have something in common with an unrelated group of raptors -- harriers. A new study has found that harriers across the world are able to keep a much better ear out for their next meal than previously thought.
Fruit and microbes boost biogas production and fermentation
A new study shows that adding fruit and microbes to alfalfa, a protein-rich feed for livestock, improves fermentation and biogas production.
Research advances on ‘displacing’ antibiotic resistance gene from bacteria
Scientists have identified essential genetic code for a method called plasmid curing, which aims to 'displace' antibiotic resistance genes from bacteria.
Min proteins for max efficiency during cell division
The Min protein system prevents abnormal cell division in bacteria, but is poorly understood. Researchers have uncovered how engineered e.coli bacteria control protein levels for maximum efficiency.