What roils beneath the Earth's surface may feel a world away, but the activity can help forge land masses that dictate ocean circulation, climate patterns, and even animal activity and evolution. In fact, scientists believe that a plume of hot rocks that burst from the Earth's mantle millions of years...
Omnivorous? Vegan? Makes no difference to muscle building after weight training, study finds
A new study asked three questions about muscle protein synthesis in response to a nine-day diet and weight training regimen: First, does the source of protein -- plant or animal-based -- make any difference to muscle gain? Second, does it matter if total daily protein intake is evenly distributed throughout...
Unlocking the genetic basis of adaptive evolution: study reveals complex chromosomal rearrangements in a stick insect
Scientists report adaptive divergence in cryptic color pattern is underlain by two distinct, complex chromosomal rearrangements, where millions of bases of DNA were flipped backwards and moved from one part of a chromosome to another, independently in populations of stick insects on different mountains.
Americans don’t think bird flu is a threat, study suggests
A team led by researchers say public ignorance and apathy towards bird flu (highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI) could pose a serious obstacle to containing the virus and preventing a larger-scale public health crisis.
Early-life exposure to air and light pollution linked to increased risk of pediatric thyroid cancer
A new study suggests that early-life exposure to two widespread environmental pollutants -- small particle air pollution and outdoor artificial light at night -- could increase the risk of pediatric thyroid cancer. The study found a 'significant association' between exposure to ambient fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5) and outdoor...
Seismology: How wide are faults?
Researchers posed a seemingly simple question: how wide are faults?
European potato genome decoded: Small gene pool with large differences
A research team has decoded the genome of historic potato cultivars and used this resource to develop an efficient method for analysis of hundreds of additional potato genomes.
Extreme drought contributed to barbarian invasion of late Roman Britain, tree-ring study reveals
Three consecutive years of drought contributed to the 'Barbarian Conspiracy', a pivotal moment in the history of Roman Britain, a new study reveals. Researchers argue that Picts, Scotti and Saxons took advantage of famine and societal breakdown caused by an extreme period of drought to inflict crushing blows on weakened...
Early detection of wood coating deterioration to better maintain wooden structures
From the Japanese cypress to the ponderosa pine, wood has been used in construction for millennia. Though materials like steel and concrete have largely taken over large building construction, wood is making a comeback, increasingly being used in public and multi-story buildings for its environmental benefits. Of course, wood has...
Strongest hints yet of biological activity outside the solar system
Astronomers have detected the most promising signs yet of a possible biosignature outside the solar system, although they remain cautious.