Scientists have captured unique on-board footage of Indian Ocean seabirds speeding just above the waves to catch flying fish on the wing. The footage, obtained by lightweight bird-borne cameras formed part of a study of the lives of seabirds in the waters around the remote archipelago they call home. Two red-footed boobies - a tropical cousin of the more familiar gannet – were carefully fitted with the tiny cameras to record how they catch their favourite food; flying fish. Of 15 capture attempts, 14 were towards flying fish while in flight and one was an underwater dive. This is the first such on-board footage revealing that flying ...

They twist and turn across the sky in dense, whirling formations—murmurations of birds that seem to move as one, captivating watchers and puzzling scientists for decades. Now, a new analysis suggests that one of the most mysterious features of these aerial displays—the behaviour of birds at the edges—may stem from accident rather than intent. A study examining the flocking patterns of jackdaws has found that the sharp borders of murmurations, and the way certain birds linger at the edges, can be explained by the mathematical rules that govern how individuals ...

Join us for a cutting-edge Carbon Research Webinar featuring Prof. Weihong Yang from KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, where he will explore innovative strategies to transition from fossil-based materials to sustainable, bio-based graphite alternatives. This talk will provide insights into the conversion of bioprecursors into fossil-free graphite and its applications in lithium-ion batteries and electrochemical systems. A techno-economic assessment and life cycle analysis (LCA) will also be discussed.   Date: Monday, August 11, 2025 Time: ‣ 15:00–16:00 (Beijing, China) ‣ 09:00–10:00 (CET, Europe/Swedish Time)   Speaker: Prof. ...

‘Solastalgia’ might help explain the negative effects of climate change on mental health, suggests a review of the available research, published in the open access journal BMJ Mental Health. Solastalgia is caused by changes to the home or surrounding environment and is associated with depression, anxiety, and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the findings show. A blend of the words ‘solace’ and ‘nostalgia’, the term solastalgia was first coined in 2003 to refer to the lack of solace and feelings of pain or sickness caused by changes ...

Experiencing childhood verbal abuse shows a similar impact to adult mental health as physical abuse, suggests a large intergenerational study, published in the open access journal BMJ Open. While often not immediately obvious, the effects of verbal abuse may be no less damaging or protracted, the findings indicate. This large retrospective study of more than 20,000 participants examining birth cohorts from the 1950s onwards showed reductions in childhood physical abuse but increases in childhood verbal abuse. Globally, an estimated 1 in 6 children endures physical abuse from family and caregivers. As well as the immediate physical trauma, physical abuse can exert lifelong ...

The deliberate destruction of health services and systems as an act of war should be termed ‘healthocide’ and medical practitioners should call out and stand firm against this weaponisation of healthcare, insists a thought-provoking commentary published in the open access journal BMJ Global Health. Silence implies complicity and approval, and undermines international humanitarian law as well as medical and professional ethics, say Dr Joelle Abi-Rached and colleagues of the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. Although they refer to other conflicts in El Salvador, Ukraine, Sudan, and Syria, the authors focus primarily on the impact of armed conflict on healthcare ...

The Lancet Rheumatology: Course of psychotherapy for low back pain remains effective for at least three years, finds trial A type of psychotherapy called cognitive functional therapy (CFT) [1] is the first treatment for chronic disabling low back pain with good evidence that it can effectively reduce disability due to the pain for more than a year, finds a randomised controlled trial (RCT) published in The Lancet Rheumatology journal. Low back pain is a long-term health condition for many people marked by unpredictable recurrences or pain flare ups. Interventions for ...

*Images available* Urban landscapes support 43 per cent fewer pollinator species according to a new study from the University of Sheffield A research team conducted a comparative study at allotment sites in three major cities across England and found that those in more urbanised areas saw the highest decline in insect pollinator species The study found that relative to bees, nocturnal moths and hoverflies - which can be just as important for pollination - are particularly sensitive to the effects of urbanisation Researchers warn ...

At the Ecological Society of America’s Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Md., Aug. 10–15, urban ecology will be front and center — fitting for a city that has long been a hub for research on nature in urban environments. Reflecting the meeting’s theme, “Ecology is Everywhere,” this growing field recognizes that cities are not just places where nature is degraded, but also where ecological processes thrive and evolve in unique ways. Urban ecology explores how people and biodiversity interact in densely populated landscapes, and how urban ecosystems offer valuable services and insights. Presentations at the meeting cover a wide ...

Irvine, Calif., Aug. 6, 2025 — Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have identified a promising nonpharmaceutical treatment that rejuvenates aging brain cells and clears away the buildup of harmful proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease. In a paper published recently in the journal GeroScience, the UC Irvine team reports that a combination of naturally occurring compounds – nicotinamide (a form of vitamin B3) and epigallocatechin gallate (a green tea antioxidant) – can reinstate levels of guanosine triphosphate, an essential energy molecule ...

Electrochemical cells – or batteries, as a well-known example – are complex technologies that combine chemistry, physics, materials science and electronics. More than power sources for everything from smartphones to electric vehicles, they remain a strong motivation for scientific inquiry that seeks to fully understand their structure and evolution at the molecular level. A team led by Yingjie Zhang, a professor of materials science and engineering in The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has completed ...

Key points White sharks exhibit stark differences between the DNA in their nuclei and the DNA in their mitochondria. Until now, scientists have pointed to the migration patterns of great whites to explain these differences. Scientists tested this theory in a new study by analyzing genetic differences between global white shark populations. In doing so, they discovered that great whites were restricted to a single population in the Indo-Pacific Ocean at the end of the last ice age 10,000 years ago and have since expanded to their current global distribution. The results also invalidate the migration theory, but an alternative explanation remains elusive. White sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) ...

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Aug. 5, 2025) — For cancer- and infection-fighting T cells, glucose offers far more than a simple sugar rush.   A new discovery by Van Andel Institute scientists reveals that glucose, an essential cellular fuel that powers immune cells, also aids in T cells’ internal communication and boosts their cancer-fighting properties. The findings may help optimize T cells’ ability to combat cancer and other diseases. A study describing the work published today in Cell Metabolism.   “Immune cells are highly influenced by their environment” ...

The experts, business leaders, and policymakers shaping the future of America’s energy industry will convene at the 11th annual Energy Symposium presented by the Kay Bailey Hutchison Energy Center at The University of Texas at Austin on Friday, Sept. 12. Registration is open to the public. Themed “The Energy Imperative,” this year’s symposium invites guests to meaningful conversations around the opportunities and challenges in the rapidly evolving energy space. Speakers and panelists will consider how the latest advances in energy innovation, security, and investment are being put to the test. “UT Austin is one of the nation’s ...

Perovskite semiconductors are an exciting new material for use in solar cells. They are extremely thin and flexible, easy and inexpensive to manufacture, and highly efficient. However, two hurdles must be overcome before perovskite solar cells can be marketed on a large scale: firstly, they are not yet stable over decades, and secondly, the most powerful perovskite materials contain lead. An interesting, non-toxic alternative being investigated at HZB is tin perovskite solar cells, which are potentially more stable than their lead-containing counterparts. Thanks to their special electro-optical properties, they are particularly well suited to tandem ...

It might be humbling to consider, but cockroaches and people have more in common than we knew. Biologists at the University of Cincinnati discovered that some cockroaches, like people, need more sleep when they’re pregnant. And baby cockroaches need the mom to sleep longer for proper development. The study was published in the Journal of Experimental Biology. “A lot of us take adequate sleep for granted because we don’t usually experience an immediate adverse effect of sleep deprivation,” said study co-author Oluwaseun Ajayi, a postdoctoral researcher in UC’s College of Arts and Sciences. “The truth is the health consequences ...

As companies increasingly compete on the basis of technology, brand, and knowledge, a new study reveals that the effectiveness of corporate boards plays a critical role in maximizing the value of intangible assets—especially during international expansion through acquisitions. In a study recently published in the Global Strategy Journal, researchers Xavier Martin (Tilburg University) and Tao Han (emlyon business school) analyzed 675 cross-border acquisitions by U.S. public firms to understand how intangible assets contribute to firm value abroad—and under what conditions. Their findings are clear: while firms with high R&D and advertising intensity ...

Stress internalization is a significant risk factor for age-related cognitive decline in older Chinese Americans, according to Rutgers Health researchers.   The study, published in The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease by researchers from the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, examined multiple risk and resilience factors associated with cognitive decline in Chinese adults older than 60.   Researchers chose to study this population because older Chinese Americans are historically underrepresented ...

Primates - the group of animals that includes monkeys, apes and humans - first evolved in cold, seasonal climates around 66 million years ago, not in the warm tropical forests scientists previously believed.  Researchers from the University of Reading used statistical modelling and fossil data to reconstruct ancient environments and trace where the common ancestors of all modern primates lived.   The study, published today (Tuesday, 5 August) in the journal PNAS, says these first primates most likely lived in North America in a cold climate with hot summers and freezing winters, overturning the long-held "warm tropical ...

It’s known as biology’s central dogma: All living organisms’ genetic information is stored in DNA, which is transcribed into RNA, which is translated into proteins that perform nearly all essential tasks in a cell. A tiny cellular machine called the ribosome builds a protein until it’s signaled to stop, and the protein is released into the cell through a reaction with a water molecule. But scientists have long puzzled over one detail: If all it takes is a water molecule to release the finished protein, why doesn’t it happen by accident? Now researchers ...

For a wide variety of earthquake scenarios in Alaska, an earthquake early warning (EEW) system could provide at least 10 seconds of warning time for hazardous shaking, according to a new report. Increasing the density and improving the spacing of seismic stations around the state could add 5 to 15 seconds to these estimated warning times, write Alexander Fozkos and Michael West at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Alaska experiences tens of thousands of earthquakes each year, and has been the site some of the world’s largest and most destructive seismic events. The study’s findings published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America could help ...

Young chimpanzees learn their communication style from their mother and maternal relatives, but show little similarity to the communication behavior of their father and paternal relatives, according to a study publishing August 5th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Joseph Mine at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, and colleagues. Human children learn how to communicate as they develop, and their communication behavior is heavily influenced by their main caregivers. Although chimpanzees also communicate ...

A new study finds that kids with obesity are more likely to have obese parents because they inherit obesity-related genes, and to a smaller extent, are impacted indirectly by genes carried by the mother – even when those genes aren’t passed down. A new study led by Liam Wright of the University College London, UK, and colleagues, reports these findings August 5th in the open-access journal PLOS Genetics. Studies commonly show that children with obesity often have parents with obesity, but the cause of this trend has been poorly understood. ...

A mother’s genetics may play a bigger role in determining whether a child becomes overweight than a father’s, as a result of a concept known as genetic nurture, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. Published in PLOS Genetics, the study analysed genetic and health data from 2,621 UK families in the Millennium Cohort Study, a UK birth cohort study of individuals born in 2001/02.  Researchers investigated how parents’ body mass index (BMI) and related genes influence their children’s weight and diet from birth to age 17. To do this, the team examined the association between parental BMI and ...

Zhou Receives Funding For Novel Performance Profiling & Analysis Infrastructure For Scientific Deep Learning Workloads Keren Zhou, Assistant Professor, Computer Science, College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), received funding for the project: “Collaborative Research: Elements: DLToolkit: A Novel Performance Profiling and Analysis Infrastructure for Scientific Deep Learning Workloads.”  The rapid adoption of deep learning (DL)-driven artificial intelligence (AI) applications makes it more crucial than ever ...