A new study on ageing in the animal kingdom has highlighted how urgently Earth’s oldest and wises creatures must be protected, with knowledge and environmental stability lost due to human intervention. The new study, led by Charles Darwin University’s (CDU) Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods (RIEL), explores the consequences of the loss of old, often large and wise animals in the wild and the value these individuals have to scientific knowledge, biodiversity and more. Humans are responsible ...

Nationally, men in colleges and universities currently outpace women in earning physics, engineering, and computer science (PECS) degrees by an approximate ratio of 4 to 1. To better understand the factors driving these gaps, NYU researchers analyzed bachelor’s degrees awarded in the US from 2002-2022, and found that the most selective universities by math SAT scores have nearly closed the PECS gender gap, while less selective universities have seen it widen dramatically. “These findings challenge our understanding of gender inequality in STEM education,” says Joseph Cimpian, the study’s lead author and professor of economics and education ...

A team of researchers from the United States and Switzerland have reported the discovery of a previously unknown compound in chloraminated drinking water. Inorganic chloramines are commonly used to disinfect drinking water to safeguard public health from diseases like cholera and typhoid fever. It’s estimated that more than 113 million people in the United States alone drink chloraminated water.  The researchers have now identified chloronitramide anion, chemically expressed as Cl–N–NO2−, as an end product of inorganic chloramine decomposition. While its toxicity is not presently known, its prevalence and similarity to other ...

Many public water systems in the United States use inorganic chloramines to disinfect drinking water, but their decomposition products have long been a mystery. In a new study, researchers report the discovery of chloronitramide anion – a compound whose existence, though not identity, has been known for 30 years. Detected in the tap water of millions of Americans, this compound’s toxicity remains untested, prompting calls for immediate toxicological evaluation and raising questions about the safety of chloramine in public water supplies. For over a century, chemical disinfection of public water ...

Cultural complexity in chimpanzees depends on migration and interaction between groups, echoing early human patterns of cultural evolution, researchers report in a new study. The findings offer insight into the development of cumulative culture in early hominins. Culture, defined as a set of socially learned behaviors, has been increasingly documented across various animal species. However, human culture stands out for its complexity and cumulative nature, where cultural knowledge builds upon previous innovations. While chimpanzees – humans’ closest relatives – demonstrate a variety of cultural ...

For the first time, scientists have directly measured the hearing range of minke whales, discovering that the species can detect high-frequency sounds as high as 90 kilohertz (kHz), according to a new study, demonstrating hearing sensitivity far greater than previously believed. The findings suggest that baleen whales – the planet’s largest mammals – may be even more impacted by anthropogenic ocean noise than currently recognized but have been excluded from regulatory consideration due to underestimated hearing ranges. ...

By mapping global ship traffic and whale habitats, researchers found that 92% of whale habitats overlap with shipping routes, illuminating hotspots for whale-ship collision risk, according to a new study. Although only 7% of high-risk areas currently contain management strategies to reduce ship strikes, the findings show that expanding efforts to just 2.6% of the ocean’s surface could significantly reduce these fatal collisions, aiding whale conservation amid booming global shipping. “Mitigating the negative environmental impacts of marine shipping is essential ...

Researchers led by Takuzo Aida at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) have developed a new durable plastic that won’t pollute our oceans. The new material is as strong as conventional plastics and biodegradable, but what makes it special is that it breaks down in seawater. The new plastic is therefore expected to help reduce harmful microplastic pollution that accumulates in oceans and soil and eventually enters the food chain. The experimental findings were published Nov 22 in Science. Scientists have been trying to develop safe and sustainable materials that can replace traditional plastics, which are non-sustainable and harm the environment. While ...

How can Artificial Intelligence (AI) help accelerate scientific discovery based on vast amounts of experimental data? A new study by Prof. LI Weixue's team from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences shows how this can be achieved in heterogonous catalysis. The results were recently published in Science. By integrating‎ interpretable AI with experimental data, domain knowledge, and first-principles simulations, the researchers established a general theory of metal-support interaction (MSI), which is one of the most important pillars in catalysis. Supported metal catalysts ...

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital have developed a groundbreaking microscopy method that enables detailed three-dimensional (3D) RNA analysis at cellular resolution in whole intact mouse brains. The new method, called TRISCO, has the potential to transform our understanding of brain function, both in normal conditions and in disease, according to the new study published in Science. Despite great advances in RNA analysis, linking RNA data to its spatial context has long been a challenge, especially in intact 3D tissue volumes. The TRISCO method now makes it possible to perform three-dimensional RNA imaging of whole ...

Northwestern University scientists have developed a new protective coating that significantly extends the life of perovskite solar cells, making them more practical for applications outside the lab. Although perovskite solar cells are more efficient and less expensive than traditional silicon solar cells, perovskite has, until now, been limited by its lack of long-term stability. Typically, perovskite solar cells uses an ammonium-based coating layer to enhance efficiency. While effective, ammonium-based layers degrade under environmental stress, such as heat and moisure. Northwestern ...

The world’s thinnest spaghetti, about 200 times thinner than a human hair, has been created by a UCL-led research team. The spaghetti is not intended to be a new food but was created because of the wide-ranging uses that extremely thin strands of material, called nanofibers, have in medicine and industry. Nanofibers made of starch – produced by most green plants to store excess glucose – are especially promising and could be used in bandages to aid wound healing (as the nanofiber mats are highly porous, allowing water and moisture in but keeping ...

The hippocampus is one of the most fascinating brain regions. Associated with the formation of memories, it also helps us to navigate through the world without getting lost. Sensory cortices on the other hand play an important role in how we perceive our environment and make appropriate movements, and how our brains determine what to focus on and what to ignore. While both regions have been extensively studied and many of their secrets revealed, there is still a lot we do not understand about them due to the high complexity of ...

MELVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 21, 2024 – Fresco painting, a technique that dates back to antiquity, involves applying dry pigments to wet plaster, creating stunning artwork that can last for centuries. Over time, however, these masterpieces often face degradation due to delamination, where decorative plaster layers separate from the underlying masonry or structural plaster. This deterioration can compromise the structural integrity of the artwork, necessitating restoration efforts. Historically, conservators have gently knocked on the plaster with their knuckles or small mallets to assess the condition of the fresco. By listening to the emitted sound, they could identify the delaminated areas ...

In Nature Partner Journals, ten researchers advocate the use of imagination in tackling the climate crisis. They focus specifically on urbanising river deltas, which are of great social and economic importance and highly vulnerable to climate change. "We scientists should not merely outline doomsday scenarios," says Professor Chris Zevenbergen. "Create a vision for people to believe in and work towards.” From doomscenarios to desired outcomes Due to the climate crisis, urban river deltas ...

Archaeologists from the Faculty of Arts at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) are revolutionising the excavation and documentation of ancient sites with cutting-edge 3D immersive technologies.  Archaeology studies the human past through the excavation of things people made and used thousands of years ago – from architecture to objects like pottery bowls and animal bones from meals.  Although many excavation projects create digital 3D models of what they uncover, archaeologists need new ways to meaningfully use those data.  Some projects share 3D models with the public as tourism and teaching tools – ...

    Photos Morning glory plants that can resist the effects of glyphosate also resist damage from herbivorous insects, according to a University of Michigan study.   The U-M researchers also found the reverse: plants treated with and susceptible to glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide RoundUp, are also susceptible to damage from insects. This suggests that glyphosate, a herbicide humans have introduced into the environment, can disrupt the co-evolution of plants and their insect herbivores. ...

MELVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 21, 2024 – Mysterious, repeating sounds from the depths of the ocean can be terrifying to some, but in the 1980s, they presented a unique look at an underwater soundscape. In July 1982, researchers in New Zealand recorded unidentifiable sounds as a part of an experiment to characterize the soundscape of the South Fiji Basin. The sound consisted of four short bursts resembling a quack, which inspired the name of the sound “Bio-Duck.” “The sound was so repeatable, we couldn’t believe at first that it was biological,” said ...

Compared to children, adults don’t play as much, but social play into adulthood is considered a universal human trait. Play has a role in building tolerance, cohesion, bonding, and cooperation. By comparison, play in adults of other species has been considered rare, and yet a new study reported in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on November 21 shows that some chimpanzees, like people, continue to play often throughout their entire lives and especially before engaging in acts that require collective cooperation. “We show that adult social play in chimpanzees can foster a range of cooperative behaviors, from dyadic interactions to complex, risky ...

About The Study: In this pooled analysis of cohort studies, the association between physical activity and mortality risk remained consistent across the adult lifespan, which contrasts with other modifiable health factors, for which associations with mortality risk diminished with age. Given these findings, the promotion of regular physical activity is essential at all stages of adult life.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, David Martinez-Gomez, PhD, email d.martinez@uam.es. To ...

About The Study: In this cohort study, a prenatal diet that aligned with the U.S. Dietary Guidelines was associated with reduced patterns of rapid and slow infant growth, known risk factors associated with obesity. Future research should examine whether interventions to improve prenatal diet are also beneficial in improving growth trajectory in children.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Monique M. Hedderson, PhD, email Monique.m.Hedderson@kp.org. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media ...

About The Article: This editorial places results of the Greenlight Plus trial, recently published by JAMA, in context, including technological interventions and policies to help prevent childhood obesity. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Kevin G. Volpp, MD, PhD, email volpp70@wharton.upenn.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jama.2024.24026) Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and ...

Protein design aims to create customized antibodies for therapies, biosensors for diagnostics, or enzymes for chemical reactions. An international research team has now developed a method for designing large new proteins better than before and producing them with the desired properties in the laboratory. Their approach involves a new way of using the capabilities of the AI-based software Alphafold2, for which the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded in 2024. Whether as building blocks, transport systems, enzymes, or antibodies, proteins play a vital role in our bodies. Researchers ...

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Have you ever read about a scientific discovery and felt like it was written in a foreign language? If you’re like most Americans, new scientific information can prove challenging to understand — especially if you try to tackle a science article in a research journal. In an era when scientific literacy is crucial for informed decision-making, the abilities to communicate and comprehend complex content are more important than ever. Trust in science has been declining for years, and one ...

A new comprehensive survey has highlighted an urgent need to enable more farmers and contractors to revive England’s hedgerows to meet national restoration targets. While agri-environment schemes (AES) have improved the condition of these iconic landscape features, the overall length of hedgerows remains unchanged. Hedgerows act as field boundaries, protect livestock, support biodiversity and help mitigate climate change. However, around half of these important habitats were lost in the post-war years due to agricultural intensification. In the 2007 Countryside Survey, fewer than 50% of remaining ...