Science
Team cracks mystery of how plants ‘do the twist’
Team cracks mystery of how plants ‘do the twist’ Researchers have cracked the mystery of how plants “do the twist” by growing twisted organs, such as roots that skew hard right or left to avoid obstacles. The team found that a change in gene expression in the plant epidermis, rather than a full null mutation, […]
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Fossils offer clues to animal life millions of years ago
Fossils offer clues to animal life millions of years ago Fossilized bones from animals that lived 1.3 to 3 million years ago have been analyzed for metabolism-related molecules, revealing insights into their health, diets, and environments. The study found warmer and wetter conditions across these environments compared to today, with many metabolites pointing to genes […]
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The Industrial Revolution had uneven health impacts in England
The Industrial Revolution had uneven health impacts in England A new study reveals that the Industrial Revolution had uneven health impacts across England, challenging the traditional narrative of industrial cities being uniformly polluted. The researchers used a combination of historical evidence and bone geochemistry to analyze skeletal remains from two towns, one industrial (South Shields) […]
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How climate shaped bears, dogs, and more
How climate shaped bears, dogs, and more Researchers at the University of Washington studied over 850 carnivoran specimens to understand how climate changes shaped their body shapes. The study found that two major climate transitions, around 34 million years ago and 15-13 million years ago, led to changes in body shape between different carnivoran families. […]
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Studying Physics in Microgravity
Studying Physics in Microgravity Researchers conducted an experiment on the International Space Station to study physics in microgravity, which may advance fields like fire suppression and plant growth in space. The Fluid Particles experiment used oscillating frequencies to observe how particles cluster and form larger structures in microgravity, with potential applications for understanding phenomena on […]
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New materials, old physics – the science behind how your winter jacket keeps you warm
New materials, old physics – the science behind how your winter jacket keeps you warm Modern winter jackets use a combination of physics principles, including conduction, convection, and radiation, to keep you warm while remaining breathable. The development of new materials, such as extremely thin synthetic fibers and breathable membranes, has given designers more control […]
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With wolves absent from most of eastern North America, can coyotes replace them?
With wolves absent from most of eastern North America, can coyotes replace them? Coyotes have expanded their range across eastern North America, potentially filling the ecological role left by wolves that were extirpated from the region. Research found that coyotes and wolves have different diets, with wolves eating more medium-sized herbivores like beavers and nutria, […]
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Where the wild things thrive: Finding and protecting nature’s climate change safe havens
Where the wild things thrive: Finding and protecting nature’s climate change safe havens Climate change refugia are areas that remain relatively stable or even thrive despite rising temperatures, providing a haven for wildlife to survive and adapt. Researchers have identified climate change refugia in various locations around the world, including meadows in California’s Sierra Nevada, […]
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West Antarctica’s history of rapid melting foretells sudden shifts in continent’s ‘catastrophic’ geology
West Antarctica’s history of rapid melting foretells sudden shifts in continent’s ‘catastrophic’ geology West Antarctica’s rapid melting foretells sudden shifts in the continent’s geology, including catastrophic events like earthquakes, eruptions, landslides, and tsunamis. The ice sheet that covers West Antarctica was not present 3.6 million years ago, during a massive collapse of the ice sheet […]
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The North Pole keeps moving – here’s how that affects Santa’s holiday travel and yours
The North Pole keeps moving – here’s how that affects Santa’s holiday travel and yours The North Pole is moving, which affects Santa’s holiday travel and yours. The two North Poles – geographic (true north) and magnetic (used by compasses) – are not the same. The magnetic North Pole has been wandering around northern Canada […]
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OPERA: Addressing Societal Needs with Satellite Data
OPERA: Addressing Societal Needs with Satellite Data The OPERA project aims to address critical satellite data needs identified by federal agencies, providing high-quality, ready-to-use satellite-derived information to support environmental monitoring, disaster response, and infrastructure management. OPERA delivers data products in formats that are immediately usable and analysis-ready, eliminating technical barriers that prevent agencies from effectively […]
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New species are being discovered faster than ever before
New species are being discovered faster than ever before New species are being discovered at an unprecedented rate, with over 16,000 new species identified each year, according to a recent study. The study analyzed taxonomic histories of roughly 2 million species and found that scientists are discovering species quicker than ever before, contradicting the idea […]
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NASA’s Hubble Reveals Largest Found Chaotic Birthplace of Planets
NASA’s Hubble Reveals Largest Found Chaotic Birthplace of Planets Hubble Space Telescope has imaged the largest protoplanetary disk ever observed circling a young star, IRAS 23077+6707, which spans nearly 400 billion miles – 40 times the diameter of our solar system. The disk is unexpectedly chaotic and turbulent, with wisps of material stretching much farther […]
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Material uses light to destroy ‘forever chemicals’ in water
Material uses light to destroy ‘forever chemicals’ in water Researchers at Rice University have developed a material that uses light to break down “forever chemicals” (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS) in water. The material, which combines two safe and lightweight materials using defect engineering, works quickly and efficiently without relying on metals that could […]
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Key cell traits help plants survive in saltwater
Key cell traits help plants survive in saltwater R researchers have identified key cell traits that help plants survive in saltwater, which could lead to creating salt-tolerant crops. The study focused on mangrove trees, which have evolved to thrive in salty environments and found that they have unusually small cells and thicker cell walls. These […]
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I study rat nests − here’s why rodents make great archivists
I study rat nests − here’s why rodents make great archivists Rat nests can serve as archives for materials that have been undisturbed for hundreds of years, providing valuable insights into the lives of past inhabitants. Archaeologists like the author study rat nests to learn about the food, medicine, and trade practices of historical communities, […]
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I Am Artemis: Grace Lauderdale
I Am Artemis: Grace Lauderdale Grace Lauderdale, an exploration project manager at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, leads the team that develops and operates the Orion Mission Simulator for training astronauts and flight control teams. The simulator replicates every aspect of the Orion spacecraft, including buttons, displays, and views out the window, to provide a lifelike […]
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How ‘badass’ microbes move in after volcanoes erupt
How ‘badass’ microbes move in after volcanoes erupt New research explores how microbes colonize new habitats after catastrophic events like volcanic eruptions. A team of ecologists and planetary scientists from the University of Arizona conducted field research in Iceland following a series of eruptions of the Fagradalsfjall volcano, collecting samples from lava flows, rainwater, aerosols, […]
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How do some mammals hit pause on pregnancy?
How do some mammals hit pause on pregnancy? Researchers have discovered how some mammals can “hit pause” on pregnancy, allowing them to delay implantation of the embryo until conditions are right. A study published in Genes & Development reveals that embryonic stem cells from mice maintain their ability to become any cell type even after […]
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Holidays in Space: 25 Years of Space Station Celebrations
Holidays in Space: 25 Years of Space Station Celebrations Astronauts and visitors from around the world have celebrated countless holidays while living and working aboard the International Space Station for over 25 years, marking milestones like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s, birthdays, and national holidays. Holiday traditions in space often look familiar, with NASA astronauts […]
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Gazing into the mind’s eye with mice – how neuroscientists are seeing human vision more clearly
Gazing into the mind’s eye with mice – how neuroscientists are seeing human vision more clearly Mice have complex visual systems that can help neuroscientists understand how vision works in humans, including how individual brain cells communicate and work together to create a mental picture of the visual world. Research has shown that mice are […]
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Curiosity Blog, Sols 4750-4762: See You on the Other Side of the Sun
Curiosity Blog, Sols 4750-4762: See You on the Other Side of the Sun Curiosity Rover Completes Pre-Conjunction Activities: The Mars rover Curiosity has been busy conducting scientific observations before taking a break due to conjunction, which will last from Dec. 27 to Jan. 20. Scientific Discoveries: The rover’s instruments, including APXS and ChemCam, have imaged […]
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Study flips ideas about forest soils and climate change
Study flips ideas about forest soils and climate change A new study challenges long-held assumptions about forest soils and climate change, finding that warming may actually reduce nitrogen emissions in dry forests. The six-year research project, conducted in a temperate Chinese forest, found that nitric oxide emissions dropped by 19% and nitrous oxide emissions fell […]
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Songbirds swap colorful plumage genes across species lines among their evolutionary neighbors
Songbirds swap colorful plumage genes across species lines among their evolutionary neighbors Scientists have discovered that songbirds can swap colorful plumage genes across species lines among their evolutionary neighbors, challenging the traditional view of evolution as a linear process. The study, led by evolutionary biologist David Toews, analyzed the genomes of over 2 trillion base […]
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NASA’s Webb, Curiosity Named in TIME’s Best Inventions Hall of Fame
NASA’s Webb, Curiosity Named in TIME’s Best Inventions Hall of Fame NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and Curiosity rover have been named in TIME’s Best Inventions Hall of Fame, recognizing their groundbreaking impact on science and technology. The James Webb Space Telescope is the most powerful space telescope ever built, giving humanity breathtaking views of […]
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NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Spies Solar Wind ‘U-Turn’
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Spies Solar Wind ‘U-Turn’ Parker Solar Probe has captured images that reveal new details about how solar magnetic fields responsible for space weather escape from the Sun, including instances where material falls back towards the Sun. The spacecraft’s observations have shown that not all magnetic material in a coronal mass ejection […]
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NASA’s Chandra Finds Small Galaxies May Buck the Black Hole Trend
NASA’s Chandra Finds Small Galaxies May Buck the Black Hole Trend NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory has found that smaller galaxies do not contain supermassive black holes nearly as often as larger galaxies, contradicting a common idea. A study of over 1,600 galaxies collected in more than two decades of Chandra data suggests that only about […]
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NASA Selects Two Heliophysics Missions for Continued Development
NASA Selects Two Heliophysics Missions for Continued Development NASA has selected two heliophysics missions for continued development: CINEMA (Cross-scale Investigation of Earth’s Magnetotail and Aurora) and CMEx (Chromospheric Magnetism Explorer). The CINEMA mission aims to advance our understanding of how plasma energy flows into the Earth’s magnetosphere, with a constellation of nine small satellites investigating […]
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NASA Announces Plan to Map Milky Way With Roman Space Telescope
NASA Announces Plan to Map Milky Way With Roman Space Telescope NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will conduct a Galactic Plane Survey to map the Milky Way galaxy in unprecedented detail, revealing tens of billions of stars and exploring previously uncharted structures. The survey will cover nearly 700 square degrees of the galaxy’s disk-shaped […]
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Massive Stars Make Their Mark in Hubble Image
Massive Stars Make Their Mark in Hubble Image The Hubble Space Telescope has captured an image of Markarian 178 (Mrk 178), a blue dwarf galaxy located 13 million light-years away, featuring a unique blend of young stars and rare massive Wolf-Rayet stars. Mrk 178 is one of over 1,500 Markarian galaxies, named after Armenian astrophysicist […]
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