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Scientists at Kyoto University have developed a theoretical model examining whether disturbances in the ionosphere could apply electrostatic forces deep within the Earth’s crust. Under certain conditions, these forces might contribute to the start of large earthquakes. The research is not designed to forecast earthquakes. Instead, it outlines a possible…
Tropical swamps and peatlands are critical players in Earth’s carbon cycle and, by extension, the global climate. In regions such as the Amazon Basin, the Congo Basin, and the wetlands of Southeast Asia, thick layers of partially decomposed plant material build up over time. Together, these ecosystems lock away roughly…
A remarkably complete skeleton uncovered along the UK’s Jurassic Coast has been identified as a previously unknown species of ichthyosaur — a group of prehistoric marine reptiles that once dominated the world’s oceans. The dolphin-sized creature, named Xiphodracon goldencapensis and nicknamed the “Sword Dragon of Dorset,” is the only known…
Scientists at the University of Waterloo are working on a new cancer treatment that uses specially engineered bacteria to consume tumors from the inside. The strategy relies on microbes that naturally thrive in oxygen-free environments, which makes the interior of many solid tumors an ideal target. “Bacteria spores enter the…
Researchers at CU Boulder have developed highly efficient optical microresonators that could support a new generation of powerful sensor technologies. A microresonator is a microscopic structure designed to confine light in a small space. As light circulates inside, its intensity increases. When that intensity reaches a sufficient level, scientists can…
A new nationwide study led by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health reports that U.S. counties situated closer to operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) have higher cancer death rates than counties located farther away. This is the first study of the 21st century to examine the…
Rising global mean sea level (GMSL) is one of the clearest signs of a warming planet. Researchers at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have produced the first highly precise 30-year (1993-2022) record of changes in global ocean mass, also known as barystatic sea level. Their findings show that the…
Regular exercise supports both physical and mental health. Now, new findings from Edith Cowan University (ECU) suggest that how intensely you train may also influence the makeup of your gut microbiome. PhD candidate Ms. Bronwen Charlesson examined how different training loads, ranging from high intensity to lighter periods, affect athletes’…
Aging muscles heal more slowly after injury, a frustrating reality familiar to many older adults. New research from UCLA, conducted in mice, points to a surprising explanation. As muscles age, their stem cells build up high levels of a protein that makes them slower to switch on and repair damaged…
On land, dramatic canyons such as the Grand Canyon are carved over time by flowing rivers. The ocean does not have rivers capable of cutting into rock on that scale. Even so, the seafloor hosts enormous features that surpass the size of the largest land canyons. About 1,000 kilometers off…
New research into how people perceive differences between colors is reshaping a theory first proposed nearly 100 years ago by physicist Erwin Schrödinger. Roxana Bujack, a scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory, led a team that applied geometry to precisely describe how we experience hue, saturation and lightness. Their findings,…
Limiting sugar consumption during early childhood may reduce the risk of serious heart problems later in life. A study published in The BMJ, based on data from the end of sugar rationing in the United Kingdom in 1953, found that people who consumed less sugar early on were less likely…
For decades, scientists have chased the idea of a universal vaccine capable of protecting against virtually any infectious threat. That goal has often seemed almost mythical. Now, researchers at Stanford Medicine and their collaborators report a major step toward that vision. In a new mouse study, they developed an experimental…
Babies born between 2003 and 2006 encountered far more “forever chemicals” in the womb than researchers once recognized, according to a study published in Environmental Science & Technology. These substances, known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS, include thousands of compounds that are still widely used. Scientists do not…
Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have developed a new way to estimate when a person is likely to start showing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease using just one blood test. In a study published Feb. 19 in Nature Medicine, the team reported that their model could…
For decades, astronomers have tried to understand why so many icy bodies in the outer solar system resemble snowmen, with two rounded sections joined together. Researchers at Michigan State University now report evidence pointing to a surprisingly straightforward process that can explain how these unusual shapes form. Beyond the turbulent…
Scientists at Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan have identified a newly documented behavior in cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus). When the small reef fish were given access to a mirror, they did more than simply recognize their reflections. They also began experimenting with the mirror using bits of food. The findings…
Volcanic eruptions that look like single events are often the visible outcome of slow, complicated activity taking place deep underground. Beneath the surface, magma shifts position, changes chemically, and can sit for long stretches before finally erupting. To piece together what is happening below, scientists examine lava flows, rock textures,…
A newly published study in Science announces the discovery of Spinosaurus mirabilis, a previously unknown species of spinosaurid dinosaur uncovered in Niger. The fossils were excavated in a remote region of the central Sahara by a 20 member research team led by Paul Sereno, PhD, Professor of Organismal Biology and…
As American Heart Month draws attention to cardiovascular wellness, a newly released scientific review is putting the spotlight on pecans, America’s native nut, and their role in heart healthy eating patterns. Published in the peer reviewed journal Nutrients, the analysis brings together more than two decades of research on pecans.…
As the population grows older and diabetes becomes more common, chronic wounds are affecting more people than ever. These slow healing injuries significantly raise the risk of infection, tissue damage, and amputation. Researchers at UC Riverside have developed a new oxygen delivering gel designed to help wounds heal before they…
Triceratops and other horned dinosaurs had exceptionally large nasal cavities compared to most animals. To better understand what filled that space, researchers including a team from the University of Tokyo analyzed CT scans of fossilized Triceratops skulls. They compared those scans with the snout anatomy of living animals such as…
In their natural condition, peatlands rank among the planet’s most important carbon reservoirs. The soil is saturated with water and contains very little oxygen, which slows the breakdown of dead plants. Instead of fully decomposing, plant material builds up layer upon layer over thousands of years, forming deep deposits of…
A study published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry by Oxford University Press reports that widely used flea and tick treatments for dogs and cats may pose a serious threat to insects in the natural environment. Isoxazoline drugs are a relatively new class of antiparasitic medications prescribed by veterinarians around the…
Bacteria are remarkably adaptable, thriving in some of the harshest places on Earth, from boiling hot springs to deep freezes far below zero. Ice caves are one such extreme habitat, home to diverse microorganisms that scientists are only beginning to understand. These frozen environments may contain vast stores of genetic…
People with roots in the Outer Hebrides and north west Ireland face the highest known risk of developing hemochromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes the body to absorb and store too much iron. Over time, that excess iron can build up to dangerous levels. This is the first time researchers…
For years, researchers have observed that people who live at high elevations, where oxygen is scarce, tend to develop diabetes less often than those at sea level. Although the trend was well documented, the biological explanation behind it was unclear. Scientists at Gladstone Institutes now say they have identified the…
Running extreme distances may do more than exhaust muscles. A study published in the American Society of Hematology’s journal Blood Red Cells & Iron reports that ultra-endurance events can injure red blood cells in ways that may interfere with how they function. Researchers do not yet know how long the…
Scientists believe so called triplet superconductors could open the door to the most energy efficient technologies ever developed. “A triplet superconductor is high on the wish list of many physicists working in the field of solid state physics,” said Professor Jacob Linder. Linder is a physicist at the Norwegian University…
In an early real world test of artificial intelligence in health research, scientists at UC San Francisco and Wayne State University discovered that generative AI could process enormous medical datasets far faster than traditional computer science teams — and in some cases produce even stronger results. Human experts had spent…
