Biology: General Ecology: Extinction Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Dinosaurs Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Scientists assess how large dinosaurs could really get      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A study looks at the maximum possible sizes of dinosaurs, using the carnivore, Tyrannosaurus rex, as an example. Using computer modelling, experts produced estimates that T. Rex might have been 70% heavier than what the fossil evidence suggests.

Ecology: Endangered Species Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Whale shark tracked for record-breaking four years      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have been tracking a 26-foot endangered whale shark -- named 'Rio Lady' -- with a satellite transmitter for more than four years -- a record for whale sharks and one of the longest tracking endeavors for any species of shark.

Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Eyes for Love: Searching for light and a mate in the deep, dark sea, male dragonfishes grow larger eyes than the females they seek      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The eyes of the male dragonfish grow larger for mate seeking, a sexual dimorphism that makes the dragonfish an anomaly in vertebrate evolution, researchers report.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Nuclear Offbeat: General Physics: General
Published

A new way to make element 116 opens the door to heavier atoms      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have successfully made super-heavy element 116 using a beam of titanium-50. That milestone sets the team up to attempt making the heaviest element yet: 120.

Biology: Evolutionary Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Taco-shaped arthropod fossils gives new insights into the history of the first mandibulates      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Palaeontologists are helping resolve the evolution and ecology of Odaraia, a taco-shaped marine animal that lived during the Cambrian period. Fossils reveal Odaraia had mandibles. Palaeontologists are finally able to place it as belonging to the mandibulates, ending its long enigmatic classification among the arthropods since it was first discovered in the Burgess Shale over 100 years ago and revealing more about early evolution and diversification.

Biology: Evolutionary Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Butterflies accumulate enough static electricity to attract pollen without contact      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Butterflies and moths collect so much static electricity whilst in flight, that pollen grains from flowers can be pulled by static electricity across air gaps of several millimeters or centimeters.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Researchers develop more environmentally friendly and cost-effective method for soil remediation      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Chemists have developed a rapid electrothermal mineralization (REM) process, which in seconds can remediate the accumulation of synthetic chemicals that can contaminate soil and the environment.

Biology: Developmental Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Fruit fly post-mating behavior controlled by male-derived peptide via command neurons, study finds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have succeeded in pinpointing the neurons within a female fruit fly's brain that respond to signals from the male during mating.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Physics: Optics
Published

A promising new method uses light to clean up forever chemicals      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A room-temperature method to decompose perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) using visible LED light offers a promising solution for sustainable fluorine recycling and PFAS treatment.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Batteries
Published

Team develops safe and long-cyclable lithium metal battery for high temperatures      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In recent years, batteries have become ubiquitous in consumers' daily lives. However, existing commercial battery technologies, which use liquid electrolytes and carbonaceous anodes, have certain drawbacks such as safety concerns, limited lifespan, and inadequate power density particularly at high temperatures.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Graphene Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Researchers develop new method for achieving controllable tuning and assessing instability in 2D materials for engineering applications      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have atomic-level thickness and excellent mechanical and physical properties, with broad application prospects in fields such as semiconductors, flexible devices, and composite materials.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Smell of human stress affects dogs' emotions leading them to make more pessimistic choices      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Dogs experience emotional contagion from the smell of human stress, leading them to make more 'pessimistic' choices, new research finds. Researchers tested how human stress odors affect dogs' learning and emotional state.

Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Developmental Biology: Genetics Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Controlling mosquito populations through genetic breeding      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have found a new way to identify genetic targets useful for control of mosquito populations, potentially offering an alternative to insecticides. Their study focused on the genetic basis of species incompatibility. They crossed Ae. aegypti, a major global arboviral disease vector, and its sibling species, Ae. mascarensis, from the Indian Ocean. When offspring is crossed back with one parent, about 10 percent of the progeny becomes intersex and is unable to reproduce.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Birds need entertainment during avian flu lockdowns      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Birds need varied activities during avian flu lockdowns, new research shows.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry
Published

Organs on demand? Scientists print voxel building blocks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists are bioprinting 3D structures with a material that is a close match for human tissue, paving the way for true biomanufacturing.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Chimpanzees gesture back and forth quickly like in human conversations      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

When people are having a conversation, they rapidly take turns speaking and sometimes even interrupt. Now, researchers who have collected the largest ever dataset of chimpanzee 'conversations' have found that they communicate back and forth using gestures following the same rapid-fire pattern.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Waste Styrofoam can now be converted into polymers for electronics      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study describes a chemical reaction that can convert Styrofoam into a high-value conducting polymer known as PEDOT:PSS. Researchers also noted that the upgraded plastic waste can be successfully incorporated into functional electronic devices, including silicon-based hybrid solar cells and organic electrochemical transistors.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Sea Life Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

The courtship of leopard seals off the coast of South America      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A pioneering study has unveiled the first paired observations of sexual behavior and vocalizations in wild leopard seals. The study on the mysterious leopard seal represents a major advance in understanding the behavior of one of the most difficult apex predators to study on Earth.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Technology
Published

Soft, stretchy 'jelly batteries' inspired by electric eels      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed soft, stretchable 'jelly batteries' that could be used for wearable devices or soft robotics, or even implanted in the brain to deliver drugs or treat conditions such as epilepsy.