Biology: Biochemistry Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Elephants have names for each other like people do, new study shows      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Wild African elephants address each other with name-like calls, a rare ability among nonhuman animals, according to a new study. Researchers used machine learning to confirm that elephant calls contained a name-like component identifying the intended recipient, a behavior they suspected based on observation. The study suggests elephants do not imitate the receiver's call to address one another but instead use arbitrary vocal labels like humans.

Computer Science: General Energy: Technology
Published

Discovery highlights 'critical oversight' in perceived security of wireless networks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team has uncovered an eavesdropping security vulnerability in high-frequency and high-speed wireless backhaul links, widely employed in critical applications such as 5G wireless cell phone signals and low-latency financial trading on Wall Street.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Microbiology Geoscience: Geochemistry Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

A new study reveals that marine cyanobacteria communicate      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A breakthrough study changes the way we understand cyanobacteria, which are essential for the sustenance of life. The study shows that these organisms do not operate in isolation, but rather physically interact through membrane-nanotubes, which function as exchange bridges between cells.

Biology: Zoology Computer Science: General
Published

Seeking social proximity improves flight routes among pigeons      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study looked at the social influences on pigeon flight routes. Comparing the flight patterns of pairs of pigeons to a computer model, the researcher found that flight paths are improved as younger birds learn the route from older birds and also make route improvements, leading to overall more efficient routes over generations.

Archaeology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Sea Life Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Researchers solve 2,000-year-old mystery of the shipworm      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

They bedeviled ancient Greek navies, helped shipwreck Christopher Columbus, aided in the sinking of the Spanish Armada and caused the wharves in San Francisco Bay to collapse into the sea, but until now, scientists have been unable to pinpoint exactly how shipworms -- a family of mollusks -- are able to cause such damage. A team of researchers has discovered that a population of symbiotic microbes, living in an overlooked sub-organ of the gut called the 'typhlosole,' have the ability to secrete the enzymes needed to digest lignin -- the toughest part of wood.

Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Sea Life Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Flapping frequency of birds, insects, bats and whales described by universal equation      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A single universal equation can closely approximate the frequency of wingbeats and fin strokes made by birds, insects, bats and whales, despite their different body sizes and wing shapes, researchers report in a new study.

Computer Science: General
Published

AIs are irrational, but not in the same way that humans are      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Large Language Models behind popular generative AI platforms like ChatGPT gave different answers when asked to respond to the same reasoning test and didn't improve when given additional context, finds a new study.

Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Sea Life Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Fishy mystery of marine reptile solved      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The identity of a prehistoric marine reptile has finally been revealed after experts discovered that some of its remains actually belonged to fish.

Archaeology: General Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Zoology Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Blood sausages and yak milk: Bronze Age cuisine of Mongolian nomads unveiled      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Bronze cauldrons were used by the inhabitants of the Mongolian steppe around 2,700 years ago to process animal blood and milk. This is shown by a protein analysis of archaeological finds from this period.

Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: Sea Life Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

'Missing' early sea sponges discovered      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Geobiologists reported a 550 million-year-old sea sponge that had been missing from the fossil record. The discovery sheds new light on a conundrum that has stumped zoologists and paleontologists for years.

Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Zoology Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Ecology: Animals Mathematics: Modeling Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Using AI to decode dog vocalizations      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Have you ever wished you could understand what your dog is trying to say to you? Researchers are exploring the possibilities of AI, developing tools that can identify whether a dog's bark conveys playfulness or aggression.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling
Published

New model allows a computer to understand human emotions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a model that enables computers to interpret and understand human emotions, utilizing principles of mathematical psychology. In the future, the model can help the computer to adapt its own behavior and guide an irritated or anxious user in different ways. The implications of such technology are profound, offering a glimpse into a future where computers are not merely tools, but empathetic partners in user interaction.

Computer Science: General Mathematics: General
Published

New open-source platform allows users to evaluate performance of AI-powered chatbots      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a platform for the interactive evaluation of AI-powered chatbots such as ChatGPT. A team of computer scientists, engineers, mathematicians and cognitive scientists developed an open-source evaluation platform called CheckMate, which allows human users to interact with and evaluate the performance of large language models (LLMs).

Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Sea Life Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Gigantic Jurassic pterosaur fossil unearthed in Oxfordshire, UK      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A team of palaeontologists has discovered a fossil of a gigantic flying reptile from the Jurassic period with an estimated wingspan of more than three metres -- making it one of the largest pterosaurs ever found from that era.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Captivating blue-colored ant discovered in India's remote Siang Valley      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new species of blue ant was discovered in Yingku village in Arunachal Pradesh, Northeastern India. It was named Paraparatrechina neela, after the word 'neela' which means blue in various Indian languages. Its unique blue coloration makes it stand out among other ant species.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Animals Ecology: Nature Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Food drove the evolution of giraffes' long neck      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A study explores body proportions of Masai giraffes, lending insight into why giraffes have such long necks and how this trait might have evolved.

Biology: Evolutionary Biology: Marine Ecology: Nature Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: General
Published

An unlikely hero in evolution: Worms      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

One of Earth's most consequential bursts of biodiversity -- a 30-million-year period of explosive evolutionary changes spawning innumerable new species -- may have the most modest of creatures to thank for the vital stage in life's history: worms.