Showing 20 articles starting at article 681

< Previous 20 articles        Next 20 articles >

Categories: Mathematics: General, Offbeat: Plants and Animals

Return to the site home page

Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling
Published

Stick to your lane: Hidden order in chaotic crowds      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Mathematical research brings new understanding of crowd formation and behavior.

Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling
Published

Think you're good at math? Study shows it may be because you had equitable math teachers      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new study finds that high school students identify more with math if they see their math teacher treating everyone in the class equitably, especially in racially diverse schools. While the relationship between teacher equity and math identity was evident across races, there was an interesting exception. Black students, in general, had strong math identities, regardless of their teacher's actions.  Learning about the factors that affect student math identity is important because a student's attitude towards the subject influences the courses that they take as well as their future career selections. This study suggests that teachers may have a larger role to play in helping students develop a positive math identity than previously recognized.

Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Edible electronics: How a seaweed second skin could transform health and fitness sensor tech      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have developed biodegradable algae-based hydrogels for strain sensing devices -- such as those used in health monitors worn by runners and hospital patients to track heart rate -- using natural elements like rock salt, water and seaweed, combined with graphene. As well as being more environmentally friendly than polymer-based hydrogels, commonly used in health sensor technology, the graphene algae sensors perform strongly in terms of sensitivity.

Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Super-fast insect urination powered by the physics of superpropulsion      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Tiny insects known as sharpshooters excrete by catapulting urine drops at incredible accelerations. By using computational fluid dynamics and biophysical experiments, the researchers studied the fluidic, energetic, and biomechanical principles of excretion, revealing how an insect smaller than the tip of a pinky finger performs a feat of physics and bioengineering -- superpropulsion.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Nanotechnology Engineering: Robotics Research Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: Plants and Animals Physics: Optics
Published

Tiny new climbing robot was inspired by geckos and inchworms      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A tiny robot that could one day help doctors perform surgery was inspired by the incredible gripping ability of geckos and the efficient locomotion of inchworms.

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

Dinosaur claws used for digging and display      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Dinosaur claws had many functions, but now a team has shown some predatory dinosaurs used their claws for digging or even for display.

Biology: Botany Biology: Evolutionary Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

The rediscovery of an ethereal fairy lantern brightly illuminates their mysterious past      (via sciencedaily.com) 

After more than 30 years, botanists have rediscovered Thismia kobensis, a type of mysterious-looking rare plant commonly referred to as 'fairy lanterns'. Thismia kobensis was presumed extinct and the surprise rediscovery of this Japanese variety has illuminated hidden aspects of fairy lanterns that have puzzled and fascinated botanists for centuries.

Engineering: Robotics Research Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Reaching like an octopus: A biology-inspired model opens the door to soft robot control      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Octopus arms coordinate nearly infinite degrees of freedom to perform complex movements such as reaching, grasping, fetching, crawling, and swimming. How these animals achieve such a wide range of activities remains a source of mystery, amazement, and inspiration. Part of the challenge comes from the intricate organization and biomechanics of the internal muscles.

Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Theory can sort order from chaos in complex quantum systems      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Theoretical chemists have developed a theory that can predict the threshold at which quantum dynamics switches from 'orderly' to 'random,' as shown through research using large-scale computations on photosynthesis models.

Geoscience: Geology Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: Plants and Animals Offbeat: Space Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

Meteorite crater discovered in French winery      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Countless meteorites have struck Earth in the past and shaped the history of our planet. It is assumed, for example, that meteorites brought with them a large part of its water. The extinction of the dinosaurs might also have been triggered by the impact of a very large meteorite. It turns out that the marketing 'gag' of the 'Domaine du Météore' winery is acutally a real impact crater. Meteorite craters which are still visible today are rare because most traces of the celestial bodies have long since disappeared again.

Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Sheep can benefit urban lawn landscapes and people      (via sciencedaily.com) 

About 25 woolly sheep who seasonally -- for the past two years -- leave barns to nibble on lawns at various central campus locations, are doing much more than mowing, fertilizing and improving the ecosystem. The sheep also are improving people's mental health.

Biology: Microbiology Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Researchers map mosquito cells that may help the insects choose tastiest humans      (via sciencedaily.com) 

In a bid to understand why mosquitoes may be more attracted to one human than another, researchers say they have mapped specialized receptors on the insects' nerve cells that are able to fine-tune their ability to detect particularly 'welcoming' odors in human skin.

Ecology: Animals Ecology: Invasive Species Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Noble false widow spider found preying on pygmy shrew      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have published the first record of a noble false widow spider feeding on a pygmy shrew, a species of tiny mammal protected in Ireland. The pygmy shrew -- a protected mammal -- was captured on spider's web on a bedroom window, then paralyzed and hoisted to its doom by the invasive spider.

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

Geckos know their own odor      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Geckos can use their tongue to differentiate their own odor from that of other members of their species, as researchers have shown in a new experimental study. The findings show that geckos are able to communicate socially, meaning that they are more intelligent than was previously assumed.

Biology: Developmental Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling
Published

AI analyzes cell movement under the microscope      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Using artificial intelligence (AI), researchers can now follow cell movement across time and space. The method could be very helpful for developing more effective cancer medications.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Sea Life Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

How the fastest fish hunts its prey      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have designed a novel electronic tag package incorporating high-tech sensors and a video camera in order to document a detailed view of exactly how sailfish behave and hunt once they are on their own and out of view of the surface.

Biology: Microbiology Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Kangaroo fecal microbes could reduce methane from cows      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Baby kangaroo feces might help provide an unlikely solution to the environmental problem of cow-produced methane. A microbial culture developed from the kangaroo feces inhibited methane production in a cow stomach simulator. After researchers added the baby kangaroo culture and a known methane inhibitor to the simulated stomach, it produced acetic acid instead of methane. Unlike methane, which cattle discard as flatulence, acetic acid has benefits for cows as it aids muscle growth.

Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Rats trade initial rewards for long-term learning opportunities      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Scientists have provided evidence for the cognitive control of learning in rats, showing they can estimate the long-term value of learning and adapt their decision-making strategy to take advantage of learning opportunities.

Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Scientists find world's oldest European hedgehog      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The world's oldest scientifically-confirmed European hedgehog has been found in Denmark by a citizen science project involving hundreds of volunteers. The hedgehog lived for 16 years, 7 years longer than the previous record holder.