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Categories: Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Ecology: Extinction
Published Assessing unintended consequences in AI-based neurosurgical training


A new study shows that human instruction is still necessary to detect and compensate for unintended, and sometimes negative, changes in neurosurgeon behavior after virtual reality AI training. This finding has implications for other fields of training.
Published RNA for the first time recovered from an extinct species



A new study shows the isolation and sequencing of more than a century-old RNA molecules from a Tasmanian tiger specimen preserved at room temperature in a museum collection. This resulted in the reconstruction of skin and skeletal muscle transcriptomes from an extinct species for the first time. The researchers note that their findings have relevant implications for international efforts to resurrect extinct species, including both the Tasmanian tiger and the woolly mammoth, as well as for studying pandemic RNA viruses.
Published The pace of climate-driven extinction is accelerating



Studying a lizard species in Arizona mountains, researchers found 70 years' worth of climate-related extinction occurred in only seven years.
Published Almost half of koala habitats will be under high bushfire threat by 2070


The research team generated a series of fire susceptibility maps. These show the proportion of Australia experiencing 'high' or 'very high' fire susceptibility increasing from 14.9% now to 15.66% by 2070 -- while fire susceptibility of areas suitable for the plants that koalas depend on is tipped to jump from 39.56% to 44.61% by 2070.
Published Study shows replanting logged forests with diverse mixtures of seedlings accelerates restoration


• Twenty-year experiment finds that active replanting beats natural recovery for restoring logged tropical forests. • The higher the diversity of replanted tree species, the more quickly canopy area and biomass recovered. • Results emphasize the importance of preserving biodiversity in pristine forests and restoring it in recovering logged forest.
Published Groundbreaking soft valve technology enabling sensing and control integration in soft robots


A research team has developed groundbreaking 'soft valve' technology -- an all-in-one solution that integrates sensors and control valves while maintaining complete softness.
Published Verbal nonsense reveals limitations of AI chatbots


The era of artificial-intelligence chatbots that seem to understand and use language the way we humans do has begun. Under the hood, these chatbots use large language models, a particular kind of neural network. But a new study shows that large language models remain vulnerable to mistaking nonsense for natural language. To a team of researchers, it's a flaw that might point toward ways to improve chatbot performance and help reveal how humans process language.
Published Evolution wired human brains to act like supercomputers


Scientists have confirmed that human brains are naturally wired to perform advanced calculations, much like a high-powered computer, to make sense of the world through a process known as Bayesian inference.
Published Protected nature reserves alone are insufficient for reversing biodiversity loss



Protected nature areas are considered fundamental for maintaining biodiversity and countering its loss. But how effectively do established protected areas work and prevent negative trends? Research shows mixed effects of protected areas on various species.
Published Freshwater connectivity can transport environmental DNA through the landscape


A new article uses environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to analyze fish and zooplankton communities. The study found that the movement of water between freshwater bodies, or freshwater connectivity, can transport eDNA. This highlights the potential of eDNA to provide a comprehensive view of freshwater biodiversity.
Published Nature's great survivors: Flowering plants survived the mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs



A new study by researchers from the University of Bath (UK) and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Mexico) shows that flowering plants escaped relatively unscathed from the mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. Whilst they suffered some species loss, the devastating event helped flowering plants become the dominant type of plant today.
Published Ecology and artificial intelligence: Stronger together


Many of today's artificial intelligence systems loosely mimic the human brain. In a new paper, researchers suggest that another branch of biology -- ecology -- could inspire a whole new generation of AI to be more powerful, resilient, and socially responsible. The paper argues for a synergy between AI and ecology that could both strengthen AI and help to solve complex global challenges, such as disease outbreaks, loss of biodiversity, and climate change impacts.
Published 'Brainless' robot can navigate complex obstacles


Researchers who created a soft robot that could navigate simple mazes without human or computer direction have now built on that work, creating a 'brainless' soft robot that can navigate more complex and dynamic environments.
Published Invasive alien species play key role in 60% of global plant and animal extinctions


A new report presents major findings on the gravity of impacts from invasive alien species on our planet.
Published Echoes of extinctions: Novel method unearths disruptions in mammal trait-environment relationships



New research explores the historical shifts in mammal traits and biodiversity loss in eastern Africa. The study reveals how environmental changes disrupted mammal communities and highlights the urgent need for targeted conservation efforts to protect vulnerable species.
Published Online AI-based test for Parkinson's disease severity shows promising results


A new artificial intelligence tool can help people with Parkinson's disease remotely assess the severity of their symptoms within minutes. While expert neurologists performed slightly better than the AI model, the AI model outperformed the primary care physicians with UPDRS certification.
Published New research highlights opportunities to protect carbon and communities from forest fires



As the climate and wildfire crises have intensified, so too have concerns regarding the loss of carbon captured and stored in forests from decades to centuries of tree growth. A new study describes where to optimize ongoing wildfire mitigation efforts and reduce carbon loss due to wildfire, benefitting communities and climate at the same time. The study evaluated where living trees and the carbon they store are at risk of burning in the future. They then compared these areas to communities that are vulnerable to wildfire as identified in the Forest Service's Wildfire Crisis Strategy. Areas of overlap highlight 'opportunity hot spots' where action can reduce the risk from wildfire to both carbon and communities.
Published Fossil spines reveal deep sea's past



Right at the bottom of the deep sea, the first very simple forms of life on earth probably emerged a long time ago. Today, the deep sea is known for its bizarre fauna. Intensive research is being conducted into how the number of species living on the sea floor have changed in the meantime. Some theories say that the ecosystems of the deep sea have emerged again and again after multiple mass extinctions and oceanic upheavals. Today's life in the deep sea would thus be comparatively young in the history of the Earth. But there is increasing evidence that parts of this world are much older than previously thought.
Published Invasive species are animals, too: Considering a humane approach


Invasive alien species are animals that may pose a threat to biodiversity, but it's time to deal with that threat in a more ethical way.
Published Three out of four populations of rare butterflies have been lost



In just 26 years, the distribution of rare butterflies has plummeted by 72% in Eastern Denmark. Several species are threatened with extinction, yet the conservation actions aiming to safeguard species have proved unsuccessful.