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Categories: Ecology: Animals, Energy: Technology
Published Movement sensors can detect disease in wild boar



Accelerometers reading the behavior of wild boars can pick up when animals are infected with a fatal virus.
Published Unlocking the genetic code of peppers: New study reveals insights into domestication and diversity



Peppers are a versatile, flavorful, and widely popular crop, used not only as a healthy food source but also for their medicinal properties. Scientists have now sequenced the genomes of key cultivated and wild pepper species, offering unprecedented insights into pepper evolution, domestication, and genetic diversity.
Published You say tomato, these scientists say evolutionary mystery



Biologists have found evidence for evolutionary 'syndromes'-- sets of traits that occur together -- that help to explain how tomatoes first evolved their distinctive blend of color, sweetness, acidity and aroma. The research not only shines a light on how fruits evolve in the wild, but will also be valuable to crop-improvement efforts aimed at breeding more nutritious and appealing varieties of fruits.
Published Super antifreeze in cells: The ability to survive in ice and snow developed in animals far earlier than we thought



More than 400 million years ago, an insect-like animal called the springtail developed a small protein that prevents its cells from freezing.
Published New methodology reveals health, climate impacts of reducing buildings' energy use


Increasing energy efficiency in buildings can save money -- and it can also decrease the carbon emissions and air pollution that lead to climate change and health harms. But the climate and health benefits of reducing buildings' energy consumption are rarely quantified. Now, researchers have developed a new method for calculating the health and climate impacts of these energy savings.
Published Lions on the brink -- New analysis reveals the differing threats to African lion populations



New results reveal that many of Africa's remaining lions live within small, fragmented populations at risk of disappearing. The researchers developed a new framework which integrates ecological and socio-political risk factors to better understand the fragility of these populations.
Published 'A crab is never just a crab'



A herring in the North Sea, a crab in the Wadden Sea or an anemone fish on a coral reef, ... biologists like to think in terms of individual species that all have their own place within food webs in ecosystems across the world. 'But that is surely too simplistic thinking,' researchers warn.
Published Jackdaws switch friends to gain food -- but stick with family



Jackdaws ditch old friends and make new ones if it helps them get rewards -- but stick with family through thick and thin, new research shows.
Published Scientists find evidence of sea star species hybridization


A new study presents genomic evidence of hybridization between two closely related species of sea stars -- Asterias rubens, the common starfish, and Asterias forbesi, known as Forbes' sea star.
Published Bacteria generate electricity from wastewater


In a breakthrough for the field of bioelectronics, researchers have enhanced the ability of E. coli bacteria to generate electricity. The innovative approach only offers a sustainable solution for organic waste processing while outperforming previous state-of-the-art technologies, opening new horizons for versatile microbial electricity production.
Published Contours that kill: Geometry influences prey capture in carnivorous pitcher plants



Researchers have shown that the shape, size, and geometry of carnivorous pitcher plants determines the type of prey they trap.
Published New study highlights feasibility and optimization of ammonia-based power generation for carbon neutrality


A research team has evaluated the feasibility of ammonia-based power generation through techno-economic and carbon footprint analyses.
Published New study reveals the power of railroads to buffer coal plants from a carbon emissions tax


A new study suggests that railroads are likely to cut transportation prices to prop up coal-fired plants if U.S. climate policies further disadvantage coal in favor of less carbon-intensive energy sources.
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 Dog diversity unveiled by international DNA database



An international consortium of scientists isĀ using an unprecedentedly large database of canine DNA to take an unbiased look at how our furry friends evolved into the various breeds we know and love.
Published Scientists develop new method to recover high-purity silicon from expired solar panels for upcycling into lithium-ion batteries


Scientists have devised an efficient method of recovering high-purity silicon from expired solar panels to produce lithium-ion batteries that could help meet the increasing global demand to power electric vehicles.
Published Disease affects blackbirds more than previously thought



When humans are ill, we tend to be less active. This also applies to wild animals, but so far, it has not been known how long the reduced activity lasts or which activities are affected the most. New research shows that birds' activity decreases for up to three weeks when they become ill -- something that could mean the difference between life and death.
Published Devices offers long-distance, low-power underwater communication


A new underwater communication and networking technique can achieve kilometer-scale ranges while consuming about one-millionth the power required by current communication methods.
Published New material offers more durable, sustainable multi-level non-volatile phase change memory


Researchers scientists have unlocked a new realm of possibilities for non-volatile phase change memory, a type of electronic memory capable of retaining data even without power. Traditionally, researchers have relied on chalcogenides, materials with reversible electrical properties during transitions between crystalline and amorphous states. But an exciting alternative has emerged in the form of layered nickelates, complex oxide materials composed of nickel ions. These nickelates, with their unique layered structure and thermally reversible switching of room-temperature electrical resistivity, offer superior performance and sustainability potential.
Published Human shoulders and elbows first evolved as brakes for climbing apes



Researchers report that the flexible shoulders and elbows that allow us to throw a football or reach a high shelf may have evolved as a natural braking system that let our primate ancestors get out of trees without dying. The researchers used sports-analysis software to compare the climbing movements of chimpanzees and small monkeys called mangabeys. While the animals climb up trees similarly, the researchers found that the shallow, rounded shoulder joints and shortened elbow bones that chimps have -- similar to humans -- allow them to fully extend their arms above their heads when climbing down, holding onto branches like a person going down a ladder to support their greater weight. When early humans left forests for the grassy savanna, these versatile appendages would have been essential for gathering food and using tools for hunting and defense. The findings are among the first to identify the significance of 'downclimbing' in the evolution of apes and early humans.