Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Trees Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

How forests smell -- a risk for the climate?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Plants emit odors for a variety of reasons, such as to communicate with each other, to deter herbivores or to respond to changing environmental conditions. An interdisciplinary team of researchers carried out a study to investigate how biodiversity influences the emission of these substances. For the first time, they were able to show that species-rich forests emit less of these gases into the atmosphere than monocultures. It was previously assumed that species-rich forests release more emissions. The Leipzig team has now been able to disprove this assumption experimentally.

Computer Science: General Ecology: Endangered Species Environmental: General Environmental: Water
Published

Saving endangered species: New AI method counts manatee clusters in real time      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Accurately counting manatee aggregations within a region is crucial yet challenging. Harnessing the power of AI, researchers are using a deep learning-based crowd counting approach to automatically count the number of manatees in a designated region, using images captured from CCTV cameras, which are readily available, as input. The pioneering study not only addresses the technical challenges of counting in complex outdoor environments but also offers potential ways to aid endangered species. 

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Environmental Issues Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Best areas for rewilding European bison      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Simulations integrate historical records, fossils, and ancient DNA to reveal why the European bison nearly went extinct, and pinpoint optimal areas for conservation.   Since the near-extinction of the European bison, enormous conservation efforts have helped to restore wild populations, and its numbers are on the rise. However, the study authors argue that ensuring the species's long-term protection and recovery requires understanding why they nearly went extinct in the first place.    'Our study also suggests areas where rewilding attempts are most likely to be successful,' said lead author July Pilowsky, currently a disease ecologist at Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. Pilowsky completed the research while working on their PhD at University of Adelaide and University of Copenhagen.   

Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species
Published

A new brew: Evaluating the flavor of roasted, lab-grown coffee cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

It may soon be time to wake up and smell the lab-grown coffee made from cultured plant cells. But it's not clear whether drinks from this product replicate coffee beans' complex flavors. Now, a study found that some of the comforting aromas and tastes of a conventional cup of coffee could be reproduced by roasting and brewing coffee cell cultures.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Published

AI chatbot shows potential as diagnostic partner      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Physician-investigators compared a chatbot's probabilistic reasoning to that of human clinicians. The findings suggest that artificial intelligence could serve as useful clinical decision support tools for physicians.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General
Published

Urbanization increases seasonal differences in plant-pollinator networks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Increasing urbanization worldwide is a growing threat to biodiversity. At the same time, flowering plants are often more diverse in cities than in the countryside. This is due to flowering plants and agricultural crops, which are increasingly being grown in cities. A recent study shows that the interactions between plants and pollinators, which are important for agricultural production, are surprisingly dynamic. For example, the plant and bee species involved in pollination vary greatly between the seasons.

Biology: Botany Biology: Zoology Ecology: Endangered Species Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

It turns out, this fossil 'plant' is really a fossil baby turtle      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers re-examined a plant fossil found decades ago in Colombia and realized that it wasn't a plant at all: it's a fossilized baby turtle. It's a rare find, because juvenile turtles' shells are soft and often don't fossilize well.

Biology: Botany Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Plant nurseries are exacerbating the climate-driven spread of 80% of invasive species      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have provided detailed maps of how 144 common invasive plants species will react to 2° Celsius of climate change in the eastern U.S., as well as the role that garden centers currently play in seeding future invasions.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Exposure to soft robots decreases human fears about working with them      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Seeing robots made with soft, flexible parts in action appears to lower people's anxiety about working with them or even being replaced by them. A study found that watching videos of a soft robot working with a person at picking and placing tasks lowered the viewers' safety concerns and feelings of job insecurity. This was true even when the soft robot was shown working in close proximity to the person. This finding shows soft robots hold a potential psychological advantage over rigid robots made of metal or other hard materials.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Ecology: Endangered Species
Published

Sugar permeation discovered in plant aquaporins      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Aquaporins, which move water through membranes of plant cells, were not thought to be able to permeate sugar molecules, but researchers have observed sucrose transport in plant aquaporins for the first time, challenging this theory.

Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

New study identifies the greatest threat to wildlife across North America and Canada: people      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A biology student studied more than 600,000 wildlife rehabilitation center records to look at the human impact on wild animals, from lead poisonings to window strikes to vehicle collisions.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Published

AI networks are more vulnerable to malicious attacks than previously thought      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Artificial intelligence tools hold promise for applications ranging from autonomous vehicles to the interpretation of medical images. However, a new study finds these AI tools are more vulnerable than previously thought to targeted attacks that effectively force AI systems to make bad decisions.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Ecology: Trees Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Climate Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Crocodile family tree mapped: New light shed on croc evolution      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Around 250 million years ago, 700 species of reptiles closely related to the modern-day crocodile roamed the earth, now new research reveals how a complex interplay between climate change, species competition and habitat can help explain why just 23 species of crocodile survive today.     

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Research
Published

Decoding flavonoid metabolism: A closer look at plant-based diets      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An international team of researchers has elucidated the process by which the major flavonoids naringenin, apigenin, and genistein are metabolized in the body. These findings are fundamental in elucidating the correlation between the metabolism of flavonoids in the body and their potential health benefits.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineering: Robotics Research Physics: Optics
Published

A color-based sensor to emulate skin's sensitivity      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a step toward more autonomous soft robots and wearable technologies, researchers have created a device that uses color to simultaneously sense multiple mechanical and temperature stimuli.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Published

Brainstorming with a bot      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Electronic nanomaterials experts have imagined how recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) could aid scientific brainstorming and ideation. To accomplish this, they have developed a chatbot with knowledge in the kinds of science he's been engaged in.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Energy: Technology Mathematics: Modeling
Published

Scientists use A.I.-generated images to map visual functions in the brain      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have demonstrated the use of AI-selected natural images and AI-generated synthetic images as neuroscientific tools for probing the visual processing areas of the brain. The goal is to apply a data-driven approach to understand how vision is organized while potentially removing biases that may arise when looking at responses to a more limited set of researcher-selected images.