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Categories: Ecology: Endangered Species, Offbeat: Computers and Math
Published Pioneering research sheds surprising new light on evolution of plant kingdom
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has uncovered intriguing insights into the evolution of plant biology, effectively rewriting the history of how they evolved over the past billion years.
Published Large herbivores keep invasive plants at bay
(via sciencedaily.com) Elephants, buffaloes and other heavy herbivores are effective against invasive plants. This is the conclusion of a new study that used Indian data, including data from the world's largest survey of wildlife based on camera traps. But smaller animals can do the same: you don't need elephants to get the same effect, the researchers point out.
Published A global observatory to monitor Earth's biodiversity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source At a time of unparalleled rates of biodiversity loss, a new interconnected system to monitor biodiversity around the world is needed to guide action quickly enough to target conservation efforts to where they are most needed.
Published Breathe! The shape-shifting ball that supports mental health
(via sciencedaily.com) A soft ball designed to support mental health by 'personifying' breath has been invented by a computer science student.
Published Evolutionary imbalance explains global plant invasions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Plant species from certain geographic regions are more successful in spreading outside their native ranges than others -- but why? Ecologists provide answers by exploring how the ecological and evolutionary histories of plants can influence their relationships with humans and their success as invaders.
Published Algae provide clues about 600 million years of plant evolution
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers generated large scale gene expression data to investigate the molecular networks that operate in one of the closest algal relatives of land plants, a humble single-celled alga called Mesotaenium endlicherianum.
Published Tiny, shape-shifting robot can squish itself into tight spaces
(via sciencedaily.com) Imagine a robot that can wedge itself through the cracks in rubble to search for survivors trapped in the wreckage of a collapsed building. Engineers are working toward to that goal with CLARI, short for Compliant Legged Articulated Robotic Insect.
Published Paving the way for advanced quantum sensors
(via sciencedaily.com) Quantum physics has allowed for the creation of sensors far surpassing the precision of classical devices. Now, several new studies show that the precision of these quantum sensors can be significantly improved using entanglement produced by finite-range interactions. Researchers were able to demonstrate this enhancement using entangled ion-chains with up to 51 particles.
Published Want to fight climate change? Don't poach gorillas (or elephants, hornbills, toucans, etc.)
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new article found that overhunting of gorillas, elephants, and other large fruit-eating seed-dispersers make tropical forests less able to store or sequester carbon.
Published Male crested macaques more likely to respond to offspring screams recruiting support
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When infants are involved in agonistic conflicts, male crested macaques (Macaca nigra) are more likely to respond to screams from their own offspring. This is the conclusion of a recent study led by behavioral ecologists. The researchers studied the behavior of crested macaques in the Tangkoko Nature Reserve on Sulawesi, Indonesia, over a 24-month period (2008 to 2010).
Published Saving species from extinction -- high-quality kakapo population sequencing provides breakthrough in understanding key conservation genetics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source High-quality sequencing of nearly the entire kakapo population is helping New Zealand to manage the health of this critically endangered species.
Published Wastewater pipe dig reveals 'fossil treasure trove'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new article describes the 266 fossil species as one of the richest and most diverse groups of three-million-year-old fauna ever found in New Zealand. At least ten previously unknown species will be described and named in future research. Fossils of the world's oldest known flax snails, an extinct sawshark spine, and great white shark teeth have all been found in a mound of sand excavated from beneath Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant in 2020.
Published Soils forming on the branches of trees are an overlooked forest habitat
(via sciencedaily.com) A study on 'canopy soils' on old trees in Costa Rica shows they are important habitats and carbon stores that cannot easily be replaced.
Published AI helps robots manipulate objects with their whole bodies
(via sciencedaily.com) A new AI technique enables a robot to develop complex plans for manipulating an object using its entire hand, not just fingertips. This model can generate effective plans in about a minute using a standard laptop.
Published Scientists invent micrometers-thin battery charged by saline solution that could power smart contact lenses
(via sciencedaily.com) Scientists have developed a flexible battery as thin as a human cornea, which stores electricity when it is immersed in saline solution, and which could one day power smart contact lenses.
Published Fungi-eating plants and flies team up for reproduction
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Fungi-eating orchids were found for the first time to offer their flowers to fungi-eating fruit flies in exchange for pollination, which is the first evidence for nursery pollination in orchids. This unique new plant-animal relationship hints at an evolutionary transition towards mutualistic symbiosis.
Published Loss of Antarctic sea ice causes catastrophic breeding failure for emperor penguins
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Emperor penguin colonies experienced unprecedented breeding failure in a region of Antarctica where there was total sea ice loss in 2022. The discovery supports predictions that over 90% of emperor penguin colonies will be quasi-extinct by the end of the century, based on current global warming trends.
Published New dual-arm robot achieves bimanual tasks by learning from simulation
(via sciencedaily.com) An innovative bimanual robot displays tactile sensitivity close to human-level dexterity using AI to inform its actions.
Published Do measurements produce the reality they show us?
(via sciencedaily.com) The measurement values determined in sufficiently precise measurements of physical systems will vary based on the relation between the past and the future of a system determined by its interactions with the meter. This finding may explain why quantum experiments often produce paradoxical results that can contradict our common-sense idea of physical reality.
Published Biodiversity protects against invasions of non-native tree species
(via sciencedaily.com) Researchers combined human and ecological factors to analyze the global scale of non-native tree species invasions. Human activity in hotspots of global trade, such as maritime ports, is linked to an increased likelihood of non-native tree species invasions. However, a high diversity of native tree species can help to curb the intensity of such invasions.