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Categories: Biology: Zoology, Physics: Optics
Published Researchers find energy development and tree encroachment impact Wyoming pronghorn
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source While Wyoming is home to some of North America's most abundant populations of pronghorn that have largely been stable in recent years, a new analysis shows that many herds are experiencing long-term declines in fawn production.
Published In paleontology, correct names are keys to accurate study
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When the skeletal remains of a giant ground sloth were first unearthed in 1796, the discovery marked one of the earliest paleontological finds in American history.
Published Bullseye! Accurately centering quantum dots within photonic chips
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have now developed standards and calibrations for optical microscopes that allow quantum dots to be aligned with the center of a photonic component to within an error of 10 to 20 nanometers (about one-thousandth the thickness of a sheet of paper). Such alignment is critical for chip-scale devices that employ the radiation emitted by quantum dots to store and transmit quantum information.
Published New method to measure entropy production on the nanoscale
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Entropy, the amount of molecular disorder, is produced in several systems but cannot be measured directly. A new equation sheds new light on how entropy is produced on a very short time scale in laser excited materials.
Published Micro-Lisa! Making a mark with novel nano-scale laser writing
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source High-power lasers are often used to modify polymer surfaces to make high-tech biomedical products, electronics and data storage components. Now researchers have discovered a light-responsive, inexpensive sulfur-derived polymer is receptive to low power, visible light lasers -- promising a more affordable and safer production method in nanotech, chemical science and patterning surfaces in biological applications.
Published Two coral snakes recorded battling for prey in a scientific first
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Two red-tailed coral snakes have been observed competing over a caecilian in the first documented wild case of kleptoparasitism within the family Elapidae.
Published Research lights up process for turning CO2 into sustainable fuel
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have successfully transformed CO2 into methanol by shining sunlight on single atoms of copper deposited on a light-activated material, a discovery that paves the way for creating new green fuels.
Published Pushing back the limits of optical imaging by processing trillions of frames per second
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Pushing for a higher speed isn't just for athletes. Researchers, too, can achieve such feats with their discoveries. A new device called SCARF (for swept-coded aperture real-time femtophotography) can capture transient absorption in a semiconductor and ultrafast demagnetization of a metal alloy. This new method will help push forward the frontiers of knowledge in a wide range of fields, including modern physics, biology, chemistry, materials science, and engineering.
Published Bees use antennae to decode hive mates' dances in the dark
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have discovered how honeybees can decipher dances by their hive mates that relay directions to food.
Published How many fish constitute a school?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Physicists are also interested in fish -- above all when they are researching the formation of structures. A research team has examined the schooling behavior of zebra danio (Danio rerio, also known as 'zebrafish') using methods from the field of multi-particle physics. They explain that groups of just three fish already move in a similar way to large schools while, by contrast, two fish display completely different behavior.
Published A self-cleaning wall paint
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Beautiful white wall paint does not stay beautiful and white forever. Often, various substances from the air accumulate on its surface. This can be a desired effect because it makes the air cleaner for a while -- but over time, the color changes and needs to be renewed. Now, special titanium oxide nanoparticles have been developed that can be added to ordinary, commercially available wall paint to establish self-cleaning power: The nanoparticles are photocatalytically active, they can use sunlight not only to bind substances from the air, but also to decompose them afterwards.
Published Humans pass more viruses to other animals than we catch from them
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Humans pass on more viruses to domestic and wild animals than we catch from them, according to a major new analysis of viral genomes.
Published Caller ID of the sea: Tagging whale communication and behavior
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Biologists use a novel method of simultaneous acoustic tagging to gain insights into the link between whale communication and behavior
Published Wild bird gestures 'after you'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A small-bird species, the Japanese tit (Parus minor), uses wing movements as a gesture to convey the message 'after you,' according to new research. When a mating pair arrives at their nest box with food, they will wait outside on perches. One will then often flutter its wings toward the other, apparently indicating for the latter to enter first. The researchers say that this discovery challenges the previous belief that gestural communication is prominent only in humans and great apes, significantly advancing our understanding of visual communication in birds.
Published Research uncovers a rare resin fossil find: A spider that aspires to be an ant
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Spiders that disguise themselves as ants live in many locations around the globe but until now most had been able to avoid detection from fossil researchers as well as predators.
Published Evolutionary history of the formation of forceps and maternal care in earwigs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers examined the developmental processes and reproduction-related behavior of 8 of the 11 families of Dermaptera (earwigs) in detail and compared with those reported in previous studies. The results confirmed that Dermaptera is a polyneopteran order, and the features such as caudal forceps and elaborate maternal care for eggs and young larvae emerged in parallel within the order during evolution.
Published Rose essential oil: A safe pesticide for organic agriculture
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Following injury, plants release terpenoids to enhance their defenses. Researchers studying terpenoid-enriched essential oils (EOs) have found that rose EO (REO) can stimulate defense genes in tomato leaves. Furthermore, REO attracts herbivores that protect the plant from the moth species, Spodoptera litura, and Tetranychus urticae, a mite pest. This suggests that applying REO could be a sustainable approach to pest management in organic farming.
Published Researchers name prehistoric amphibian ancestor discovered in Smithsonian collection after Kermit the Frog
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have uncovered the fossilized skull of a 270-million-year-old ancient amphibian ancestor in the collection of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. The team of researchers described the fossil as a new species of proto-amphibian, which they named Kermitops gratus in honor of the iconic Muppet, Kermit the Frog.
Published Entanglements of humpback whales in fish farms rare -- and naivety could be to blame
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The first study of humpback whale entanglements in B.C. aquaculture facilities found eight over 13 years, with the curiosity of young whales a potential contributing factor.
Published Species diversity promotes ecosystem stability
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source What maintains stability within an ecosystem and prevents a single best competitor from displacing other species from a community? Does ecosystem stability depend upon the presence of a wide variety of species, as early ecologists believed, or does diversity do the exact opposite, and lead to instability, as modern theory predicts? A new study suggests an answer to this question that has been a subject of debate among ecologists for half a century.