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Categories: Biology: Zoology, Chemistry: General
Published Molecular simulations of ammonia mixtures support search for renewable fuels



Ammonia is an important molecule with many applications. The end product of the famed Haber-Bosch process, it is commonly synthesized to capture nitrogen for fertilizers, and is used for refrigeration, in cleaning products, and in the production of pharmaceuticals. Recently, this modest molecule has also attracted interest as a potential resource for addressing one of today's most pressing challenges -- the need for reliable and abundant renewable fuels.
Published New study shows how AI can help us better understand global threats to wildlife



Researchers used AI to scour information from websites and social media to map bat hunting and trade. Research found evidence of bat exploitation in 22 countries that had not previously been identified by traditional academic research. Following concerns about the reliability of the IUCN Red List, new research demonstrates how AI's ability to filter vast amounts of online data can support wildlife conservation.
Published New high-performance solar cell material



A new study reports the discovery of an entirely new stable, earth-abundant, high-performance material for solar absorbers -- the central part of a solar cell that turns light into electricity. While identifying new solar materials is typically very time-consuming, the researchers used a unique high-throughput computational screening method to quickly evaluate around 40,000 candidate materials.
Published Alaska dinosaur tracks reveal a lush, wet environment



A large find of dinosaur tracks and fossilized plants and tree stumps in far northwestern Alaska provides new information about the climate and movement of animals near the time when they began traveling between the Asian and North American continents roughly 100 million years ago.
Published Tsetse fly fertility damaged after just one heatwave, study finds



The fertility of both female and male tsetse flies is affected by a single burst of hot weather, researchers have found.
Published A simple and robust experimental process for protein engineering



A protein engineering method using simple, cost-effective experiments and machine learning models can predict which proteins will be effective for a given purpose, according to a new study.
Published Who knew that coprophagy was so vital for birds' survival?



New research explains how eating feces (known as coprophagy) shapes wild birds' digestive tracts (gut biota), enabling them to absorb lost or deficient nutrients and adjust to seasonal variations in food sources.
Published Batteries for airborne electric vehicles that take off and land vertically



Researchers are taking cleaner transportation to the skies by creating and evaluating new batteries for airborne electric vehicles that take off and land vertically. Researchers are developing new energy-dense materials, learning how these materials degrade under extreme conditions, and developing battery control systems.
Published Spiral wrappers switch nanotubes from conductors to semiconductors and back



By wrapping a carbon nanotube with a ribbon-like polymer, researchers were able to create nanotubes that conduct electricity when struck with low-energy light that our eyes cannot see. In the future, the approach could make it possible to optimize semiconductors for applications ranging from night vision to new forms of computing.
Published History repeats as Coral Bay faces mass loss of coral and fish life



A perfect storm of environmental factors has seen a monumental loss of fish and coral life at a popular area of Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia's Gascoyne region -- however research into the event shows there is hope it will recover. In March 2022, during the annual coral spawning event, calm weather and limited tidal movement combined to trap the coral's eggs within Bills Bay, at the town of Coral Bay. This led to an excess of nutrients in the water which consumed more oxygen than usual -- causing massive numbers of fish and corals to die from asphyxiation.
Published Maternal obesity may promote liver cancer



Obesity, which could reach 50% of the population in certain developed countries by 2030, is a major public health concern. It not only affects the health of those who suffer from it, but could also have serious consequences for their offspring. Scientists have studied the impact of maternal obesity on the risk of developing liver disease and liver cancer. Using an animal model, the team discovered that this risk was indeed much higher in the offspring of mothers suffering from obesity.
Published Cheetahs' unrivalled speed explained by their 'sweet spot' size, finds Imperial study



A new study has answered a long-held question about why medium-sized land animals like cheetahs tend to be fastest.
Published Cicadas' unique urination unlocks new understanding of fluid dynamics



While most small insects and mammals urinate in droplets, cicadas urinate in jets. Researchers say the finding could be used to create better robots and small nozzles.
Published New research sets trap for potentially deadly sandfly



Scientists have discovered the specific enzyme that a species of sandfly uses to produce a pheromone attractant, which could lead to the creation of targeted traps to control them and reduce the spread of the potentially fatal disease, Leishmaniasis.
Published Design rules and synthesis of quantum memory candidates



In the quest to develop quantum computers and networks, there are many components that are fundamentally different than those used today. Like a modern computer, each of these components has different constraints. However, it is currently unclear what materials can be used to construct those components for the transmission and storage of quantum information.
Published New study reveals transgenerational effects of pesticide linuron on frogs



Grand-offspring of male frogs exposed to the pesticide linuron exhibited changes in their DNA that was linked to significant physiological impacts, a study reveals. The research highlights the profound transgenerational consequences of environmental pollution on amphibian populations, which are already under threat of extinction.
Published Anemonefish are better taxonomists than humans



Scientists reveal new lineages of giant sea anemones in Japan and their surprising associations with anemonefish.
Published Natural history specimens have never been so accessible



Researchers have painstakingly taken computed topography (CT) scans of more than 13,000 individual specimens to create 3D images of more than half of all the world's animal groups, including mammals, fishes, amphibians and reptiles.
Published Combined microscopy technique catches light-driven polymers in the act



Researchers have used tip-scan high-speed atomic force microscopy combined with an optical microscope to observe light-induced deformation of azo-polymer films. The process could be followed in real time, and the film patterns were found to change with the polarization of the light source. The observations will contribute to the use of azo-polymers in applications such as optical data storage, and the approach is expected to be useful across materials science and physical chemistry.
Published Halloween toy among plastics swallowed by sea turtles



A Halloween toy was among hundreds of plastic items found in the guts of dead sea turtles in the Mediterranean, a new study reveals.