Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Ecology: Animals Geoscience: Geography
Published

Squash bees flourish in response to agricultural intensification      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

While pollinator populations of many species have plummeted worldwide, one bee species is blowing up the map with its rapid population expansion. The key to this insect's success? Its passion for pumpkins, zucchinis, and other squashes, and the massive increase in cultivation of these crops across North America over the last 1,000 years. A new study found that the squash bee (Eucera pruinosa) has evolved in response to intensifying agriculture -- namely squashes in the genus Curcurbita. The research has demonstrated the role of agriculture as an evolutionary force acting on a wild insect pollinator and may have implications for food security.

Energy: Technology Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Smart films help to make loudspeakers lighter and more energy-efficient      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists are developing intelligent materials that are opening up new avenues in sound reproduction technology: lightweight loudspeakers that use far less energy than their conventional counterparts, novel shapes for sound and signal generators and applications involving noise cancelling textiles. The basis for these smart materials are ultrathin silicone films that can act as artificial muscles with their own built-in sensors.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Paleontology: Fossils
Published

Ants took over the world by following flowering plants out of prehistoric forests      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Today, ants are pretty much everywhere. To learn more about how these insects conquered the world, scientists used a combination of fossils, DNA, and data on the habitat preferences of modern species to piece together how ants and plants have been evolving together over the past 60 million years. They found that when flowering plants spread out from forests, the ants followed, kicking off the evolution of the thousands of ant species alive today.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Endangered Species Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

How plants cope with the cold light of day -- and why it matters for future crops      (via sciencedaily.com) 

New research has discovered a cold 'coping' mechanism that is under the control of the plant biological clock and could offer solutions to breeding more resilience into crops less suited to cold climates.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: General Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Scientists discover hidden crab diversity among coral reefs      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The Indo-West Pacific is the largest marine ecosystem on Earth, but scientists who study its diversity have to contend with a problem so well-known it was remarked upon by Charles Darwin: related species in the IWP have similar appearances, making it difficult to assess just how many there are. A new study reveals that nearly identical crab species have one consistently distinguishing feature, which only evolves when their ranges overlap.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Pulsing ultrasound waves could someday remove microplastics from waterways      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Colorful particles of plastic drift along under the surface of most waterways. These barely visible microplastics -- less than 5 mm wide -- are potentially harmful to aquatic animals and plants, as well as humans. Now, a team reports a two-stage device made with steel tubes and pulsing sound waves that removes most of the plastic particles from real water samples.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

What should we call evolution driven by genetic engineering? Genetic welding, says researcher      (via sciencedaily.com) 

With CRISPR-Cas9 technology, humans can now rapidly change the evolutionary course of animals or plants by inserting genes that can easily spread through entire populations. An evolutionary geneticist proposes that we call this evolutionary meddling 'genetic welding.' He argues that we must scientifically and ethically scrutinize the potential consequences of genetic welding before we put it into practice.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Paleontology: General
Published

Extinction of steam locomotives derails assumptions about biological evolution      (via sciencedaily.com) 

When the Kinks' Ray Davies penned the tune 'Last of the Steam-Powered Trains,' the vanishing locomotives stood as nostalgic symbols of a simpler English life. But for a paleontologist, the replacement of steam-powered trains with diesel and electric engines, as well as cars and trucks, might be a model of how some species in the fossil record died out.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Offbeat: General Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound Physics: Optics
Published

What do the elements sound like?      (via sciencedaily.com) 

In chemistry, we have He, Fe and Ca -- but what about do, re and mi? Using a technique called data sonification, a recent college graduate has converted the visible light given off by each of the elements into soundwaves. The notes produced for each element are unique, complex mixtures and are the first step toward an interactive, musical periodic table.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Pathogen mapped: Evolution and potential treatments      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A parasite which has devastating impacts on agriculture and human health is the first pathogen to have its proteins located and mapped within its cells -- providing clues to their function and helping to identify potential drug targets.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Ecology: Endangered Species Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Genome of a drought-tolerant plant: Many genes are involved in 'resurrection'      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Some plants can survive months without water, only to turn green again after a brief downpour. A recent study shows that this is not due to a 'miracle gene.' Rather, this ability is a consequence of a whole network of genes, almost all of which are also present in more vulnerable varieties.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Road noise makes your blood pressure rise -- literally      (via sciencedaily.com) 

If you live near a busy road you might feel like the constant sound of roaring engines, honking horns and wailing sirens makes your blood pressure rise. Now a new study confirms it can do exactly that.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology Environmental: General
Published

Babies or beauty? Ancient origin of how female butterflies invest      (via sciencedaily.com) 

When resources are scarce, most animals have to choose. A new study reveals an ancient origin to how female butterflies invest.

Offbeat: General Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Vocal tract size, shape dictate speech sounds      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers explore how anatomical variations in a speaker's vocal tract affect speech production. Using MRI, the team recorded the shape of the vocal tract for 41 speakers as the subjects produced a series of representative speech sounds. They averaged these shapes to establish a sound-independent model of the vocal tract. Then they used statistical analysis to extract the main variations between speakers. A handful of factors explained nearly 90% of the differences between speakers.

Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Biology: Botany Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Animals Geoscience: Environmental Issues Paleontology: Climate
Published

Genome research: Origin and evolution of vine      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Cultivation and growth of grapevines have strongly influenced European civilizations, but where the grapevine comes from and how it has spread across the globe has been highly disputed so far. In an extensive genome project, researchers have determined its origin and evolution from the wild vine to today's cultivar by analyzing thousands of vine genomes collected along the Silk Road from China to Western Europe.

Biology: Evolutionary Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

How fishermen benefit from reversing evolution of cod      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Intense fishing and over-exploitation have led to evolutionary changes in fish stocks like cod, reducing both their productivity and value on the market. These changes can be reversed by more sustainable and far-sighted fisheries management. A new study shows that reversal of evolutionary change would only slightly reduce the profit of fishing, but would help regain and conserve natural genetic diversity.

Biology: Botany Biology: Evolutionary Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research
Published

Bigger flowers, greater rewards: Plants adapt to climate disruptions to lure pollinators      (via sciencedaily.com) 

There's been a well-documented shift toward earlier springtime flowering in many plants as the world warms. The trend alarms biologists because it has the potential to disrupt carefully choreographed interactions between plants and the creatures -- butterflies, bees, birds, bats and others -- that pollinate them.

Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Propeller advance paves way for quiet, efficient electric aviation      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Electrification is seen as having an important role to play in the fossil-free aviation of tomorrow. But electric aviation is battling a trade-off dilemma: the more energy-efficient an electric aircraft is, the noisier it gets. Now, researchers have developed a propeller design optimization method that paves the way for quiet, efficient electric aviation.

Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published

Understanding sound direction estimation in monaural hearing      (via sciencedaily.com) 

One of the fascinating features of human hearing is its ability to localize sound. While the human ear usually does this with binaural cues, it is, in fact, possible to locate sound direction with monaural hearing alone. Now, researchers have developed a method to estimate the direction of sound signals in 3D space using monaural cues based on monaural modulation spectrum that could help simplify sound surveillance techniques and enhance hearing aid instruments.