Showing 20 articles starting at article 781
< Previous 20 articles Next 20 articles >
Categories: Offbeat: General, Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds
Published Back from the dead: Tropical tree fern repurposes its dead leaves
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Plant biologists report that a species of tree fern found only in Panama reanimates its own dead leaf fronds, converting them into root structures that feed the mother plant. The fern, Cyathea rojasiana, reconfigures these 'zombie leaves,' reversing the flow of water to draw nutrients back into the plant.
Published How did humans learn to walk? New evolutionary study offers an earful
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study, which centers on evidence from skulls of a 6-million-year-old fossil ape, Lufengpithecus, offers important clues about the origins of bipedal locomotion courtesy of a novel method: analyzing its bony inner ear region using three-dimensional CT-scanning. The inner ear appears to provide a unique record of the evolutionary history of ape locomotion.
Published Astronomers spot 18 black holes gobbling up nearby stars
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have identified 18 new tidal disruption events (TDEs) -- extreme instances when a nearby star is tidally drawn into a black hole and ripped to shreds. The detections more than double the number of known TDEs in the nearby universe.
Published Excavated dolmen in Sweden one of the oldest in Scandinavia
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The first analysis results now confirm that the grave in Tiarp is one of the oldest stone burial chambers in Sweden. The researchers noted that some parts of the people buried in the grave are missing, such as skulls and thigh bones, posing intriguing questions for archaeologists.
Published First-ever sighting of a live newborn great white
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Great whites, the largest predatory sharks in the world with the most fatal attacks on humans, are tough to imagine as newborn babies. That is partially because no one has seen one in the wild, it seems, until now.
Published How does a 'reverse sprinkler' work? Researchers solve decades-old physics puzzle
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For decades scientists have been trying to solve Feynman's Sprinkler Problem: How does a sprinkler running in reverse work? Through a series of experiments, a team of mathematicians has figured out how flowing fluids exert forces and move structures, thereby revealing the answer to this long-standing mystery.
Published Confirmation of ancient lake on Mars builds excitement for Perseverance rover's samples
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Ground-penetrating radar on board NASA's Mars Perseverance rover has confirmed that the Jezero Crater, formed by an ancient meteor impact just north of the Martian equator, once harbored a vast lake and river delta. Over eons, sediment deposition and erosion within the crater shaped the geologic formations visible on the surface today. The discovery of lake sediments reinforces the hope that traces of life might be found in soil and rock samples collected by Perseverance.
Published A long-lasting neural probe
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An interdisciplinary team of researchers has developed a soft implantable device with dozens of sensors that can record single-neuron activity in the brain stably for months.
Published Stars travel more slowly at Milky Way's edge
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Physicists discovered stars near the edge of the Milky Way travel more slowly than those closer to its center -- a surprise suggesting our galaxy's gravitational core may have less dark matter than previously thought.
Published Scientists design a two-legged robot powered by muscle tissue
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Compared to robots, human bodies are flexible, capable of fine movements, and can convert energy efficiently into movement. Drawing inspiration from human gait, researchers from Japan crafted a two-legged biohybrid robot by combining muscle tissues and artificial materials. This method allows the robot to walk and pivot.
Published 'Old smokers' and 'squalling newborns' among hidden stars spotted for first time
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source 'Hidden' stars including a new type of elderly giant nicknamed an 'old smoker' have been spotted for the first time by astronomers. The mystery objects exist at the heart of our Milky Way galaxy and can sit quietly for decades -- fading almost to invisibility -- before suddenly puffing out clouds of smoke, according to a new study.
Published Cellular scaffolding rewired to make microscopic railways
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers were able to control the growth of thin, branching networks that support cellular structure and help cells function. The networks, called microtubules, can exert force and precisely transport chemicals at a subcellular level.
Published These male marsupials give up sleep for sex
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source All animals need sleep. When humans or animals don't get enough, it can lead to trouble paying attention, irritability, and other ill effects. In a new study, researchers have made the surprising discovery that a small Australian marsupial called an antechinus will sacrifice hours of sleep per night to make more time for sex during the mating season.
Published Tiny ant species disrupts lion's hunting behavior
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Data gathered through years of observation reveal an innocuous-seeming ant is disrupting an ecosystem in East Africa, illustrating the complex web of interactions among ants, trees, lions, zebras and buffaloes.
Published The underground network: Decoding the dynamics of plant-fungal symbiosis
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The intricate dance of nature often unfolds in mysterious ways, hidden from the naked eye. At the heart of this enigmatic tango lies a vital partnership: the symbiosis between plants and a type of fungi known as arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. New groundbreaking research delves into this partnership, revealing key insights that deepen our understanding of plant-AM fungi interactions and could lead to advances in sustainable agriculture.
Published DNA from preserved feces reveals ancient Japanese gut environment
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source DNA from ancient feces can offer archaeologists new clues about the life and health of Japanese people who lived thousands of years ago, according to a new study.
Published What coffee with cream can teach us about quantum physics
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new advancement in theoretical physics could, one day, help engineers develop new kinds of computer chips that might store information for longer in very small objects.
Published Facial recognition app for dogs developed to help in fight against rabies
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new mobile phone-based facial recognition application for dogs has the potential to significantly improve rabies vaccination efforts in endemic areas like Africa and Asia, according to a new study. A team used the app to test its effectiveness at a rabies vaccination clinic in rural Tanzania where they microchipped, vaccinated and registered dogs. The technology proved remarkably accurate during a subsequent visit to surrounding villages once poor images and improperly recorded information were removed from its database. Using the app, operators identified 76.2% of vaccinated dogs and 98.9% of unvaccinated dogs.
Published Atmospheric pressure changes could be driving Mars' elusive methane pulses
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research shows that atmospheric pressure fluctuations that pull gases up from underground could be responsible for releasing subsurface methane into Mars' atmosphere; knowing when and where to look for methane can help the Curiosity rover search for signs of life.
Published New pieces in the puzzle of first life on Earth
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Microorganisms were the first forms of life on our planet. The clues are written in 3.5 billion-year-old rocks by geochemical and morphological traces, such as chemical compounds or structures that these organisms left behind. However, it is still not clear when and where life originated on Earth and when a diversity of species developed in these early microbial communities. Evidence is scarce and often disputed. Now, researchers have uncovered key findings about the earliest forms of life. In rock samples from South Africa, they found evidence dating to around 3.42 billion years ago of an unprecedentedly diverse carbon cycle involving various microorganisms. This research shows that complex microbial communities already existed in the ecosystems during the Palaeoarchaean period.