Researchers report new findings of an experimental evolutionary project that ran for 30 years on the genomic mechanisms of sex determination in swordtail fish.
What's a feast for the human eye may be a literal feast for microorganisms that colonize works of art, according to a new study. The researchers characterized the microbial community on a 17th century painting and showed that while some microbes destroy such works of art, others might be employed to protect them.
Lots of rodent species look nearly identical, and it's hard to tell them apart using DNA. But scientists have found a new way to distinguish one species from another: the shape of their sperm. Closely related species can have sperm with radically different shapes, with sperm head shapes ranging from smooth and rounded to 'soft-serve ice cream cone.' And that means scientists have a new means of telling them apart.
NASA's Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport InSight lander, which touched down on Mars just 10 days ago, has provided the first ever "sounds" of Martian winds on the Red Planet.
Spider silk belongs to the toughest fibers in nature and has astounding properties. Scientists have now discovered new molecular details of self-assembly of a spider silk fiber protein.
Although helium is a rare element on Earth, it is ubiquitous in the universe. It is, after hydrogen, the main component of stars and gaseous giant planets. Despite its abundance, helium was only detected recently in the atmosphere of a gaseous giant by an international team. The team has observed for the first time how this gas escapes from the overheated atmosphere of an exoplanet, literally inflated with helium.
Based on examinations of mice that had been on board the Bion-M1 biosatellite, new research demonstrates that the outer space environment impairs the production of B lymphocytes, the white blood cells responsible for antibody production. The study also shows that such adverse effects persist at least one week after returning to Earth.
What can seashells, lightning and the coastline of Britain teach us about new drugs for cancer? The answer, according to a team of researchers, may revolve around fractals, the infinitely complex patterns found in nature.
Engineers have fine-tuned a microfluidic process for producing uniform bubbles to make ordered foams with bubbles in two or three distinct sizes. The customizable, 'wet' foams are intended for applications that include chemical and biological studies.
Asian geckos were observed running over water at nearly a meter per second, as fast as on land. Lab experiments show how. They get support from surface tension but also slap the water rapidly with their feet. They also semi-plane over the surface and use their tail for stabilization and propulsion. They thus sit between insects, which use only surface tension, and larger animals, which run upright via foot slapping alone.
Researchers have used data from radar satellites to measure the subsidence of the Earth's surface in the Tehran region in Iran. They found out that between 2003 and 2017 three areas sank there with rates of sometimes more than 25 centimeters per year, and several meters in total. For the first time, this study traces in detail the subsidence in this region over a longer period of time.
Currently, uterus donation is only available for women with family members who are willing to donate. With live donors in short supply, the new technique might help to increase availability and give more women the option of pregnancy.
What does the brain do when things go bump in the night? Researchers are looking at neural activity in the amygdala by studying how mice react when they hear a sound they've been taught to fear.
Researchers have successfully developed a method -- using a bacteriophage -- that could lead to unprecedented advances in computer speed and efficiency.
Scientists have produced a memristive element made from nanowires that functions in much the same way as a biological nerve cell. The component is able to both save and process information, as well as receive numerous signals in parallel. The resistive switching cell made from oxide crystal nanowires is thus proving to be the ideal candidate for use in building bioinspired 'neuromorphic' processors.
Sharks that use a whip-like tail to stun their prey, rays with saws on their faces, and river rays half the length of a bus are among the most unique species at risk of extinction, according to the latest ranking from international conservation charity ZSL's (Zoological Society of London) pioneering EDGE of Existence program.
