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Top stories featured on ScienceDaily's Plants & Animals, Earth & Climate, and Fossils & Ruins sections.
Killer whales use specialized hunting techniques to catch marine mammals in the open ocean
Killer whales foraging in deep submarine canyons off the coast of California represent a distinct subpopulation that uses specialized hunting techniques to catch marine mammals, researchers report.
The first Neolithic boats in the Mediterranean
More than 7,000 years ago, people navigated the Mediterranean Sea using technologically sophisticated boats, according to a new study.
Toba supereruption unveils new insights into early human migration
Working in the Horn of Africa, researchers have uncovered evidence showing how early modern humans survived in the wake of the eruption of Toba, one of the largest supervolcanoes in history, some 74,000 years ago. Modern humans dispersed from Africa multiple times, but the event that led to global expansion occurred less than 100,000 years ago. Some researchers hypothesize that dispersals were restricted to 'green corridors' formed during humid intervals when food was abundant and human populatio...
The heat index -- how hot it really feels -- is rising faster than temperature
Researchers showed in 2022 that heat index calculations by NOAA based on analyses from the 1970s don't adequately reflect the heat stress humans feel during the extremes of heat and humidity accompanying climate change. Using their revised heat index, the researchers looked at Texas's summer 2023 heat wave and found that the 3 degree F rise in global temperatures has increased the state's heat index as much as 11 degrees F on the hottest days.
Sea surface temperature research provides clear evidence of human-caused climate change
Claims that climate change is natural are inconsistent with new oceanic temperature trends.
Craving snacks after a meal? It might be food-seeking neurons, not an overactive appetite
Psychologists have discovered a circuit in the brain of mice that makes them crave food and seek it out, even when they are not hungry. When stimulated, this cluster of cells propels mice to forage vigorously and to prefer fatty and pleasurable foods like chocolate over healthier foods like carrots.
8-hour time-restricted eating linked to a 91% higher risk of cardiovascular death
A study of over 20,000 adults found that those who followed an 8-hour time-restricted eating schedule, a type of intermittent fasting, had a 91% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
Toxic metal particles can be present in cannabis vapes even before the first use, study finds
Though vapes have been heralded as a 'safer' way to consume either nicotine or cannabis, they present their own suite of risks that are being revealed through increasing regulation. Now, scientists have discovered that nano-sized toxic metal particles can be present in cannabis vaping liquids even before any heating occurs, and the effect is worse in illicit products.
There are large accumulations of plastics in the ocean, even outside so-called garbage patch
When plastic ends up in the ocean, it gradually weathers and disintegrates into small particles. If marine animals ingest these particles, their health can be severely affected. Large accumulations of plastic can therefore disrupt the biological balance of marine ecosystems. But which areas are particularly affected?
Fairy circles: Plant water stress causes Namibia's gaps in grass
Namibia's legendary fairy circles are mysterious, circular, bald patches in the dry grasslands on the edge of the Namib Desert. Their formation has been researched for decades and has recently been the subject of much debate. With extensive fieldwork, researchers investigated how freshly germinated grass dies inside the fairy circle. Their results show that the grass withers due to a lack of water inside the fairy circle. The topsoil, comprised of the top 10 to 12 centimeters of the soil, acts as...
Tanks of the Triassic: New crocodile ancestor identified
Dinosaurs get all the glory. But aetosaurs, a heavily armored cousin of modern crocodiles, ruled the world before dinosaurs did. These tanks of the Triassic came in a variety of shapes and sizes before going extinct around 200 million years ago. Today, their fossils are found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia.
Backyard insect inspires invisibility devices, next gen tech
Leafhoppers, a common backyard insect, secrete and coat themselves in tiny mysterious particles that could provide both the inspiration and the instructions for next-generation technology, according to a new study. In a first, the team precisely replicated the complex geometry of these particles, called brochosomes, and elucidated a better understanding of how they absorb both visible and ultraviolet light.
Industrial societies losing healthy gut microbes
Our eating habits in industrialized societies are far removed from those of ancient humans. This is impacting our intestinal flora, it seems, as newly discovered cellulose degrading bacteria are being lost from the human gut microbiome, especially in industrial societies.
A wetter world recorded in Australian coral colony
When climate scientists look to the future to determine what the effects of climate change may be, they use computer models to simulate potential outcomes such as how precipitation will change in a warming world. Some scientists are also looking at something a little more tangible: coral.
Genetic basis for the evolution of hair discovered in the clawed frog
The development of hair was of central importance for the evolution of mammals and thus also of humans. However, the evolutionary origin of the genetic program of hair was previously unknown. An international research team led has now been able to show that important hair components and their genetic control have already evolved in amphibians. Human hair therefore shows unexpected similarities to the claws of clawed frogs. The results were recently published in the scientific journal 'Nature Comm...
Scientists discover how Diadem butterfly mimics African Queen
Scientists have discovered how female Diadem butterflies have evolved to look like African Queen butterflies to repel predators.
Eyes open and toes out of water: How a giant water bug reached the island of Cyprus
A new visitor was reported on the coast of Cyprus, thanks to the growing power of citizen science. Researchers collected information and specimens through personal communication with amateur naturalists, but also through the internet, in order to compose the mosaic of repeated appearances of a giant water bug on the eastern shoreline of the island.
Rise in global fungal drug-resistant infections
A global wave of infections caused by fungi growing drug-resistant has the medical community issuing precautions on how to protect yourself.
Transforming wood waste for sustainable manufacturing
Research is exploring how to add value to lignin by breaking it down into small molecules that are structurally similar to oxygenated hydrocarbons. These renewable chemicals are key components in many industrial processes and products, but they are traditionally sourced from non-renewable petroleum.
Self-heating concrete is one step closer to putting snow shovels and salt out of business
Researchers recently reported on the science behind its special concrete, that can warm itself up when it snows, or as temperatures approach freezing.
Study estimates nearly 70 percent of children under six in Chicago may be exposed to lead-contaminated tap water
A new analysis estimates that 68 percent of Chicago children under age six live in households with tap water containing detectable levels of lead.
Cacao plants' defense against toxic cadmium unveiled
Researchers used bright X-rays to unveil how cacao trees protect themselves from toxic metal cadmium.
Virtual reality better than video for evoking fear, spurring climate action
Depicting worst-case climate scenarios like expanding deserts and dying coral reefs may better motivate people to support environmental policies when delivered via virtual reality, according to a research team that studied how VR and message framing affect the impact of environmental advocacy communications. The study findings may help advocacy groups decide how best to frame and deliver their messages.
Global wildlife study during COVID-19 shows rural animals are more sensitive to human activity
One of the largest studies on wildlife activity reveals that wild animals react differently to humans depending on where the animals live and what they eat. Bigger herbivores -- plant-eating animals like deer or moose -- tend to become more active when humans are around, while meat-eaters like wolves or wolverines tend to be less active, preferring to avoid risky encounters.
Newborn piglets serve as a model for studying influenza
Although prevention and treatment strategies are available for influenza, they are not sufficient for vulnerable populations such as young children and newborns. A team of researchers has studied newborn piglets to better understand the progression of influenza infections.
Engineers measure pH in cell condensates
In a first for the condensate field, researchers have figured out how nucleolar sub-structures are assembled. This organization gives rise to unique pH profiles within nucleoli, which they measured and compared with the pH of nearby non-nucleolar condensates including nuclear speckles and Cajal bodies.
Fatty food before surgery may impair memory in old, young adults
Eating fatty food in the days leading up to surgery may prompt a heightened inflammatory response in the brain that interferes for weeks with memory-related cognitive function in older adults -- and, new research in animals suggests, even in young adults.
Oregon State researchers take deep dive into how much water is stored in snow
There's a new metric that provides a more holistic look at how much water is stored in snowpack, and for how long.
'Noisy' roundworm brains give rise to individuality
Research has demonstrated individual differences in and successfully extracted commonalities from the whole-brain activity of roundworms. The researchers also found that computer simulations based on the whole-brain activity of roundworms more accurately reflect real-brain activity when they include so-called 'noise,' or probabilistic elements.
Gut bacteria make neurotransmitters to shape the newborn immune system
Investigators discovered that unique bacteria colonize the gut shortly after birth and make the neurotransmitter serotonin to educate gut immune cells. This prevents allergic reactions to food and the bacteria themselves during early development.
Less social with age
Scientists tested several hypotheses on the drivers of social aging in free-living Assamese macaques in Thailand. The researchers collected data on the social behavior of females for eight years and found that the size of their social networks decreases with increasing age. The females continued to interact with their close social partners, but gradually withdrew from social interactions altogether. The results contribute to the understanding of the evolutionary origins of social aging.
Even inactive smokers are densely colonized by microbial communities
Everything is everywhere -- under certain conditions microbial communities can grow and thrive, even in places that are seemingly uninhabitable. This is the case at inactive hydrothermal vents on the sea floor. An international team is presently working to accurately quantify how much inorganic carbon can be bound in these environments.
Meteorology: Weak polar vortex makes weather more predictable
Events in the stratosphere are making long-range weather in Northern Europe easier to forecast, researchers have discovered.
Arctic nightlife: Seabird colony bursts with sound at night
Acoustic recordings of a colony of little auks reveal their nocturnal activities and offer valuable monitoring means for avian biology in the Arctic.
Protein fragments ID two new 'extremophile' microbes--and may help find alien life
Perfectly adapted microorganisms live in extreme environments from deep-sea trenches to mountaintops. Learning more about how these extremophiles survive in hostile conditions could inform scientists about life on Earth and potential life on other planets.
Shark-bitten orcas in the Northeastern Pacific could be a new population of killer whale
Researchers believe a group of killer whales observed hunting marine mammals including sperm whales, as well as a sea turtle, in the open ocean off California and Oregon could be a new population. Based on available evidence, the researchers posit that the 49 orcas could belong to a subpopulation of transient killer whales or a unique oceanic population found in waters off the coast of California and Oregon.
Breakthrough could make automated dosing systems universal
Automated insulin dosing systems combine low-cost blood-glucose monitors with insulin pumps that use precision dosing to continuously regulate blood-sugar and hold it steady. Synthetic biologists have found a way to piggyback on the technology and make it universally applicable for the precision dosing of virtually any drug.
Groundbreaking study reveals extensive leatherback turtle activity along U.S. coastline
A new study provides groundbreaking findings that offer insights on the migration and foraging patterns of leatherback sea turtles along the Northwest Atlantic shelf.
A theory linking ignition with flame provides roadmap to better combustion engines
Researchers have theoretically linked ignition and deflagration in a combustion system, unlocking new configurations for stable, efficient combustion engines due to the possible existence of any number of steady-state solutions.
Diverse habitats help salmon weather unpredictable climate changes
Restored salmon habitat should resemble financial portfolios, offering fish diverse options for feeding and survival so that they can weather various conditions as the climate changes, a new study shows.
Infections from these bacteria are on the rise: New blood test cuts diagnosis time from months to hours
Researchers have designed a platform to perform blood-based diagnoses of nontuberculosis mycobacteria, simplifying and shortening a long-complicated procedure from 6 months to 2 hours. Rapid, accurate diagnosis has never been more important as cases of NTM infections have continued to increase annually, spreading from subtropical regions to more temperate zones in part due to global climate change.
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