Loss of ancient grazers triggered a global rise in fires, shows Yale study
From 50,000 years to 6,000 years ago, many of the world’s largest animals, including such iconic grassland grazers as the woolly mammoth, giant bison,...
How sugar-loving microbes could help power future cars
It sounds like modern-day alchemy: Transforming sugar into hydrocarbons found in gasoline. But that’s exactly what scientists have done. In a forthcoming study in Nature Chemistry,...
Scientists solve 50-year-old mystery behind plant growth
A team of researchers led by UC Riverside has demonstrated for the first time one way that a small molecule turns a single cell...
Earth’s deep biosphere holds secrets to evolutionary history
A new study sheds light on the evolutionary history of an elusive form of life on Earth: the deep biosphere, a hidden realm of...
Bacteria maybe the future of oil spill and radioactive waste cleanup
Bacteria are often painted as our adversaries, but when it comes to oil spills, toxic chemicals, and radioactive waste, they could be what save...
Will water bears be the first interstellar astronauts
In just a few years, astronauts will walk on the surface of the Moon for the first time since the Apollo Era. In addition to...
Scientists use AI to develop the perfect chickpea
Using artificial intelligence, researchers have developed a genetic model for the “ultimate” chickpea, with the potential to lift crop yields by up to 12%. Researchers...
Scientists discover how mitochondria import antioxidants
Many of the processes that keep us alive also put us at risk. The energy-producing chemical reactions in our cells, for example, also produce free...
Giant pandas’ distinctive black and white markings provide effective camouflage, study finds
The high-contrast pattern of giant pandas helps them blend in with their natural environment. Researchers at the University of Bristol, Chinese Academy of Sciences and...
How pearls achieve nanoscale precision
Mollusks do what humans can't. In research that could inform future high-performance nanomaterials, a University of Michigan-led team has uncovered for the first time how...