by Damien Fordham, Jamie Wood, Mark V. Lomolino and Sean Tomlinson, The Conversation Maps of initial abundance and distributional center. Credit: Nature Ecology & Evolution (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02449-x New Zealand was once home to giant flightless birds called moa. They had grown accustomed to life without predators. So the arrival of humans in the mid-13th … Read more
Memorability dilates perceived time. Credit: Nature Human Behaviour (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-01863-2 Research by George Mason professor Martin Wiener recently demonstrated that the more memorable an image is, the longer and more accurately its viewers can perceive the passage of time. In a series of experimental studies, participants were more likely to say more memorable images … Read more
A lunar pit in the Mare Tranquillitatis region. Credit: NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University Almost 55 years after the launch of Apollo 11—the first mission to land humans on the moon—scientists have found evidence of a large cave system near the landing site of those astronauts. Using radar images taken by Nasa’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft in … Read more
Pigmented cutting edges in V. komodoensis teeth. Credit: Nature Ecology & Evolution (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02477-7 Scientists have discovered that the serrated edges of Komodo dragons’ teeth are tipped with iron. Led by researchers from King’s College London, the study gives new insight into how Komodo dragons keep their teeth razor-sharp and may provide clues to … Read more
TPI plot and contour map indicating the probable position of the palaeolake demarcated by the blue boundary line. Credit: Journal of Quaternary Science (2024). DOI: 10.1002/jqs.3643 Lesotho is a small, land-locked, mountainous country located in the middle of South Africa. Its Eastern Lesotho Highlands are often referred to as the region’s “water tower” because they … Read more
Perseverance drilled into this enigmatic rock to collect a core sample on July 21, as it traversed Neretva Vallis, an ancient river valley. NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover has made what could be its most astonishing discovery to date: possible signs of ancient life on the Red Planet. The six-wheeled robotic explorer came across an intriguing, … Read more
Credit: Mike Bird from Pexels While human activity has had a massive effect on the natural world, a new study from North Carolina State University finds that climate is still the most influential factor in determining where mammals can thrive. The work sheds light on how climate change will affect wildlife populations. Roland Kays, lead … Read more
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain There needs to be “significant improvements” to the way data is collected across UK Government to prove if major changes to legal aid have delivered value for money to the taxpayer, a new report says. The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act of 2012 was intended to make significant … Read more
Credit: Pixabay from Pexels New research from the University of Bath has identified a “new chauvinism,” fueled by a resurgence in right-wing populism, and distinguished by the use of softer, more subtle language than traditional chauvinism. The study focused on language and attitudes in software development, a profession known for perpetuating chauvinistic language. It warns … Read more
UCF undergraduate researcher Melissa Deinys has collaborated with scientists in professor Swadeshmukul Santra’s Materials Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture center to create and test a nanoparticle solution to combat an emerging fungal disease affecting mangroves in Florida and in other tropical areas. Credit: Antoine Hart Mangroves and palm trees are hallmarks of the Sunshine State not … Read more
