Science & Technology

The areas in the Wadden Sea where red knots, plump migratory birds, spend the winter are under pressure. The Wadden Sea is changing due to human influences such as mining for gas, tourism and due to sea level rise. Ecologists have studied how ‘personal…

Researchers have shown that astrocytes in the mouse brain exhibit an acid response with intensified epileptic seizures. The astrocytes’ acid response could lead to the amplification of excitatory neuronal signals and be the underlying drive for generat…

Engineers have uncovered some intricate effects arising when chaotic systems, which typically generate broad spectra, are coupled by conveying only a narrow range of frequencies from one to another. The synchronization of chaotic oscillators, such as e…

Engineers have demonstrated a simple computational approach for improving the way artificial intelligence classifiers, such as neural networks, can be trained based on limited amounts of sensor data. The emerging applications of the internet of things …

Researchers have discovered a new height-reducing gene Rht13 which means that seeds can be planted deeper in the soil giving access to moisture, without the adverse effect on seedling emergence seen with existing wheat varieties

Researchers have discovered and characterized a DNA sequence found in jawed vertebrates, such as sharks and humans, but absent in jawless vertebrates, such as lampreys. This DNA is important for the shaping of the joint surfaces during embryo developme…

Researchers have found that a set of proteins have different shapes in the spinal fluid of healthy individuals and Parkinson’s patients. These could be used in the future as a new type of biomarker for this disease.

By dispersing seeds, animals can rapidly reestablish plant diversity in degraded forests.

A study of hydroacoustic, acoustic and seismic waves from underwater explosions off the French coast could help guide the disposal of unexploded World War II ordnance (UXO) in those waters, according to a new study.

Research has revealed vitamin K1 can help reduce the risk of fractures in older populations — especially hip fractures.

As strong winds and torrential rains inundate Australia’s south-eastern coast, new research suggests that high intensity bushfires might not be too far behind, with their dual effects extending damage zones and encroaching on previously low-risk reside…

Scientists replicated a 1964 River Thames survey and found that mussel numbers have declined by almost 95%, with one species — the depressed river mussel — completely gone.

Researchers have identified a new method for scheduling radiation therapy that could be as much as 22 percent more effective at killing cancer cells than current standard radiation treatment regimens.

Researchers show that seagrass can reduce cliff erosion by up to 70% thanks to its root mats binding the sand.

A research group has revealed a new system that allows them to control the behavior of the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans, using two different animal opsins, a type of light-sensitive protein. The first opsin was expressed in the worms’ sensory c…

Whatcheeria, a six-foot-long salamander-like creature that lived 340 million years ago, was the T. rex of its time: the biggest, baddest predator in its habitat. A new study reveals how they grew to their ‘giant’ size: instead of growing slow and stead…

As massive as the black hole at the center of the Milky Way, the behemoth is hosted by a dwarf galaxy less than 1 million light-years away. Invisible so far — maybe not for long.

The number of lakes on our planet has increased substantially in recent decades, according to a unique global survey of 3.4 million lakes. There has been a particular increase in the number of small lakes, which unfortunately, emit large amounts of gre…

A common chemotherapy drug could carry a toxic inheritance for children and grandchildren of adolescent cancer survivors, new research indicates. The study found that male rats who received the drug ifosfamide during adolescence had offspring and grand…

Increasing intake of protein and drinking regular cups of tea or coffee is a way women could reduce their risk of suffering a hip fracture, according to new research. Food scientists have found that for women, a 25g a day increase in protein was associ…