New step in tectonic squeeze that turns seafloor into mountains
Researchers describe zircons from the Andes mountains of Patagonia. Although the zircons formed when tectonic plates were colliding, they have a chemical signature associated with when the plates were moving apart. The researchers think that the unexpe…
First results from BREAD experiment demonstrate a new approach to searching for dark matter
One of the great mysteries of modern science is dark matter. We know dark matter exists thanks to its effects on other objects in the cosmos, but we have never been able to directly see it. And it s no minor thing currently, scientists think it makes u…
Chicks show vision and touch linked at birth
Study reveals that newly hatched chicks can instantly recognize objects with their vision, even if they’ve only ever experienced them by touch.
Elastocaloric cooling: Refrigerator cools by flexing artificial muscles
There is room for just one small bottle in the world’s first refrigerator that is cooled with artificial muscles made of nitinol, a nickel-titanium alloy. But the mini-prototype is groundbreaking: it shows that elastocalorics is becoming a viable solut…
Last chance to record archaic Greek language ‘heading for extinction’
A new data crowdsourcing platform aims to preserve the sound of Romeyka, an endangered millennia-old variety of Greek. Experts consider the language to be a linguistic goldmine and a living bridge to the ancient world.
Sunrise to sunset, new window coating blocks heat — not view
Windows welcome light into interior spaces, but they also bring in unwanted heat. A new window coating blocks heat-generating ultraviolet and infrared light and lets through visible light, regardless of the sun’s angle. The coating can be incorporated …
Increasing positive affect in adolescence could lead to improved health and well-being in adulthood
Adolescents with high positive affect may have improved physical and mental health as adults, according to a new study.
A new estimate of U.S. soil organic carbon to improve Earth system models
Emory environmentals scientist combined field-level data with machine-learning techniques to estimate soil organic carbon at the U.S. scale, another step toward providing more accurate baseline data to improve Earth system models for climate change.
Scientists’ urgent call: End destruction and forge a just, sustainable future
An international team of scientists published a study emphasizing the urgent need to align political will, economic resources, and societal values to ensure a more sustainable and equitable world. The review summarizes the grave threats facing the plan…
Even moderate alcohol usage during pregnancy linked to birth abnormalities
Researchers have found that even low to moderate alcohol use by pregnant patients may contribute to subtle changes in their babies’ prenatal development, including lower birth length and a shorter duration of gestation.