Search Results - nature

Large herbivores naturally combat invasive plants in the ecosystem

Credit: Pixaobay Large herbivores play a crucial role in safeguarding local ecosystems by consuming and trampling invasive plant species that pose a threat to biodiversity. You might question the logic behind this, as you may wonder if these large animals also consume and damage native plants. However, this is not the case. Native plants have evolved...

Women are Less Happy than Men, Insights from a Psychologist and Four Actionable Steps

Credit: Pixaobay A puzzling trend emerges in research on women's well-being. Despite enjoying increased freedom and job prospects, women are experiencing elevated levels of anxiety and facing a greater prevalence of mental health issues, including depression, anger, loneliness, and disrupted sleep. This pattern transcends national boundaries and applies to various age demographics. A recent survey conducted...

Research Shows that Enhancing Urban Greenery Doesn’t just Capture Carbon; it Reduces it

Credit: Pixaobay A recent study suggests that numerous European cities have the potential to achieve net-zero carbon emissions within the next decade by integrating nature into their infrastructure. A recent study published in the journal Nature Climate Change has highlighted the strategies that European cities can employ to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in the next decade...

Infant Gut Bacteria Imbalances Linked to Major Childhood Allergies

Researchers have found that the health of the gut microbiome during infancy is key to whether children develop common allergiesDepositphotos A recent study discovered a common factor among four major childhood allergies: an early-life imbalance in gut bacteria. These findings may lead to treatments aiming to restore the gut microbiome in children, potentially averting lifelong...

NASA’s TESS Mission has Detected a Small Exoplanet Resembling Neptune in Size

The Target Pixel File (TPF) for TOI-332 (marked as a white cross) from TESS S1. Credit: Osborn et al., 2023. By employing NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), a group of astronomers from around the world has detected a fresh, substantial, and compact exoplanet. This recently discovered extraterrestrial planet, named TOI-332 b, ranks among the...

A Dog-Like Robot Runs Autonomously Once Started

The robot moves at a speed of 6 km/h (3.7 mph) using only the motion of the treadmill passing beneath it to keep runningAlain Herzog/EPFL In recent times, there has been a surge in quadruped "robotic dogs," but they typically rely on control motors to sustain their running movements. In contrast, a novel experimental version...

DNA Found in Paw Prints Can Now Be Used to Identify Polar Bears

Credit: Pixaobay Given dire forecasts suggesting the potential extinction of polar bears by the century's close, it becomes imperative for scientists to establish a means of tracking their population to gauge the effectiveness of conservation endeavors in mitigating the impacts of rapidly disappearing habitats. However, working safely with polar bears (Ursus maritimus) is notoriously challenging due...

Discovery of an Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) in the Sombrero Galaxy

Credit: Unsplush. A recent analysis of images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has unveiled an intriguing find within the Sombrero Galaxy. Conducted by Elio Quiroga Rodriguez from the Mid Atlantic University in Spain, this discovery sheds light on a previously unnoticed galaxy that harbors an active galactic nucleus (AGN). The findings were detailed...

Wildfires Release Powerful Organic Particles that Contribute to Climate Warming

Credit: Pixaobay Scientists have discovered that wildfires have a more significant warming impact than previously estimated by climate researchers. The study emphasizes the importance of 'dark brown carbon,' a previously unidentified group of particles released during wildfire smoke. This finding underlines the necessity for immediate revisions to climate models and updated strategies to address the...

Decoding Inner-Ear Bone Loss

Scientists demonstrate that the potential origin of localized bone degradation in cholesteatomas involves bone-derived fibroblasts that produce a protein identified as activin A. Prolonged inflammation in the middle ear can lead to various complications impacting both hearing and balance for individuals. Among these issues, the emergence of cholesteatomas, and abnormal cell accumulations within the ear,...