Nature is brimming with color in almost every season. While the majority of colors are matte, some are shiny. Evolutionary biologist Casper van der Kooi wondered why shiny colors are so rare. He researched how bees perceive glossy colors by using artificial flowers. The experiment showed that shiny objects can be easily seen from afar, but are more difficult to discern up close. "It's a visual trade-off." [...]
Located in the middle of the South Pacific, thousands of miles from the nearest continent, Easter Island (Rapa Nui) is one of the most remote inhabited places on Earth. To visit it and marvel at the quarries where its iconic moai statues were created is a luxury few get to experience—until now. [...]
One of the most comprehensive surveys to date of shark and other large predator fish in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) ocean finds that remote marine protected areas (MPAs)—including the Galapagos, Malpelo, Clipperton, and Revillagigedo islands—support some of the largest numbers of sharks reported globally, including the critically endangered scalloped hammerhead, while coastal MPAs are showing signs of severe depletion. [...]
A spatial analysis of crime in Chicago suggests that certain environmental and socioeconomic factors, such as building density, are linked with crime rates, but these relationships differ between neighborhoods. The study also reveals discrepancies between media coverage and actual crime patterns, with coverage disproportionately concentrated in certain areas. Yuxuan Cai of the University of Chicago, U.S., and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS One on November 26, 2025. [...]
NASA has confirmed that it will contribute to Europe's Martian rover Rosalind Franklin, which is scheduled to launch in 2028 after repeated delays, the European Space Agency said on Wednesday. [...]
South Korea launched its largest satellite yet on its nationally developed space rocket early Thursday, the fourth of six planned launches through 2027. [...]
New research from the University of St Andrews has discovered how Incas used Andean balance scales and ancient string knot writing known as "khipus," in association with sacred, animate landscapes. [...]
Imagine biting into a crisp, garden-fresh salad and savoring juicy strawberries for dessert. But instead of your backyard, you're gazing out at a stark lunar landscape, Earth hanging like a precious blue marble in the inky sky. [...]
Scientists have discovered living microbes producing methane in the fractured rocks deep inside Sweden's Siljan impact crater, offering insights into Earth's earliest life and the search for life beyond our planet. [...]
Modern Chileans are significantly taller and have larger heads than their ancestors. That's the central finding of new research looking at how intracranial volume (ICV) has changed across thousands of years in northern Chile. ICV is the space inside the skull that houses the brain, which scientists use to estimate brain size. [...]
We are producing more textiles than ever before: worldwide, well over one hundred million tons of textiles are manufactured every year—more than twice as much as in the year 2000. This makes it increasingly important not to simply throw away old textiles, but to recover them in an environmentally friendly way. [...]
On Mars, winds constantly stir up whirlwinds of fine dust. It was at the center of two of these dust devils that the SuperCam instrument's microphone, the first ever to operate on Mars, accidentally recorded particularly strong signals. [...]
Inside the cell reside many tiny assembly factories and warehouses that gather together all of the proteins and RNAs—which carry out instructions from our DNA—that a living being needs. [...]
The latest United Nations climate summit (COP30) was held between 10 and 21 November in Belém, Brazil. Although the event did not end with any significant progress toward the goals of mitigating global warming or advancing climate finance, it did leave us with one positive outcome: a group of countries has launched an initiative to phase out fossil fuels. [...]
An international research team has shown that avalanches are crucial to the survival of many glaciers worldwide. The study aims to contribute to better predictions of water resources and natural hazards in the context of global warming. [...]
Modern electric vehicles are transforming the roads with low noise, rapid acceleration and zero exhaust emissions. However, drivers of electric vehicles in the UK will now face a new 3p per mile charge and drivers of hybrid vehicles a 1.5p per mile charge. [...]
Around the world, political institutions are under threat and democracy hangs in the balance. Deepening political divisions, political apathy and the rise of opportunistic populist leaders have all contributed to widespread democratic backsliding and a rise in authoritarianism. [...]
Wetlands are vital ecological resources that provide several benefits in urban and peri-urban areas. They slow down flood waters, and act as a source of fishing and farming livelihoods. They also provide socio-cultural benefits for local communities. But some of these valuable ecosystems, due to their presence in prime locations, are at the center of competing cultural, ecological and economic interests. Property development, especially, is a threat to wetlands. [...]
During the annual salmon run last fall, University of Washington researchers pulled salmon DNA out of thin air and used it to estimate the number of fish that passed through the adjacent river. Aden Yincheong Ip, a UW research scientist of marine and environmental affairs, began formulating the driving hypothesis for the study while hiking on the Olympic Peninsula. [...]
Human-driven changes to landscapes worldwide are 'thinning out' the ecological services supplied by wild birds, eroding the functions that support stable and resilient ecosystems. [...]
As more devices get piled onto computer chips to increase processing power capacity, heat generation becomes increasingly concentrated. This heat must be removed to keep chip performance high, but is currently achieved by circulating water through millimeter-scale channels to cool nanosized hotspots. This scale mismatch reduces the cooling efficiency by consuming more water than necessary, also raising environmental concerns. [...]
The Labor Party's landslide victory at the polls in 2025 was shaped by several factors, including a clear advantage on policy issues, the relative popularity of Anthony Albanese and strong support from younger voters and women, according to a major study of Australian political attitudes and behavior. [...]
Should you believe the findings of scientific studies? Amid current concerns about the public's trust in science, old arguments are resurfacing that can sow confusion. [...]
New research has revealed the critical role of river-floodplain connectivity in sustaining fish species diversity on the floodplain of the Martuwarra Fitzroy River in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. [...]
"Exploitative" online money gaming in India is harming people's financial and mental health and causing deep social problems, a new study shows. [...]
The world's farms could become one of the most powerful tools in the fight against climate change, according to a new international study led by QUT. [...]
Scientists have developed a new platform for the generation and detection of ultrashort UV-C laser pulses on femtosecond timescales. This breakthrough could unlock new opportunities for transforming optical wireless communication systems, material processing applications and medical imaging. [...]
What are the physics of life? That is more than just a philosophical question—it has practical implications for our search for life elsewhere in the galaxy. We know what Earth life looks like, on a number of levels, but finding it on another planet could require us to redefine what we even mean by life itself. [...]
A proactive new tool that can help preserve old forests in British Columbia has been developed by University of Alberta researchers. [...]
Researchers from CIIMAR and the University of Helsinki have discovered a new biochemical modification in natural cyanobacterial products, revealing an unprecedented tool with promising applications in biotechnology and drug development. [...]