Fearing cougars more than wolves, Yellowstone elk manage threats from both predators
Wolves are charismatic, conspicuous, and easy to single out as the top predator affecting populations of elk, deer, and other prey animals. However, a...
Newly discovered Labrador fossils give clues about ancient climate
The discovery of fossilized plants in Labrador, Canada, by a team of McGill directed paleontologists provides the first quantitative estimate of the area's climate...
Genes that first enabled plants to grow leaves identified by scientists
The genes that first enabled plants to grow shoots and conquer the land have been identified by University of Bristol researchers. The findings, published...
Corkscrew photons may leave behind a spontaneous twist
Everything radiates. Whether it's a car door, a pair of shoes or the cover of a book, anything hotter than absolute zero (i.e., pretty...
Caterpillars of the peppered moth perceive color through their skin
It is difficult to distinguish caterpillars of the peppered moth from a twig. The caterpillars not only mimic the form but also the color...
Recursive language and modern imagination were acquired simultaneously 70,000 years ago
A genetic mutation that slowed down the development of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in two or more children may have triggered a cascade of...
Quantum entanglement in chemical reactions? Now there’s a way to find out
Scientists have long suspected that a quantum phenomenon might play a role in photosynthesis and other chemical reactions of nature, but don't know for...
Scientists discover a new type of pulsating star
Scientists can tell a lot about a star by the light it gives off. The color, for example, reveals its surface temperature and the...
A small number of leaky natural gas wells produce large emissions of greenhouse gases
Wells that extract natural gas from underground often leak large amounts of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, into the air. A team of Princeton...
Cutting pollution won’t cause global warming spike, study finds
Fears that efforts to reduce air pollution could dramatically speed up the process of global warming have been allayed with the publication of a...
Genomic data reveal intense fish harvesting causes rapid evolution
For the first time, scientists have unraveled genetic changes that cause rapid fish evolution due to intense harvesting—changes that previously had been invisible to...
