Wild Arabica coffee facing extinction
Scientists who have predicted the possible extinction of wild Arabica coffee (Coffea Arabica) within 70 years say urgent conservation measures…
Birds provide new vector for hemorrhagic fever
For the first time, scientists have found ticks infected with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever on migratory birds that fly between Africa…
Cockatoo makes his own tools
A Goffin’s cockatoo (Cacatua goffiniana) named Figaro has been observed spontaneously making and using tools for reaching food and other…
Sea-level rise predictions may be missing critical factors
Sea levels are rising faster than the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicted and new work presented at a…
Asteroid belts’ location critical in evolution of complex life
New research suggests that the size of an asteroid belt – and its proximity to a giant Jupiter-like planet –…
Synthetic magnetism used to control light
The use of magnetic fields to control electrons is a founding principle of electronics and all the consumer electronic devices…
Food security emerging as major climate change issue
A new report looking into how climate change will affect food production and food security warns that nothing less than…
Extinction of dinosaurs a given thanks to fragility of their ecosystem
A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that the ecological structure of dinosaur communities…
Experiment could reveal mechanism behind quantum entanglement
Physicists have devised an experiment that could reveal the precise workings of Einstein’s “spooky action at a distance.” The results,…
“It’s not you, it’s me,” means it’s probably you, say ovulation boffins
Long after women have chosen Mr. Stable over Mr. Sexy, they struggle unconsciously with the decision, with the highest levels…
Men enjoy dirt-eating as much as pregnant women, Harvard study finds
Harvard scientists say that pica (the eating of non-food items) is far more prevalent in Madagascar than previously thought and…
Dark matter not so dark; may be peppered with rogue stars
Astronomers have suggested that the dark matter halos that envelop entire galaxies may not be completely dark after all, and…
Arctic ice shrinks, Antarctic grows
While the dramatic decline in Arctic sea ice cover over the last three decades has been well documented, NASA climatologists…
Precognition may exist in biological processes, suggests new review
After reviewing previous studies into “anomalous anticipatory activity,” researchers at Northwestern University think the phenomenon might be related to recent…
Spatial awareness skewed by fear
Fear can skew our perception of approaching objects, causing us to underestimate the distance of a threatening one, according to…
Ball lightning an ion discharge, contends Aussie scientist
No explanation of how ball lightning occurs has been universally accepted by science, but an Australian researcher thinks eye-witness accounts…
Early Triassic ocean temp reached 40°C
The end-Permian mass extinction, which occurred around 250 million years ago in the pre-dinosaur era, is believed to have wiped…
Earth-sized planet found nearby in Alpha Centauri system
Astronomers from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) have discovered a rocky planet about the same mass as Earth orbiting a…
Significant testosterone deficiency found in obese boys
For the first time, medicos have measured testosterone levels in teens of different weights and found that obese males aged…
Lack of sleep causing obesity epidemic?
Challenging the long-held notion that the main function of sleep is to give rest to the brain, researchers have found…
Knife-on-bottle is “nastiest sound,” say scientists
Frenetic activity between the emotional and auditory parts of the brain explains why the sound of a knife on a…
High voltage solar cell recharger developed for phones
A solar technology breakthrough by UK scientists means portable electronic devices such as phones, cameras, and e-book readers could soon…
Surprising spiral structure observed around dying star
Astronomers using the ALMA telescope in Chile have observed an unusual spiral structure in the gas surrounding the red giant…
The prettier the guiltier
Past research has linked physical attractiveness to success in a variety of fields, but a new study from the University…
Mystery object delays Curiosity rover’s soil scooping
A mysterious bright object lying on the Martian surface has delayed the Curiosity rover’s soil sampling activities until mission control…
Neuroscientists observe “novel” activity in brain during sleep
UCLA researchers have for the first time measured the activity of a brain region known to be involved in learning…
Twin-study shows eating disorders influenced by genetics
Genetics may make some women more vulnerable to the pressure of being thin, say Michigan State University researchers who also…
UK scientists aim to create artificial bee brain
Hoping to gain insights into what’s needed for creating artificial intelligence, scientists from the Universities of Sheffield and Sussex are…