02/06/2021

New research analyses the relationship between cats and their owners

Co-dependent and clingy or casual and aloof—a new study has examined the behavior of pet cats to understand what it means about their relationship with their owner, and the research suggests it's a two-way street!

Understanding the skin's defense system

It can be easy to forget that the human skin is an organ. It's also the largest one and it's exposed, charged with keeping our inner biology safe from the perils of the outside world.

Lockdowns have left Stolen Generations survivors isolated, unsupported

Researchers learn how swimming ducks balance water pressure in their feathers while diving

A team of students working with Jonathan Boreyko, associate professor in mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech, has discovered the method ducks use to suspend water in their feathers while diving, allowing them to shake ...

About 500,000 Australian species are undiscovered: The 25-year mission to finish the job

Here are two quiz questions for you. How many species of animals, plants, fungi, fish, insects and other organisms live in Australia? And how many of these have been discovered and named?

Research describes slow and fast light in plasma

Slow and fast light, or large changes in the group velocity of light, have been observed in a range of optical media, but the fine control over the refractive index necessary to induce an observable effect has not been achieved ...

Child marriage and domestic violence: What we found in 16 African countries

The number of girls who marry before their 15th birthday has remained unchanged for 20 years in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The region has the highest rate of child marriage, with nearly four in 10 girls married ...

World's smallest, best acoustic amplifier emerges from 50-year-old hypothesis

Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories have built the world's smallest and best acoustic amplifier. And they did it using a concept that was all but abandoned for almost 50 years.

A new way of comparing greenhouse gases could help us meet Paris Agreement goals

According to the Paris Agreement, the world needs to limit global warming to well below 2°C and to strive toward a 1.5°C increase above pre-industrial levels. How can we meet this goal at the lowest cost? In a May 2021 ...

Creating exotic 'outer space' ice in the lab

The search for life beyond Earth typically focuses on first looking for water, the basis for life as we know it. Whether the water is a gas, liquid, or solid, its presence and composition can tell researchers a lot about ...