Last update:

Brains grew faster as humans evolved, study finds

Modern humans, Neanderthals, and other recent relatives on our human family tree evolved bigger brains much more rapidly than earlier species, a new study of human brain evolution has found.

Fossilized dung reveals clues to dinosaur success story

In an international collaboration, researchers at Uppsala University have been able to identify undigested food remains, plants and prey in the fossilized feces of dinosaurs. These analyses of hundreds of samples provide ...

More news

Cell & Microbiology
A matter of time: New research shows how tissue development is temporally organized
Cell & Microbiology
Researchers propose a mathematical definition of cell death
Cell & Microbiology
Cell model identifies important factor in neural development
Plants & Animals
Scientists use acoustic data to track blue and fin whale occurrences in the Arctic
Plants & Animals
Researchers identify two fungal enzymes that hijack the immune system of plants to colonize roots
Biotechnology
Engineering DNA to mimic biological catch bonds with 'fish-hook' system
Cell & Microbiology
Researchers characterize 28 bacteria that produce bioactive substances, offering pharmaceutical potential
Plants & Animals
A blind beetle named Hitler? The case for changing offensive names of animals and plants, and how it can be done
Plants & Animals
Falcons exposed to heavy metals are a red flag for environmental health
Cell & Microbiology
Passport control for glycan maturation: Discovery of a molecular tag that enhances biopharmaceutical quality
Plants & Animals
Shells, teeth and bones of 'weird and wonderful organisms' provide historical environmental clues
Ecology
Researchers call for shift in reef restoration funding
Ecology
Same plant, different tactic: Habitat determines response to climate, thale cress study finds
Cell & Microbiology
Droplet-based microfluidics with mass spectrometry offers new toolboxes for microproteomics
Agriculture
Most NZ dairy farmers put profitability first—but some are planting native trees anyway
Ecology
Thailand to return nearly 1,000 trafficked lemurs, tortoises to Madagascar
Plants & Animals
Measurements show that crabs can process pain
Cell & Microbiology
Better health diagnostics through genetically engineered embedded sentinel cells
Cell & Microbiology
Study discovers how algae produce a hormone they use to communicate
Plants & Animals
Great apes visually track subject-object relationships like humans do, research reveals

Other news

General Physics
Researchers find a possible solution to the cosmic ray muon puzzle
Soft Matter
Tiny rotating particles create vorticity in viscous fluids, yielding fascinating new behaviors
Archaeology
Evidence found of only known familial practice of long-term embalming in Early Modern France
Environment
Artificial intelligence finds previously undetected historical climate extremes
Earth Sciences
Himalayas formation may have destroyed at least 30% of continental crust in collision zone
Astronomy
Astronomers investigate the evolution of a supersoft X-ray source
General Physics
Astrophysicists find evidence that Alfvén waves lead to heat generation in the magnetosphere
Environment
Air pollution from fires linked to 1.5 million deaths a year
Astrobiology
Scientists reveal possible role of iron sulfides in creating life in terrestrial hot springs
Bio & Medicine
Nanorobot hand made of DNA grabs viruses for diagnostics and blocks cell entry
Nanomaterials
Nanostructures pave the way for advanced robotics—and mini dinosaurs
Astronomy
An improved quantification of the intergalactic medium and cosmic filaments
Earth Sciences
Oceans emit sulfur and cool the climate more than previously thought
Astronomy
Webb observations explore the Westerlund 1 star cluster
Earth Sciences
Submarine canyon plastic accumulation is driven by turbidity currents, simulation study shows
Earth Sciences
New technique allows researchers to look deep within tectonic plates
Quantum Physics
Making quantum physics easier to digest in schools: Experts encourage focus on two-state systems
Earth Sciences
Seemingly simple climate adaptation strategy could backfire
General Physics
Improved spin and density correlation simulations give researchers clearer insights on neutron stars
Polymers
Team solves a nearly 200-year-old challenge in polymers to offer independent control of stiffness and stretchability

Robot identifies plants by 'touching' their leaves

Researchers in China have developed a robot that identifies different plant species at various stages of growth by "touching" their leaves with an electrode. The robot can measure properties such as surface texture and water ...

DNA analysis reveals hidden threats to global shark populations

FIU scientists have discovered two major problems after analyzing small shark fins from Hong Kong markets—small coastal species are much more common in the international fin trade than previously thought and there is a ...

Experiments find stress is contagious for animals, too

Animal habitats are currently changing extremely rapidly and extensively due to urbanization and climate change. As a result, animals are increasingly exposed to stressors. However, until now, little research has been conducted ...