All organisms are made of living cells. While it is difficult to pinpoint exactly when the first cells came to exist, geologists' best estimates suggest at least as early as 3.8 billion years ago. But how much life has inhabited ...
Ecology
Jan 12, 2024
1
2560
Many organisms can produce minerals or mineralized tissue. A well-known example is nacre, which is used in jewelry because of its iridescent colors. Chemically speaking, its formation begins with a mollusk extracting calcium ...
Biochemistry
Jan 12, 2024
0
111
When scientists detected phosphine in Venus' atmosphere in 2020, it triggered renewed, animated discussions about Venus and its potential habitability. It would be weird if the detection didn't generate interest since phosphine ...
Astrobiology
Jan 12, 2024
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51
Underwater surfaces can get grimy as they accumulate dirt, algae and bacteria, a process scientists call "fouling." But furry mammals like beavers and otters that spend most of their lives wet manage to avoid getting their ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 11, 2024
2
444
A multi-national team of scientists (China, U.S., New Zealand, Italy, and France) analyzes the temperature of the Earth annually. These scientists have found a fever that increases every year: For the past decade, each year ...
Earth Sciences
Jan 11, 2024
1
16
A team from the UPC and the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) has designed an efficient and stable photocatalyst capable of producing hydrogen directly using sunlight. The results are published in ...
Nanomaterials
Jan 10, 2024
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36
The forests and grasslands of northern tropical Africa take in about as much carbon dioxide in the wet season as they release in the dry season, according to a new study based on observations from aircraft. The findings contradict ...
Earth Sciences
Jan 10, 2024
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5
As greenhouse gas levels increase in Earth's atmosphere, scientists are considering ways to temporarily limit rising temperatures. One idea is to inject aerosols into the stratosphere to reflect incoming sunlight, thereby ...
Earth Sciences
Jan 9, 2024
5
93
A team of astronomers including McGill Professor Nicolas Cowan has unraveled the enigmatic atmosphere of the exoplanet HAT-P-18 b, shedding light on its intriguing blend of gases, clouds, and even the effects of its star's ...
Astronomy
Jan 9, 2024
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46
Laser-based absorption spectroscopy is an important method for determining the concentration of gas components in a sample. Modern devices are highly specialized for detecting very specific gases, such as trace gases in the ...
Optics & Photonics
Jan 9, 2024
0
35
