Researchers constructed an evolutionary tree of flowering plants and found that many species acquired characteristics to thrive in colder climates before encountering freezing conditions. Plants like birches and poplars developed narrower water transport cells to protect themselves from blockage during freezing and thawing.
Researchers accurately predicted the magnitude 7.6 Nicoya earthquake in Costa Rica, allowing for improved building codes and reduced damage. The study used GPS data to map out the likely extent of an earthquake rupture along a subduction megathrust, providing valuable insights into plate tectonics.
EPFL scientists have discovered optical dissipative solitons in small millimeter-size optical resonators, producing extremely short and high-rate light pulses. This breakthrough has significant implications for applications such as astronomy, chemists' analysis, and telecommunication networks.
The study identified three repeated evolutionary shifts: seasonal shedding of leaves, thinner water-conducting pathways, and avoiding cold seasons. Researchers used a comprehensive 'timetree' with 32,223 species to model the evolution of these traits and climate surroundings.
A new study suggests that many flowering plants, including crops, may not have the necessary traits to rapidly respond to human-induced climate change. Researchers used a large dated evolutionary tree of flowering plants to identify three repeated evolutionary shifts that allowed them to tolerate cold temperatures.
Scientists have identified a way to stop malaria parasites from multiplying by targeting the NMT enzyme, which is essential for various processes in the parasite. The discovery raises hopes for new treatments and could be effective against multiple species of malaria parasites.
Researchers discovered a new aquifer in the Greenland Ice Sheet that holds liquid water all year long, covering 27,000 square miles. This find is crucial for understanding the contribution of snowmelt and ice melt to rising sea levels.
Scientists from Moscow State University have made significant breakthroughs in generating stable femtosecond pulses and microwave signals using microresonators. These discoveries hold promise for compact and affordable optical pulse generators, critical for applications such as broadband spectroscopy, telecommunications, and astronomy.
A new study found that bird species living together are more similar than different, challenging a widely-held theory on species evolution. The research suggests that competition may not be the driving force behind species differences, instead promoting the evolution of similar traits.
The new strategy enables rapid selection of chemical compounds with a desired effect on cells and highlights the underlying biological mechanisms. Researchers identified a compound, WWL113, that shows promise for treating obesity-linked diabetes and also inhibits a previously untargeted enzyme, Ces3.
Researchers at the University of York have discovered a family of enzymes that can degrade difficult-to-digest biomass into its constituent sugars. This breakthrough enables the production of second-generation biofuels from sustainable sources such as waste plant matter, potentially alleviating food price stability concerns and increas...
A new scientific study by the University of Edinburgh found that variations in heat from the sun do not strongly influence climate change. Volcanic eruptions were the primary cause of periodic changes in climate until 1800, and greenhouse gases have been the main driver since then.
Researchers used high-resolution fMRI to identify where Alzheimer's disease starts, spreads from the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) to other areas of the cerebral cortex. LEC dysfunction occurs when changes in tau and amyloid precursor protein (APP) co-exist, damaging neurons that then spread to adjoining regions.