A team of scientists discovered remnants of a protein-chitin complex in Paleozoic-era arthropod fossils, which could revolutionize our understanding of organic fossilization. The findings were made possible by advanced analytical instruments and suggest that the complex may play a critical role in preserving fossils.
The Hubble Space Telescope has detected a compact galaxy made of blue stars 480 million years after the Big Bang, providing best insights yet into the universe's birth and evolution.
Researchers fill in a missing gap in the mechanism of how brassinosteroids cause plant genes to be expressed, with implications for agricultural science and evolutionary research. Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is identified as the key component of the signaling pathway.
A new study reveals that deforestation has been the largest contributor to global CO2 buildup, with forests re-growing during wars and plagues having a limited impact. The Mongol invasions, however, led to significant carbon absorption due to forest regrowth.
Research team subject lithium to intense pressure and low temperatures, revealing its surprising properties. The element becomes a liquid at room temperature and refuses to freeze until a chilly -115o F, exhibiting complex crystalline states at high pressures.
Researchers expand study of 2008 TC3 meteorite, finding diverse oxygen isotopes that suggest the asteroid's source had a complex formation history. The discovery has significant implications for our understanding of the meteorite's origin and potential connections to other celestial bodies.
Research from Carnegie Institution for Science reveals that a protein called GATA2 acts as a key link between brassinosteroid and light signaling pathways, controlling plant growth and development. The study found that brassinosteroids dictate the light-sensitivity of plants by regulating the production of a key light-responsive protein.
Researchers discovered a novel family of pores that transport sugar out of plant cells, enabling pathogenic bacteria and fungi to hijack the nutrient supply. This breakthrough allows for the development of new crop protection techniques and potential applications in diabetes research.
Researchers have identified about a thousand brassinosteroid target genes, revealing molecular links between the steroid and various cellular functions. The study provides the first comprehensive action map for a plant hormone, accelerating basic plant science and crop research.
Researchers at Carnegie Institution for Science have successfully watched nanoparticles grow from the earliest stages of formation using high-energy X-rays. This breakthrough allows for the development of new techniques to control growth conditions, paving the way for improved solar-cell technology and chemical sensors.
Researchers watched a fundamental process of cellular organization in living plant cells, where protein complexes create the microtubule cytoskeleton. They observed that these complexes are distributed at the cell membrane and interact with other microtubules to organize the cell shape and structure.
Researchers have found evidence of a 55-million-year-old river that flowed from California to Arizona and then into Utah, reversing the modern Colorado River's direction. The ancient California River, which formed a delta in Utah, was on a similar scale to the modern Colorado-Green River system but flowed northeastward.
Researchers developed a new approach to determining the optimal distribution of sulfates in the stratosphere to achieve defined climate goals. The study found that uniformly distributed aerosols can minimize both temperature changes and hydrological cycle alterations, with potential reductions of up to 90% and two-thirds, respectively.
Scientists warn that avoiding dangerous climate change requires steep cuts in carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, cars, and other devices. New research suggests that existing infrastructure is less of a threat to climate than expected, but building the right low-carbon energy technologies now is crucial.
Scientists mapped termite mounds to understand vegetation patterns and geology, revealing how changes in rainfall affect the landscape. The research uses termite mounds as indicators of ecological shifts from climate change.
Researchers created high-resolution maps of carbon storage and emissions in the Peruvian Amazon, revealing patterns that differ among forest types and geology. The study's findings could inform the United Nations' REDD initiative and provide financial incentives to reduce deforestation and degradation.
Researchers at Carnegie Institution find that increasing pressure can induce higher transition temperatures in superconductors, challenging current materials. The discovery opens a new path to designing and engineering high-temperature superconductors.
Asteroid 2008 LC18 is found in the L5 stability region of Neptune, with an estimated diameter of 100 kilometers. The discovery suggests a population of similar asteroids at L5, outnumbering those in the main asteroid belt.
Scientists have discovered a new window into the Earth's violent past by analyzing geochemical evidence from volcanic rocks on Baffin Island. The study suggests that the primitive mantle, which dates back to just tens of millions of years after the Earth's formation, was already depleted in incompatible elements compared to chondrites.
A new study projects that only 18% to 45% of plants and animals in global tropical forests may remain as we know them today by 2100. Conservation efforts can focus on reducing deforestation pressure to help species adapt to climate change or enhance their ability to move with it.
MESSENGER's third flyby of Mercury reveals evidence of younger volcanism, with the youngest basins yet seen, and new information about magnetic substorms. The spacecraft also observed emission from an ionized species in Mercury's thin atmosphere for the first time.
A study by Carnegie Institution scientists reveals that radiation drives stomatal response, rather than just humidity. This breakthrough has significant implications for weather forecasting, climate change research, and agriculture.
Removing excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere would cool the planet, but complexities of the carbon cycle limit its effectiveness. A long-term commitment spanning decades or centuries is required to keep atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations low.
Researchers at the Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory detected and dated Moon carbon in the form of graphite, which survived from the late heavy bombardment era 3.8 billion years ago. The discovery provides a record of the meteoritic carbon input to the Earth-Moon system when life was emerging on Earth.
A new study suggests that seeding clouds over the ocean to make them more reflective could actually increase monsoonal rains and cause continents to become wetter on average. This contradicts previous assumptions about the impact of geoengineering schemes on global rainfall patterns.
Scientists have found a much higher water content in the Moon's interior, with concentrations ranging from 64 parts per billion to 5 parts per million. The research suggests that water was preserved from the hot magma present when the Moon formed 4.5 billion years ago.
A new report found that high-yield crop varieties developed during the Green Revolution have helped keep greenhouse gas emissions at bay, avoiding nearly 600 billion tons of CO2. The study estimated that agricultural research has averted carbon dioxide emissions at a cost of about $4 per ton of CO2.
Researchers found that water and key volatiles may have been present in Earth's original building blocks, contradicting previous theories. The study suggests a complex accretion process for the planet, with volatile-rich material added in late stages of formation.
According to a new paper, large quantities of phosphorus in oceans led to vast algal blooms, pumping oxygen into the environment, allowing larger organisms to thrive. This oxygenation had major consequences for the evolution of complex life and may have played a key role in creating an oxygenated atmosphere.
Researchers found that a small amount of cohesin is needed for cell division and DNA repair, while higher concentrations are necessary for other processes like chromosome condensation. This discovery helps explain the causes of Cornelia de Lange and Roberts Syndrome.
Scientists analyzed eagle bone and feather remains to determine their diet from 20,000-30,000 years ago. The study found that eagles primarily fed on seabirds before humans introduced sheep, providing a critical understanding for successful reintroduction to the Channel Islands.
A new study by Carnegie Institution researchers found that CO2's direct effect on plants contributes to global warming, with evapotranspiration effects accounting for 16% of land surface warming globally. High carbon dioxide levels can lead to increased runoff and stronger climate predictions require considering plant responses.
Researchers find random gene expression changes during early differentiation, but stability increases by a factor of 100 after nine generations. This discovery sheds light on the mechanisms behind epigenetic inheritance and its impact on stem cell research.
Researchers have discovered 65,000 unique relationships between proteins and plant-cell membranes in Arabidopsis, a relative of the mustard plant. This breakthrough using high-throughput screening technology will aid in understanding protein interactions to develop better crops and medicines.
Scientists at Carnegie Institution used high-pressure techniques to study the connection between density and electronic structure of a cerium-aluminum metallic glass, opening up new possibilities for developing metallic glasses. The research found that high pressure causes changes in properties such as volume or electronic behavior, re...
A new study by Carnegie Institution scientists reveals that many developed countries outsource their carbon emissions to developing countries, with some emitting up to four times more CO2 per person than they consume. The research highlights the need for global climate policy to account for emissions embodied in trade.
A newly discovered star in the Sculptor dwarf galaxy has a chemical makeup similar to the Milky Way's oldest stars, lending support to the 'bottom-up model' of galaxy formation. The star's unusually low metal abundance resembles those of old Milky Way stars, further validating the theory.
Researchers have found conclusive evidence of a binary quasar formed by the merger of two galaxies. The discovery uses images from the Carnegie Institution's Magellan telescope in Chile to show tidal tails produced by gravitational attraction, confirming the merger origin for the binary quasar system.
Carnegie scientists Kenneth Caldeira, Yingwei Fei and Steven Shirey have been elected AGU Fellows for their exceptional contributions to climate science, geological research and Earth sciences. Their work has significantly advanced scientific understanding of the internal structure of Earth and other planets.
Researchers created AraNet, a network that connects over 19,600 plant genes based on physical neighborhood and co-expression patterns. The network accurately predicted the functions of three uncharacterized genes in Arabidopsis thaliana, demonstrating its potential to revolutionize fundamental plant biology and agricultural research.
Scientists have modeled three hydrogen-dense metal alloys and found that superconductivity can be induced by high pressure, with transition temperatures as low as -423°F. The study suggests that the superconducting state comes from electron interaction with vibrational energy through the lattice.
A team of astronomers has detected a population of compact and ultra-blue galaxies from 13 billion years ago, just 600 to 800 million years after the Big Bang. The newly found objects are crucial for understanding the evolution of the first stars and galaxies.
A new study reveals that climate belts are shifting toward the poles at a rate of about a quarter mile per year, posing a significant threat to many species. The research highlights the need for effective conservation strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and species migrations.
Researchers found that a plant steroid controls the balance between two genes in rice, regulating leaf angle and cell growth. The discovery has important implications for understanding how to manipulate crop growth and yield, and could lead to better engineering of crops to feed a growing population.
Researchers have discovered two new planetary systems with low-mass 'super-Earths' orbiting nearby sun-like stars. The planets are smaller than previously discovered worlds and may be habitable.
A new software package called CLASlite is revolutionizing forest monitoring by automatically identifying deforestation and forest degradation from satellite imagery. The technology has been adopted by 70 organizations in five countries and is being rapidly disseminated to support international policy discussions.
Seismic images of a mantle plume extending to depths of at least 1,500 kilometers reveal the roots of Hawaii's volcanic hotspot. The PLUME project provides high-resolution seismic images of the structure beneath the island of Hawaii.
Researchers have discovered a specific protein in algae that acts as a safety valve to dissipate excess absorbed light energy. This finding could lead to the development of more robust, commercially viable strains for biofuel production and help plants survive extreme environmental conditions.
Researchers at Carnegie Institution create unique hydrogen-storage material by combining xenon with molecular hydrogen under pressure, offering a new family of materials to boost hydrogen technologies. The discovery reveals unusual bonding chemistry and potential applications in synthesizing energetic materials.
Geochemists discovered that ancient nickel ore deposits were formed by sulfur in the anoxic oxygen-poor atmosphere billions of years ago. Sulfur atoms traveled from volcanic eruptions, atmosphere, seawater, and hot springs to form the ores.