Researchers trained monkeys to discriminate computer-generated images containing different numbers of objects and respond in ascending order. The study suggests that monkeys share human-like capacity for simple arithmetic, potentially tracing human intelligence to animal origins.
A team of scientists from Columbia University and Princeton University have found that North America is absorbing carbon dioxide at a rate greater than expected, with forest regrowth playing a significant role. The study suggests that land-based carbon-absorbing zones could play a crucial role in managing greenhouse warming.
Columbia University has been awarded nearly $10 million over five years to establish two new interdisciplinary centers in materials science and environmental chemistry. Researchers at the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) will investigate thin films and transport of pollutants, while the Environmental Molecular ...
Researchers from Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory measured zinc in rivers downstream from a Spanish zinc mine's collapse, finding amounts comparable to the mine's annual output, causing environmental concerns about crop losses and fish populations.
A study by Columbia University biologist Ayako Yamaguchi found that male and female cardinals can distinguish each other's songs, with males learning from females and females from males. As birds grow, their songs change due to hormonal fluctuations, suggesting a unique process of vocal development.
Scientists at Columbia University detected the largest explosion ever witnessed, a gamma-ray burst, which occurred 12 billion years ago. The event released almost as much energy as the 10 billion trillion stars in the universe combined and was detected using a rapid series of phone calls between astronomers around the world.
The Columbia supercomputer, QCDSP, can perform 400 billion calculations per second to simulate the three-trillion-degree conditions at the Big Bang. This will help physicists understand particle properties and calculate accurate masses and decay rates.
A new study by Columbia University and NASA finds that the Arctic ozone hole is projected to double in size by 2020, leading to increased skin cancer cases globally. The research models show that greenhouse gases are cooling the stratosphere, causing more ozone depletion.
A study by Columbia University statistics professor Andrew Gelman and colleagues found that small-state voters have a higher probability of affecting the outcome of presidential races due to the electoral college system. In close national elections, vote tallies in politically balanced states are more likely to determine the outcome.
Researchers at Columbia University have devised a computer model that shows how earthquakes occur in a pyramidal distribution, with one larger quake and multiple smaller ones. The model helps estimate the likelihood of future damage by analyzing the relationship between faults and earthquake distributions.
Researchers at Columbia University are adapting industrial materials based on sugar to create novel, eco-friendly surfactants for household, medical, and industrial uses. These sugar-based polymers offer better cleansing properties than traditional detergents and can be used in personal care products.
Researchers found that female African frogs use a rapid series of loud clicks to attract mates, triggering a reciprocal signaling system. This discovery contradicts traditional views on mating habits and highlights the role of hormones in regulating vocalization and courtship behavior.
Astronomers Ari Buchalter and David Helfand study 103 galaxies to draw conclusions about the universe's shape. They believe their findings can be confirmed with results from 500 galaxies.
Marc Kamionkowski has been awarded the Helen B. Warner Prize for his significant contributions to cosmology, astrophysics, and particle physics. His research focuses on the cosmic microwave background radiation and its potential to clarify the origins of the universe.
Researchers have developed molecular sensors that can detect specific proteins in blood plasma or other biological fluids with high accuracy. The sensors could also be used to construct an environmental detector, giving new insights into cell functioning and promoting medical diagnostics.
Physicists at Columbia University will receive funding to develop sensitive electronics for the Large Hadron Collider, enabling detection of new particles created during high-energy collisions. The electronics will handle a massive rate of collisions while maintaining precision of 0.25 percent.
Researchers measured the velocity of gases ejected during an early phase of supernova formation, allowing them to tie its formation to the star's evolutionary phases. The study found that the entire nebula is at least 200,000 years old and probably several times older.
Researchers at Columbia University have linked a particular odor to the proteins in the human nose that detect it for the first time. They matched the smell of meat to a specific protein in rat nerve cells, shedding light on how the sense of smell works.
Researchers found a brain region thought to control language is proportionately the same size in humans and chimpanzees, challenging a long-standing theory. The planum temporale, located beneath the parietal cortex, demonstrates similar asymmetry in both species, raising questions about chimp communication.
African and Asian macaques' complicated lineages have been unraveled by genetic detective work at Columbia University. The study confirms that the genus is one of the oldest among Asian monkeys, dating to at least 7 million years ago.
African climate has abruptly turned from wet to dry in short time spans, every 1,500 years, according to Columbia University paleoclimatologist Peter deMenocal. This cycle matches a pattern of abrupt changes in the North Atlantic region and points to a persistent, naturally occurring cycle of climate change.
A Columbia University scientist warns that global warming could cause the abrupt collapse of ocean currents, sending European temperatures plummeting by 20 degrees Fahrenheit within 10 years. This could lead to a drastic change in climate, with devastating consequences.
Researchers found evidence of regular climate shifts, including sudden cold snaps and warming periods, in ocean sediment cores from the North Atlantic. The 1,500-year cycle, which occurred every 1,470 years, may be the pacemaker of rapid climate change.
Researchers at Columbia University have developed a technology that combines electronics and optics on a single chip, enabling the creation of miniaturized optical devices such as tiny lasers and implantable medical sensors. This breakthrough could simplify fiber optic communications and lead to more efficient and cost-effective systems.
Researchers Paul Richards and Won-Young Kim analyze seismic data to verify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, concluding the event was an earthquake with 'excellent' monitoring capability
Researchers calculate neutron star's mass by measuring X-ray pulses from innermost orbit, revealing a massive star about twice the sun's mass. The findings provide new insights into the birth and evolution of neutron stars.
A new gamma-ray telescope will reveal new views of binary stars, black holes, and pulsars, shedding light on violent stellar explosions. The instrument, built by Columbia physicist Elena Aprile, will measure gamma rays between 300,000 to 30 million electron-volts, helping scientists understand element creation.
Researchers at Columbia University and IBM used X-rays to measure changes in atomic structure as electric current flowed through tiny wires. They found large stresses of up to 50,000 pounds per square inch, which can damage wires and their insulation.
A team of geophysicists has found a partially molten granite pool beneath southwestern Tibet, which could have absorbed India's impact and lifted the plateau. The discovery uses seismic profiling techniques to detect deep earth structures and suggests that the Indian subcontinent's thrust into Asia may have created this zone.
The International Research Institute (IRI) will distribute climate predictions several months in advance to a global network of agencies and policymakers. The institute combines the scientists and resources of two leading climate research centers, aiming to improve longer-range predictions and mitigate extreme weather.
Astronomers, led by Professor Patterson, use digital cameras and computers to record binary star variations. This allows for continuous monitoring of stars across the globe, providing valuable data to aid in understanding celestial mechanics.
Researchers observed hundreds of thousands of high-energy collisions between protons and positrons, far exceeding expected statistical probabilities. The unexpected results may indicate new physics or a mistake in understanding what's inside the proton.
New research suggests that the Pacific Ocean's natural air-ocean circulation system may be counteracting global warming by redistributing heat. The study, conducted by Lamont-Doherty scientists, found that surface waters in the eastern equatorial Pacific have cooled over the past century despite rising Earth temperatures.
The study confirms the Bornean rhino's genetic distinctness from other Sumatran rhinos, with a 1% difference in genetic code, making interbreeding unlikely. Only 50-100 animals remain, and conservation efforts are needed to protect them.
Researchers at Columbia University have developed a 360-degree videocamera called Omnicam, which can capture hemispheric views and display them in linear perspective on screens. The technology has various applications, including surveillance, teleconferencing, and robotic vision.
Scientists found evidence of periodic changes in equatorial trade winds and warm tropical waters, which warmed the North Atlantic region and triggered melting along massive ice sheets. The research links climate phenomena at the top and middle of the globe, proposing a mechanism involving the release of warm water pools.
Six American institutions are putting ancient manuscript collections online through the Advanced Papyrological Information System (APIS), making fragile materials accessible to scholars worldwide. The effort aims to digitize and link images, texts, and bibliography for easier research.
Researchers at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory found that the Earth's inner core is rotating faster than the planet, completing its once-a-day rotation about two-thirds of a second faster than the entire Earth. The discovery was made by measuring changes in seismic wave speeds through the inner core.