A new review shows how climate change alters microclimates, which can differ substantially from regional climate averages. Vegetation and atmospheric changes, such as cloud cover, influence local climate conditions, affecting biodiversity responses to climate change.
Scientists have discovered ancient fish bones in deep-sea sediments, providing evidence of past vertebrate life in the central Arctic Ocean. The findings reveal that two Arctic-endemic fish species, ice cod and polar cod, survived the last ice age, with ice cod thriving in polynyas and polar cod disappearing from the North Pole area.
A 16-year study found that older adults with greenery within 100 meters of their homes have a 20% lower risk of developing dementia. The study highlights the importance of preserving and enhancing greenspace in urban environments to support brain health and healthy ageing.
Researchers found that picocyanobacteria in the Baltic Sea form colonies and aggregates, influencing carbon export. This process is crucial for regulating atmospheric CO2 levels and predicting future ocean changes.
Researchers uncover a previously unknown extinct bovine species in Siberia, diverging from modern yaks around 400,000 years ago, and shedding light on the impact of climate warming on biodiversity. The species became extinct around 27,000 years ago, leaving behind a genetic legacy that highlights the region's biodiversity hotspot.
A study of ancient DNA from over 500 mammoth bones found that Ice Age humans selectively targeted female woolly mammoths, unlike the sex ratio among naturally occurring remains. The research sheds light on how ancient humans and mammoths interacted across the Late Pleistocene.
A new study from Stockholm University found that the most severe droughts in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean arose when multiple natural climate cycles coincided. This helped explain why the drought associated with the Late Bronze Age collapse were so severe, pushing societies beyond a critical hydroclimatic threshold.
Researchers analyzed DNA from 142 individuals buried in medieval graves, finding that close biological relatives were rare among those buried together. The study also sheds light on the lives of children in early Christian Scandinavia, suggesting gender identity was recognized early in life.
A new study found that seagrass meadows are a vital source of nutritionally rich fish for coastal communities, with an average seagrass fish providing up to 21% of a child's daily zinc needs. Seagrass meadows are essential habitats for supporting the health and well-being of millions of people in tropical coastal regions.
A new study has uncovered how antidepressants affect different groups of serotonin-producing brain cells in opposite ways. Researchers found two distinct subpopulations of neurons that respond differently to SSRIs, mirroring the clinical picture where unpleasant effects come first and relief comes later.
A new study on ancient genomes reveals that the extinct cave lion had a highly distinct evolutionary lineage, separating from modern lions over 1.5 million years ago. The research found evidence of interbreeding between cave and modern lions across tens of thousands of years, linked to past climate changes.
A new study from Stockholm University found that young guppies raised with visual contact to live fish developed larger brains and relatively larger olfactory bulbs compared to those with only screen-based exposure. This suggests that interactive social experiences during development may be important for normal brain growth.
The study provides new insight into how cells recognize and remove harmful DNA bases using human SMUG1 enzyme. The enzyme removes uracil and related damaged bases from DNA to prevent permanent mutations.
The study reveals that more massive young star clusters clear away their natal gas faster than lower-mass clusters. This has implications for our understanding of star formation and how the young stars affect their surroundings.
A new study reveals that conspicuous markings, including 'eyespots', evolve under specific ecological conditions. Smaller skates and rays, lacking strong physical defences, are more likely to develop bold spots or eyespots in well-lit, shallow waters.
A new study uses unprecedented simulations to reveal how ultra-faint dwarf galaxies reflect the conditions of the early Universe. These tiny satellite galaxies can provide clues about the properties of dark matter and help test early-Universe physics with upcoming observations.
Scientists at Stockholm University and SciLifeLab have uncovered a crucial missing link in how sugar transporters move nutrients into cells. Their study reveals that these transport proteins rely on a previously uncharacterized intermediate state, similar to the 'transition state' in enzyme catalysis.
Researchers at Stockholm University have found a new critical point in supercooled water at around -63 °C and 1000 atmosphere. This discovery explains the unusual properties of water, such as its density and viscosity responding to pressure and temperature changes in ways that are opposite to other liquids.
A study from Stockholm University found a diverse population in medieval Ibiza connected to Europe, North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa through trade and migration. Genetic analysis also identified the first confirmed case of leprosy in medieval Islamic Iberia.
Researchers at Stockholm University propose a novel approach to detecting gravitational waves by tracking how they reshape the light emitted by atoms. This method could help distinguish the signal from noise and encode the wave's direction and polarization.
A new study by Stockholm University researchers reveals distinct populations of Baltic Sea herring with varying levels of genetic adaptation to local conditions. The findings highlight the importance of genetic diversity in managing herring populations and suggest that current fishing practices may be detrimental to local populations.
Scientists successfully sequenced a woolly rhinoceros genome from a 14,400-year-old tissue sample found in an ancient wolf's stomach. The study reveals that the species likely died out due to rapid population collapse rather than gradual decline.
The discovery reveals early advanced hunting techniques and demonstrates that humans used arrow poison to increase hunting efficiency. Researchers found chemical residues of poison from the plant gifbol on 60,000-year-old quartz arrowheads in southern Africa.
A new study finds that moral arguments appealing to care and fairness can persuade both liberals and conservatives in the US. This challenge traditional views on what motivates conservative voters, suggesting a shift towards more progressive positions over time.
Researchers discovered three new species in a previously unknown genus, lacking genes linked to the group's complex lifecycle. These bacteria possess photosynthetic genes, revealing widespread capabilities among this group.
Researchers have made a breakthrough in understanding the binding between KLF1 protein and DNA in human cells, which controls gene expression and has significant implications for diseases such as cancer. The study uses new experimental methods to measure binding to many DNA sequences simultaneously in both test tubes and human cells.
Scientists have discovered wolf remains, thousands of years old, on a small, isolated island in the Baltic Sea. The study suggests that grey wolves may have been managed or controlled by prehistoric societies, with evidence of complex relations and interactions between humans and wolves.
Researchers have successfully isolated and sequenced RNA molecules from Ice Age woolly mammoths, providing new insights into the biology of extinct species. The study reveals that RNA can be preserved for nearly 40,000 years, offering a glimpse into the final moments of life.
A new international study led by Prof. Edouard Pesquet at Stockholm University uncovers the complex relationship between lignin chemistry and structure in different cell types of plants. The research highlights how this molecular diversity has enabled plants to succeed on land.
A new study reveals that the uplift of East Africa during the Miocene epoch dramatically transformed the region's climate and ecosystems, promoting the expansion of grassland. This transformation had a significant impact on mammalian faunal dispersals and evolutionary turnover, especially among large herbivores and early crown hominoids.
Researchers discovered that a group of neurons controlling aggression in males are turned off in non-pregnant females but switch on when they become mothers. Hormones like oxytocin and prolactin powerfully activate these neurons.
Researchers found that beetle-attacked forests can heat up by as much as two degrees during summer days, but deciduous trees help to cool down these stands. Mixed stands with more deciduous trees are less vulnerable to beetle outbreaks and can keep the forest cooler afterwards.
Researchers have uncovered microbial DNA in woolly and steppe mammoth remains dating back over 1 million years, identifying bacteria possibly causing disease in mammoths. The findings provide an unprecedented glimpse into the microbiomes of extinct megafauna.
Researchers studied a microscopic alliance between algae and cyanobacteria to understand how bacteria lose genes and adapt to increasing host dependence. The study found that the level of integration between the symbionts affects genome size, gene content, and metabolic pathways.
A study by Stockholm University revealed a planet-forming disk with an unexpectedly high abundance of carbon dioxide, challenging long-standing assumptions about planetary birthplaces. The discovery was made using the James Webb Space Telescope and suggests intense ultraviolet radiation may be reshaping the chemistry of the disk.
Climate experts Svante Bodin and Örjan Gustafsson recommend reforms to increase responsiveness, improve communication channels, and tailor scientific outputs to pressing policy needs. The proposed changes aim to unlock the combined potential of IPCC and UNFCCC, enabling more effective climate action.
Researchers at Stockholm University have mapped the entire 14-part protein complex of botulinum toxin, revealing its structure and mechanism. The breakthrough opens up possibilities for neutralizing the toxin or harnessing its mechanisms for therapeutic use.
Researchers at Stockholm University have identified why certain nerve cells are resistant to ALS and what happens in sensitive nerve cells when they are affected. The study focuses on a hereditary form of ALS caused by mutations in the SOD1 gene, revealing distinct basal and induced gene activity in different nerve cells.
Researchers have identified a previously undocumented class of PFAS in the blubber of killer whales, accumulating in fat-rich blubber. This discovery challenges the long-held assumption that PFAS primarily bind to proteins and accumulate in liver or blood.
Researchers found that ocean anomalies traveling northward affect the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation in the Nordic Seas, controlling its strength. The study suggests that these anomalies can be monitored using satellite data, providing a cost-effective way to track climate changes.
A recent study in Nature Geoscience offers important new insights into the hidden role of ancient groundwater beneath the ocean floor. Researchers found that fossil groundwater changed its composition after the retreat of the Fennoscandian ice sheet, becoming vulnerable to mixing with seawater.
Researchers at Stockholm University have uncovered the evolutionary history of the Norwegian lemming, revealing it to be one of the most recently evolved mammal species. The study found that the Norwegian and Siberian lemmings diverged approximately 35,000 years ago, with no evidence of interbreeding between them.
A new study on the wall brown butterfly found that rapid evolution aids its northward expansion, but cold winters restrict further growth. The study showed that butterflies from northern populations grew faster and survived winter better, but still couldn't persist beyond certain climatic limits.
Advanced electron crystallography techniques have revealed the unexpected structure of carmine, a natural red colouring agent. The substance has a well-defined, three-dimensional porous structure composed of two calcium ions, two aluminium ions, and four organic ligand molecules.
The Stockholm Declaration on Chemistry for the Future emphasizes the need to integrate health and sustainability in chemical products and processes. It calls for action from scientists, industry, educators, students, and policymakers to collaborate on implementing solutions that balance human well-being with environmental protection.
Researchers used yeast populations to measure evolutionary potential to adapt to future warming in real-time, highlighting species-specific responses. Different species employed distinct strategies to cope with heat, with some expanding temperature ranges and others reducing fitness.
Researchers have uncovered the mechanism by which ATP enters the endoplasmic reticulum, a process crucial for cellular function. The study reveals SLC35B1 as the key transporter protein, providing a promising target for therapeutic intervention.
Researchers at Stockholm University and UK DRI have identified a common disease signature across all ALS-causing mutations in motor neurons, revealing early mitochondrial dysfunction. This discovery opens up new avenues for early treatment methods, targeting the energy factories of nerve cells before other signs of disease appear.
A new genomic study has uncovered long-lost genetic diversity in mammoth lineages spanning over a million years, shedding light on their evolutionary history. The findings demonstrate the power of ancient DNA in characterising past genetic diversity and advance our understanding of mammoth evolution.
Researchers discovered that mammalian membranes have drastically different phospholipid abundances between their two leaflets, contradicting a major assumption of cell biology. The asymmetry is enabled by cholesterol's unique properties, which act as a buffer to redistribute between the leaflets and maintain robust barriers.