Articles tagged with Isotopes
Researchers analyzed 11,000-year-old bowhead whale fossils to reveal the devastating impact of commercial whaling on the species' genetics. The study found that genetic diversity will continue to decline, severely impacting the species' resilience to climate change.
Researchers analyzed the teeth of four European straight-tusked elephants, discovering they migrated up to 300km before reaching their final habitat. The study suggests organized hunting and cooperation between Neanderthals and the elephants.
Bone char produced from animal bones can transform a large global waste stream into a valuable agricultural resource, recycling phosphorus and improving soil health. Laboratory and field studies show that bone char can enhance soil fertility by gradually releasing phosphorus over time, reducing nutrient losses and promoting plant growth.
The European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) has launched a new award to accelerate alpha radioligand therapy (α-RLT) research in prostate cancer. The EANM Young Scientist Network Award offers €40,000 in funding for promising researchers.
Researchers analyzed ancient maize cob fragments to reconstruct agricultural practices from nearly a millennium ago. The study reveals that the Chincha Kingdom used seabird guano as a high-powered fertilizer, transforming a desert landscape into one of the most productive riverine valleys in Peru.
A new study has determined that the Ubeidiya site in the Jordan Valley dates back at least 1.9 million years, revealing a significant shift in our understanding of early human history. The discovery suggests that ancient pioneers were established in the Levant at the dawn of humanity's global expansion, using diverse stone tools.
Researchers develop novel method to manipulate cell structures using weak magnetic fields and isotopes, bridging structural biology, biophysics, and quantum biology. This work offers a potential new strategy for stabilizing damaged brain proteins, typical of neurodegenerative diseases.
A new study reveals that seabird guano was a driving force behind the Chincha Kingdom's sociopolitical expansion on Peru's coast. The nutrient-rich bird droppings boosted corn yields and supercharged agriculture, fueling the kingdom's economy, trade, population growth, and regional influence.
Research found cats' hair and whisker nitrogen isotope values resemble those of vegans, indicating high efficiency in protein processing. This challenges the long-held assumption that carnivore isotopic signatures can determine diet.
Researchers will investigate fundamental properties of unstable atomic nuclei, focusing on neutron-rich and neutron-deficient isotopes. The project aims to improve theoretical models in nuclear structure and understand the origin of chemical elements in nuclear astrophysics.
This study provides direct evidence of nomadic groups' adoption and approval of agricultural economy in ancient China. The isotopic data show a shift from millet-based agriculture to wheat or rice agriculture, indicating a gradual social evolutionary process.
Researchers found a mosasaur tooth in North Dakota that revealed the giant reptile's ability to thrive in freshwater rivers. The study used isotope analyses to show that mosasaurs inhabited riverine environments in their final million years before extinction.
Researchers have discovered a new 'Island of Inversion' in the most symmetric region of the nuclear chart, where protons and neutrons equal each other. This finding challenges long-held assumptions about structural inversions and provides insights into fundamental forces that bind matter together.
Researchers investigated the geochemical behavior of calcium isotopes during carbonate weathering in the Lancang River. The study found that dissolved Ca showed variations of δ44/40Ca values along the river flow, with suspended sediments enriched in light Ca isotopes controlled by mineralogy.
Researchers at Chiba University developed a novel isotope-based method to detect and identify selenium-containing compounds, revealing new biological roles of selenium. The technique uses multiple isotopic signatures simultaneously, reducing errors and improving detection reliability.
Nuclear chemists at the University of Cologne provide experimental proof of technetium-98's electron capture decay into molybdenum-98. The finding confirms a decades-old theoretical assumption and expands understanding of nuclear decay processes.
Researchers used lipid biomarker analyses to study survival strategies of microorganisms in extreme deep-sea ecosystems. They found that methane- and sulfate-metabolizing microbes can thrive in environments with high pH values and low organic carbon concentrations.
A team of researchers at UNM used a peculiar prehistoric plant to reconstruct ancient climates. The study found that water traveling through horsetails undergoes intense natural distillation, resulting in oxygen isotope ratios similar to those found in meteorites or extraterrestrial materials.
Researchers from the University of Göttingen have identified oxygen isotopes in 'cherts' as indicators of heat flow on early Earth. The study reveals that cherts record paleo-heat flow on the Shatsky Rise oceanic plateau, providing insights into the conditions on the Earth's surface up to 3.5 billion years ago.
A study investigated decadal variability of δ18O in the East Asian monsoon region, revealing a quasi-11-year cycle driven by external solar forcing. Enhanced solar irradiance modulates moisture sources, leading to lower δ18O values across the region.
A new study from Mizzou's College of Veterinary Medicine analyzed the effects of radioactive iodine therapy on thyroid cancer in dogs. The research found that tailoring the dose of radiation more precisely for each dog could improve outcomes and potentially lead to more targeted care.
Researchers at MIT introduce the concept of a neutrino laser that uses cooled radioactive atoms to produce amplified neutrino beams. By cooling rubidium-83 to near absolute zero, the team predicts accelerated radioactive decay and production of neutrinos. This innovation could lead to new applications in medicine and communication.
A new method reconstructs carbon dioxide levels and photosynthesis from fossilized tooth enamel, shedding light on the climate of the Mesozoic era. The analysis found that atmospheric CO2 levels were four times higher in the late Jurassic period and three times higher in the late Cretaceous period than they are today.
A new study demonstrates that microscopic differences in iron can be spotted using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, allowing archaeologists to identify the origin of Spanish iron objects. This technique follows a quiet revolution in southeast archaeology, where metal detectors have been adopted for large-scale survey work.
Researchers have discovered a way to distinguish identical medicines at the molecular level, allowing for the tracing of counterfeit or stolen medicine. The technology focuses on variants of chemical elements such as isotopes of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
A new study found that early humans consumed carbohydrate-rich foods like grains and underground plant tissues before they had the ideal teeth to chew them efficiently. This suggests that behavior played a significant role in their physical evolution, allowing them to adapt to new environments despite physical limitations.
Researchers at Göttingen University developed a method to reconstruct the early Earth's atmosphere using fossilized micrometeorites. The study found that intact micrometeorites can preserve reliable traces of oxygen isotopes over millions of years.
Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have discovered aluminium-20, an unstable isotope that decays via three-proton emission. The study provides insights into the structure and decay of nuclei beyond the proton drip line, shedding light on isospin symmetry breaking.
Wildlife forensic scientists develop a cheap and rapid method to distinguish between elephant and mammoth ivory using stable isotope analysis. The technique can quickly identify suspect pieces of ivory and prevent the illegal trade of elephant ivory.
A recent theoretical study maps several isotopes' potential energy surfaces, uncovering a range of ground-state and isomeric shapes that depend sensitively on nuclear pairing interactions. The research reveals rare prosperous shape coexistence in a single nucleus, challenging traditional nuclear structure models.
Researchers developed a five-dimensional Langevin model to accurately predict fission fragment distributions and kinetic energies in medium-mass mercury isotopes. The model captures unusual 'double-humped' fragment mass distribution observed in mercury-180, providing new insights into nuclear shell effects.
Researchers found that dominant predatory fish species acquired most of their energy from kelp, but on turf-dominated reefs, they turned to phytoplankton for energy. Kelp forest collapse removed a key source and pathway for energy flow in the food web.
Scientists from the University of Göttingen have made a groundbreaking discovery, finding ruthenium in volcanic rocks on the islands of Hawaii. The finding suggests that material from the Earth's core is leaking into the mantle above, challenging previous assumptions about the planet's internal dynamics.
A team successfully observed hydrogen and deuterium molecules confined within a picocavity, revealing unprecedented detail about their vibrational modes. The study demonstrates a pronounced isotope-dependent effect, highlighting the potential for advanced molecular spectroscopy and nanoscale sensing.
A new study compares tropical mountain ice cores to climate model simulations, revealing discrepancies in Earth's average temperature trends. Researchers found that ice core data and computer models match for polar regions like Greenland and Antarctica, but not for tropical mountains.
Researchers used fossil data to predict the home range of Protemnodon, an extinct giant kangaroo, finding it had a smaller foraging range than expected. Climate change and habitat disruption led to local extinction when this small range could not find enough food.
Ryan Amberger, a Ph.D. candidate in physics at Texas A&M University, has been selected for a 2025 Los Alamos-Texas A&M Fellowship to conduct dissertation research on nuclear astrophysics. He aims to improve understanding of the s-process by studying neutron cross sections.
Researchers studying ancient rhino teeth found at Nebraska's Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park discovered that prehistoric rhinos lived in large herds. The animals' limited mobility suggests they didn't respond to the volcanic eruption or migrate seasonally, instead likely dying from prolonged exposure to ash and lack of food.
A new study reveals that the Saharo-Arabian Desert experienced recurrent humid intervals over the past eight million years, supporting migrations of water-dependent animals, including early ancestors. These wetter periods likely sustained monsoonal precipitation from the South, which gradually weakened over millions of years.
A Southwest Research Institute-led team identified a rare helium isotope (³He) emitted from the Sun, with a concentration 200,000 times higher than usual. The unusual occurrence supports earlier theories suggesting weak magnetic field strength and minimal turbulence in the plasma.
Researchers have found that chemicals used to preserve shark jaws do not affect isotopes, enabling the use of preserved jaws for revealing what sharks eat and where they feed. This study contributes valuable insights to the field of stable isotope analysis in shark and ray teeth.
A novel copper-based zeolite imidazolate framework (Cu-ZIF-gis) has been developed to separate deuterium (D2) from hydrogen (H2) at 120 K (-153°C), exceeding the liquefaction point of natural gas. This material exhibits improved separation efficiency and lower energy consumption compared to traditional methods.
Researchers analyzed seven severed skulls of men from Puig Castellar and Ullastret sites, revealing different mobility patterns and localisation trends. The study suggests that the nailed heads ritual was not a uniform practice across Iberian communities, but rather varied between settlements.
A USC study has found a drastic increase in building collapses in Alexandria, Egypt, due to rising sea levels and seawater intrusion. The researchers used a three-pronged approach to assess the impact of shoreline changes on the city's buildings.
Research team finds that heavy Mg isotopic signatures in volcanic rocks can be explained by partial melting of serpentinite-dominated mélanges. The study proposes a novel model involving diapiric rise and melting of these mélanges, which aligns with geochemical characteristics of arc magmas.
Scientists studied painted lady butterflies' migration patterns and found that environmental conditions shape their travel behavior, with some crossing the Sahara Desert. Contrary to previous belief, genetic analysis revealed no difference in DNA sequences between short- and long-trip butterflies.
Scientists from University of California San Diego use thermal release to extract water molecules from lunar rocks, revealing origin as either moon itself or comet impacts. The study provides valuable clues for NASA's Artemis program and future human settlements on the moon and Mars.
Researchers used Re–Os dating to uncover the timing of Japan's geological history, revealing key insights into the region's evolution. The study focused on Besshi-type VMS deposits, which provided precise markers for the timing of subduction and ridge subduction beneath Japanese Islands.
Researchers from Göttingen University and Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research discovered the Moon formed from material ejected from the Earth's mantle. The findings support the idea that water reached Earth early in its development, contrary to the prevailing assumption of late impacts.
Researchers uncovered nearly 200 animal remains at Teotihuacán's Moon Pyramid, shedding light on ancient rituals and politics. The discovery highlights the importance of apex predators like golden eagles and jaguars, which were venerated and sacrificed by human communities.
Researchers compiled a reference framework of isotope compositions indicating the type of diet for extant reptiles, providing a useful dataset to reconstruct the diet of fossil reptiles. The analysis showed that calcium isotope ratios are higher in insectivorous reptiles and lower in herbivores and carnivores.
A new study by UCL researchers found no lasting changes in the Earth's climate after two massive asteroid impacts around 35.65 million years ago. The impact craters left behind no evidence of a shift in climate over 150,000 years.
Scientists uncovered the first direct evidence that ancient Americans primarily relied on mammoth and other large animals for food. The study sheds light on both the rapid expansion of humans throughout the Americas and the extinction of large ice age mammals.
The Eastern Tropical Pacific's Oxygen Deficient Zone (ODZ) expands and contracts every ten years, driven by Pacific decadal climate variability. This dynamic process has important consequences for marine ecosystems, as ODZs could respond quickly to climate changes.
The Guarani Aquifer, the world's largest cross-border groundwater reservoir, is being overused in São Paulo state, Brazil. The study found that rainwater is insufficient to replenish the aquifer due to increased water withdrawals for human activities.
The FRIB research team has identified a flaw in physics models of massive stars and supernovae, revealing inconsistencies with observational gamma-ray astronomy data. This discovery was made possible by the development of a new experimental method that enabled the team to study short-lived isotopes, including iron-60.
Scientists have discovered that adding carbon to metal nanoparticles makes them 200 times more active, which could lead to significant cost savings and improved efficiency in industrial processes. The discovery was made possible by precise measurements and simulations of the interaction between metal nanoparticles and a carbon substrate.
Researchers studied fermium isotopes with different neutron numbers, revealing a steady increase in nuclear charge radius across the neutron number 152. The experimental results confirmed theoretical predictions on nuclear shell effects and paved the way for further laser spectroscopic studies of heavy elements.
Researchers have introduced Tune-IMS, a technique that improves the precision of isochronous mass spectrometry for measuring short-lived atomic nuclei. The method has been successfully tested on several nuclides and has shown higher precision than previous IMS methods.
Researchers have synthesized a new plutonium isotope, plutonium-227, which is the first to be discovered by Chinese scientists. The study reveals the presence of shell closure in neptunium isotopes and sheds light on its robustness in plutonium isotopes.