-
Mars habitability limited by its small size, isotope study suggests
on September 20, 2021 at 7:19 pm
Researchers measured the potassium isotope compositions of Martian meteorites in order to estimate the presence, distribution, and abundance of volatile elements and compounds, including water, on Mars, finding that Mars has lost more potassium than […]
-
Cancer cells’ unexpected genetic tricks for evading the immune system
on September 16, 2021 at 6:28 pm
In a surprising new finding in mice, researchers have discovered that many genes linked to human cancer block the body's natural defense against malignancies.
-
Plants evolved complexity in two bursts -- with a 250-million-year hiatus
on September 16, 2021 at 6:28 pm
A new method for quantifying plant evolution reveals that after the onset of early seed plants, complexity halted for 250 million years until the diversification of flowering plants about 100 million years ago.
-
Can fruit fly research help improve survival of cancer patients?
on September 16, 2021 at 5:13 pm
Scientists don't really know what kills many cancer patients, but fruit fly research could provide answers. By following flies with tumors up to the point of death, researchers have discovered chemicals produced by tumors that shorten life span […]
-
Climate change threatens base of polar oceans' bountiful food webs
on September 16, 2021 at 3:46 pm
The cold polar oceans give rise to some of the largest food webs on Earth. And at their base are microscopic, photosynthetic algae. But human-induced climate change, a new study suggests, is displacing these important cold-water communities of algae […]
-
Have we detected dark energy? Scientists say it's a possibility
on September 15, 2021 at 5:51 pm
Dark energy, the mysterious force that causes the universe to accelerate, may have been responsible for unexpected results from the XENON1T experiment, deep below Italy's Apennine Mountains.
-
Modern snakes evolved from a few survivors of dino-killing asteroid
on September 14, 2021 at 3:12 pm
A new study suggests that all living snakes evolved from a handful of species that survived the giant asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs and most other living things at the end of the Cretaceous. The authors say that this devastating […]
-
Engineers grow pancreatic 'organoids' that mimic the real thing
on September 13, 2021 at 5:56 pm
Engineers developed a way to grow tiny replicas of the pancreas, using either healthy or cancerous pancreatic cells. Their models could help researchers develop and test potential drugs for pancreatic cancer.
-
Personality matters, even for squirrels
on September 10, 2021 at 4:17 pm
Humans acknowledge that personality goes a long way, at least for our species. But scientists have been more hesitant to ascribe personality to other animals. A study has now documented personality in golden-mantled ground squirrels, which are […]
