More resources needed to protect birds in Germany
Member states of the European Union are obliged to designate Special Protection Areas (SPAs) as part of the Natura 2000 network. These areas are designed to guarantee the preservation and…
Evolutionary paths vastly differ for birds, bats
New Cornell University research has found that, unlike birds, the evolution of bats’ wings and legs is tightly coupled, which may have prevented them from filling as many ecological niches…
How fruit flies achieve accurate visual behavior despite changing light conditions
Researchers identify neuronal networks and mechanisms that show how contrasts can be rapidly and reliably perceived even when light levels vary. When light conditions rapidly change, our eyes have to…
Sleeping for 2: Insomnia therapy reduces postpartum depression, study shows
While many people believe that poor sleep during pregnancy is inevitable, new research has determined that cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi) while pregnant can not only improve sleep patterns…
New methods for whale tracking and rendezvous using autonomous robots
Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative) aims to collect millions to billions of high-quality, highly contextualized vocalizations in order to understand how sperm whales communicate. But finding the whales and knowing…
Alcohol consumption among non-human animals may not be as rare as previously thought, say ecologists
Anecdotes abound of wildlife behaving “drunk” after eating fermented fruits, but despite this, nonhuman consumption of ethanol has been assumed to be rare and accidental. Ecologists challenge this assumption in…
It’s not to be. Universe too short for Shakespeare typing monkeys
A monkey randomly pressing keys on a typewriter for an infinite amount of time would eventually type out the complete works of Shakespeare purely by chance, according to the Infinite…
Crunching fruit fly and human data via machine learning and systems biology results in the identification of key metabolites that impact lifespan in both species
Discoveries that impact lifespan and healthspan in fruit flies are usually tested in mice before being considered potentially relevant in humans, a process that is expensive and time intensive. A…
Reactor could make direct air capture more energy efficient
Rice University researchers have developed an electrochemical reactor that has the potential to drastically reduce energy consumption for direct air capture, the removal of carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere.…
Have we found all the major Maya cities? Not even close, new research suggests
Using laser-guided imaging to peer through dense jungle forests, Tulane University researchers have uncovered vast unexplored Maya settlements in Mexico and a better understanding of the ancient civilization’s extent and…