Scientific discoveries often come from unexpected places – like a Myanmar amber market, which is where a researcher from Dexu Institute of Palaeontology found an item that offers unique insights into feather evolution in dinosaurs. Browsing through the goods of an amber vendor, researcher Lida Xing found what turned out to be a part of […]
Category: Paper of Interest
Bird feeders, nests, predators and the complex relationship in bird-human environments
Are bird feeders helpful or harmful for your neighborhood’s birds? Recent study shows that the answer to that question is more complex than a simple “yes” or “no”. The four-year study analyzed connections between songbird nests, bird feeders, and predators in Columbus, Ohio. Results varied: for example, in neighborhoods with large crow populations, bird feeders […]
Seafood consumption 15 times higher in Indigenous communities than national average
For the first time ever, a global analysis has the numbers to demonstrate the importance of seafood to the diet and culture of Indigenous people. Authors estimate that members of coastal Indigenous communities, on average, consume 15 times more seafood per person than non-Indigenous people in the same country. The study collected data from 1900 […]
Exploring the 1430s, the coldest decade of the millennium 
Many of the 1430s winters and some springs were extremely cold in several parts of Europe. Researchers analyzed climate archives to reconstruct the climate at the time and figure out its impact on societies. The climate models showed that the harsh conditions were due to natural variations in the climate system, a combination of natural factors […]
‘Lucy’ may have been an avid tree climber, bone analysis suggests
New study gives insight into the lifestyles of early humans – with the help of ‘Lucy’, the famous 3.18 million-year-old Australopithecus afarensis fossil discovered in Africa. Bone analysis of Lucy’s upper arm and upper leg bones reveals that the relative strength of the Australopithecus limbs was between that of humans and chimpanzees. These findings also […]
What it takes to fly: Sparrows’ muscles change to prepare for migration
Evolution might give some birds a much-needed boost for long-distance migrations, a new study suggests. Every year in spring, white-crowned sparrows complete a long journey from their wintering spots to summer breeding grounds. Researchers analyzed a chain of proteins in the sparrows’ muscles during wintering and after the arrival to the late-spring breeding spot. Their […]
A good night’s sleep can make it harder to suppress negative memories
Sleep to forget? Apparently not, when it comes to negatively charged memories you’re actively trying to suppress. New research found that negative associations were easier to recall after a good night’s sleep, even if the individual has been actively trying to suppress those memories. In the study, subjects were given memory suppression tasks which involved […]
Which sports have the most life-saving benefits?
An international research collaboration has found that sports like cycling, swimming, aerobics and racquet offer life-saving benefits. The study examined surveys from over 80,000 adults older than 30 years of age from 1994 to 2008. Results showed that risk of death from cardiovascular disease was reduced in those who participated in cycling, swimming, aerobics and racquet […]
Mystery of astronauts’ blurry vision solved
Nearly two-thirds of astronauts who return from long-term missions on the International Space Station experience blurry vision. The syndrome, known as the visual impairment intracranial pressure, is also responsible for flattening of the eyeball and inflammation of the optic nerve, and can cause permanent far-sightedness. Researchers found the likely cause for this mysterious impairment, which […]
Strongmen of the sea: Coconut crabs have the strongest pinch of all crustaceans
Cracking coconut shells is a great workout routine for the coconut crab, who was recently named as the crustacean with the strongest pinch. A team of researchers measured the pinching force of 28 wild coconut crabs. They found that the bigger the crabs, the harder they pinch, with the maximum force projected to be 3300 […]
Your dog can remember more than you think
Memory in non-human animals is largely a black box, because in humans the biggest proof of memory we have is transmitted through language. But new evidence suggests that dogs may also have memories of moments in a time and a place, known as episodic memories. This was demonstrated through a game where dogs were tested […]
Retreat of the fastest melting glacier in Antarctica began in 1945
The loss of ice on Pine Island Glacier makes up about a quarter of Antarctica’s melt, and a new study pinpointed the source of its fast retreat to the El Nino event of 1945. Using dating techniques, an international team of researchers studied sediment cores from the glacier’s floating ice shelf. They discovered that the […]
A new way to forecast earthquakes with gravity signals
Current early-warning earthquake systems rely on so-called seismic waves, which are produced in the Earth during the rupture. But a new study found another method that could indicate an earthquake even earlier. By analyzing data from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake off the coast of Japan, researchers have identified a prompt gravity signal that precedes seismic […]
International medical community calls for medical neutrality in conflict zones
People wounded in war-torn countries like Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and South Sudan must have access to medical care, a new BMJ editorial urges. Authors claim that failure to provide medical care to people in war zones is a violation of the International Humanitarian Law as set out in the Geneva Conventions of 1949. They call […]
Hawks and humans could be using similar visual cues during search
While humans may not have the hawk’s amazing eyesight, a new study suggests that both hawks and humans use similar visual techniques for search. To better understand the scanning techniques of a hawk, researchers mounted a camera on the head of a Northern Goshawk. Combined with footage of hunting raptors, gathered from the ground, authors […]
What made Pluto roll over? Sputnik Planitia may hold the answer
A heart-shaped region on the surface of Pluto, called Sputnik Planitia, is at the centre of two theories about the dwarf planet’s reorientation. New studies suggest than as Sputnik Planitia filled with ice, it changed Pluto’s position. There are two theories as to why that happened. One posits that the ice accumulation has changed tidal […]
