Meerkat clans perform a 'war dance' to frighten opponents and protect their territory, according to a new study.

A new analysis of the changing character of runoff, river discharge and other hydrological cycle elements across the North Slope of Alaska reveals significant increases in the proportion of subsurface runoff and cold season discharge, changes the authors say are 'consistent with warming and thawing permafrost.'

Most of today's solar panels capture sunlight and convert it to electricity only from the side facing the sky. If the dark underside of a solar panel could also convert sunlight reflected off the ground, even more electricity might be generated.

A new study reports the 409-megabase genome sequence of the blue-petal water lily (Nymphaea colorata). The conclusion of the 47 coauthors is that although a rose is a rose, most flowering plants may owe their success, including employing floral scent for attracting pollinators, in part to the genetic innovations observed in the delicate water lily.

Inspired by membranes in the body tissues of living organisms, scientists have combined aramid nanofibers used in Kevlar with boron nitride to construct a membrane for harvesting ocean energy that is both strong like bone and suited for ion transport like cartilage. The research overcomes major design challenges for technologies that harness osmotic energy to generate an eco-friendly and widely...

New experiments with magnetically doped topological insulators at BESSY II have revealed possible ways of lossless signal transmission that involve a surprising self-organizational phenomenon. In the future, it might be possible to develop materials that display this phenomenon at room temperature and can be used as processing units in a quantum computer, for example.

Scientists have captured the first images of a new gene editing tool that could improve upon existing CRISPR-based tools.

Research finds that a sizeable amount of domestication-related changes in rice reflects selection on traits that are determined by a portion of the genome that does not transcribe proteins.

An international team of researchers has determined the age of the last known settlement of the species Homo erectus, one of modern humans' direct ancestors. The site is called Ngandong, on the Indonesian island Java. The team dated animal fragments where Homo erectus remains were found and the surrounding landscape. The team determined the last existence of Homo erectus at Ngandong between...

An experimental vaccine against the Zika virus reduced the amount of virus in pregnant rhesus macaques and improved fetal outcomes. The work could help support development and approval of an experimental Zika DNA vaccine currently in early stage trials in humans.

New research published in Nature reveals that, when cooled, droplets containing chain-like liquid crystal molecules transform from spheres into complex shapes such as flowers, corals, and fibrous networks. 'It was a visually spectacular effect. We weren't expecting it at all,' says lead author Arjun Yodh. 'We were trying to make designer drops, but in the process, we saw something interesting and...

Researchers have developed an ultra-light robotic insect that uses its soft artificial muscles to move at 3 cm per second across different types of terrain. It can be folded or crushed and yet continue to move.

Researchers have found a way to increase production of proteins in bacteria up to a thousandfold, a discovery that could aid production of proteins used in the medical, food, agriculture, chemical and other industries.

Alone, as a pair or in groups - the diversity in social systems of primates is interesting because it may also provide insights into human social life. Biologists investigated how different primate societies evolved. Their reconstructions showed that the evolution from a solitary way of life to group living usually occurred via pair living.

Estimates used by climate scientists to predict the rate at which the world's ice sheets will melt are still uncertain despite advancements in technology, new research shows.

Currently, the detection of food poison outbreaks caused by bacteria takes a long time and is expensive, but this does not have to be the case in the future. Researchers have found a method for the precise identification of bacteria in just a few hours on a mobile-phone-sized device that costs about 200 times less than alternative approaches.

Ever since humans domesticated the dog, the faithful, obedient and protective animal has provided its owner with companionship and emotional well-being. Now, a study suggests that being around 'man's best friend' from an early age may have a health benefit as well -- lessening the chance of developing schizophrenia as an adult.

Researchers have discovered that a chemical compound found in essential oils improves the healing process in mice when it is topically applied to a skin wound.

Pairing graduate students with professionals working in their field resulted in deeper learning and inspired passion for the work, according to new research.

A new study looking at macroinvertebrate diversity in shallow, open-water wetlands found that sample choice is a critical factor for a comprehensive assessment of biodiversity. This study has major impacts for informing large-scale freshwater biomonitoring projects.

Since the end of the 19th century, physicists know that the transfer of energy from one body to another is associated with entropy. Due to its fundamental importance began its rise as a useful theoretical quantity in physics, chemistry and engineering. However, it is very difficult to measure. Physicists have now measured entropy in complex plasmas: In a system of charged microparticles they could...

A feature resembling a candy cane highlights this colorful composite image of our Milky Way galaxy's central zone. But this is no cosmic confection. It's part of a set of radio-emitting filaments extending 190 light-years.

An ultrathin coating upends a ubiquitous physics phenomenon of materials related to thermal radiation: The hotter an object gets, the brighter it glows. The new coating -- engineered from samarium nickel oxide, a unique tunable material -- employs a bit of temperature trickery.

A problem in reader proteins that identify which gene is up for expression may cause normal cells to turn malignant during development.