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50 articles from ScienceDaily

Herbivores, not predators, most at risk of extinction

One million years ago, the extinction of large-bodied plant-eaters changed the trajectory of life on Earth. The disappearance of these large herbivores reshaped plant life, altered fire regimes across Earth's landscapes, and modified biogeochemical cycling in such a way that Earth's climate became slightly colder.

Long-term human impacts on reef fish

In a new study investigating human impacts on resource fish biomass on the Island of Hawai'i, researchers observed an alarming 45% decrease in fish biomass over a decade of surveys. The scientists proposed actionable solutions to mitigate future losses.

An iconic Native American stone tool technology discovered in Arabia

A new article examines fluted projectile points from southern Arabia, detailing production methods and technical aspects that indicate differences in function from the technology of the Americas, despite similarities in form. Findings from experimentation and comparative analysis suggest that highly-skilled, convergent technologies can have varying anthropological implications.

Drivers respond to pre-crash warnings with levels of attentive 'gaze'

Engineers conducted open road testing of three collision avoidance systems and demonstrated that a drivers' visual behavior in response to an alert generated from a collision avoidance system can be divided into one of four different behavioral categories: active gaze, self-conscious gaze, attentive gaze and ignored gaze.

Warming climate may trigger more West Nile outbreaks in Southern California

A new study of captured mosquitoes in Los Angeles finds that West Nile infection is strongly associated with average temperature, and that temperatures above 73 degrees Fahrenheit are highly favorable for West Nile transmission. As climate change brings hotter weather to the region, it is likely that cooler, coastal neighborhoods will be pushed into the 'favorable' zone, accelerating transmission...

Move over Akita: Introducing 'Kuma mutant' mice for islet transplantation research

Scientists have used a gene editing technique to establish a novel mouse model of permanent neonatal diabetes -- the immune-deficient Kuma mutant mice with a specific deletion in the Insulin2 (Ins2) gene. This model is expected to be useful for studying the mechanisms governing insulin-producing cell dysfunctions in the pancreas as well as for evaluating human stem-cell derived or...

New Guinea has the world's richest island flora

New Guinea is the most floristically diverse island in the world, an international collaboration has shown. The study presents a list of almost 14,000 plant species, compiled from online catalogues and verified by plant experts. The results are invaluable for research and conservation, and also underline the importance of expert knowledge in the digital era.

The yin and yang of inflammation controlled by a single molecule

Researchers have now identified a protein called histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) as the orchestrator of the immune system's inflammation response to infection. By using both specially cultured cells and small animal models, HDAC3 was found to be directly involved in the production of agents that help kill off harmful pathogens as well as the restoration of homeostasis, the body's state of...

Ocean heatwaves dramatically shift habitats

Marine heatwaves across the world's oceans can displace habitat for sea turtles, whales, and other marine life by 10s to thousands of kilometers. They dramatically shift these animals' preferred temperatures in a fraction of the time that climate change is expected to do the same, new research shows.

Gut microbes shape our antibodies before we are infected by pathogens

Because the microbiota is so complex, containing hundreds of different bacterial species, it is not known how the presence of microbes in the intestine shaped the antibodies that are present even before we are challenged by an infection. Researchers have now shown how these beneficial microbes reprogram the repertoire of white blood B cells that produce antibodies and how this helps counter...

Sustainable chemistry at the quantum level

Scientists are now using new quantum chemistry computing procedures to categorize hypothetical electrocatalysts that are 'too slow' or 'too expensive', far more thoroughly and quickly than was considered possible a few years ago.

Researchers capture X-ray images with unprecedented speed and resolution

Researchers have demonstrated a new high-resolution x-ray imaging technique that can capture the motion of rapidly moving objects and quickly changing dynamics. The new method could be used for non-destructive imaging of moving mechanical components and to capture biological processes not previously available with medical x-ray imaging.