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40 articles from ScienceDaily

COVID-19 virus rapidly evolves to higher infectivity during in vitro growth, which may be a step toward lower virulence

Attenuated viral vaccines for rubella, measles, yellow fever and other diseases are widely used. Can a similar vaccine be developed for COVID-19? Researchers have now published a foundational study for that possibility. They asked a simple question: Which mutations predominate when the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 is grown in successive generations -- called passages by virologists -- in...

Milk enabled massive steppe migration

The long-distance migrations of early Bronze Age pastoralists in the Eurasian steppe have captured widespread interest. But the factors behind their remarkable spread have been heavily debated by archaeologists. Now a new study provides clues regarding a critical component of the herders' lifestyle that was likely instrumental to their success: dairying.

Australian wildfires triggered massive algal blooms in Southern Ocean

Smoke and ash from the 2019-20 Australian wildfires triggered widespread algal blooms in the Southern Ocean thousands of miles downwind, a new study finds. The study is the first to conclusively link a large-scale response in marine life to fertilization by iron aerosols from wildfire emissions. It raises intriguing questions about the role wildfires may play in spurring the growth of marine...

‘Whoop’ – new autonomous method precisely detects endangered whale vocalizations

One of the frequently used methods to monitor endangered whales is called passive acoustics technology, which doesn't always perform well. In the increasingly noisy ocean, current methods can mistake other sounds for whale calls. This high 'false positive' rate hampers scientific research and hinders conservation efforts. Researchers used artificial intelligence and machine learning methods to...

Astronomers solve 900-year-old cosmic mystery surrounding Chinese supernova of 1181AD

A 900-year-old cosmic mystery surrounding the origins of a famous supernova first spotted over China in 1181AD has finally been solved, according to an international team of astronomers. New research says that a faint, fast expanding cloud (or nebula), called Pa30, surrounding one of the hottest stars in the Milky Way, known as Parker's Star, fits the profile, location and age of the historic...