Biologists have examined how seed formation is coordinated with fruit growth. They explain the genetic control mechanisms underlying the process. If you open up a pea pod, you will find that all of the peas inside are the same size and the same distance apart. The same is true of princess beans, runner beans and…

Researchers have demonstrated that zooplankton can be located by following the concentration gradient of dimethyl sulfide, a chemical that is released when zooplankton forage on phytoplankton, in ocean water and air. Zooplankton, such as krill and copepods are the main energy source for many large marine animals. The big predators must consume a large amount…

A new study simulated the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, on a flight from London to Hanoi and on another flight from Singapore to Hangzhou. When simulating the dispersion of droplets of different sizes generated by coughing, talking, and breathing activities in an airline cabin by an infected person, researchers found that…

Researchers have calculated moment tensors for 130 underground nuclear and 10 chemical test explosions that took place at the Nevada National Security test site. Often represented graphically to resemble a striped «beach ball,» moment tensors «are essentially a mathematical concept that’s used to describe forces that drive earthquakes,» said Andrea Chiang, co-author of the new…

Artificial nest experiments demonstrated that the raccoon dog, an alien species abundant in Finland, is a more common duck nest predator than any indigenous mammalian species. The species depredated nests on shorelines as well as in forests, rural landscapes and urban areas. A new study proves the suspicions well-founded. In experiments carried out over three…

How can we reduce the carbon footprint of electricity consumption in Switzerland? The country relies on electricity imports from fossil fuel power plants, which are major emitters of greenhouse gases. The increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is the main drivers of global warming. A significant proportion of these gases are caused by the…

The environmental benefits of taller, shrubbier tundra plants in the Arctic may be overstated, according to new research. Current ecosystem and climate models suggest that, as the Arctic warms, tundra ecosystems are becoming more productive, with greater photosynthesis resulting in more carbon being removed, or sequestered, from the atmosphere. However, most models do not consider…

Using wildlife cameras, scientists have provided new insights through a large-scale assessment of the occurrence and distribution of the Annamite striped rabbit and two Annamite dark muntjacs in six sites in Viet Nam and Laos. The team identified factors that influence the occurrence of these threatened endemics, and provided prediction maps for these sites. The…

A new study examines the association between antiviral antibodies, COVID-19 symptoms, and long-term exposure to air pollution in a cohort in Catalonia. A series of studies suggest that regions with higher pre-pandemic levels of air pollution had a higher incidence of COVID-19 cases and deaths. However, the reasons for this associations are not yet clear;…

Days after the 4 August 2020 massive explosion at the port of Beirut in Lebanon, researchers were on the ground mapping the impacts of the explosion in the port and surrounding city. The goal was to document and preserve data on structural and facade damage before rebuilding. The goal was to document and preserve data…