Category: Science

What Is the Stone of Destiny?

As historic stone objects go, you wouldn’t think that a 335-pound block of dull sandstone would attract much attention. When it comes to heavyweight relics, the Rosetta Stone or one of Cleopatra’s Needles is far bigger and arguably better known around the world. Nevertheless, Scotland’s Stone of Destiny has justly secured its own place in history, for this hefty chunk of rock is more...

Air pollution monitors have been accidentally harvesting wildlife DNA

Air quality monitoring stations, like this one at Auchencorth Moss near Edinburgh, UK, collect DNA from the environment National Physical Laboratory / Local Site Operator Air samples collected at pollution monitoring stations could provide a treasure trove of data on plant and animal life thanks to new environmental DNA methods. Environmental DNA (eDNA) comes from shed cells, waste and blood left in the air,...

Underground fungi absorb up to a third of our fossil fuel emissions

Mycorrhizal fungi take carbon from plants’ roots and form vast networks underground AleksandarMilutinovic/Sh​utterstock The relationships between plants and the fungi that colonise their roots are responsible for locking away a huge amount of carbon underground – maybe equivalent to more than one-third of global emissions from fossil fuels. Almost all land plants on Earth have a symbiotic relationship with fungi that live in the...

The unique promise of ‘biological computers’ made from living things

Supertotto WHAT’S the difference between a thimbleful of bacteria and a supercomputer? Believe it or not, the bacteria contain more circuits and more processing power. That is perhaps not so surprising when you consider that all life computes: from individual cells responding to chemical signals to complex organisms navigating their environment, information processing is central to living systems. What’s more intriguing, however, is that...

Galileo Galilei’s Legacy Went Beyond Science

In the first book of his epic poem Paradise Lost, John Milton mentions a “Tuscan Artist” who views the moon’s orb through optic glass. He is referring, somewhat perplexingly, to Galileo Galilei, the Italian scientist famed for his telescopic observations and study of fundamental physical laws. Today, it might seem odd that Milton’s description of the so-called “father of modern science” was first and...

This Famous ‘Spy’ Whale Likes People. That Could Be a Problem.

A beluga whale named Hvaldimir was first spotted in 2019 wearing what looked like a camera harness. He has recently been moving toward busier waters, prompting fears for his safety. Hvaldimir, a domesticated beluga whale that has been spotted in Scandinavian waters for years, was seen last week off the coast of Sweden, prompting concern among researchers who worry he could be in danger,...

Planes could soon run on pig fat – but it won’t reduce emissions

The aviation industry is under pressure to lower its greenhouse gas emissions astudio/Shutterstock Airlines could soon start using fuels made from animal fats to help them meet their climate targets. However, this could increase carbon emissions rather than reduce them, warns a report for campaign group Transport & Environment. European Union regulations encourage the use of animal fats as a fuel and also require...

The First Two Botanists Who Surveyed, and Survived, the Colorado River

Three boats carrying five people pull into a beach by the Grand Canyon’s Phantom Ranch as part of a scientific expedition in the Colorado River in 1938. Botanists Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter mapped flora and fauna of the region in this expedition, which was led by river runner Norm Nevills. Credit: Nature and Science/Alamy Stock Photo Advertisement

Could You Spot the Signs of a Stroke?

Strokes primarily impact the aged, but they can also strike the young, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One in seven affect people between the ages of 15 and 49. The agency recounts the case of Brooke Bergfeld of Bismark, North Dakota, a 29-year-old mom who suffered a stroke not long after giving birth to her son, Hudson. Bergefeld reported...