Environment

The more a plant species invests in defense, the less potential it has for growth, according to a study. Research made possible by open science provides new insights into plant adaptation and interspecies variation. The more a plant species invests in defense, the less potential it has for growth, according to a new study. Research

A common way ecologists predict population counts may be an unreliable way of forecasting future bird counts in urban areas, meaning scientists may be overestimating and underestimating the losses of certain species. As bird populations dwindle across the globe, a new study from University of Vermont researchers suggests some species may be more flexible to

Geoscientists employed current-day stratigraphic, depositional and paleontological models, along with modern technological muscle to provide updated insights of the Cambrian period of the Grand Canyon. Any boomer, gen xer, millennial, gen zer or alpha who's studied geology has likely gained foundational knowledge from Edwin Dinwiddie McKee's landmark studies of the Grand Canyon's sedimentary record --

Highland deer mice and their lowland cousins ventured on a simulated seven-week ascent to 6,000 meters. By tracking how the mice responded to cold stress and progressively lower oxygen levels, the study tested whether deer mice have a generalized ability to acclimatize or whether some mice have evolved adaptations to local conditions. The highland mice

Biologists found what makes some types of tomatoes more heat-tolerant, yielding insights that could help crops adapt to climate change. By studying tomato varieties that produce fruit in exceptionally hot growing seasons, biologists at Brown University identified the growth cycle phase when tomatoes are most vulnerable to extreme heat, as well as the molecular mechanisms

New research reveals for the first time how a major Antarctic ice shelf has been subjected to increased melting by warming ocean waters over the last four decades. Scientists say the study -- the result of their autonomous Seaglider getting accidentally stuck underneath the Ross Ice Shelf -- suggests this will likely only increase further

Tool use isn't unique to humans. Chimpanzees use sticks as tools. Dolphins, crows, and elephants are known for their tool-use abilities, too. Now a report highlights elephants' remarkable skill in using a hose as a flexible shower head. As an unexpected bonus, researchers say they also have evidence that a fellow elephant knows how to

A research team has discovered two remarkable species of bacteria in the tissue of two deep-sea corals from the Gulf of Mexico. These previously unknown symbionts of the corals have an extremely small genome and can't even produce energy from carbohydrates, the team reports. The bacteria species belong to a new family. A German-American research

Researchers have discovered that scarlet macaws purposefully neglect feeding the youngest chicks in most broods, even when resources are plentiful. This results in only one or two chicks being able to fledge -- the process in which parents teach their young to fly and survive on their own -- even though broods may contain up

Plastic pollution exacerbates the impacts of all planetary boundaries, including climate change, ocean acidification and biodiversity loss, a new paper shows. Ahead of the final negotiations of the international Plastics Treaty, researchers urge decision-makers to stop viewing plastics pollution as merely a waste management problem. "It's necessary to consider the full life cycle of plastics

When people have an audience watching them, it can change their performance for better or worse. Now, researchers have found that chimpanzees' performance on computer tasks is influenced by the number of people watching them. The findings suggest that this 'audience effect' predates the development of reputation-based human societies, the researchers say. When people have

The Planetary Boundaries framework is a pivotal tool for tackling the climate crisis and safeguarding humanity's future on Earth. For the first time, the full story of the Planetary Boundaries is now being told from its beginning: In a review, researchers highlight the growing influence of the framework across disciplines and its impact on society