Environment

A team of researchers has made strides in understanding the formation of massif-type anorthosites, enigmatic rocks that only formed during the middle part of Earth's history. These plagioclase-rich igneous rock formations, which can cover areas as large as 42,000 square kilometers and host titanium ore deposits, have puzzled scientists for decades due to conflicting theories

Caesarean section recipients are usually given prophylactic antibiotics just before the procedure to prevent later infections at the surgical site. But there have been concerns about whether these antibiotics may have a negative impact on newborns and their microbiomes if the drugs travel through the umbilical cord and reach the baby before the cord is

Scientists have discovered a way to get rid of pancreatic cancer in mice by putting them on a high fat, or ketogenic, diet and giving them cancer therapy. A study of fasting and the ketogenic diet reveals a new vulnerability of pancreatic tumors to an existing cancer drug. Scientists at UC San Francisco have discovered

The remarkable affinity of the microbial enzyme iron nitrogenase for the greenhouse gas CO2 makes it promising for future biotechnologies. The remarkable affinity of the microbial enzyme iron nitrogenase for the greenhouse gas CO2 makes it promising for future biotechnologies. Nitrogenases are among the most geochemically important enzymes on Earth, providing all forms of life

Changes in the Atlantic Ocean's mixed layer are the primary force behind the Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV). The churning of the upper ocean in the tropics of Atlantic Ocean plays a crucial role in shaping long-term climate patterns across the world, a new study has found. Researchers have discovered that changes in the ocean's mixed

An unchartered area in the foothills of the Southern Pyrenees in Spain is providing insights into a poorly known period of Neanderthal history, offering clues that could help archaeologists uncover the mystery of their downfall, according to new research. An unchartered area in the foothills of the Southern Pyrenees in Spain is providing insights into

An international team of researchers analyzed beluga whale bones retrieved from archaeological sites in the Mackenzie Delta, Northwest Territories, Canada, to shed light on the sustainability of centuries of Inuvialuit beluga whale subsistence harvests. An international team of researchers, led by scientists from the University of Copenhagen and University of Toronto, analysed beluga whale bones

New research has revealed Stonehenge's monumental six-ton Altar Stone, long believed to originate from Wales, actually hails from Scotland. New research led by Curtin University has revealed Stonehenge's monumental six-tonne Altar Stone, long believed to originate from Wales, actually hails from Scotland. Furthermore, the findings point to the existence of unexpectedly advanced transport methods and

Scientists have sequenced the largest genome of all animals, the lungfish genome. Their data help to explain how the fish-ancestors of today's land vertebrates were able to conquer land. Thirty times the size of the human genome: An international team of researchers led by Konstanz evolutionary biologist Axel Meyer and Würzburg biochemist Manfred Schartl has

A new interpretation of the runic inscription on the Forsa Ring (Forsaringen in Swedish), provides fresh insights into the Viking Age monetary system and represents the oldest documented value record in Scandinavia. The inscription describes how the Vikings handled fines in a flexible and practical manner. A new interpretation of the runic inscription on the

Researchers found a notable effect of aluminum on the sound velocities of superhydrous phase B, a dense hydrous magnesium silicate and potential host of water in the deep Earth. Their results suggest that aluminous phase B could explain seismic velocity anomalies in the Earth's mantle transition region and uppermost lower mantle. Researchers at the Geodynamics

Ancient fossil beans about the size of modern limes, and among the largest seeds in the fossil record, may provide new insight into the evolution of today's diverse Southeast Asian and Australian rainforests, according to researchers who identified the plants. Ancient fossil beans about the size of modern limes, and among the largest seeds in