Ants who receive a caffeine-laced sugary reward become more efficient at navigating back to the reward’s location compared to ants that only receive sugar. Caffeinated ants move toward the reward via a more direct path but do not increase their speed, suggesting that caffeine improved their ability to learn. The study was conducted on Argentine …

Foraging ants navigate more efficiently when given energy-drink-like doses of caffeine Read More »

Astronomers have made the rare and tantalizing discovery of an Earth-like exoplanet 40 light-years away that may be just a little warmer than our own world. The potentially-habitable planet, named Gliese 12 b, orbits its host star every 12.8 days, is comparable in size to Venus — so slightly smaller than Earth — and has …

Potentially habitable ‘exo-Venus’ with Earth-like temperature discovered Read More »

As life on Earth rapidly expanded a little over 500 million years ago during the “Cambrian explosion,” Earth had tectonic plates slowly crashing into each other, building mountains and starting a series of unfortunate events that led to a mass… ​As life on Earth rapidly expanded a little over 500 million years ago during the …

Mountain building linked to major extinction event half a billion years ago Read More »

One of the first bioelectronic devices to combine living bacteria with sensors has successfully improved healthy skin regeneration in mice with psoriasis ​One of the first bioelectronic devices to combine living bacteria with sensors has successfully improved healthy skin regeneration in mice with psoriasis One of the first bioelectronic devices to combine living bacteria with sensors …

Bioelectronic patch uses living bacteria to treat psoriasis in mice Read More »

Scientists have designed an intersectional technique for precisely targeting subpopulations of cells and parsing out specific functions. ​Scientists have designed an intersectional technique for precisely targeting subpopulations of cells and parsing out specific functions. Scientists have designed an intersectional technique for precisely targeting subpopulations of cells and parsing out specific functions. 

Why do primates have big brains? In the Panamanian rainforest, scientists pitted large-brained primates against smaller-brained mammals to find out who was the smartest forager. ​Why do primates have big brains? In the Panamanian rainforest, scientists pitted large-brained primates against smaller-brained mammals to find out who was the smartest forager. Why do primates have big brains? …

Smarter foragers do not forage smarter Read More »

Changing how often a popular cancer therapy is delivered would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve environmental impact without decreasing cancer survival, according to a new analysis. ​Changing how often a popular cancer therapy is delivered would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve environmental impact without decreasing cancer survival, according to a new analysis. Changing how …

Altering cancer treatment dosing could reduce climate impact, study finds Read More »

A widely found gene in plants has been newly identified as a key transporter of a hormone that influences the size of corn. The discovery offers plant breeders a new tool to develop desirable dwarf varieties that could enhance the crop’s resilience and profitability. ​A widely found gene in plants has been newly identified as …

Scientists identify gene that could lead to resilient ‘pixie’ corn Read More »

Researchers, in partnership with the city of Los Angeles, have developed the urban association index to help identify how well or poorly individual wildlife species are doing in the city. The researchers found unexpected pockets of biodiversity deep in the city, but they say it will still be a challenge to elevate Los Angeles’ overall …

Wild megalopolis: Study shows unexpected pockets of biodiversity pepper Los Angeles Read More »