AuthorJuly’s night sky notes: A hero, a crown, and possibly a nova
Look up after sunset during summer months to find Hercules! Scan between Vega and Arcturus, near the distinct pattern of Corona Borealis. Once you find its stars, use binoculars or…
From waste to value: The right electrolytes can enhance glycerol oxidation
The glycerol’s hydroxyl groups are attracted to the Bi3+ ions on the surface of the BiVO4 photoanode. The electrolyte plays a decisive role in mediating these interactions. Credit: HZB In…
Wild bats found to possess high cognitive abilities previously considered exclusive to humans
Fruit bat. Credit: Yuval Barkai Researchers at Tel Aviv University have tracked free-ranging Egyptian fruit bats from a colony based in the TAU’s I. Meier Segals Garden for Zoological Research…
Advanced DeepLabv3+ algorithm enhances safflower filament harvesting with high accuracy
Schematic of the SDC-DeepLabv3+ algorithm structure. Credit: Plant Phenomics (2024). DOI: 10.34133/plantphenomics.0194 A research team has developed an improved DeepLabv3+ algorithm for accurately detecting and localizing safflower filament picking points.…
A desert moss that has the potential to grow on Mars
Phenotypic changes and physiological responses of S. caninervis plants during the D-R process. Credit: The Innovation (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2024.100657 The desert moss Syntrichia caninervis is a promising candidate for Mars colonization…
Homestays can help refugee women adapt to life in a new country
Credit: CC0 Public Domain According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 117 million people are displaced worldwide. Many of those displaced from their homes are women…
Most marine protection measures are not working—a new, more flexible approach is needed
Mandu Sanctuary Zone in Australia is a prime snorkelling destination and the reserve encourages visitors to look, don’t touch when they swim. Credit: Peter Jones, CC BY-ND The radio crackles…
Want to help our precious nocturnal bugs during Matariki’s longer nights? Turn the lights down low
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain In a world increasingly affected by light pollution, we can take time during the shorter days and longer nights around Matariki to appreciate the superpowers of…
A ‘trilobite Pompeii’: Perfectly preserved fossils of ancient sea critters found buried in volcanic ash
External morphology and digestive system of Protolenus (Hupeolenus) sp. (AY-TA-TB-03). Credit: Science (2024). DOI: 10.1126/science.adl4540 If you’ve ever visited the fossil gallery of a natural history museum—or its gift shop,…
Extreme wildfires have doubled in just 20 years—here’s the science
It feels like we are getting used to the Earth being on fire. Recently, more than 70 wildfires burned simultaneously in Greece. In early 2024, Chile suffered its worst wildfire…
