A small team of speech specialists and psychologists from Sweden, the U.K. and Switzerland has found, via study of old videos, that at least three chimpanzees had learned to speak human words, suggesting that the animals are capable of learning this ability given the right circumstances. The work is published in the journal Scientific Reports. A…
Researchers from the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in partnership with international colleagues, made strides in mapping surface soil moisture across the globe. They combined data from two advanced satellite systems, the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) and the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT), providing more precise and reliable soil moisture data. Researchers…
After more than two weeks grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration, SpaceX returned to launching its workhorse Falcon 9 lifting off early July 27 from Kennedy Space Center. After more than two weeks grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration, SpaceX returned to launching its workhorse Falcon 9 lifting off early July 27 from Kennedy Space Center. Space…
A new study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has revealed that a balanced diet is essential for the optimal health and task performance of honeybees, a key species for pollination and ecosystem stability. The study, led by Prof. Sharoni Shafir from the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, investigates how honeybees…
A research team has identified 1,558 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the “Qujiao 5” chili pepper cultivar var, highlighting Pyrazine, 2-methoxy-3-(2-methylpropyl)- and 2-Nonenal, (E)- as key flavor compounds in chili fruit. A research team has identified 1,558 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the “Qujiao 5” chili pepper cultivar var, highlighting Pyrazine, 2-methoxy-3-(2-methylpropyl)- and 2-Nonenal, (E)- as…
In Kansas, where a prolonged drought has killed crops and eroded the soil, Gail Fuller’s farm is like an oasis. Sheep, cows and chickens graze freely on crops and vegetation in a paradisiacal mess. In Kansas, where a prolonged drought has killed crops and eroded the soil, Gail Fuller’s farm is like an oasis. Sheep, cows…
Environmental pollution by heavy metals is a major social problem. Among these metals, mercury (Hg) is strictly controlled due to its high toxicity. Focusing on soil, which is closely related to our daily lives, the environmental standard for mercury is set at less than 0.5 µg/L (µg is a unit of 1 millionth of a…
What would the economy of a future Mars society look like, and how could it be self-sustaining while being completely sovereign from Earth and its own economy? This is what a recent study submitted to Space Policy hopes to address as a sole researcher discusses a model that could be used for establishing economic freedom…
In a new study published in The Astrophysical Journal, a researcher from The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System, explores critical aspects of a phenomenon called kinetic Alfvén waves (KAWs) to provide fresh insights into an age-old heliophysics mystery. In a new study published in The Astrophysical Journal,…
Great white sharks separated into three distinct population groups up to 200,000 years ago and continue to mix only within these separate groups, new research has found. Great white sharks separated into three distinct population groups up to 200,000 years ago and continue to mix only within these separate groups, new research has found. Plants & Animals…