How countries define climate action in Paris Agreement pledges, and why a standard format could help assess outcomes
As the world grapples with how to tackle climate change, countries that signed the Paris Agreement outline their commitments to reduce emissions in documents called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). These are official climate action plans that each country submits to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) every five years, detailing their r … ⌘ Read more

Extreme ocean heat does not mean climate change is accelerating: Study
An extraordinary jump in ocean temperatures in 2023 and 2024 was at the extreme end of expectations from global warming and would have been “practically impossible” without climate change, new research said Wednesday. ⌘ Read more

Scientists find structural variation that boosts grain number in sorghum
Chinese scientists have uncovered two major genes responsible for sorghum’s double-grain spikelet that dramatically enhance grain number and crop yield. A substantial 35.7-kilobase intrachromosomal inversion at the DG1 (Double-Grain 1) promoter drives the upregulation of DG1 expression, leading to the development of double-grain spikelets that remarkably increase sorghum grain number while illustrating the critical role … ⌘ Read more

Hawaii volcano again puts tall lava fountains on display in latest eruption episode
An erupting Hawaii volcano once again began shooting fountains of lava that reached hundreds of feet high on Tuesday. ⌘ Read more

Scientists take important step toward mitigating errors in analog quantum simulations of many-body problems
Simulations of quantum many-body systems are an important goal for nuclear and high-energy physics. Many-body problems involve systems that consist of many microscopic particles interacting at the level of quantum mechanics. They are much more difficult to describe than simple systems with just two particles. This means that even the most powerful conventional computers cannot simu … ⌘ Read more

Incorporating Gd into Fe-doped nickel oxide markedly enhances oxygen evolution reaction activity
Producing clean hydrogen energy usually involves the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which has the unfortunate drawback of being sluggish and inefficient. Catalysts can fast-track this process, but it is no easy task finding the ideal candidate for the job. ⌘ Read more

Smart humidity sensor monitors human behavior through respiratory patterns
A cutting-edge humidity sensing system has been unveiled, capable of monitoring human behaviors in real-time through the detection of respiratory patterns. This breakthrough technology integrates a highly sensitive humidity sensor with a thermistor and micro-heater, enabling exceptional accuracy in behavior recognition. ⌘ Read more

DNL-17: Researchers synthesize small-pore aluminophosphate molecular sieve for selective adsorption, energy storage
Aluminophosphate (AlPO) molecular sieves (MSs) are crystalline microporous materials made from alternating PO4 tetrahedra and AlO4 tetrahedra, forming ordered channel systems and cage-like structures. ⌘ Read more

The dynamic acoustics of clapping: How hand shape affects sound
In a scene toward the end of the 2006 film, “X-Men: The Last Stand,” a character claps and sends a shock wave that knocks out an opposing army. Sunny Jung, professor of biological and environmental engineering in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, was intrigued. “It made me curious about how the wave propagates when we clap our hands,” Jung said. ⌘ Read more

Global rooftop solar panels could cool Earth by 0.13°C, modeling study suggests
An interdisciplinary team affiliated with a host of institutions across China, working with one colleague from Singapore and another from MIT, has found evidence suggesting that if solar panels could be installed on every rooftop in the world, replacing traditional power sources, the result could be a reduction in global surface temperatures by as much as 0.13° C. ⌘ Read more

Roads less traveled multiply deforestation in the Amazon and beyond
James Cook University-led research has revealed secondary roads branching from major highways in tropical forests linked to extensive deforestation across the Brazilian Amazon, the Congo Basin, and New Guinea. Findings demonstrate that first-cut roads, initially constructed in undisturbed forests, lead to a proliferation of secondary roads, significantly increasing access to remote areas and accelerating forest degradation. ⌘ Read more

BREX system’s unique DNA recognition mechanism enhances bacterial antiviral defense
Bacteriophages, the most abundant life form on Earth, infect bacterial cells and influence the structure of the microbial community. To fend off phage attacks, bacteria have evolved their own defense tools, including the most common restriction-modification (R-M) and CRISPR-Cas systems. ⌘ Read more

Permian mass extinction linked to 10°C global temperature rise that reshaped Earth’s ecosystems
The mass extinction that ended the Permian geological epoch, 252 million years ago, wiped out most animals living on Earth. Huge volcanoes erupted, releasing 100,000 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This destabilized the climate and the carbon cycle, leading to dramatic global warming, deoxygenated oceans, and mass extinction. ⌘ Read more

How good are South African kids at math? Trends from a global study
School mathematics in South Africa is often seen as a sign of the health of the education system more generally. Under the racial laws of apartheid, until 1994, African people were severely restricted from learning math. Tracking the changes in math performance is a measure of how far the country has traveled in overcoming past injustices. Math is also an essential foundation for meeting the challenges of the future, like artificial inte … ⌘ Read more

Mysterious phenomenon at center of galaxy could reveal new kind of dark matter
A mysterious phenomenon at the center of our galaxy could be the result of a different type of dark matter. ⌘ Read more

Rational design of precatalysts boosts hydrogen production efficiency
In order to meet our goals for carbon neutralization by the 2050s, we need environmentally friendly fuels. Catalysts (and their precursor, precatalysts) are key components in the electrochemical water-splitting reaction that produces clean hydrogen fuel. ⌘ Read more

Webb peers deeper into mysterious Flame Nebula to find ‘failed stars’
The Flame Nebula, located about 1,400 light-years away from Earth, is a hotbed of star formation less than 1 million years old. Within the Flame Nebula, there are objects so small that their cores will never be able to fuse hydrogen like full-fledged stars—brown dwarfs. ⌘ Read more

JWST explores enigmatic mid-infrared rings in planetary nebula NGC 1514
Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers have observed enigmatic rings in the planetary nebula NGC 1514, visible in the mid-infrared band. Results of the new observations, published Feb. 28 on the arXiv pre-print server, shed more light on the properties and nature of these rings. ⌘ Read more

Scientists say Trump cuts threaten climate research, public safety
Climate scientist Tom Di Liberto had dreamed of working at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) since college. After more than a decade as a contractor, he finally secured a full-time position nearly two years ago. ⌘ Read more

Floods hit eastern Australia, 190,000 properties blacked out
Torrential rain from the remnants of Cyclone Alfred flooded swathes of Australia’s east coast on Monday, as workers battled to restore power to more than 190,000 homes and businesses. ⌘ Read more

Hiring strategies: Researchers propose a model to maximize success in professional recruitment
When it comes to hiring new staff, large companies often have to choose from hundreds of candidates, a process that requires time and resources. Can mathematics help streamline these procedures? At least in the broadest sense, probably yes. ⌘ Read more

Appropriate use of humor can make science communication more effective, study suggests
Authoritative, intelligent, responsible, serious—if you were asked to describe the general figure of a scientist, you would probably use adjectives like these. However, “funny” would likely not be the first word that comes to mind. Scientists, in fact, rarely adopt a humorous tone when communicating with the public, perhaps out of fear of appearing less credible. ⌘ Read more

A longer, sleeker super predator: Study paints more accurate picture of megalodon’s true form
The megalodon has long been imagined as an enormous great white shark, but new research suggests that perception is all wrong. The study finds the prehistoric hunter had a much longer body—closer in shape to a lemon shark or even a large whale. ⌘ Read more

New research shows bigger animals get more cancer, defying decades-old belief
A longstanding scientific belief about a link between cancer prevalence and animal body size has been tested for the first time in our new study ranging across hundreds of animal species. ⌘ Read more

Phone bans sweep US schools despite skepticism
At a red-brick school in Virginia, Hayden Jones is one of 1,000 students banned from using their phones as part of a trial hoping to boost learning. ⌘ Read more

France mulls welcome for researchers fleeing Trump’s US
France has urged the country’s research institutions to consider how to welcome scientists abandoning the United States in response to President Donald Trump’s policies, AFP learned on Sunday. ⌘ Read more

Watch the moon turn red during a total lunar eclipse in March
A total lunar eclipse will flush the moon red Thursday night into Friday morning across the Western Hemisphere. ⌘ Read more

Argentina port city ‘destroyed’ by massive rainstorm, 13 dead
Argentina’s port city of Bahia Blanca has been “destroyed” after being pummeled by a year’s worth of rain in a matter of hours, killing 13 and driving hundreds from their homes, authorities said Saturday. ⌘ Read more

Deadly mold strains highly likely to acquire resistance to new drugs
Scientists have identified strains of one of the world’s most dangerous fungal pathogens, already resistant to our most effective antifungal drugs, which are also five times more likely to acquire resistance to desperately needed new treatments in development. ⌘ Read more

Mice exhibit first aid behavior, aiding unconscious peers
Humans may not be the only ones who aid their friends when they’re hurt. Mice may do it, too, as shown by a new research study led by scientists at the Keck School of Medicine of USC published recently in Science. ⌘ Read more

How human activity is altering carnivore behavior in Mexico’s cloud forests
Even within the sanctuary of protected conservation areas, the rhythms of life are changing for carnivores in Mexico’s montane cloud forests. A new Yale School of Environment study conducted by Germar González ‘24 MESc, doctoral student Siria Gámez, and Nyeema Harris, the Knobloch Family Associate Professor of Wildlife and Land Conservation, found that heightened human activity may be altering the behavior of species lik … ⌘ Read more

SpaceX’s latest Starship test flight ends with another explosion
Nearly two months after an explosion sent flaming debris raining down on the Turks and Caicos, SpaceX launched another mammoth Starship rocket on Thursday, but lost contact minutes into the test flight as the spacecraft came tumbling down and broke apart. ⌘ Read more

Private lunar lander may have fallen over while touching down near the moon’s south pole
A privately owned lunar lander touched down on the moon with a drill, drone and rovers for NASA and other customers Thursday, but quickly ran into trouble and may have fallen over. ⌘ Read more

Monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico rebound this year
The number of monarch butterflies wintering in the mountains west of Mexico City rebounded this year, doubling the area they covered in 2024 despite the stresses of climate change and habitat loss, experts said Thursday. ⌘ Read more

‘Urban exodus’ during COVID-19 pandemic: Migration priorities shifted to connections over work and housing
During the COVID-19 pandemic, widespread migration from urban centers, known as “urban exodus,” occurred. In the context of pandemic-driven urban exodus, households with children emerged as notable migrants due to the spread of COVID-19. However, a research gap exists as to whether the spread of the infection affected changes in the migration destination determinants of households. ⌘ Read more

Devastating forest loss in Ukraine highlights war’s environmental toll
Between 2022 and 2023, in the first two years of the Ukrainian war, almost 1,600 square kilometers of forests were destroyed. The scale of devastation, along with its environmental, social, and economic consequences, is difficult to quantify. ⌘ Read more

Enabling hotel guests to customize their rooms fosters customer loyalty
Hotel guests who can customize their rooms by selecting the layout, snack bar offerings, and softness of the pillows are more likely to become loyal customers of that hotel and recommend it to others. ⌘ Read more

Aluminum’s surprising stability in alkaline environments enhances hydrogen production
Aluminum (Al) is a material considered susceptible to corrosion, but it could become key to core technology in producing clean hydrogen energy. A POSTECH research team succeeded in dramatically improving the performance of hydrogen production catalysts using this unstable metal. ⌘ Read more

The ethics of tipping: Interviews with chefs provide insights
Anyone who likes to visit their local cafe is familiar with the following scenario. Upon purchasing your lunch, a cashier turns a payment screen toward you: “This will just ask you a few questions.” ⌘ Read more

Iron-based catalyst achieves near-perfect efficiency for water oxidation, offering sustainable hydrogen production
A newly developed pentanuclear iron complex (Fe5-PCz(ClO4)3) can offer an efficient, stable, and cost-effective solution for water oxidation. By electrochemically polymerizing the complex, researchers from the Institute of Science Tokyo obtained a polymer-based catalyst, poly-Fe5-PCz, and achieved water oxidation with up to 99% Faradaic efficiency and exceptional stability, even … ⌘ Read more

Iconic Australian bird reveals hidden farming talent
A beloved Australian bird best known for its stunning tail and powers of mimicry may have a cunning hidden talent. ⌘ Read more

Study shows creativity boosts NAPLAN literacy and numeracy scores
When “Elephant’ toothpaste erupts from the science lab, history deals up Pokémon playing cards, and math bakes a batch of chocolate brownies, it might seem like chaos. ⌘ Read more

A machine learning approach to enhance mosquito repellent effectiveness
In a recent study, researcher Anandasankar Ray at the University of California, Riverside, and his team employed machine learning techniques combined with cheminformatics to predict novel mosquito repellents that could greatly improve global mosquito control efforts. ⌘ Read more

Crafting the perfect pitch: Insights into business-to-investor marketing
A new study published in the Journal of Marketing explores how startups can tailor their pitches to attract investors in a highly competitive venture capital (VC) landscape. Researchers examined over 5,300 new ventures, uncovering how the interplay between costly signals (tangible achievements) and costless signals (verbal cues) influences investor decision-making. ⌘ Read more

Lebanon multidimensional crisis diminishing trust in public education and worsening inequality, study shows
Diminished trust in public education in crisis-hit Lebanon is worsening inequality in the country and forcing parents to make difficult decisions, a new study warns. The findings are published in the journal Asia Pacific Education Review. ⌘ Read more

Q&A: Using smartphones to create 3D scans of stranded marine life
Brendan Cottrell studies the application of remote sensing and drone technology in marine mammal conservation at the Applied Remote Sensing Laboratory at McGill University, where he recently completed his MSc. ⌘ Read more

Generative AI is upending freelance work—even top performers aren’t safe, researchers say
A study has uncovered a startling reality: generative AI tools like ChatGPT are already reshaping the freelance job market, slashing employment opportunities and pay for workers across all skill levels. Even top freelancers—those with the strongest track records—are suffering the greatest setbacks. ⌘ Read more

Dicamba drift: New use of an old herbicide disrupts pollinators
An herbicide may “drift” from the agricultural fields where it’s sprayed and harm weeds that grow at the edge of the fields, impacting pollinators. ⌘ Read more

Intense atmospheric rivers can replenish some of the Greenland Ice Sheet’s lost ice
The Greenland Ice Sheet is the largest ice mass in the Northern Hemisphere, and it’s melting rapidly. Climate change is causing more intense atmospheric rivers, which can deliver intense snowfall—enough to slow Greenland’s ice mass loss, a new study finds. ⌘ Read more

New policies needed to boost gender equity in labor market
The United States is at a crossroads in the path toward gender equity in the labor market, according to Fran Blau ‘66, Frances Perkins Professor of ILR and professor of economics, emeritus, at the ILR School. ⌘ Read more