Science

Some of the world’s most dangerous plants may also be among its most useful. Researchers have now identified a key set of enzymes in wolfsbane and larkspur that could help scientists recreate difficult-to-synthesize natural compounds in the lab, opening new doors for future medicines.These plants are notorious because even tiny doses can cause neurotoxicity and…

Photo by: Taronga Conservation Society Australia A tiny snail once feared lost forever has just reached a major conservation milestone. More than 1,000 critically endangered Campbell’s keeled glass snails (Advena campbellii) have now been released onto Norfolk Island, marking the latest phase of a recovery program that has turned a presumed extinction story into one…

Forests with more tree species appear to be improving faster over time, according to a new global study published in Nature Climate Change. doi.org/10.1038/s41558-026-02698-7By tracking forest photosynthesis across two decades, researchers found that biodiversity does more than support healthy ecosystems in the present: it also helps forests strengthen their ability to absorb carbon as the…

How beetles and crabs help forests spread seeds When we think about how forests grow and regrow, we often think about colorful birds carrying berries or monkeys dropping fruit seeds. For a long time, these animals have been known as nature’s seed dispersers, carrying seeds far from the parent plant and helping forests grow. But…

Quote of the day by Stephen Hawking Life rarely goes exactly the way anyone plans it. Careers shift direction unexpectedly, and personal challenges arrive without any warning at all. Stephen Hawking faced a version of that shock more extreme than almost anyone. Diagnosed with motor neurone disease at 21, with doctors initially giving him only…

For the first time, Brazil faces a significant challenge as bacteria previously exclusive to Asia and the USA have been identified within its borders. These bacteria, known to cause columnaris disease, pose an acute risk to the thriving aquaculture sector. Researchers have isolated four species from the Flavobacterium genus, which can infect both Nile tilapia…

Edda Sif Pind Aradottir, a chemical and reservoir engineer and CEO of Carbfix, holds a sample of basalt rock at the Carbfix site in Iceland. Scientists in Iceland are demonstrating a groundbreaking way to tackle climate change by permanently turning carbon dioxide (CO₂) into stone deep beneath the Earth’s surface. Instead of storing captured CO₂…

Fraggle, a grieving mother dolphin, carried her deceased calf for six days, a poignant testament to her profound maternal love. Captured by drone footage in the Indian Ocean, this heart-wrenching scene revealed the support of her pod, which gathered around her in solidarity during her mourning. This behavior, seen in over twenty cetacean species, underscores…

Fifty years ago, American red crayfish were introduced to Spain’s Guadalquivir River basin, and they have since established a permanent presence. These aggressive invaders have wreaked havoc on local wildlife and disrupted aquatic ecosystems. Yet, local communities have successfully built an economy around their harvesting and processing. This dependence has sparked legal disputes, resulting in…

Representative Image of an ocean dye experiment tracking how river water reaches the sea (AI-generated image) In January and February 2023, waves along a stretch of San Diego coastline briefly turned a striking shade of fuchsia, the result of a deliberate scientific experiment rather than any natural phenomenon. Researchers from UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution…