The number of segments in the trunk of vertebrates varies greatly. This diversity is fascinating, but the process behind it is not well understood. Scientists believe that the number of segments is set during early development. This happens when cells in a specific area, called the pre-somitic mesod
In the heart of Samburu County, Kenya, a unique training program took place. The goal? To teach dogs to spot cheetah poop accurately, even when surrounded by similar-looking samples from other big cats. This is no easy task. Dogs are often trained with limited samples and then expected to generalize
Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is a unique type of bacteria. It thrives in environments that are extremely acidic and inhospitable to most other life forms. This bacteria is part of a group that helps break down sulfide ores, a process known as bioleaching. It has a clever way of coping with stress.
There is a lot of interest in creating artificial muscles that work like real ones. Real muscles are complex. Their strength changes based on how they are used right now and how they were used before. To see if artificial muscles can do the same, a new way of testing was developed. This testing meth
Bacteria communities are everywhere. They are in the soil, in our bodies, and even in factories. They do important jobs like breaking down waste and helping plants grow. Because of this, scientists want to understand how these communities work and change over time. They want to control and improve t
In the realm of biology, it is well-known that the processes governing gene activity are quite similar across different animals. However, the speed at which these processes occur can vary greatly. This is especially true when comparing mice and fruit flies, known as Drosophila to scientists. To unde
How do men end up buying into sexist views online? It is a question that has puzzled many. Two studies looked into this. They wanted to understand how a man's sense of identity can lead him to embrace misogynistic beliefs. These beliefs are at the heart of the manosphere. The manosphere is a ne
A colossal iceberg, roughly the size of Chicago, recently detached from the George VI Ice Shelf in Antarctica. This event exposed a seafloor that had been hidden under 209 square miles of ice. A group of scientists on the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel, R/V Falkor (too), were in the Belli
Two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, had a very different experience than they planned. They were supposed to spend just eight days on the International Space Station (ISS). Their mission was to test a new spacecraft called the Boeing Starliner. But things did not go as planned. The Star
The Fram2 mission has successfully taken off from Florida. This is the first time humans will explore Earth's polar regions from space. The crew, made up of first-time astronauts, will spend 3 to 5 days in space. They have a big task ahead: studying how space travel affects the human body.
