physorg.com:Spotlight stories

Everglades ecosystems show mixed reactions to rising sea levels Scientists have discovered that changes in climate and water levels are reducing the ability of some ecosystems in the Everglades to sequester carbon, while the environmental shifts are enhancing the potential for carbon uptake by scrub mangroves.
It takes a village: Chimpanzee babies do better when their moms have social connections In chimpanzee communities, strong social ties can be a matter of life and death not just for the adults who form them, but for their kids, too. A new study of wild eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) from Gombe National Park shows that female chimpanzees who were more socially integrated with other females in the year before giving birth were more likely to raise surviving offspring.
New 3D glacier visualizations provide insights into a hotter Earth As glaciers retreat due to a rise in global temperatures, one study shows that detailed 3D elevation models could drastically improve predictions about how they react to Earth's warming climate.
Killer whales, kind gestures: Orcas offer food to humans in the wild Like a proud cat leaving a bird on its owner's doorstep, orcas—also called killer whales—may sometimes offer to share their prey with humans, according to research published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology.
Living small in a big city: Urban Túngara frog tadpoles develop faster but end up being tinier Have you ever wondered how city life affects animals like frogs? A new study reveals that urban Túngara frog tadpoles develop faster—but end up being smaller—than tadpoles from forests, probably resulting in smaller adults. This might be an adaptation to warmer urban puddles with fewer predators or to constantly changing environmental conditions in the city.
Entropy engineering opens new avenue for robust quantum anomalous Hall effect in 2D magnets A research team from the University of Wollongong's (UOW) Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials (ISEM) has addressed a 40-year-old quantum puzzle, unlocking a new pathway to creating next-generation electronic devices that operate without losing energy or wasting electricity.
Ochre discovery in South African cave reveals advanced toolmaking during the Middle Stone Age A new study from SapienCE reveals that early modern humans at Blombos Cave in South Africa used ochre as a specialized tool for stone toolmaking during the Middle Stone Age, demonstrating advanced technical skills far earlier than previously believed.
Analysis provides day-by-day insight into prehistoric plankton's capacity for change Scientists at the University of Southampton have developed a new way of analyzing fossils, allowing them to see how creatures from millions of years ago were shaped by their environment on a day-to-day basis for the first time.
Southern Ocean saltier, hotter and losing ice fast as decades-long trend unexpectedly reverses Researchers have discovered a dramatic and unexpected shift in the Southern Ocean, with surface water salinity rising and sea ice in steep decline.
Genomes reveal the Norwegian lemming as one of the most recently evolved mammal species Using whole genome sequencing and cutting‐edge analyses, researchers at Stockholm University have uncovered the surprising evolutionary history of the Norwegian lemming (Lemmus lemmus), revealing it to be one of the most recently evolved mammal species.
Innovative clip-off chemistry enables fast and precise production of complex molecules Researchers at the ICN2 and the UAB have developed a novel strategy to obtain different types of organic molecules by breaking down their molecular structures. This technique enables fast and precise production of these molecules without having to use traditional chemical synthesis. The results pave the way for simple and efficient production of complex molecules, with promising applications in areas such as the development of new materials.
Common farm fungicide may be contributing to 'insect apocalypse' A widely-used agricultural chemical sprayed on fruits and vegetables to prevent fungal disease is also killing beneficial insects that play a critical role in pollination and wider ecosystems.
Webb refines Bullet Cluster mass and maps dark matter distribution NASA's James Webb Space Telescope recently zeroed in on the Bullet Cluster—delivering highly detailed images that show a greater abundance of extremely faint and distant galaxies than ever before. Using Webb's crisp near-infrared observations of this region, researchers have more completely mapped the colliding galaxy clusters' contents.
Mathematical approach makes uncertainty in AI quantifiable How reliable is artificial intelligence, really? An interdisciplinary research team at TU Wien has developed a method that allows for the exact calculation of how reliably a neural network operates within a defined input domain. In other words: It is now possible to mathematically guarantee that certain types of errors will not occur—a crucial step forward for the safe use of AI in sensitive applications.
Extreme weather: AI-assisted early warning system offers targeted disaster prevention AI can assist early warning systems that predict impacts of extreme weather events such as droughts and heavy rainfall.