Science

Trees are effectively saving lives and reducing respiratory problems, according to a recent study. Scientists found that trees are saving more than 850 human lives a year and preventing 670,000 incidences of acute respiratory symptoms. While trees’ pollution removal equated to an average air quality improvement of less than 1 percent, the impacts of that improvement are substantial. Researchers valued ... Read More »

The annual onslaught of mayflies began this week along the Mississippi River in the La Crosse region. The National Weather Service caught a swarm of them on radar, as they drifted north in the same pattern as the wind. Read More »

On July 23, 2012, a gigantic geomagnetic storm erupted from the Sun’s surface. Had it been directed at Earth, it would have been the worst solar event ever in modern history, causing severe power outages that could cripple a electric-driven society. Luckily, that massive eruption was directed away from Earth and dissipated safely into outer space. Read More »

The loss and decline of animals is contributing to what appears to be the early days of the planet’s sixth mass biological extinction event, scientists warn. Since 1500, more than 320 terrestrial vertebrates have become extinct. Populations of the remaining species show a 25 per cent average decline in abundance. The situation is similarly dire for invertebrate animal life, scientists ... Read More »

Scientists say they have confirmed that dinosaurs were once covered in feathers, in a breakthrough that could make Jurassic Park director Steven Spielberg come out in goosebumps. The claim, by researchers from Ireland and Belgium who have studied extremely well-preserved dinosaur fossils from Kulinda in eastern Siberia, will not prompt a remake of the films just yet. Read More »

The death, destruction and chaos from the Israeli-Gaza conflict has been captured in striking photos on the ground, but even astronauts can see the fighting as it unfolds. Alexander Gerst, a European astronaut working at the International Space Station, captured a photo of rocket fire and explosions apparently being exchanged between Israeli and Gaza as the ISS flew over the ... Read More »

Cheyenne – For the first time in more than 30 years, palaeontologists are about to revisit one of North America’s most remarkable troves of late Pleistocene fossils: The bones of tens of thousands of animals piled at least 9m deep at the bottom of a sinkhole-type cave. Read More »

Call it the green-eyed monster. A new study being done at UC San Diego suggests that jealous isn’t just a human emotion – it extends to our four-legged friends as well. New research is confirming what many pet owners already suspect — dogs can get downright possessive when it comes to the love of their master. Read More »

A group of workmen claim to have seen a giant Asian hornet on their building site in Fife, Scotland. It was rumoured a few months ago that the huge hornets, with a 6mm sting, were on their way to the UK – and this could be proof. Read More »

Greater mouse-eared bats find their way in the dark by using light polarization patterns in the sky, research has revealed. They are the first mammals known to do so. The bats take advantage of the way sunlight is scattered in the atmosphere at dusk to calibrate their internal magnetic compasses, according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications. ... Read More »

Kids can be cruel, especially about weight. So you might think overweight or obese children know all too well that they’re heavy — thanks to playground politics. But that’s not necessarily so, according to government data covering about 6,100 kids and teens ages 8-15. Read More »