Science

Toothy Triassic shrew crowned earliest known mammal

Scientists have identified the earliest known mammal – a small shrew-like animal that lived 225 million years ago. The species, Brasilodon, had previously been categorized differently, but new research reveals a distinctly mammalian tooth structure.

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“Universal” pathway behind cell recycling offers clues to combat aging

A new understanding of the way lysosomes called organelles repair themselves could help keep cells young and fresh, and offer new ways to stop age-related diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's in their tracks.

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CalWave concludes 10-month test of its submerged wave energy generator

CalWave has been working on its xWave clean power technology for many years now, and has announced the successful conclusion of an extended open-ocean test off the coast of San Diego, in which the device demonstrated over 99% system uptime.

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X-ray laser converts plastic into diamonds, recreating Uranus rain

Scientists have turned plastic into diamonds. Using high-powered lasers, the team zapped samples of common PET plastic, which produces intense heat and pressure to form tiny diamonds that may naturally rain down on planets like Uranus and Neptune.

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Rat study shows concussions can cause robust thickening of the skull

Repeated knocks to the head are known to carry increased risks to our neurological health, but a new study has sought to fill in important details around what they might mean for the skull, finding they lead to robust increases in bone thickness.

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Ocean Cleanup study states Pacific Garbage Patch is mostly fishing gear

Marine plastic pollution is a big problem, as exemplified by the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. According to a study conducted by the Ocean Cleanup project and Wageningen University, most of the plastic in that patch comes from the fishing industry.

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A deeper dive into World Wide Wind’s colossal, contra-rotating turbines

We interviewed the core team at Norway's World Wide Wind to learn more about its floating, tilting, contra-rotating, double turbine design, which it says can unlock unprecedented scale, power and density to radically lower the cost of offshore wind.

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Shredded masks and broken glass: Green ingredients for better concrete

Even slight adjustments to how we make cement and concrete can have a big impact on their environmental footprint, and as research continues to show, scientists working in this space are not short of ideas.

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James Webb snaps its first direct image of an exoplanet

The James Webb Space Telescope has snapped its first direct images of an exoplanet. With its uniquely powerful instruments, Webb captures details that other observatories miss, which will help us understand these distant worlds better.

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