A California floodplain restoration project launched in 2023 has recorded its first confirmed nesting Swainson’s hawks in Shasta County in about 30 years. More than 32,000 native trees and plants were introduced across 150 acres of damaged land near the Sacramento River. Conservationists have also recorded rare indigo buntings breeding at the site, raising hopes…
Photo credit: The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) A six-year-old black Labrador from the Scottish Highlands in the UK has found an unusual new role in conservation. Sgiath, who was originally trained as a mountain rescue search dog, can now detect an invasive marine organism known as “sea vomit” by smell. Her work has…
Image Credit: Redwire/Nasa Nasa has grown crystals of lysozyme, a protein found in human tears, saliva and milk, aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to study how crystals form in microgravity. The experiment offers a closer look at how proteins develop under conditions that differ from those on Earth. According to Nasa, the crystals were…
The patch uses LED lights to guide chest compressions during CPR. (AI photo) Performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during an emergency can be difficult for someone without proper training. Even when a bystander is willing to help, getting the depth and speed of chest compressions right can be challenging. Four University of Washington students have developed…
PC: Study: Geometry-controlled instability pathway selection in elastic helices enables fast, efficient robotic locomotion Researchers have developed a small, untethered robot that uses snapping elastic rods to hop across sand, grass, glass-like acrylic and other surfaces, as well as swim in water. According to the study published in Science Advances, titled ‘Geometry-controlled instability pathway selection…
PC: University of Michigan Engineers at the University of Michigan have developed a spherical prototype with adjustable golf-ball-like dimples that can reduce drag and control steering by changing its surface texture. The device uses a vacuum pump to switch between smooth and dimpled surfaces, allowing researchers to adjust its response to different airflow conditions. According…
Drone LiDAR reveals three unregistered Aboriginal rock shelters in Australia’s rugged Blue Mountains (Image Credit: University of Sydney) Researchers have used drone-based laser scanning to identify and document three previously unregistered Aboriginal rock shelters in Australia’s Blue Mountains, revealing traces of cultural heritage in rugged bushland that is difficult to explore on foot. According to…
An airport in central Australia is preparing for its summer snake season after reports of dozens of sightings around its terminal, including inside an airline lounge and staff offices. According to reports by Kids News and the NT News, snake catcher Rex Neindorf has removed several reptiles from Alice Springs Airport, prompting renewed attention to…
Sixteen-year-old Ethan Yan has developed an affordable artificial intelligence system that helps clinics identify acute myeloid leukaemia in bone marrow samples. His project, ‘ALLocate’, works as a microscope plugin, allowing medical professionals to detect abnormal cells without relying on expensive whole-slide scanners. The system identifies key regions in a sample and counts abnormal cells on…
PC: Lost Peatlands of South Wales project Peatland restoration across South Wales has shown positive results, with rising water tables at some sites, changes in vegetation and increased wildlife activity recorded at restored sites. The findings come from a monitoring programme conducted between 2021 and 2025 to understand how these landscapes respond to restoration and…
