Science

The discovery may also reshape ideas about where CRISPR came from. The researchers found VIPR systems in viruses that appear to use them against competing viruses, suggesting that viral competition helped shape this unusual molecular weapon. The genetic code is usually described as an orderly language, read one letter after another in precise three-letter units….

Golden Bandicoot. Image Credit: Tim Henderson/AWC Australia’s Golden Bandicoot population has reached about 300 animals at Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary in Central Australia, around two and a half years after 80 were reintroduced into a fenced predator-free area. The Australian Wildlife Conservancy says the population has tripled since the animals were released in August 2023. The…

A mysterious radio signal from deep space has astronomers asking a big question: is someone out there trying to say hello?The answer, however, is far less sci-fi and much more magnetic.Astronomers have detected radio emission directly from an exoplanet for the first time, with the signal from Beta Pictoris b pointing to an exceptionally powerful…

Tim PeakePhoto credit: Esa.int ESA astronaut Tim Peake took 2kg of rocket seeds to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2015 as part of his six-month Principia mission. The seeds endured intense vibrations from launch and spaceflight and received up to 100 times more radiation than they would have experienced on Earth. After returning in…

A fabric originally developed through military clothing research has shown an unexpected use in agriculture. Researchers created the fabric while exploring ways to make body armour more comfortable and protect soldiers from mosquito bites. Years later, the same textile idea has been tested over strawberry plants, with striking results. In tunnel field trials, plants covered…

The soil was used to lift the ground and form wetlands designed to provide feeding, nesting and refuelling areas for birds London sent more than three million tonnes of soil excavated during construction of the Elizabeth line to an Essex island, where it was used to raise the ground and create new coastal wetlands. Ten…

Floating scarecrow. Image Credit: University of Exeter News Fishing nets can pose a serious danger to diving seabirds, but a new trial off the coast of south-west England has found that simple devices placed above the water can substantially reduce the risk. A floating buoy fitted with moving eyes cut the chance of auk bycatch…

Invasive plants are creating problems across Texas forest ecosystems by competing with native vegetation, altering ecosystems and reducing forest productivity. To help tackle the issue, the Texas A&M Forest Service has launched the Texas Invasive Plant Solutions (TIPS) Cost-Share Program, which reimburses 75% of eligible costs for treating or removing invasive plants, up to $7,000…

Adult CCC coho spawning at Neefus Gulch. Image Credit: Christie Hemm Klok/Trout Unlimited/NOAA California’s Mendocino Coast rivers recorded an estimated 30,000 adult Central California Coast coho salmon during the 2024–25 spawning season, marking the largest return recorded there. The figure was twice the previous season’s record and far above the numbers seen during much of…

The reintroduction is only one part of the recovery strategy. Bishop Museum and Honolulu Zoo are also establishing captive snail laboratories, where Achatinella fuscobasis will be reared and made accessible to the public. For more than three decades, the tiny Achatinella fuscobasis (snail) existed only under human care. Then, in a carefully prepared corner of…