ScIence

Herds of horses, bison and reindeer could play a significant part in saving the world from an acceleration in global heating. That is the conclusion of a recent study showing how grazing herbivores can slow down the pace of thawing permafrost in the Arctic. The study - a computerized simulation based on real-life, on-the ground data - finds that with enough animals, 80 percent of all permafrost

Engineers have developed a semi-transparent solar cell that offers a viable level of efficiency, and it might get us closer to a future where windows that double up as solar panels could transform both architecture and energy production. Two square metres (around 22 square feet) of the next-gen perovskite solar cells (PSCs) would be enough to generate about as much electricity as a standard sol

Renewable energy could power an economic recovery from COVID-19 by spurring global GDP gains of almost US$100 trillion (£80 trillion) between now and 2050, according to a report. The International Renewable Energy Agency found that accelerating investment in renewable energy could generate huge economic benefits while helping to tackle the global climate emergency. The agency's director gen

Life during a global pandemic takes on a surreal quality. The ubiquitous presence of social media and a constant fire hose of coronavirus news can make it particularly hard if you're already feeling anxious. So, we've put together a little round-up of recent science news that we find inspiring, encouraging, and worthy of note in these trying times. 1. CRISPR has been used to attempt a c

To understand how atoms unite to turn into molecules, we need to catch them in action. But to do that, physicists must force atoms to pause long enough for their exchanges to be recorded. That's no easy task, and one physicists from the University of Otago have only just recently achieved. Until now, the best physicists could do to understand the finer points of various atomic interactions was

Nestled on the banks of the Mississippi River, the forgotten city of Cahokia was once a bustling metropolis, the largest and most cosmopolitan hub north of Mexico, home to the Mississippian indigenous culture. Today, no one knows what happened to it. Tens of thousands of its inhabitants are merely said to have 'disappeared', leaving behind their giant earthen mounds, spread across 13 square kil

A decomposing body might gross people out, but for many creatures, it's a bounty, including smaller creatures not widely known for their human flesh-eating habits. Case in point: a new study details how feral cats were caught on camera at a decomposition research facility in Colorado, slipping over the fence to munch on human corpses. They seemed to have a preference. The two separate feral

They were the largest animals to ever walk the Earth: sauropods, a dinosaur clade of such immense size and stature, they're sometimes dubbed 'thunder lizards'. These towering hulks – including Brontosaurus, Brachiosaurus, and Diplodocus among others – needed four thick, powerful legs to support and transport their massive bodies. At least, most of the time. Perhaps. Some mysterious, anci

Cephalopods such as octopuses and squids may demonstrate some impressive smarts, but the latest research on cuttlefish may just blow your mind. Researchers have found that cuttlefish fed to a schedule will very quickly cut back on eating less enticing food, so they can gorge themselves on their favourite later on. This means that not only are cuttlefish seemingly able to memorise the feeding