Science

Tropical forests have been heavily degraded because of human activities. (Representational photo) Planting trees across vast areas may not be the only way to restore damaged tropical forests, according to a new study. Instead, small patches of native trees can gradually help degraded forests recover.The study was carried out by Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG)…

For the first time, Brazil faces a significant challenge as bacteria previously exclusive to Asia and the USA have been identified within its borders. These bacteria, known to cause columnaris disease, pose an acute risk to the thriving aquaculture sector. Researchers have isolated four species from the Flavobacterium genus, which can infect both Nile tilapia…

Forests with more tree species appear to be improving faster over time, according to a new global study published in Nature Climate Change. doi.org/10.1038/s41558-026-02698-7By tracking forest photosynthesis across two decades, researchers found that biodiversity does more than support healthy ecosystems in the present: it also helps forests strengthen their ability to absorb carbon as the…

How beetles and crabs help forests spread seeds When we think about how forests grow and regrow, we often think about colorful birds carrying berries or monkeys dropping fruit seeds. For a long time, these animals have been known as nature’s seed dispersers, carrying seeds far from the parent plant and helping forests grow. But…

Quote of the day by Stephen Hawking Life rarely goes exactly the way anyone plans it. Careers shift direction unexpectedly, and personal challenges arrive without any warning at all. Stephen Hawking faced a version of that shock more extreme than almost anyone. Diagnosed with motor neurone disease at 21, with doctors initially giving him only…

Representative Image of thawing Arctic permafrost releasing ancient carbon into coastal waters (AI-generated image) As Arctic permafrost thaws and coastlines erode, enormous quantities of ancient carbon that has sat frozen in the ground for thousands of years are being carried into the sea. Scientists have long worried that microorganisms in the ocean would break this…

Fraggle, a grieving mother dolphin, carried her deceased calf for six days, a poignant testament to her profound maternal love. Captured by drone footage in the Indian Ocean, this heart-wrenching scene revealed the support of her pod, which gathered around her in solidarity during her mourning. This behavior, seen in over twenty cetacean species, underscores…

Photo credit: Getty images Chinese researchers have identified what they describe as the most effective way to destroy or deflect a large asteroid threatening Earth by burying a nuclear bomb beneath its surface before detonation.According to a study led by researchers at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology in Beijing, the two-stage approach could…

Representative Image of an ocean dye experiment tracking how river water reaches the sea (AI-generated image) In January and February 2023, waves along a stretch of San Diego coastline briefly turned a striking shade of fuchsia, the result of a deliberate scientific experiment rather than any natural phenomenon. Researchers from UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution…

Every year, one of the world’s most remarkable wildlife migrations takes place on Australia’s remote Christmas Island, where millions of bright red crabs leave the rainforest and journey towards the Indian Ocean to breed. As the crabs cross roads, forests and beaches, they create a spectacular natural phenomenon that attracts visitors from around the globe….

12-year-old Ahmed Abdelsalam created energy-harvesting system A 12-year-old student from Cambridge, Massachusetts, has developed a technology that could help find new ways to generate cleaner energy by capturing power from everyday movement.Ahmed Abdelsalam, a sixth-grade student at Darby Vassall Upper School, created VERDA, a system that harvests energy from sources including walking.Ahmed’s project has earned…

Image Credit: CDC/ Janice Haney Carr Florida health authorities have officially confirmed the state’s first fatality of 2026 linked to Vibrio vulnificus, a naturally occurring ‘flesh-eating bacteria’. This specific death involved a resident of Palm Beach County aged between 80-84 years. According to the BEACON(public health program based at Boston University) , these cases are…