Scientists have discovered that, far from being solitary insects, some cockroaches appear to form an exclusive bond with a partner. And how do they get this relationship off the ground? By eating each other's wings.

A new study suggests that decades of reported gains in crop yields from plant breeding may be significantly overstated, challenging a common method used worldwide to measure genetic progress. The international research team includes five University of Nebraska-Lincoln scientists.

The DNA foundation model Evo 2 has been published in the journal Nature. Trained on the DNA of over 100,000 species across the entire tree of life, Evo 2 can identify patterns in gene sequences across disparate organisms that experimental researchers would need years to uncover. The machine learning model can accurately identify disease-causing mutations in human genes and is capable of designing new genomes that are as long as the genomes of simple bacteria.

Walking on two legs has long been considered a milestone in human evolution and one of our most defining characteristics. Until now, researchers assumed that the first humans originated in Africa and that bipedalism developed there around 6 million years ago. However, an international team of researchers say a newly discovered fossil thighbone from Bulgaria could rewrite the history of human origins.

A number of native black poplar whips—young unbranched trees—were planted at the campus near Southwell as part of a project involving NTU, the Environment Agency, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, Trent Rivers Trust, Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Group and the Sherwood Forest Trust. Native black poplars thrive in wet floodplains and on riverbanks. They are flood tolerant and an ideal species for planting in close proximity to water and where flooding is more common.

Plant growth is supported by millions of tiny soil microbes competing and cooperating with each other as they perform important roles at the plant root, including improving access to nutrients and protecting against pathogens. As a byproduct of their metabolism, soil microbes can also produce nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas that has mostly been studied for its impact on the climate. While some N2O occurs naturally, its production can spike due to fertilizer application and other factors.

People and animals create lots of waste that is usually sent to landfills, incinerated, or stored in engineered ponds such as manure lagoons. Now, researchers report a potential removal method using insects, specifically black soldier fly larvae. In experiments, the larvae ate spoiled food, sewage sludge, or livestock manure, and removed most human-pathogenic viruses. The researchers say this demonstrates a step toward simple, environmentally friendly waste management.

In 2019 and again in 2021, Penn State researchers in the Department of Geography walked a series of 1,000 square foot plots in California's Lassen Volcanic National Park. The goal was to see how the forest that's hands-off to residents and most fire-suppression measures had recovered—or not—from naturally occurring forest fires as far back as the mid-1980s.

Funding sustained, effective management of marine protected areas is one of ocean conservation's most stubborn problems. Now, a new study from researchers at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography links fish recovery from well-managed marine protected areas to increased revenue from scuba diving tourism. The study, published Jan. 21 in the journal Ecological Economics, then translates those findings into a framework that creates financial projections to help managers or investors evaluate the potential economic benefits of marine conservation.

Natural history museums contain an astonishing snapshot of the planet's biodiversity. Using this information to better research and inform conservation projects could help lead the way in nature recovery and restoration.

For vegans and people who are allergic to dairy, nuts or gluten, rice is a surprising source to make a hypoallergenic alternative cheese. As a bonus, the protein sources in rice are considered byproducts of white rice processing, adding value and potential domestic demand for one of Arkansas' leading crops, says Mahfuzur Rahman, assistant professor of food science with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station.

Crystals have repeatedly been found at archaeological sites alongside Homo remains. Evidence shows that hominins have been collecting these stones for as long as 780,000 years. Yet, we know that our ancestors did not use them as weapons, tools, or even jewelry. So why did they collect them at all?

A prolonged drought in southeastern Connecticut reduced the stability of microorganisms responsible for a critical step in the nitrogen cycle in a coastal salt marsh, according to research led by a Connecticut College scientist and published in Estuaries and Coasts. The study was led by Anne Bernhard, professor of biology at Connecticut College. Bernhard and her co-author analyzed microbial communities in a salt marsh at the Barn Island Wildlife Management Area in Stonington, Connecticut, from 2006 to 2019. The period included a severe regional drought from 2013 to 2018.

For decades, scientists have relied on tree rings to estimate how long trees can live. But new research suggests that this widely used method may have been underestimating the lifespan of many flowering trees—sometimes by centuries. A new international study published in Radiocarbon shows that radiocarbon dating can dramatically extend the known maximum age of broadleaved trees, revealing that many species live far longer than previously thought.

Native forest restoration usually starts with faster growing "nurse plants" that provide shelter under which to plant bigger trees—but new research suggests some big canopy trees can be planted early too. Scientists monitored over 1800 canopy trees at restoration sites around the Tāmaki Makaurau region for three years. They found four types—pūriri, rewarewa, kahikatea, and tōtara—had a high rate of survival when planted with the nurse species, though two others—rimu and taraire—did not. Spacing nurse plants 2 m apart to give shelter without too much competition or shade, and having some protective vegetation at ground level, also helped their survival.

In a dry riverbed in Brazil, in a dense forest near the Amazon, a team of paleontologists found a fossilized jawbone from an ancient animal. Over the course of their fieldwork, they found eight similar bones, each around six inches long—but no other bones that they could confidently use to complete a skeleton for one of these mystery animals.

Jackdaw chicks learn about predators by listening to adults, new research shows. Scientists played recordings of predator calls to chicks in their nests—and paired the sounds with either adult jackdaw "alarm" calls or "contact" calls that indicate no danger.