Breeding programs could alter heritable dog characteristics to reduce the rates of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), a breathing disorder common in dogs such as Bulldogs, French Bulldogs and Pugs—according to a new study led by Dr. Joanna Jadwiga Ilska of the Royal Kennel Club, published May 13, 2026 in the open-access journal PLOS One.
Grasslands, covering 40% of Earth's vegetated surface, play a crucial role in the global carbon balance but are increasingly threatened by climate-driven water scarcity. A new study published in Science Advances finds, however, that a widespread wind speed decline—a phenomenon known as "terrestrial stilling"—is enhancing the ability of global grasslands to absorb more carbon while minimizing water loss. This shift offers a crucial buffer for these water-limited biomes under climate change.
Neanderthals had the know-how to identify a tooth infection and the motor skills to drill out the damage, according to a study published May 13, 2026, in the open-access journal PLOS One by Alisa Zubova of Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, Russian Academy of Sciences (Kunstkamera), St. Petersburg, and colleagues.
Agriculture reached the coast of southern Denmark around 4000 BCE, but these prehistoric Scandinavians continued to fish and hunt too, according to a study published in PLOS One by Daniel Groß from the Museum Lolland-Falster, Denmark, Sofie Folsach Hellerøe from Aarhus University, Denmark, and colleagues.
Silicon carbide (SiC) dust is one of the most important ingredients in cosmic dust, the tiny particles floating throughout the cosmos that eventually give rise to new planets and stars. This compound of silicon and carbon is forged in the atmospheres of dying stars, especially carbon-rich ones, but exactly how has long remained a mystery.
Tile drainage is common in U.S. Midwest agricultural fields, helping to remove excess water and aerate the soil. While the practice enhances crop productivity, it can cause phosphorus to leak into nearby waterways, where it contributes to harmful algal blooms. Directing tile-drain runoff through a structure filled with biochar—a form of charcoal produced from organic waste—provides a potential remedy for phosphorus pollution, but the method is novel and not fully explored.
Artificial intelligence is beginning to transform climate science, not just by improving forecasts, but by helping researchers understand the physical forces shaping the planet's future.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed ApexGO, a novel, AI-powered method for turning promising but imperfect antibiotic candidates into more potent ones. Unlike many existing AI approaches to antibiotic discovery, which screen large databases for molecules that might work, ApexGO starts with a small number of imperfect candidates and improves them step by step, using a predictive algorithm to evaluate each modification and guide the next.
Microalgae have attracted growing attention as a promising platform for sustainable biofuel production because they can use photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide into energy-rich compounds without competing with food crops. However, practical use of algal biofuels has long faced major obstacles.
It all began with a perfectly ordinary chat over coffee between four researchers. How many films featuring geologists can we think of? Quite quickly, the colleagues were able to come up with about 10 films. But then the scientific mind of one of them sprang into action.
