African elephants call each other and respond to individual names — something that few wild animals do, according to new research published Monday. The names are one part of elephants’ low rumbles that they can hear over long distances across the savanna. Scientists believe that animals with complex social structuresContinue Reading
Scientists have raised concerns of the effects of a common ingredient of sunscreen being used in foods including frozen pizzas, bakery products, and children’s candies. Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) is a synthetically produced substance that is not classed as hazardous and is used in a vast range of industrial and consumerContinue Reading
It is becoming increasingly clear that spending time in nature can benefit our mental health and wellbeing. But a new study by my colleagues and me shows that you don’t have to actually be in nature to reap the rewards. Simply directing your gaze towards natural elements, even in theContinue Reading
Travelling into space changes the structure of kidneys, with galactic radiation causing damage that could potentially put human missions to Mars at risk, new research suggests. Spaceflight is known to cause a number of changes in astronauts’ bodies, and as more people venture into space, understanding the health risks associatedContinue Reading
Archaeologists have discovered special scrapers used for hunting by early humans 400,000 years ago, shedding light on technological adaptations that enabled our ancient ancestors to diversify their prey. The Quina scrapers were first found at a cave site in France after which they were named. The tools are distinguished byContinue Reading
A diver was shocked to find part of a giant tusk on the sea floor. At first, fossil-hunting diver Alex Lundberg thought the lengthy object on the bottom off Florida’s Gulf Coast was a piece of wood. It turned out to be something far rarer, Lundberg said: a large sectionContinue Reading
Scientists have grown “mini-guts” in the lab to help understand Crohn’s disease, and discovered DNA changes that may play an important role in the condition. The University of Cambridge researchers say these mini organs – also known as organoids – could be used in the future to identify the bestContinue Reading
A robot is chatting to an elderly British man in his bedroom. The robot has a cheery demeanour and a pleasantly high-pitched voice. The robot – perhaps because of the man’s age – starts asking him about his memories of the second world war: “Please tell me what was theContinue Reading
Peter Higgs, who gave his name to the subatomic particle known as the Higgs boson, has died aged 94. He was always a modest man, especially when considering that he was one of the greats of particle physics – the area of science concerned with the building blocks of matter.Continue Reading
Aree_S / Shutterstock We might soon see AI step up to the next level, with impending upgrades to artificial intelligence (AI) systems developed by OpenAI and Meta. OpenAI’s GPT-5 will be the new “engine” within the AI chatbot ChatGPT, while Meta’s upgrade will be named Llama 3. Among other things,Continue Reading
