Female gorillas must balance the reproductive costs of staying with or leaving an older male

When a gorilla group's silverback is close to the end of his reproductive years, females face a dilemma: Should they stay with him until he dies or leave him for another male? A team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology has now found that both strategies bear its costs: females face reproductive costs of staying with an older male as well as costs when they transfer to a new silverback.

Researchers pioneer new technique to transform used milk bottles into kayaks and storage tanks

Researchers at Queen's University Belfast have discovered new ways to convert single-use plastic waste into products such as storage tanks for water and fuel, and sporting goods such as kayaks and canoes, which could help to solve global environmental problems.

How to tackle extremism among the young and radicalised

Researchers have brought together a group of young people from opposing environments to find out how they respond to Islamist and extreme right messages.

Can a high-tech sniffer help keep us safe?

Science stinks.

Child mortality intervention helps close poverty gap in Ghana

Giving people access to nurses in their own communities is reducing the child mortality rate in Ghana, offsetting the health disadvantage amongst poor and uneducated mothers, according to a study in SSM—Population Health. Researchers from the University of Ghana, Columbia University in the US, and the Navrongo Health Research Centre in northern Ghana, were recently presented with the Atlas Award at a special ceremony to recognize the impact the study's findings is having on people's lives across Africa.

Photovoltaics could cool our homes with the power of the sun

The International Energy Agency has dubbed increased global cooling demand as one of the most critical blind spots in today's energy debate. A new study titled "Meeting Increased Global Cooling Demand with Photovoltaics during the 21st Century" yields critical new insight to a fundamental question: What is the required photovoltaic (PV) capacity to power the world sustainably?

Amazon: On the edge of the burnt rainforest

The flames have been smothered in the lush rainforest, but the impacts of the degradation are likely to last.

Biological mechanisms behind skillful piano fingering

Dr. Masato Hirano of Sony Computer Science Laboratories and his colleagues have discovered a sensorimotor function integration mechanism that enables skillful fingering by pianists.

Forensic science isn't 'reliable' or 'unreliable': It depends on the questions you're trying to answer

After recent criticism in the US and the UK, forensic science is now coming under attack in Australia. Several recent reports have detailed concerns that innocent people have been jailed because of flawed forensic techniques.

Mechanism modeling for better forecasts, climate predictions

Modeling currents together with wind and waves provides more accurate predictions for weather forecasts and climate scientists.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy isn't only for football players

With football season underway, media and news outlets are sure to publish articles discussing the head injury epidemic that has loomed over the sport for decades. However, while many may believe that brain injuries like Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) are exclusively a football problem, researchers at the University of South Florida say that isn't the case and explain media framing is to blame for that overwhelming public perception.

Advanced breeding paves the way for disease-resistant beans

ETH researchers are involved in the development and implementation of a method to efficiently breed for disease-resistant beans in different regions of the world. Their work will help to improve the livelihood and food security of smallholders in developing countries.

Suicide is preventable: How can we help our teens?

Every October, after school starts—and each May, as it ends—there is a spike in the number of teenagers who go to the Yale New Haven Children's Hospital (YNHCH) emergency department because they are thinking about attempting suicide. They may or may not have struggled with a mental health issue before. But they often have a story: Bullies are harassing them, their parents are divorcing, the academic pressure is crushing them. For some, it's gender concerns—they have come out as trans or non-binary, and their peers are shutting them out.

Transgenic mosquitoes pass on genes to native species

Transgenic mosquitoes released in Brazil in an effort to reduce the population of disease-bearing insects have successfully bred and passed on genes to the native mosquito population, a new Yale research study published Sept. 10 in the journal Scientific Reports has found.

Want more investors for your startup? Better make an impassioned pitch

One would expect that entrepreneurs who pitch their startup ideas with passion are more apt to entice investors. Now there's scientific proof the two are connected: enthusiasm and financial backing.

Swapping pollinators reduces species diversity, study finds

niversity of Kansas plant biologists Carolyn Wessinger and Lena Hileman appreciate the sheer beauty of a field of colorful wildflowers as much as the next person. But what really gets their adrenaline pumping is understanding the evolutionary forces that render Earth's blooms in such a stunning array of shapes and hues.

Expert discusses proposed rollback of key climate change regulations

The Trump administration is planning to roll back several key climate-change regulations from previous administrations, including ones requiring reduced methane emissions, much stricter fuel efficiency/vehicle pollution standards, and energy-efficient light bulbs. Here, Environmental Law expert Professor Deborah Sivas explains the regulations and how proposed changes might impact greenhouse gases and climate change.

Protecting our plants

Tongariro National Park is not just centrally located—it's a central part of New Zealand culture.

Lethal brain tumour shields itself from immune attack

One of the deadliest brain tumours forms a genetic force field around itself to protect it from attack by the immune system, scientists have discovered.

Study shows Mediterranean diet associated with better cognitive function in older adults

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet has been associated with less cognitive decline over five years in older adults in the United States, according to a new study led by University of Maine and the University of South Australia researchers.

Weka: Sandwich-stealing scallywags or ecosystem managers?

Weka are often portrayed as little more than sandwich-stealing scallywags. The large, brown flightless bird's tendency to be curious and gobble any food available (whether it be an unwatched biscuit, penguin egg or endangered gecko) also makes them troublesome for conservationists. However, a new study by University of Canterbury and Department of Conservation researchers has found that these charismatic birds also perform important services for Aotearoa New Zealand forests.

* This article was originally published here

Uber trims more staff as it seeks a route to profit

Uber on Tuesday said it was laying off about eight percent of its product and engineering teams as the smartphone-summoned ride service tries to map a route to profitability.

Amazon bets big on India with mega-office

With 49 elevators moving a floor per second and zumba classes for its more than 15,000 employees, Amazon's new Indian headquarters, its biggest building globally, matches its ambitions in a vast but challenging market.

Apple takes on Netflix with a $5-a-month streaming service

Apple is finally taking on Netflix with its own streaming television service and, uncharacteristically for the company, offering it at a bargain price—$5 a month beginning on Nov. 1.

Motorbike taxi apps jostle for trade on crowded Lagos roads

Banker Yemi Adegbola used to leave his home in Lagos before 4 am each day, but would still arrive late to work because of the notorious traffic in Nigeria's biggest city.