A UNIGE study reveals how mechanics, linked to tissue growth, help generate the diversity of biological structures. By combining observations of embryonic development, advanced microscopy, and cutting-edge computer modelling, researchers demonstrate that the crocodile head scales emerge from the mechanics of growing tissues, rather than molecular genetics.
Biological diversity is not only the result of genes
Diversity of biological structures.
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Birds, badgers, and bees: Investigating africa’s honey thieves
A comparable cooperative relationship between honeyguides and honey badgers.
Researchers from nine African countries investigated whether honeyguide birds and honey badgers work together to find honey. After interviewing over 400 honey hunters, they found that while honeyguide birds often lead people to beehives, no one has ever seen them cooperating with honey badgers. Most of the 11 villages surveyed (80%) have been hunting for wild honey for centuries, often with help from honeyguide birds.
First-ever images reveal the cosmic web’s hidden structure
These findings are fundamental.
Astronomers used the MUSE1 instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope in Chile to capture the first-ever images of the cosmic web in the early universe. The project took eight months of observations, followed by a year of data processing. Their analysis revealed glowing hydrogen filaments, showing structures as they appeared one to two billion years after the Big Bang.
Axial Seamount: Underwater Volcano Poised to Erupt
A rare glimpse into Earth’s hidden forces—scientists brace for a deep-sea eruption off Oregon’s coast.
Axial Seamount, an underwater volcano 300 miles off Oregon’s coast, is showing strong signs of an impending eruption—the first since 2015. Though invisible from land, its activity is closely monitored by the Regional Cabled Array, providing real-time data on earthquakes, lava flows, and deep-sea ecosystems. Scientists are eager to study this eruption to better understand Earth's geological processes and improve eruption predictions. While harmless to people, Axial’s eruptions reshape the seafloor, impact hydrothermal vents, and reveal how life thrives in extreme environments—offering a rare window into the power beneath our oceans.
A magma cap beneath Yellowstone National Park
An eruption is not imminent.
Scientists have identified a magma cap beneath Yellowstone National Park, located about 2.4 miles (3.8 km) below the surface. This cap acts as a pressure-regulating layer, preventing magma from rising too quickly and reducing the likelihood of an eruption. The cap consists of molten silicate materials, supercritical water, and porous rock, which trap heat and gas within the volcanic system. Researchers used seismic imaging and advanced modeling to study its structure.
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