A new report shows that queen bumblebees are fast learners, able to memorize flower scents more quickly than worker bumblebees. The work could shed light on how cognition first evolved and help scientists preserve a critical ecological link. 

Florida State University researchers have discovered how to accurately predict winter weather forecasts months in advance, affording sectors such as agriculture, water management, energy use and public health a longer lead time to prepare for inclement conditions.

UCLA  students developed new software and hardware tools that streamline a traditionally time-consuming step in synthetic biology research - helping scientists deliver genetic material into cells more quickly, efficiently, and with far less manual work. This innovation will help accelerate research workflows for scientists in both academia and industry, while also expanding the potential for more autonomous biotech labs in the future.

As densely populated coastal communities struggle to keep up with rising sea levels, new research reveals a way to predict how river deltas build land and protect coastal regions from encroaching oceans. This insight will help engineers and policymakers estimate how much new land can be created or maintained when human intervention is used to redirect river channels, making these efforts more effective for coastal restoration and flood protection.

A study of ancient lake sediments reveals that a recent wildfire high in the Rwenzori Mountains was the first in 12 millennia, signaling a novel threat to Africa’s unique alpine ecosystems.