Researchers at the University of Cincinnati are developing a drone with flapping wings that can locate and hover around a moving light like a moth to a flame.

For decades, scientists have relied on airplanes to count birds — a method that’s loud, costly and sometimes dangerous. Accuracy depends on the human eye, and even trained observers can sometimes miss details when birds scatter or blend into their surroundings. Now, scientists at Mizzou’s College of Engineering, led by Professor Yi Shang, are taking that process to new heights. By pairing drones with artificial intelligence, the team developed a smarter, safer and faster way to track the migration patterns of these birds — including mallards and pintails, two species of wild duck common to Missouri. Their efforts could transform how this conservation work is carried out across the state and beyond.

For decades, scientists struggled to pin down which gene is responsible for the heart problems that are so common among babies born with Down syndrome. Now, scientists at Gladstone Institutes have an answer. In a study published in Nature, the researchers leveraged stem cell science and artificial intelligence to discover that a gene called HMGN1 disrupts how DNA is packaged and regulated, and can throw off levels of hundreds of other molecules involved in healthy heart development.