Extinction rates have slowed across many plant and animal groups, study shows
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 22-Apr-2026 17:16 ET (22-Apr-2026 21:16 GMT/UTC)
The first analysis of recent extinctions across plants and animals finds that, contrary to previous studies, the rate at which many groups of organisms have gone extinct has declined over the last 100 years. The research also revealed that the patterns and causes of these past extinctions differed from current and future threats, making it problematic to extrapolate them into the future: While past extinctions were predominantly due to invasive species on islands, habitat destruction presents the greatest threat currently.
The new discrete grid imaging technique, or DIGIT, enables optical microscopes to resolve individual atoms and zero in on their exact locations in a crystal structure. The research could help guide the design of quantum devices and provide new insights into how defects and impurities shape the behavior of advanced materials.
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.
Researchers led by investigators at Mass General Brigham and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have validated an ingestible capsule in preclinical models for the diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia, a condition caused by blocked or reduced blood flow to the intestines. The research is published in Science Robotics.
Tens of thousands of B.C. public school students are embarking on new tech-based projects thanks to $150,000 from Simon Fraser University aimed at transforming classroom experience.
The 2025 Cmolik–SFU Grant Program supports classroom, school, and district-based science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) projects. Administered by Simon Fraser University’s Faculty of Education through the Cmolik Endowment Fund, the program empowers educators to design initiatives that build critical thinking skills, foster curiosity, and create equitable opportunities for students from kindergarten to Grade 12.