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Human-driven changes to landscapes worldwide are 'thinning out' the ecological services supplied by wild birds, eroding the functions that support stable and resilient ecosystems. A variety of bird species play key roles in supporting the ecosystems that we rely on, yet we are damaging habitat quality and thus the potential for species to fulfil their critical roles.

A lab-based screening has discovered over 150 common industrial chemicals, from pesticides to flame retardants, that have a toxic effect on bacteria found in the healthy human gut microbiome. Some species of gut bacteria develop antibiotic resistance as they try to resist the effects of the chemicals.

A study by the Universitat de València and the UOC identifies a number of strategic technological, organizational and environmental factors that are key to digital, green and social progress.

A team of physicists from the University of Fribourg has applied for a patent for a fluorescence microscope that can be operated using a simple smartphone. This very affordable and handy tool enables rapid medical tests, among other things - even outside of hospitals The fluorescence microscope, invented over a century ago, has established itself as an indispensable tool in biology and medicine.

Researchers at the University of Twente and Utrecht University demonstrated for the first time that quantum states in the ultra-narrow material germanene can be switched on and off using only an electric field. The researchers were able to vary the electric field strength very precisely, causing the special 'topological' states in nanoribbons to disappear or appear.

Electric discharges have for the first time been recorded within the storms and whirlwinds of dust - known as dust devils - that sweep across the surface of Mars. Captured by the microphone of the SuperCam instrument on board NASA's Perseverance rover, the signals were analysed by a team of scientists from the CNRS, Université de Toulouse and the Observatoire de Paris - PSL, working as part of an international team.

Agriculture An international research team led by the University of Copenhagen, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the University of Nottingham has discovered how plant roots penetrate compacted soil by deploying a well-known engineering principle. The finding could have major implications for future crop development at a time when pressure on agricultural land is increasing.

It has long been known that pterosaurs and birds acquired their ability to fly independently of each other. A new study has now revealed that there are no major similarities between the brains of ptero-saurs, which lived around 215 million to 66 million years ago, and those of today's birds; however, there are similarities with the brains of bird ancestors - certain species of dinosaurs that were unable to fly or had limited flying ability.

A speedy new scan could improve how millions of people with high blood pressure are treated, suggests a new study led by UCL researchers. About a quarter of people with high blood pressure have been estimated to have a problem with their adrenal glands producing too much of the hormone aldosterone, which regulates levels of salt in the body.

Atlantic grey seal milk rivals human breast milk in sugar complexity, according to new research published in Nature Communications. The findings challenge the previously held assumption that human milk is uniquely complex amongst mammals. The study, led by Professor Daniel Bojar of the University of Gothenburg with collaboration from Professor Malcolm Kennedy from the University of Glasgow, analysed milk samples from wild Atlantic grey seals to better understand its chemical make-up and benefits to pups.

Researchers analyze the human toll of the ongoing conflict using a statistical model that takes data uncertainties into account Rising death tolls: A study by the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) and the Centre for Demographic Studies (CED) examined the effects of the conflict in Gaza on mortality.

An international research team has identified a previously unknown function of the intestinal nervous system. The study reveals that the intestinal nervous system plays a key role in regulating both the composition and stability of the intestinal barrier. Disruption of this protective mechanism can lead to the development of allergies.

Sexist harassment on online platforms discourages young women from getting involved in politics, as shown by a new study by the University of Basel. The consequences are not only borne by those directly affected, with democracy also being harmed. Insults, threats and hate speech online affect many people in the public eye - including politicians.

Researchers at the University of Basel have developed a new approach to applying thermodynamics to microscopic quantum systems. In 1798, the officer and physicist Benjamin Thompson (a.k.a. Count Rumford) observed the drilling of cannon barrels in Munich and concluded that heat is not a substance but can be created in unlimited amounts by mechanical friction.

Autistic people are more likely to report suicide-related behaviours and psychological distress irrespective of previous traumatic experiences, according to new research from the University of Cambridge.

Researchers have discovered that genes underlying specific behavioural traits in golden retrievers - from trainability to fear of strangers - also shape human personality and mental health. The findings are really striking - they provide strong evidence that humans and golden retrievers have shared genetic roots for their behaviour.

Research on mice by scientists at The University of Manchester has shed new light on why the guts' immune system changes after a stroke and how it might contribute to gastro-intestinal problems. Published in Brain, Behaviour and Immunity , the study adds to the emerging idea of the "gut-brain axis" - which scientists suggest allows communication between the two organs in both health and disease.

Two new Cochrane reviews show strong and consistent evidence that Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines are effective in preventing cervical cancer and pre-cancerous changes, especially when given to young people before they are exposed to the virus. Girls vaccinated before the age of 16 were found to be 80% less likely to develop cervical cancer.

Initial analysis results for the Kindberg chondrite from Austria are now available Five years ago, on 19 November 2020, a meteoroid brightened the sky over parts of Germany, Austria and Italy. The European Fireball Network was quickly able to located the impact site. However, it was not until the summer of 2021 that a 233-gram fragment was found near Kindberg in Styria, Austria.

Research team investigates narratives of human-nature relationships Protected areas are regarded as refuges for animals and plants. But they are also places where people live, work and relax. A new study by the Universities of Göttingen, Kassel, Jyväskylä (Finland) and Stockholm (Sweden) shows just how diverse and close these relationships are.