News about PaperPanda, Open Access, and Research
About 800 years ago, a giant oak tree in England’s Sherwood Forest helped shelter Robin Hood from the corrupt sheriff of Nottingham. Though the tale is likely a myth, the tree is not: It still stands as one of the world’s oldest oaks. Such ancient trees—some dating back more than 3000 years—are key to the … Read more
The world’s forests may hold more secrets than previously thought: a new global estimate of tree biodiversity suggests that there are about 9,200 tree species yet to be discovered. Most of these species are likely in the tropics, according to the new research, which was published on Monday in Proceedings of the National Academy of … Read more
What are the greatest spaceships of science fiction? So many discussions of ships in science fiction movies and tv fall into the same tired debates. Who goes faster, the Star Wars’s Millennium Falcon or Star Trek’s the USS Enterprise? How big of a planet would the Death Star blow up — and how much would … Read more
GEOSCIENCE Orbiting radar mapper goes dark The head of the European Space Agency said last week the agency may accelerate the launch of its next Earth-observing radar satellite, after a power supply anomaly caused one of its two orbiting radar satellites, Sentinel-1B, to go dark for more than 1 month. Since its launch in 2016, … Read more
More than 50 years after the Summer of Love, psychedelics are again the rage. This time the love comes from doctors beginning to embrace psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin to treat depression, substance abuse, and other serious mental health conditions. But because the drugs cause hallucinations, their medical use requires intensive monitoring by clinicians. … Read more
We all need our rest, but too much lounging around can be tough on our bodies. We humans can lose up to 14% of our muscle power when confined to bed for just 10 days. Hibernating animals are a different story, however. Ground squirrels don’t waste away during Jack Frost’s tenure—they manage to build muscle … Read more
At first glance, the Amazon rainforest of Peru’s Los Amigos Conservation Concession might seem like a pristine wilderness. Brightly colored birds flit through the jungle. A dense canopy of trees echoes with the cries of howler monkeys. Jaguars pad quietly through the shadows. Giant otters swim in Cocha Lobo Lake. But the forest is hiding … Read more
Scientists in Brazil started 2022 with a piece of good news. This year’s federal research budget is more than double last year’s—a major turnaround after 7 years of steep cuts. The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation will have about 6.9 billion reais ($1.27 billion) for discretionary investments this year, a 110% increase from 2021, … Read more
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, who is expected to announce his retirement tomorrow, has made a notable impact on the use of science in the courtroom during his 27 years on the nation’s highest court. In particular, in opinions and other writings, Breyer helped clarify how federal judges should handle expert testimony on scientific … Read more
When humans began intensively breeding dogs in 19th century Great Britain, they created a cornucopia of canines seemingly out of whole cloth: hulking bullmastiffs, graceful golden retrievers, and pint-size Yorkshire terriers. But the real key to their success, a new study reveals, was taking advantage of two tiny but powerful genetic ratchets that have controlled … Read more