Gap solitons break one-dimensional coherent atomic systems

As the core of the light field modulation technologies, optical lattice has highly tunability and is usually used to manipulate the nonlinear matter waves of Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). At present, the mainstream researches focus on coherent atomic systems like BECs which have been confirmed to be able to stably generate optical solitons under electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) mode. However, related studies are limited to the periodic physical system in one dimension.

Setting biodiversity and climate targets for national conservation action by 2030 in Asia

A research team led by Prof. Ma Keping from the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IBCAS), in collaboration with scientists from multiple universities and research institutions, developed a scalable framework to identify complementary biodiversity and climate targets that are implementable at the national level whilst being reflective of broader biodiversity patterns.

Is it safe for unvaccinated children to go to school in person?

Back-to-school is here again. While we might hope that beginning the academic year with schools open for in-person learning would set the trend for the rest of the year, the presence of new variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, makes everything less certain.

Doubling the number of species of hand-standing spotted skunks

Picture a skunk. You're probably thinking of a stocky animal, around the size of a housecat, black with white stripes, like Pepé Le Pew. That describes North America's most common skunk, the striped skunk, but they also have smaller, spotted cousins. Scientists still have a lot to learn about spotted skunks, starting with how many kinds of them even exist—over the years, the number of recognized species has ranged from two to fourteen, and lately, scientists have agreed there are four. But in a new paper in Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, researchers analyzed skunk DNA and found that there aren't four species of spotted skunk after all: there are seven.

China wants to build a spaceship that's kilometers long

It's no secret that China has become a major contender in spaceflight. In the past 20 years, the China National Space Agency (CNSA) has accomplished some historic firsts. This includes sending astronauts to space, deploying three space stations (as part of the Tiangong program), developing heavy launch vehicles (like the Long March 5), and sending robotic explorers to the far side of the moon and Mars.

Soil legacy effect of global change influences invasiveness of alien plants

Global change characterized by land use change and extreme precipitation has emerged as a challenge for tropical forests in Southeast Asia. Numerous studies have indicated that these changes could affect soil ecology. However, it remains unclear whether land use change and extreme precipitation influence plant invasiveness in tropical forests.

Increasing trends of warm and wet extremes slowed in China during recent global warming hiatus

Although annual concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gases have increased continuously in past years, the global surface air temperature did not increase as much as expected during a period starting from 1997/1998 with a strong El Nino and ending around 2013.

Adding foreign atoms to graphene boosts its properties

Monolayer graphene finds practical applications in many fields, thanks to its desirable intrinsic properties. However, these properties can also limit its potentials. The addition of foreign atoms can help, but requires precise control. Now, researchers from South Korea invented a simple methodology to achieve fine control over the integration of foreign atoms with graphene, developing composite graphene-based heterostructures that can be used to store energy at low cost and fabricate ultrathin, wearable electronics.

Genetic probes give new clues about the stunning diversity of comb jellies

Comb jellies—known to scientists as ctenophores (pronounced "teen-oh-fours")—mesmerize with their beauty, but these captivating creatures remain poorly studied due to their delicate nature. MBARI researchers have used the power of genetics to learn more about these animals.

Pandemic sees refugees and people seeking asylum disproportionately affected in job market

The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia suffering disproportionately and being shut out of and marginalized in the labor market.

Atomic-scale imaging reveals ants use zinc to sharpen their teeth

Ever wonder how tiny creatures can so easily slice, puncture, or sting? New research reveals that ants, worms, spiders, and other tiny creatures have a built-in set of tools that would be the envy of any carpenter or surgeon.

In climate reversal, Biden okays new oil and gas mega auction

US President Joe Biden's administration on Tuesday announced plans to open more than 80 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas exploration after a court ruled against the administration's pause in leasing.

Tunisia plants seeds of hope against climate change

Tunisian farmers are turning to the past to ensure a future by planting indigenous seeds as the North African country suffers at a time of drought, disease and climate change.

Has the wildlife 'Red List' let Africa's big cats down?

Lions and cheetahs are closer to extinction than the authoritative Red List of Threatened Species suggests, according to conservation scientists who warn that sharp drops in populations could be going undetected.

New Orleans under curfew as US South tallies Hurricane Ida damage

Louisiana and Mississippi took stock Tuesday of the disaster inflicted by powerful Hurricane Ida, as receding floodwaters began to reveal the full extent of the damage along the US Gulf Coast and the death toll rose to four.

Sri Lanka organic revolution threatens tea disaster

Sri Lanka's drive to become the world's first 100 percent organic food producer threatens its prized tea industry and has triggered fears of a wider crop disaster that could deal a further blow to the beleaguered economy.

Endangered Bengal tiger cub born at Nicaragua zoo

A Bengal tiger cub is being cared for by humans at Nicaragua's National Zoo after its mother was unable to produce the milk necessary to feed the latest little addition to the endangered species, the zoo's director Eduardo Sacasa said Tuesday.

Price tag on the planet? Helping business value nature

From agriculture to housing to transportation, economic growth has historically depended on burning through finite natural resources and rearranging natural landscapes.

Mystic Aquarium requests to resume research; whale improving

Officials at Mystic Aquarium are asking that they be allowed to resume research on four beluga whales, which was halted following the death of the fifth whale imported this spring from Canada.

UN: Weather disasters soar in numbers, cost, but deaths fall

Weather disasters are striking the world four to five times more often and causing seven times more damage than in the 1970s, the United Nations weather agency reports.

A cocoa bean's 'fingerprint' could help trace chocolate bars back to their farm of origin, finds a new study

A new study from the University of Surrey has revealed that biotechnology could be the missing ingredient in helping cocoa farmers get a better deal for their beans.

Racial revenue gap narrowed with AirBnb pricing algorithm, but only for those who adopt it: new research

A voluntary AirBnb pricing algorithm substantially narrowed a pre-existing revenue gap between white and Black hosts, a new study has found—but only when Black hosts adopted it.

Public participation in the management of China's waterways improves their water quality

An estimated 70% of China's rivers and lakes are too polluted for human use, the result of decades of intensifying economic development that have increased the amount of pollution that winds up in the water. Fixing China's water pollution problems is an uphill battle, but citizen monitoring of remediation efforts could lead to consistent improvements in water quality, according to researchers at UC Santa Barbara and Nanjing University.