Do the bones of all Nile crocodiles have the same number of growth marks as their age? And can such growth rings be counted to accurately gauge the age of these reptiles? Is this also an accurate method to use when trying to “age” dinosaurs and other extinct and extant reptiles? No, not according to a Scientific Reports study by Prof Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan and Dr Maria-Eugenia Pereyra of the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa. They found that the growth marks in crocodiles’ bones cannot be used as a reliable indicator of age. The two UCT palaeontologists further caution against using it along with derived growth curves to age extinct vertebrates such as dinosaurs. 

A portable version of the global model used by ECMWF to produce medium-range weather forecasts is being made openly available to all for the first time.

A new study reports that specially engineered biochar can significantly improve compost quality by reducing nitrogen loss and accelerating the formation of stable humic substances. The findings offer a promising strategy for transforming organic waste into more effective fertilizers while lowering environmental emissions.

A research team led by Prof. XU Yigang from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Prof. DENG Chenglong from the CAS Institute of Geology and Geophysics conducted a study of the Yanshan Scientific Drilling Project (YSDP-4) drill core, with a drill depth of 1497.5 meters. The core was recovered from the lacustrine Jiufotang Formation in northeastern China.

A research team led by Profs. ZHU Min, LU Jing, and ZHU You'an from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences published two backtoback cover stories in the journal Nature on March 4, reporting new discoveries about the origin of bony fishes.

Some thunderstorms suddenly grow very strong, while others simply fizzle out. Predicting where this will happen has long been extremely difficult. Now researchers present a physical explanation for why thunderstorms intensify at certain locations, based on an analysis of 2.2 million storm events in Africa. The key lies in the interaction between soil moisture patterns and wind conditions in the atmosphere.

A research team led by University of Tsukuba has developed a new method to estimate long-term debris supply from steep slopes by measuring debris accumulated on decades-old abandoned roads using a drone equipped with LiDAR. This approach provides a practical means of quantifying debris input to debris-flow source areas.