Michael Irving

6 days ago | yahoo.com | Michael Irving

Scientists have sequenced the genome of one of the rarest animals in the world: the 'Asian unicorn', which hasn't been seen in more than a decade. The first-of-its-kind genetic analysis offers new hope that the species could be saved from the brink of extinction – if it's not already too late. The saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis, and pronounced saw-la) is a bovine that hangs out in the mountainous forests of Vietnam and Laos.

6 days ago | sciencealert.com | Michael Irving

Scientists have sequenced the genome of one of the rarest animals in the world: the 'Asian unicorn', which hasn't been seen in more than a decade. The first-of-its-kind genetic analysis offers new hope that the species could be saved from the brink of extinction – if it's not already too late. The saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis, and pronounced saw-la) is a bovine that hangs out in the mountainous forests of Vietnam and Laos.

2 weeks ago | sciencealert.com | Michael Irving

Checking the health of soil could soon be as simple as asking the local bacteria. Drones or satellites could detect their answers, given as different-colored glows in response to triggers like nutrients or contaminants. Since they can be easily edited to produce molecules when certain conditions are met, bacteria are already widely used as sensors. But checking their responses usually requires a microscope and time.

2 weeks ago | sciencealert.com | Michael Irving

A lonely black hole roaming the cosmos in solitude has been confirmed for the first time. A closer look has revealed the dark object's identity, after much hubbub. The new analysis shows that the black hole has a mass of around 7.15 times that of the Sun, it's about 4,958 light-years away, and it's shooting through space at a speed of around 51 kilometers (32 miles) per second. But what's really special about it is that it's the only verified solitary black hole discovered wandering the Universe.

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Michael Irving

A Rogue Black Hole Roaming Our Galaxy May Have Just Been ConfirmedA lonely black hole roaming the cosmos in solitude has been confirmed for the first time. A closer look has revealed the dark object's identity, after much hubbub. The new analysis shows that the black hole has a mass of around 7.15 times that of the Sun, it's about 4,958 light-years away, and it's shooting through space at a speed of around 51 kilometers (32 miles) per second.