Latest science news in Biology & Nature
In rare case, man develops painful deep vein blood clots following brown recluse spider bite
A man in Michigan developed deep vein thrombosis after reportedly being bitten by a brown recluse spider.
Mikado in the cell: Arrangement of proteins could be responsible for diseases
Processes inside human cells are tightly regulated in time and space by various enzymes and proteins. However, if processes become unbalanced—for example, because cells experience increased stress—these processes can also...
Soil microbes that survived tough climates can help young trees do the same
Microbial stress can be a boon for young trees. Saplings grown in soil microbes that have experienced drought, cold or heat are more likely to survive when faced with those same conditions, researchers...
Ivory Coast imposes fishing bans in bid to conserve stocks
West African fish exporter Ivory Coast on Thursday announced temporary bans on trawling for tuna and other species in a bid to protect dwindling stocks.
What was behind Australia's potato shortage? Wet weather and hard-to-control diseases
,If you've been into a fish and chip shop in the last 12 months, you may well have seen a notice tacked to the wall about the impact of the...
Polar fish are less likely to die early, so they prioritize growth over reproduction
Polar fish experience lower mortality than tropical fish, allowing them to delay reproduction until later in life when they are larger and can produce more eggs, according to a study...
Study establishes molecular basis for interaction between essential protein complex and its regulator
The labs of Lauren Jackson, associate professor of biological sciences and biochemistry, and Todd Graham, Stevenson Professor of Biological Sciences at the College of Arts and Science and professor of...
New names proposed for Cynanchum species endemic to Madagascar
In Madagascar, Cynanchum L. is the most species-rich genus of the dogbane family (Apocynaceae). About 80 species are known there and most of them are endemic. Among these species, C....
Study finds double threat for endangered Australian east coast shark
A slow birthrate and night-time wanderings of pregnant gray nurse sharks away from no-take marine protected areas are putting the fierce-looking but mild-mannered species at further risk of extinction.
Conservation scientists give trafficked, endangered parrots fighting chance
Two dozen rare Amazon parrot chicks left orphaned and homeless by a sophisticated wildlife smuggling operation are receiving round-the-clock care by Florida International University conservation zoologists.
Photographic study reveals incidence of attempted shark predation on Australian dolphins
Dolphins and porpoises are welcome features of Australia's coastline however little is known about the predation risk they face from sharks in their habitat.
Doctor dog: How our canine companions can help us detect COVID and other diseases
While we humans generally experience the world through sight, dogs use scent to learn about the environment around them. What their nose knows is crucial for finding food, mates and...
Computational model estimates lifespan of any fish species using only its genome sequence
If a fishery manager could only know one thing about a fish species, it should be lifespan. But many species live out their lives on time scales much longer than...
Beetles in a bottle: A message from aliens to schools
While invasive alien species (IAS) represent a growing threat to global biodiversity and ecosystems, public awareness of them hasn't seen a significant increase. Many researchers believe informing people about IAS...
Orchids' ability to grow on other plants independently evolved multiple times
The most extensive study of the genetic relationships among orchids to date reveals that the flower's ability to grow on other plants evolved independently multiple times. A team of researchers,...
Why are cave-dwelling eels growing skin over their left eyes? It may be evolution in action.
These "greedy" eels likely retreated into the gloomy depths of underwater caves in search of tasty crustaceans and are adapting to the darkness by going blind, one eye at a...
Researchers discover Chinmo, 'the youth gene'
A new study published on eLife and led by the Institute for Evolutionary Biology (IBE, CSIC-UPF) and the IRB Barcelona, has revealed that the Chinmo gene is responsible for establishing...
Study links SIDS with faulty chemical receptor in brainstem
Researchers have found another clue as to why some infants die suddenly in their sleep, and it's related to a faulty chemical receptor in the brainstem.
Theoretical biologists uncover novel mechanism for flight control in fruit flies
Researchers at the Institute for Theoretical Biology at Humboldt Universität have solved a long-standing mathematical puzzle about the emergence of electrical activity patterns during insect flight. Together with colleagues at...
Japanese researchers successfully induce primate oocytes in the lab
The many types of cells in the human body are produced through the process of differentiation, in which stem cells are converted to more specialized types. Currently, it is challenging...
Can sugar and fat influence immune cell responses?
In a new study, published in Nature Cell Biology, scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) explored the location, function, gene expression, and metabolism of MAIT cells in the...
5,000 deep-sea animals new to science turned up in ocean records
More than 5,000 animal species previously unknown to science live in a pristine part of the deep sea. Their home — called the Clarion-Clipperton Zone — sits in the central and eastern...
Scientists may be able to put Mars-bound astronauts into 'suspended animation' using sound waves, mouse study suggests
Firing ultrasound signals into rodent brains puts them in a torpor-like state. Scientists are wondering if it could be used on humans.
New study shows the superior reactive oxygen species removal ability of copper coupled to lysozyme
In aerobic organisms, reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydroxide (OH), singlet oxygen (1O2), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and superoxide (O2–) ions are produced during aerobic respiration, which causes serious oxidative...
The outlook for animal populations on this planet is dire
A new study is sounding the alarm over global wildlife loss, painting what the authors call "a considerably more alarming picture" of worldwide species population declines than previously thought.
IG Report: U.S. Park Police used excessive force against Australian journalists
The Department of Interior Inspector General has found that U.S. Park Police used excessive force against two Australian journalists as protesters were dispersed in Washington D.C.'s Lafayette Park on June...
Look: Pet squirrel rescued from tree in Ohio
Firefighters in Ohio came to the rescue of a domesticated squirrel that found itself stranded 60 feet up in a tree -- and stuck to a branch.
Chromatin remodeling complexes 'bookmark' cell identity during division
When a cell divides, it retains information about how to grow and instructions about what type of cell to become. Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have gained a...