Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Malaria parasite ticks to its own internal clock
Researchers have long known that all of the millions of malaria parasites within an infected person's body move through their cell cycle at the same time. They multiply in sync...
Differences in frugivores affect consumption of fruits and seed dispersal in tropical forests
Frugivory and seed dispersal are key processes that shape both plant and animal communities, and are important in the maintenance and regeneration of forest ecosystems threatened by environmental changes.
Increased frequency of connected patterns from drought to heavy rain in regional hotspots
Study identifies increased frequency of connected patterns from drought to heavy rain in regional hotspots
The adaptable anthrax bacterium
The bacterium Bacillus anthracis—the cause of the serious infectious disease anthrax—has been used as a bioterror agent. Understanding how B. anthracis adapts to hostile environments to cause infection may identify...
N.Y. Stock Exchange trading floor to reopen May 26 under new COVID-19 restrictions
The physical trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange will reopen after Memorial Day with new COVID-19 protective measures, President Stacey Cunningham said.
Toronto Zoo pivots to 'drive-thru' format, welcomes adorable new baby giraffe
The Toronto zoo says it will be a "drive-thru experience" when it gets the green light to open its gates to visitors after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.
DNA sequence symmetries from maximum entropy: The origin of the Chargaff's second parity rule
Most living organisms rely on double-stranded DNA to perpetuate their genetic code. This biological information is the main target of evolution.
The carnivorous plant lifestyle is gene costly
Plants can produce energy-rich biomass with the help of light, water and carbon dioxide. This is why they are at the beginning of the food chains. But carnivorous plants have...
Coral bleaching: Scientists 'find way to make coral more heat-resistant'
Researchers say they have developed a lab-grown strain of microalgae which is more tolerant to heat.
One in 4 restaurants won't re-open after pandemic, study says
Your favorite restaurant, now closed or only accepting take out orders due to the coronavirus, may never reopen, according to a top exec with reservation service OpenTable.
'Surge' in illegal bird of prey killings since lockdown
The RSPB says it has been "overrun" by reports of birds of prey being illegally killed.
In victory over polio, hope for the battle against COVID-19
Medicine's great triumph over polio holds out hope we can do the same for COVID-19, two researchers say.
Cats can catch COVID-19, no evidence they pass it to humans
With sporadic reports of tigers and housecats picking up the new coronavirus from nearby humans, a new trial gives more details on whether cats can pass the virus to each...
Color of cells a 'thermometer' for molecular imbalance
Non-invasive color analysis of cells could one day be used in diagnostics, a proof-of-concept study has shown.
Space station leaves 'microbial fingerprint' on astronauts
We all carry around our own microbiome, a world of microorganisms that live on our skin and in our bodies, playing important roles in maintaining health as we interact with...
Researchers discover potential targets for COVID-19 therapy
Researchers were able to observe how human cells change upon infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19 in people. The scientists tested a series of compounds in laboratory models and...
Newly emerged coronavirus did not spill over from scaly anteaters, researchers say
Mammals known as scaly anteaters are natural hosts of coronaviruses, but are not likely the direct source of the recent outbreak in humans, according to a new study.
Genetic origins of hybrid dysfunction
In a small pool nestled between two waterfalls in Hidalgo, Mexico, lives a population of hybrid fish—the result of many generations of interbreeding between highland and sheepshead swordtails. The lab...
Discovery of malaria parasite's clock could pave way to new treatments
The parasite that causes malaria has its own internal clock, explaining the disease's rhythmic fevers and opening new pathways for therapeutics.
Tracking an organism's development, cell by cell
Scientists at the Stem Cell Research program at Boston Children's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School have devised a mouse model that lets researchers track every cell in the...
Research traces how farmlands affect bee disease spread
A new Cornell University study on bees, plants and landscapes in upstate New York sheds light on how bee pathogens spread, offering possible clues for what farmers could do to...
Coronavirus deaths in California near 3,000 as reopenings continue
California will likely surpass 3,000 COVID-19 deaths and top 75,000 confirmed cases by day's end. Meanwhile, 18 counties have been cleared to reopen.
The exposome: When our environment drives health and disease
The exposome is the sum of all the environmental drivers of health and diseases: a combination of external factors such as chemicals contained in the air, water or food, and...
Dynamic stimulation of the visual cortex allows blind and sighted people to 'see' shapes
A team of investigators has described an approach in which implanted electrodes are stimulated in a dynamic sequence, essentially 'tracing' shapes on the surface of the visual cortex that participants...
Study confirms cats can become infected with and may transmit COVID-19 to other cats
Scientists report that in the laboratory, cats can readily become infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and may be able to pass the virus to other cats.
Can COVID-19 spread through fecal matter?
Early studies show evidence of COVID-19 genetic material in fecal matter, but more work is needed to determine if the virus can be spread through stool, according to a new...
The carnivorous plant lifestyle is gene costly
The genomes of three carnivorous plants -- the Venus flytrap, spoon-leaved sundew and the waterwheel plant -- have been decoded. The result has caused some surprises.
Malaria parasites may have their own circadian rhythms
The parasites that cause malaria may march to the beat of their own drum. New genetic analyses suggest that Plasmodium parasites possess their own circadian rhythms, and don’t depend on a host...