Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Biomaterial immune control discoveries could reduce implant rejection
Scientists have discovered how the materials used in medical implants like artificial joints can be adapted to control the immune response to them and reduce the risk of rejection.
Foraging Drosophila flies are open for new microbial partners
Scientists have found that vinegar flies do not necessarily prefer yeasts from their natural environments, but were also attracted by yeasts found in a foreign habitat. Female flies even decided...
Predators help prey adapt to an uncertain future
What effect does extinction of species have on the evolution of surviving species? Evolutionary biologists have investigated this question by conducting a field experiment with a leaf galling fly and...
Nuclear pore transport puzzle solved by super-resolution microscopy
A study has solved a long-standing debate about the transport of essential proteins, implicated in many human diseases, through one of the cell's most complex and sophisticated structures.
Researchers discover microbe that could control spread of malaria
A microbe found in mosquitoes that appears to block malaria could be used to control spread of the disease in humans, according to researchers in Kenya and Britain.
Foraging Drosophila flies are open for new microbial partners
In a comprehensive ecological study, a team of scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena examined three different species of the genus Drosophila and their interactions...
How gene flow between species influences the evolution of Darwin's finches
Despite the traditional view that species do not exchange genes by hybridisation, recent studies show that gene flow between closely related species is more common than previously thought. A team...
Last supper: Fish use sharp barbs and spines to fight off hungry seals
Research reveals the steep price some marine mammals are willing to pay for food, after a stranded fur seal was discovered with more than a dozen facial wounds inflicted by...
Stay-at-home science project: Enlarge gummy bears to reveal the secrets of osmosis
Pure water makes the bears swell up, but salt water keeps them pretty small. Why? Osmosis. (Rachel Feltman/)Welcome to PopSci’s at-home science projects series. On weekdays at noon, we’ll be posting new projects...
A pivotal week for California reopening, as communities and businesses revolt against Newsom
The governor has urged Californians to stay the course, saying the state is moving in the right direction but needs more time in the fight against the spread of the...
Reported tiger in British countryside was life-sized sculpture
About 10 armed police officers and a helicopter crew responded to a rural property on a report of a loose tiger that turned out to be a life-sized sculpture.
Breakthrough in molecular machines
Molecules are some of life's most basic building blocks. When they work together in the right way, they become molecular machines that can solve the most amazing tasks. They are...
New ancient plant captures snapshot of evolution
In a brilliant dance, a cornucopia of flowers, pinecones and acorns connected by wind, rain, insects and animals ensure the reproductive future of seed plants. But before plants achieved these...
Eleven human genomes in nine days
It's only been three years since UC Santa Cruz researchers proved that long-read human genome assembly using the same nanopore technology developed on campus could be done at all. At...
Smart use of genomic data needed in species conservation
A "step-change" in conservation is needed in order to help save species from extinction in the future, according to an academic at the University of East Anglia (UEA).
Discovery of bacterial enzyme activity could lead to new sugar-based drugs
Researchers from DTU Biosustain and DTU Bioengineering have elucidated the activity of the enzyme N-acetylgalactosaminidase (GH109) whose mechanism of activity has until now been a mystery. This enzyme can convert...
Predators help prey adapt to an uncertain future
What effect does extinction of species have on the evolution of surviving species? Evolutionary biologists have investigated this question by conducting a field experiment with a leaf galling fly and...
Machine learning platform generates novel COVID-19 antibody sequences for experimental testing
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers have identified an initial set of therapeutic antibody sequences, designed in a few weeks using machine learning and supercomputing, aimed at binding and neutralizing...
Spring signals female bees to lay the next generation of pollinators
The first days of spring—brighter and warmer—are a biological trigger for female bees to wake up from hibernation and begin to build future colonies.
Watch: Rosie O'Donnell says Bill Cosby sexually harassed producer on her show
Rosie O'Donnell said Bill Cosby made an inappropriate remark to a "Rosie O'Donnell Show" producer while appearing as a mystery guest.
Why COVID-19 provides a lesson for Africa to fund social assistance
African countries have responded swiftly to the threat of COVID-19 by implementing various measures to contain its spread. Most of the continent is in lockdown or under curfew, or a...
Malaria mosquito research could provide new control tools
Scientists have discovered a malaria transmission-blocking microbe, making an important stride in the fight against the disease.
Infection researchers identify starting points for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and therapy development
The SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infects lung cells and is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. The viral spike protein mediates entry of the virus into host cells and harbors an...
Study discovers proteins in rice vital for pollination
Scientists at the University of Adelaide and Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China have discovered two proteins in rice involved in pollen aperture formation which are essential in the successful...
Malaria 'completely stopped' by microbe
Scientists say the microbe - found in the wild near Lake Victoria - has enormous potential.
Scientists may never find virus 'missing link' species
The "intermediate host" animal that passed the coronavirus from bats to humans may never be found.
Health Canada pauses regulatory approval for COVID-19 rapid test
Health Canada is restricting the use of a made-in-Canada, rapid COVID-19 test created by Spartan Bioscience after the National Microbiology Lab found problems with the test that made it unreliable.
Coronavirus lockdown: Can nature help improve our mood?
How the outside world can be good for body and mind - with expert tips on making the most of it.