Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Nature reveals there's more than one way to build a lung
Our bodies are home to hidden trees—complex, branching structures vital to the functions of organs including the lung, kidney, and pancreas.
Crabeater seal data used to predict changes in Antarctic krill distribution
The western Antarctic Peninsula is experiencing rapid environmental change, with warming air and ocean temperatures and decreasing sea ice. How these changes will affect Antarctic krill is a crucial question,...
Biochemists unveil molecular mechanism for motor protein regulation
Movement signals life, and nowhere is this truer than inside a living cell. The millions of proteins and molecules within each of our cells bend, travel and conform in a...
They remember: Communities of microbes found to have working memory
Biologists studying collectives of bacteria, or "biofilms," have discovered that these so-called simple organisms feature a robust capacity for memory.
How to include human connection with nature in biodiversity goals
We need new ways of understanding how people depend on nature in our efforts to protect biodiversity. A new thesis from Lund University in Sweden suggests that we rarely take...
Rapid evolution in fish: Genomic changes within a generation
Researchers from Basel have identified the genetic basis of rapid adaptation using a native fish species. They compared threespine stickleback fish from different habitats in the Lake Constance region. Their...
AFRICOM says 2 civilians were killed in 2019 Somalia airstrike
The Pentagon's Africa Command said the two civilians were "regrettably and unintentionally killed" and three were injured in a Feb. 23, 2019, airstrike that targeted terrorists in the northwestern African...
How do viruses mutate and jump species?
Viruses are little more than parasitic fragments of RNA or DNA. Despite this, they are astonishingly abundant in number and genetic diversity. We don't know how many virus species there...
Unraveling the genetic mysteries of infectious disease
As a genomics epidemiologist, Hayley Yaglom is currently studying the transmission patterns of COVID-19 and working to support Arizona communities with testing for the virus. After earning a bachelor's degree...
Droplets are key to cells' dynamic activities
A cell is a complex machine whose flexible architecture enables it to take part in life's activities: relaying information, managing waste, responding to stress.
Organ size regulator DA1 is involved in the formation of lateral branches
Branches affect plant architecture and plant yield. Although some regulatory factors affecting the formation of lateral branches have been reported, the mechanism of the formation of lateral branches is still...
Herpes virus decoded
The genome of the herpes simplex virus 1 was decoded using new methods. Hundreds of previously unknown gene products were found. The virus causes lip herpes, but can also be...
Engineers develop precision injection system for plants
While the human world is reeling from one pandemic, there are several ongoing epidemics that affect crops and put global food production at risk. Oranges, olives, and bananas are already...
Researchers' method holds promise for brain study, better tests for viruses
University of Texas at Dallas researchers have developed a promising method for remotely stimulating activity in deep brain regions, advancing understanding of how molecules act in the brain and paving...
Salmonid fishes use different mechanism to defend against parasite infections
Research on salmonid fishes by the University of Jyväskylä and the Natural Resources Institute Finland sheds light on animal defence mechanisms and their interactions. The research demonstrates that populations with...
Solving the puzzle of life's development
Stanislav Shvartsman dreams of modeling every minuscule interaction in the embryo in all its tortuous detail.
'When Calls the Heart' renewed for an eighth season
Hallmark Channel has renewed "When Calls the Heart" for an eighth season.
Engineers develop precision injection system for plants
While the human world is reeling from one pandemic, there are several ongoing epidemics that affect crops and put global food production at risk. Oranges, olives, and bananas are already...
Herpes virus decoded: Individual genes now more precisely identified and studied
Until now, scientists had assumed that there are about 80 so-called open reading frames (ORFs) in the genome of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). These are the locations in the...
Engineers develop precision injection system for plants
While the human world is reeling from one pandemic, there are several ongoing epidemics that affect crops and put global food production at risk. Oranges, olives, and bananas are already under threat in...
Structure of biocatalysts depends on whether they are in cells or test tubes
The structure of enzymes determines how they control vital processes such as digestion or immune response. This is because the protein compounds are not rigid, but can change their shape...
Governors say they'll ease virus restrictions, with an abundance of caution
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis offered caution as coronavirus stay at home orders lifted.
Syphilis eludes immune attack by altering a single gene
Shuffling of DNA in a single gene might be why the syphilis bacteria can evade the immune system. The change alters a protein on its cell surface to create a...
Governors say they'll ease virus restrictions, with an abundance of caution
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis offered caution as coronavirus stay at home orders lifted.
Breakthrough discovery in HIV research opens path to new, better therapies
Cells infected with HIV make two forms of the virus's RNA. A new article finds a single nucleotide controls which version of viral RNA an infected cell makes; both forms...
3 arrested at beach protest against California stay-at-home order
About 75 to 100 people gathered near a San Diego County beach to protest stay-at-home orders that also limit access to public parks and beaches.
Dolphins reclaim Bosphorus as virus silences Istanbul
A lull in boat traffic and a fishing ban in Istanbul forced by the coronavirus pandemic has proved good news for some of the city's most-loved inhabitants—the dolphins that swim...
Oil-loaded gels fight fungus
Organogels made with essential oils could be used as drug delivery devices and food preservatives