Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Study: 283-fold increase in parasitic worms in fish since 1970s
You may get more than you bargained for when you eat sushi: Since the 1970s, there's been a 283-fold increase in the abundance of a parasitic worm that can be...
A new species of black endemic iguanas in Caribbeans is proposed for urgent conservation
A newly discovered endemic species of melanistic black iguana (Iguana melanoderma), discovered in Saba and Montserrat islands, the Lesser Antilles (Eastern Caribbean), appears to be threatened by unsustainable harvesting (including...
When fathers are pregnant
Reproduction is still one of the greatest mysteries in nature. Pregnancies are usually carried out by the female sex. Only in pipefishes and seahorses males are the pregnant sex. An...
The audacious plan that could save a species
With only two northern white rhinos left in the world - both female - extinction seems a certainty.
Researchers identify gene that may shield against Alzheimer's
People who carry a gene called APOE4 face an increased risk of Alzheimer's. But that effect may be lessened if they got luckier with a different gene, researchers have found.
Plant diversity in European forests is declining
In Europe's temperate forests, less common plant species are being replaced by more widespread species. An international team of researchers has found that this development could be related to an...
Large-scale analysis links glucose metabolism proteins to Alzheimer's disease biology
In the largest study to date of proteins related to Alzheimer's disease, a team of researchers has identified disease-specific proteins and biological processes that could be developed into both new...
Scientists discover bent-toed gecko species in Cambodia
A new species of bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus phnomchiensis) from Cambidia has unexpectedly been discovered.
Cell membrane proteins imaged in 3D
Scientists have demonstrated a new technique for imaging proteins in 3D with nanoscale resolution. Their work enables researchers to identify the precise location of proteins within individual cells, reaching the...
Toxic cell atlas guides new therapies for neurodegeneration
Researchers have identified a comprehensive molecular profile or 'atlas' of the toxic immune cells that damage the brain. They demonstrate the value of this atlas by using it to identify...
Plant diversity in Europe's forests is on the decline
Rare plant species are being replaced by more common species at an alarming rate, according to a new study.
Foxglove plants produce compounds used in heart medicine; can science do it better?
New research investigates how foxgloves create medicinal compounds, with an eye toward improving the process. Specifically, the lab is investigating the chemical processes the plants use to create cardiac glycosides:...
New model finds countries should work together to control coronavirus, harmful species
Countries looking to contain the spread of harmful species and diseases like COVID-19 should work together in multiple hotspots, according to a new model developed by an Arizona State University...
Watch: Family's close call with venomous snake caught on camera
An Australian family's close call with a venomous snake on their front stoop was recorded by their home security cameras.
Out-of-towners who went to 7-Eleven for 'essential drinks' are fined $1,000 each
Seven Fremont residents were ticketed after driving more than 40 miles to a 7-Eleven in Santa Cruz, police said.
Plants control microbiome diversity inside leaves to promote health
Scientists show how plant genes select which microbes get to live inside their leaves in order to stay healthy.
Davis man arrested after coronavirus test sample stolen from hospital, found in CVS shopping cart
A lab confirmed that several layers of protective packing on the test sample were secure and the specimen had not been tampered with, police said.
Scientists discover bent-toed gecko species in Cambodia
A new species of bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus phnomchiensis) has been described from Cambodia's Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary by Wild Earth Allies Biologist Thy Neang in collaboration with North Carolina Museum...
Discovery of a mechanism plants use to toggle on photosynthesis
A research team has developed a new tool to study how lipids interact with proteins in plants to help understand how photosynthesis happens.
Why Ghana's smallholders aren't excited by the latest 'Green Revolution'
The Green Revolution—the introduction of new higher yielding seed varieties, increased use of fertiliser, irrigation and other mechanisation introduced since the 1960s—brought about a great increase in crop yields in...
Foxglove plants produce heart medicine. Can science do it better?
Foxglove plants, found in many gardens, are known for the showers of bell-shaped flowers they produce.
Small protein that synchronizes the circadian clocks in shoots and roots
Five years ago, researchers from the Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) led by the CSIC Research Professor Paloma Mas made the breakthrough discovery that the circadian clocks in...
Discovery of a drug to rescue winter depression-like behavior
A group of animal biologists and chemists at the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, has used a chemical genomics approach to explore the underlying mechanism of winter depression-like...
Study at zoos shows 42% of animals infected with 'Toxoplasma gondii'
Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease caused by the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, which can be passed from animals to human beings (zoonosis). It is widely spread all over the world and,...
Canada lynx disappearing from Washington state
Canada lynx are losing ground in Washington state, even as federal officials are taking steps to remove the species' threatened status under the Endangered Species Act. A massive monitoring study...
Great time to try: starting a vegetable garden
There is a long history of looking to one's own garden or small farm when the weight of economic and political chaos becomes too much to bear.
Study shows pangolins may have passed new coronavirus from bats to humans
Pangolins, not snakes, may be the missing link for transmission of the new coronavirus from bats to humans.
Wildlife conservation in a time of pandemic
Wildlife conservation is a type of work without end. It's ongoing. It revolves around time—while racing against it. Pausing amid a global pandemic isn't an option, because that could mean...