Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Tortoise hatchlings found to orient toward objects resembling faces
A trio of researchers, one with the University of London, the other two with the University of Trento, has found that freshly hatched tortoises tend to orient themselves toward objects...
Extinction: Urgent change needed to save species, says UN
Humanity is at a crossroads and action is needed to slow nature's accelerating decline, says the UN.
Global Biodiversity Is in Free Fall
A U.N. report reveals that countries worldwide have failed to meet key conservation targets set for 2020 -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Humans have been degrading the American tropics for 500 years
New research suggests human activities have damaged ecosystems across the American tropics over the last 500 years, leading to significant declines in biodiversity.
How dividing cells avoid setting off false virus alarms
One feature of cell division has long puzzled scientists. The nucleus briefly disappears, leaving the cell's DNA exposed. Normally, bare DNA indicates a viral infection and triggers enzymatic alarms that...
A new species of milkweed subfamily found in Yunnan
Hoya is a genus in the Asclepiadoideae, the milkweed subfamily of the flowering-plant family Apocynaceae. In the past decade, 15 new Hoya were reported in China. Together with the newly...
Study reveals impact of centuries of human activity in American tropics
The devastating effects of human activity on wildlife in the American tropics over the last 500 years are revealed in a new study published today.
Ocean algae get 'coup de grace' from viruses
Scientists have long believed that ocean viruses always quickly kill algae, but Rutgers-led research shows they live in harmony with algae and viruses provide a "coup de grace" only when...
New study finds two amino acids are the Marie Kondo of molecular liquid phase separation
The last several years have brought mounting evidence that the molecules inside our cells can self-organize into liquid droplets that merge and separate like oil in water in order to...
Team offers new rules for algae species classification
FSU Assistant Professor of Biological Science Sophie McCoy and her team are proposing formal definitions for algae species and subcategories for the research community to consider: They are recommending algae...
Human activities promote disease-spreading mosquitoes; more study needed for prevention
Disease-spreading mosquitoes may be more likely to occupy areas impacted by human activities like pesticide use and habitat destruction, than they are areas less disturbed by humans, a recent study...
Wildlife trade threats: The importance of genetic data in saving an endangered species
A research team analyses the genetic diversity of the endangered four-eyed turtle, a species that has fallen victim to the growing wildlife trade in Vietnam. Having identified several distinct lineages...
New rules for algae species classification
A team of evolutionary biologists and ecologists has a new idea for how scientists should classify algae species.
911 call captures off-duty deputy spotting possible loose tiger
A 911 recording captured an off-duty deputy reporting a tiger on the loose in East Knox County, Tenn.
Gene-edited livestock 'surrogate sires' successfully made fertile
For the first time, scientists have created pigs, goats and cattle that can serve as viable 'surrogate sires,' male animals that produce sperm carrying only the genetic traits of donor...
Zoo's sloths appear to kiss on camera in first encounter
A pair of Dudley Zoo's sloth, Reggie and Flo, appeared to kiss on camera in their first encounter.
How do giraffes and elephants alter the African Savanna landscape?
As they roam around the African savanna in search for food, giraffes and elephants alter the diversity and richness of its vegetation. By studying the foraging patterns of these megaherbivores...
Gene-edited livestock 'surrogate sires' successfully made fertile
For the first time, scientists have created pigs, goats and cattle that can serve as viable "surrogate sires," male animals that produce sperm carrying only the genetic traits of donor...
Immune system affects mind and body, study indicates
New research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis helps illuminate a surprising mind-body connection. In mice, the researchers found that immune cells surrounding the brain produce a...
Immune system affects mind and body, study indicates
Researchers have discovered that a molecule produced by the immune system acts on the brain to change the behavior of mice.
Dams exacerbate the consequences of climate change on river fish
A potential response of river fish to environmental changes is to colonize new habitats. But what happens when dams and weirs restrict their movement? And are native and alien species...
New X-ray microscopy technique enables comprehensive imaging of dense neural circuits
A new x-ray microscopy technique could help accelerate efforts to map neural circuits and ultimately the brain itself. Combined with artificial intelligence-driven image analysis, researchers used XNH to reconstruct dense...
Structure of ATPase, the world's smallest turbine, solved
The chemical ATP, adenosine triphosphate, is the fuel that powers all life. Despite ATP's central role, the structure of the enzyme generating ATP, F1Fo-ATP synthase, in mammals, including humans, has...
DNA damage caused by migrating light energy
Ultraviolet light endangers the integrity of human genetic information and may cause skin cancer. For the first time, researchers at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have demonstrated that DNA damage...
DNA unlocks a new understanding of coral
A new study challenges more than 200 years of coral classification. Researchers say the 'traditional' method does not accurately capture the differences between species or their evolutionary relationships. They developed...
DNA damage caused by migrating light energy
Ultraviolet light endangers the integrity of human genetic information and may cause skin cancer. For the first time, researchers have demonstrated that DNA damage may also occur far away from...
'Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse' series to premiere Nov. 18 on Disney+
"The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse," a series of new animated shorts, is coming to Disney+ in November.
Rubbery properties help RNA nanoparticles target tumors efficiently and quickly leave body
A new study by researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center—Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC—James) shows that RNA nanoparticles have elastic...