Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Putting a future avocado 'apocalypse' on ice
For the first time, an Australian cryogenics scientist has shown that avocado shoot tips can be successfully frozen and revived -- and that's great news for future generations of the...
Putting a future avocado apocalypse on ice
The supply of smashed 'avo' is secure for generations after world-first research cryopreserved the tips of avocado shoots and then revived them to create healthy plants.
New study of molar size regulation in hominins
The molar size relationship is one of the peculiar characteristics of hominins species, and various theories have been proposed to account for this, as well as the differences in shape...
Caffeine shot delivers wake-up call on antifungal drug resistance
The management of fungal infections in plants and humans could be transformed by a breakthrough in understanding how fungi develop resistance to drugs. It was previously thought that only mutations...
How chemical diversity in plants facilitates plant-animal interactions
We aren't the only beings who enjoy feasting on tasty fruits like apples, berries, peaches, and oranges. Species like bats, monkeys, bears, birds, and even fish consume fruits—and plants count...
Researchers solve decades old mitochondrial mystery that could lead to new disease treatments
Researchers have solved a decades old mystery around a key molecule fueling the power plant of cells that could be exploited to find new ways to treat diseases, from neurodegenerative...
Prediction of protein disorder from amino acid sequence
Structural disorder is vital for proteins' function in diverse biological processes. It is therefore highly desirable to be able to predict the degree of order and disorder from amino acid...
Sampling the gut microbiome with an ingestible pill
Gut microbes affect human health, but there is still much to learn, in part because they're not easy to collect. But researchers now report that they have developed an ingestible...
The surprising rhythms of Leopards: Females are early birds, males are nocturnal
After 10 months of camera surveillance in the Tanzanian rainforest, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have become the first to conclude that female and male leopards are active at...
Diamondback moth uses plant defense substances as oviposition cues
A research team from the Nanjing Agricultural University in Nanjing, China, and the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, showed that isothiocyanates produced by cruciferous plants to...
South Korea returns to auditing defector groups
South Korea is resuming audits of local groups registered with Seoul's unification ministry, after a brief hiatus in August due to a new wave of COVID-19 infections.
Dominic Thiem becomes first Austrian to reach U.S Open semifinals
Second-seeded Dominic Thiem became the first Austrian player to clinch a spot in a U.S. Open semifinal with a straight-sets victory over Alex de Minaur in the quarterfinals of the...
Human disturbance of ecosystems leads to increase in disease-transmitting mosquitoes
The changes that humans are making to the landscape are beneficial for mosquitoes that spread diseases such as Zika, chikungunya and dengue. This is what biologist Maarten Schrama and his...
Swimming with whales: You must know the risks and when it's best to keep your distance
Three people were injured last month in separate humpback whale encounters off the Western Australia coast.
Baboon matriarchs enjoy less stress
You know the type: Loud. Swaggering. Pushy. The alpha male clearly runs the show. Female alphas are often less conspicuous than their puffed up male counterparts, but holding the top...
Scientists say Russia's COVID-19 vaccine study raises questions, concerns
An international group of scientists, in an open letter, have questioned Russian research that went into analyzing the COVID-19 vaccine announced last month by the Kremlin.
New technology to fight plagues and pathogens in crops
Researchers at the Institute of Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology (IBMCP), mixed center of the Polytechnic University of Valencia and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), have developed a new...
Primate feces could hold key to understanding threats to wildlife from chemical pollutants
Primate feces could be a valuable key to determining exposure to frequently used chemicals, giving scientists a better understanding of the threat to wildlife from chemical pollutants, even in remote...
New 'tree dragon' discovered in Mexican forest
As soon as Adam Clause saw the photo, he knew he was looking at something special.
An evolutionary roll of the dice explains why we're not perfect
Scientists have found that chance events can be more important than natural selection in defining the genome of species like humans and other mammals.
Structural clues for influenza virus assembly and disassembly
The influenza A virus is surrounded by a lipid bilayer that forms the outermost layer much like the plasma membranes on our own cells. Immediately under this lipid bilayer is...
Birth of cloned Przewalski's foal offers genetic diversity for this endangered species
On Aug. 6, 2020, the world's first successfully cloned Przewalski's horse was born in Texas at the veterinary facility of a ViaGen Equine collaborator, Timber Creek Veterinary. The foal, born...
Novel AI technique identifies viral control of intracellular changes
Using an artificial intelligence (AI) cell classification technique, Northwestern Medicine investigators found that viruses can control structural and genetic polarity inside the cell nucleus. The findings, published in Nature, highlight...
Mutant tomato helps to crack the secrets of fruiting
It may sound like something out of a science fiction B-movie, but with the help of a mutant tomato, researchers from Japan have discovered that the development process of fruit...
A new evergreen species of Rhamnaceae found in Guangxi
Rhamnella in the family of Rhamnaceae is a small genus. To date, 10 species have been accepted into this genus. In field investigations, researchers from the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical garden...
Old grasslands show high biodiversity and conservation value
"The grass is always greener on the other side," as the saying goes, but in this case, it's more diverse. Researchers from Japan have discovered that old grasslands have higher...
Pollution wreaks havoc on corals' immune systems
Fighting infections is hard. It's even harder for corals also grappling with pollution.
WWF: Tree loss, illegal trade, land use drive wildlife decline since 1970
A new environmental report Thursday blames deforestation, unsustainable agriculture and the illegal wildlife trade for a substantial loss of animals around the world over the last half-century.