Latest science news in Biology & Nature
With less money and more risk, waves of child-care providers call it quits
The coronavirus has forced thousands of child-care centers in California to close.
California wildfires: Santa Cruz evacuation site reaches capacity
A Santa Cruz shelter site reached capacity Saturday as wildfires raged in California, killing at least five people and burning down hundreds of homes.
Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali dead at 68
Quiet Riot drummer and manager Frankie Banali has died at age 68.
Genetically modified mosquitoes have been OK’d for a first U.S. test flight
After a decade of fits and starts, officials in the Florida Keys have voted to allow the first test in the United States of free-flying, genetically modified mosquitoes as a way to...
Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Jack Sherman dies at 64
Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Jack Sherman has died at age 64, his former band announced on social media.
Bioluminescent tag to detect DNA break repair
A new bioluminescent reporter that tracks DNA double stranded break (DSB) repair in cells has been developed.
Birth of panda cub provides 'much-needed moment of pure joy'
Delivering a "much-needed moment of pure joy," the National Zoo's giant panda Mei Xiang gave birth to a wiggling cub Friday at a time of global pandemic and social unrest.
Frigid waters are no match for salmon muscle
A single amino acid swap boosts cold tolerance in Atlantic salmon
Loofah-inspired aerogel efficiently filters microbes from water
Low-cost, functionalized silica material kills bacteria instantly and is easy to clean
Genomic analysis reveals many animal species may be vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection
Analysis of ACE2, the main receptor that SARS-CoV-2 uses to bind and enter cells, across 410 vertebrate species reveals that many are potentially susceptible to infection by the novel coronavirus....
Tiny engineered therapeutic delivery system safely solves genetic problems in mice
Inserting genetic material into the body to treat diseases caused by gene mutations can work, scientists say - but getting those materials to the right place safely is tricky. Scientists...
Researchers create bioluminescent tag to detect DNA break repair
A new bioluminescent reporter that tracks DNA double stranded break (DSB) repair in cells has been developed by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Academia Sinica in Taiwan....
Tiny engineered therapeutic delivery system safely solves genetic problems in mice
Inserting genetic material into the body to treat diseases caused by gene mutations can work, scientists say—but getting those materials to the right place safely is tricky.
New 'molecular computers' find the right cells
New nanoscale devices, made of synthetic proteins, have been designed to target a therapeutic agent only to cells with a specific, predetermined combinations of cell surface markers. They operate on...
Understanding how birds respond to extreme weather can inform conservation efforts
How do different bird species respond to extreme weather events that occur for different amounts of time, ranging from weekly events like heat waves to seasonal events like drought? And...
Meet hedge fund managers of avian world
New research finds that brood parasites living in more variable and unpredictable habitats tend to parasitize -- or squat and drop their eggs in -- the nests of a greater...
Loofah-inspired aerogel efficiently filters microbes from water
Low-cost, functionalized silica material kills bacteria instantly and is easy to clean
Microfluidic chip technology enables rapid multiplex diagnosis of plant viral diseases
A research group composed of Professor Takayuki Shibata and his colleagues at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology has applied a microfluidic chip technology to develop a...
A new method for in vivo plant cell imaging with SNAP-tag proteins
A team of scientists at the Nagoya University Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM) have developed a method for visualizing microtubule dynamics and cell membrane protein endocytosis in living plant cells,...
New insights into lung tissue in COVID-19 disease
Researchers have developed a new three-dimensional imaging technique to visualize tissue damage in severe COVID-19.
Judicial overreach threatens religious freedom
The First Amendment protections of our fundamental rights are being challenged and tested in significant ways, with important implications for all.
Mauritians Launch Rescue to Save Wildlife from Oil Spill
In addition to trapping oil with booms, residents of Mauritius have evacuated endangered plants and animals -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
What kind of animal transports the seeds of the world's smallest fruit-bearing plants?
Balanophora have some of the smallest fruits among angiosperms, leading researchers to question how the seeds of these plants are dispersed. Very little is currently known about their seed dispersal...
Stealthy thieves steal 330-pound safe from ninja museum
A Japanese museum dedicated to the history and practices of ninjas was targeted by thieves who apparently knew something of stealth and speed themselves -- stealing $9,470 in three minutes.
A new molecular guardian of intestinal stem cells
Intestinal stem cells hold a fine balance between two potential forms: remaining as stem cells, or developing into intestinal epithelial cells. In a new study, researchers from Tokyo Medical and...
Incredible mobility of flying foxes complicates conservation efforts
The extraordinary mobility of flying foxes makes management and conservation efforts especially difficult, according to a study published Friday in the journal BMC Biology, .
They 'don't wannna live' with a cinnamon bear: Colour morph black bear with cubs sparks curiosity, concern
Singer-songwriter writer Neil Young once sang "I wanna live with a cinnamon girl," but while the colour is certainly eye-catching, residents of a Fort St. John neighbourhood don't quite share the...
Super-resolution imaging breakthrough in living cells
Edinburgh scientists have developed a new imaging technique that reveals the inner workings of living cells in stunning detail and could pave the way to a better understanding of many...