Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Flying-foxes' extraordinary mobility creates key challenges for management and conservation
New research led by scientists at Western Sydney University and published in BMC Biology shows that flying-foxes are always on the move among a vast network of roosts, creating key...
Novel hormone discovery provides new insight into the evolution of plant structure
An international study co-led by the Monash University School of Biological Sciences has discovered a stem-cell promoting hormone in the liverwort Marchantia polymopha.
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. However, very little is currently known about their seed...
Fruit flies reveal first known social cue of safety
Scientists discovered the world's first known social cue of safety while observing how different numbers of fruit flies respond to an imminent threat.
Scientists find COVID-19 coronavirus variant linked to milder infections
Researchers in Singapore have discovered a new variant of the COVID-19 coronavirus that causes milder infections, according to a study published in The Lancet medical journal this week.
Russian doctors deny effort to move Alexei Navalny to Germany
Russian doctors treating opposition leader Alexei Navalny refused Friday to allow him to be transferred to Germany, adding to the mystery of his condition.
The board game Endangered shows just how hard conservation can be
Saving endangered species isn’t easy. Doing so requires the cooperation of many people — from scientists and conservation organizations to governments and local residents — as well as a bit of luck. That’s...
In times of ecological uncertainty, brood parasites hedge their bets
Some birds lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species and let the host parents raise their young. A new study finds that in times of environmental flux,...
BTS release first English-only single, 'Dynamite'
K-pop superstars BTS released a new single, "Dynamite," on Friday, a bouncy disco-pop track that marks the first time the band has performed a song entirely in English.
Minnesota Timberwolves win No. 1 overall pick in 2020 NBA draft lottery
The Minnesota Timberwolves hold the top-overall selection in this year's draft after winning the 2020 NBA draft lottery Thursday night.
Delving into bacterial gene-expression machinery
Transcription factors connect and stabilize bacterial transcription and translation machinery
Fighting cancer with rejection-resistant, 'off-the-shelf' therapeutic T cells
Researchers are developing ready-to-use, off-the-shelf therapeutic T cells. These are genetically engineered T cells that are manufactured from normal, healthy donors. The cells are expanded and well characterized, and have...
Florida mosquitoes: 750 million genetically modified insects to be released
The aim is to reduce insect-borne diseases but environmental groups warn of unforeseen consequences.
Watch: Australian gold hunters find two nuggets weighing 7.7 pounds
A pair of Australian gold diggers revealed they discovered a pair of large gold nuggets weighing a total 7.7 pounds and with an estimated worth of $250,000.
New approach uses wild genes to improve biological nitrogen fixation in soybeans
One of the top four crops grown worldwide, soybean has been an integral part of Chinese agriculture for a long time, having been domesticated more than 6000 years ago. During...
Researchers create nanoclusters that mimic biomolecules
Biological systems come in all shapes, sizes and structures. Some of these structures, such as those found in DNA, RNA and proteins, are formed through complex molecular interactions that are...
A new tool to create chemical complexity from fatty acids
Hokkaido University WPI-ICReDD researchers developed a modular catalyst that can accurately modify fatty acid derivatives in a hitherto inaccessible position. This enables the efficient production of valuable compounds from a...
Leading-edge Technology Unmasks Protein Linked to Parkinson’s Disease
An elusive protein that many consider the key of fully understanding the causes of genetic Parkinson’s disease has come much more clearly into focus. Impacting millions around the world, Parkinson’s...
Studies in humanized mice and convalescent humans yield a SARS-CoV-2 antibody cocktail
Neutralizing antibodies have become an important tool in treating infectious diseases. Recently, two separate approaches yielded successful antibody treatments for Ebola—one from genetically humanized mice and the other from a...
SOSTDC1-producing follicular helper T cells promote regulatory follicular T cell differentiation
Germinal center (GC) responses potentiate the generation of follicular regulatory T (TFR) cells. However, the molecular cues driving TFR cell formation remain unknown. Here, we show that sclerostin domain-containing protein...
Cross-reactivity between tumor MHC class I-restricted antigens and an enterococcal bacteriophage
Intestinal microbiota have been proposed to induce commensal-specific memory T cells that cross-react with tumor-associated antigens. We identified major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I–binding epitopes in the tail length tape...
Lungfish fins reveal how limbs evolved
New research on the fin development of the Australian lungfis elucidates how fins evolved into limbs with hands with digits. The main finding is that in lungfish a primitive hand...
Unique protein structures could hold the key to treatment for Parkinson's disease
Scientists have discovered a series of protein structures that are thought to be highly relevant to the onset of Parkinson's disease. It is hoped that further analysis of these structures...
Study adds to evidence that cells in the nose are key entry point for SARS CoV-2
Scientists experimenting with a small number of human cell samples report that the 'hook' of cells used by SARS-CoV-2 to latch onto and infect cells is up to 700 times...
Australia's wish list of exotic pets
Unsustainable trade of species is the major pathway for the introduction of invasive alien species at distant localities at higher frequencies. It is also a major driver of over-exploitation of...
Studying viral outbreaks in single cells could reveal new ways to defeat them
Many viruses mutate so quickly that identifying effective vaccines or treatments is like trying to hit a moving target. A better understanding of viral propagation and evolution in single cells...
Immunologists summarize functions of protein family for scientific community
Fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) serve as a type of chaperone, coordinating the transport of fatty acids and other molecules between cells. Bing Li, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department...
Researchers take a fresh look at the Michaelis-Menten equation
Researchers from Aarhus University challenge one of the cornerstones of biochemistry, the Michaelis-Menten equation. They show that many enzymes in signaling pathways are independent of substrate concentration, because the substrate...