Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Who's your daddy? Male seahorses transport nutrients to embryos
New research has found male seahorses transport nutrients to their developing babies during pregnancy. This discovery provides an opportunity for further comparative evolutionary research.
Leukemia breakthrough: CircASXL1-1 regulates BAP1 deubiquitinase activity in leukemia
Researchers have identified covalently closed circular RNAs (circRNAs) from key genes involved in leukemia development and provided greater understanding of their roles in haematological malignancies.
Research gets to the heart of organ shape in nature
Researchers have shed fresh light on the evolution and function of the shapes we see in nature—using as a model the heart shaped fruits of the Capsella genus.
'Critical' questions over disease risks from ocean plastics
Key knowledge gaps exist in our understanding of how ocean microplastics transport bacteria and viruses—and whether this affects the health of humans and animals, researchers say.
Insect diversity boosted by combination of crop diversity and semi-natural habitats
To enhance the number of beneficial insect species in agricultural land, preserving semi-natural habitats and promoting crop diversity are both needed, according to new research.
California's migrant farmworkers face evictions with no safety net amid pandemic
Agricultural and essential workers across California fear evictions as the coronavirus forces them out of work, but many living here illegally are also afraid to seek help or fight back.
Youth, waiting and action during COVID-19
In his book The Sense of an Ending, literary critic Frank Kermode considers the ticking of a clock. In the case of most clocks, each tick is an identical sound....
Bird, reptile tears similar to human tears, study says
The tears shed by birds and reptiles are surprisingly similar to human tears, according to a new study. However, researchers also identified key differences.
These historic grasslands are becoming a weed-choked waste. It could be one of the world's great parks
Volcanic plains stretching from Melbourne's west to the South Australian border were once home to native grasslands strewn with wildflowers and a vast diversity of animals. Today, this grassland ecosystem...
Fireflies shed light on the function of mitochondria
By making mice bioluminescent, scientists have found a way to monitor the activity of mitochondria in living organisms.
Plant health management by flexible electronics
The emergence of biotic and abiotic stresses poses potential impairment on plant growth and yield. Accurate monitoring and assessment of plant health status is therefore highly important; however, conventional bulky...
Researchers use supercomputer to gain insights into hepatitis B
Researchers at the University of Delaware, using supercomputing resources and collaborating with scientists at Indiana University, have gained new understanding of the virus that causes hepatitis B and the "spiky...
Fancy, fun tank decor to keep your fish happy
Your own little Atlantis. (Kev Costello via Unsplash/)One of the great things about having fish is the opportunity to personalize their tanks. No matter how small or large your fishbowl is, there are...
Bird and reptile tears aren't so different from human tears
Bird and reptile tears aren't so unlike our own, shows a new study in Frontiers in Veterinary Science. But the differences could provide insights into better ophthalmic treatments for humans...
'Madsen' wheat as source of disease resistance
A plant breeder's goal is to release cultivars that are commercially economical and environmentally sustainable. Breeders never know how well new cultivars will perform under commercial production until they are...
Insect diversity boosted by combination of crop diversity and semi-natural habitats
To enhance the number of beneficial insect species in agricultural land, preserving semi-natural habitats and promoting crop diversity are both needed, according to new research published in the British Ecological...
Details emerge of lawsuit over government's coronavirus response
More details have emerged of a lawsuit launched by an anti-vaccination advocacy group that alleges that many of the government-imposed measures to counter the coronavirus were extreme, unwarranted and not...
USDA finds noxious weeds, bug larva in unsolicited seeds from China
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has discovered noxious weeds and a bug larva in mystery seeds that were sent unsolicited from China to thousands of U.S. residents.
Jason Sudeikis: 'Ted Lasso' 'a little nicer' than in sketches
Jason Sudeikis first played Ted Lasso in a series of comedy shorts for NBC Sports. He reprises the role in an Apple TV+ series with a few changes to the...
Study provides insights into how Zika virus suppresses the host immune system
A research team has outlined how the Zika virus, which constituted an epidemic threat in 2016, suppresses the immune system of its host. The work provides valuable structural and functional...
Time-shifted inhibition helps electric fish ignore their own signals
African fish called mormyrids communicate using pulses of electricity. New research shows that a time-shifted signal in the brain helps the fish to ignore their own pulse. This skill has...
Programmed bacteria have something extra
Chemists expand the genetic code of Escherichia coli bacteria to produce a synthetic building block, a 'noncanonical amino acid' that makes it a living indicator for oxidative stress. The research...
Oxygen therapy harms lung microbiome in mice
A new mouse study hints that oxygen therapy may have unintended consequences via an unexpected source -- the microbiome.
Evidence in mice that electroacupuncture reduces inflammation via specific neural pathways
Stimulating the nervous system using small electric current by acupuncture could tamp down systemic inflammation in the body, suggests new research in mice.
Researchers identify a protein that may help SARS-CoV-2 spread rapidly through cells
New research identifies a protein encoded by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, that may be associated with the quick spread of the virus through cells in the human body.
Astatine is a chemistry puzzle that shows anticancer promise
Even with unanswered questions about the element, researchers think astatine-211 produces the right kind of radiation to treat cancers
Male frog in Brazil loyal to two females during breeding season
Scientists have discovered a frog species in Brazil's Atlantic rainforest that practices harem polygyny.
Analysis pinpoints most important forests for biodiversity and conservation in Central Africa
A new study produced new analyses to pinpoint the most important forests for biodiversity conservation remaining in Central Africa.