Latest science news in Biology & Nature
New study takes closer look at how environment affects daily life of sloths
Scientists studying brown-throated three-toed sloths, where predators are extinct and food is more accessible, have found that the animals adapt to have a primarily diurnal, or daytime, schedule.
Neural vulnerability in Huntington’s disease tied to release of mitochondrial RNA
In the first study to comprehensively track how different types of brain cells respond to the mutation that causes Huntington’s disease (HD), MIT neuroscientists found that a significant cause of death for an...
Identification of distinct loci for de novo DNA methylation by DNMT3A and DNMT3B during mammalian development
DNA methylation performs an essential function in mammalian ontogeny. It is also known that abnormalities in this process cause the development of cancers such as leukemia.
Debate needed on the potential culling of crows and foxes to protect Europe's declining ground-nesting birds
Further studies and debate are needed on the potential culling of generalist predators such as crows and foxes as a means of protecting Europe's ever declining number of ground-nesting birds,...
'Winter is coming': The influence of seasonality on pathogen emergence
Seasonal fluctuations drive the dynamics of many infectious diseases. For instance, the flu spreads more readily in winter. Two scientists from the University of Nantes and the CNRS in Montpellier...
A comprehensive description of the human tissue virome in healthy individuals
Human-resident microbes can influence both health and disease. Investigating the microbiome using next-generation sequencing technology has revealed examples of mutualism and conflict between microbes and humans.
Eating habits of baby predator starfish revealed
Adult crown-of-thorns starfish pose one of the greatest threats to the Great Barrier Reef due to their coral diet. Marine life, including fish, crabs, seahorses, and turtles, depend on coral...
Going in the water again: 'Jaws' boat clone supports sharks
The Orca is headed back to the waters of New England, but this time, its mission isn't to hunt sharks. It's to help save them.
Microplastics in shrimp harmless to animal health and no effects on consumption quality
A research team from the SEAaq group at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona conducted analyses to determine whether the microplastics contaminating the Mediterranean Sea can also be found inside the...
Skepticism of male bisexuality unfounded, researchers say
Is male bisexuality real? According to a new review, the answer is a definitive "yes."
Artificial cells produce parts of viruses for safe studies
Scientists searching for better diagnostic tests, drugs or vaccines against a virus must all begin by deciphering the structure of that virus. And when the virus in question is highly...
Researchers boost koala spotting system
QUT researchers have published an improved and innovative method for estimating the number of koalas in an area detected by using drones and an artificial intelligent algorithm as they continue...
Researchers study protein biosynthesis in bacteria
Researchers of the University of Bayreuth and the Columbia University in New York reported groundbreaking findings on protein biosynthesis in bacteria in the journal iScience. The small protein NusG links...
Researchers develop gene regulation strategies for plants
A team of scientists from the Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology (IBMCP), a mixed center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and Valencia's Polytechnic University (UPV), has developed two...
New study takes closer look at how environment affects daily life of brown-throated three-toed sloth
Scientists studying brown-throated three-toed sloths, where predators are extinct and food is more accessible, have found that the animals adapt to have a primarily diurnal, or daytime, schedule.
Zoologists call for beach closures to reduce impact on wildlife
University of Otago zoologists are calling for seasonal beach closures to be considered at sites where increasing numbers of visitors are likely to have detrimental impacts on wildlife.
Genome sequencing reveals potential endangered mechanisms of alpine herb in China
Kingdonia uniflora Balf. f. and W.W. Sm. (Circaeasteraceae, Ranunculales), an alpine herb, has a very narrow distribution in the world and is listed as an endangered species in China. The...
Researchers find colder temperatures barely slow down striking rattlers.
In nature, how quickly a creature moves can mean the difference between life and death. Venomous rattlesnakes defend themselves by uncoiling and striking out when faced with predators or prey.
The post-COVID workplace: Expert weighs in on whether employees will be safe
After nearly four months of a coronavirus-compelled shutdown, many workers across the U.S. are being asked to return to offices and shop floors. The kind of workplace they'll be returning...
Researchers accidentally breed sturddlefish
A team of researchers working at Hungary's National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre, Research Institute for Fisheries and Aquaculture, has accidentally bred a new kind of fish—dubbed the sturddlefish by...
Flexible ethylene sensor indicates when kiwi fruit is ripe
The sensor's easy-to-see color change could help growers and consumers monitor ripening fruit
Unparalleled inventory of the human gut ecosystem
An international team of scientists has collated all known bacterial genomes from the human gut microbiome into a single large database, allowing researchers to explore the links between bacterial genes...
Bushfires could mean rise in threatened native species
The damage caused by the catastrophic 2019-2020 Australian bushfires could lead to a dramatic jump in the number of native species at risk, according to new research.
A new directed evolution technique to unlock the potential of xeno-nucleic acids
As well as being required for some of the core techniques of molecular biology, reverse transcriptase (RT) enzymes have played a key role in synthetic genetics by enabling synthesis, replication,...
More flowers and pollinator diversity could help protect bees from parasites
Having more flowers and maintaining diverse bee communities could help reduce the spread of bee parasites, according to a new study.
Restoration of the critically endangered seabird
The global population of the critically endangered Chinese crested tern has more than doubled thanks to a historic, decade-long collaboration among Oregon State University researchers and scientists and conservationists in...
Label-free imaging helps predict reproductive outcomes
Researchers at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and the Department of Animal Sciences have collaborated to develop a new technique that can be used to determine the...
Everything you ever wanted to know about leech sex but were afraid to ask
Today, we pull the veil back on the secret sex lives of leeches and how researchers at McMaster University and Fisheries and Oceans Canada are using that information to learn...