Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Researchers outline best practices for understanding life on the ocean's vast seafloor
Resource managers and policymakers need robust data about marine ecosystems for decision-making and setting sound policies. However, data about marine life can be challenging to collect, integrate, and analyze. Invertebrate...
Birds and bats enhance yields for cacao farmers in northern Peru, study finds
Healthy bat and bird populations don't only help to keep the endangered tropical dry forests of northern Peru in equilibrium. For the region's farmers of cacao—the main ingredient in chocolate—these...
Study: Low-traffic neighborhoods in London borough cut daily driving among residents by 1.3 km
Residents in the London Borough of Lambeth started driving less once their area became a low traffic neighborhood (LTN) relative to those living in surrounding areas, according to a new...
Vaquitas still exist, but barely: sea 'panda' survey
The vaquita, a small porpoise on the verge of extinction, is still hanging in there, said scientists Wednesday who had spotted about a dozen specimens of Mexico's "panda of the...
Researchers identify role of introgression during radiation of Triplophysa adapted to Tibetan Plateau
Adaptive radiation, a process in which many new species explode and occupy different ecological niches in a short time, can rapidly promote speciation and enrich species diversity. Genomic analyses have...
Our oceans are in deep trouble—a 'mountains to sea' approach could make a real difference
The rapidly declining health of New Zealand's marine environment raises serious questions about how we care for and manage the oceans.
Lingering effects of Neanderthal DNA found in modern humans
Recent scientific discoveries have shown that Neanderthal genes comprise some 1 to 4% of the genome of present-day humans whose ancestors migrated out of Africa, but the question remained open...
Knowledge coproduction: Working together to solve a complex conservation problem
A new publication from a team of scientists at USGS, Point Blue Conservation Science, and Conservation Biology Institute shows how knowledge coproduction—the collaborative creation of actionable information by scientists, resource...
Giant tree-kangaroos once lived in unexpected places all over Australia, according to major new analysis
Kangaroos are an enduring symbol of Australia's uniqueness. To move, they do what no other large mammals do: they hop along on oversized hind legs. So you may be surprised...
Detection dog can sniff out highly endangered great crested newts
A trained detection dog was highly accurate at finding great crested newts underground or at a distance, which might aid conservation efforts for this highly-endangered species, according to a study...
Coral disease tripled in the last 25 years. Three-quarters will likely be diseased by next century
Deadly coral disease is spreading as global temperatures warm, and it's likely to become endemic to reefs the world over by the next century, according to new research.
Development of communication in chimpanzees echoes that of human infants
Young chimpanzees combine different gestures, vocalisations and facial expressions in a way which echoes the development of communication in human infants, according to new research.
Do you really need to wear a lead apron to get an X-ray?
Lead aprons were designed to protect reproductive organs from radiation. But are they actually necessary?
Life before air conditioning: Curly hair kept early humans cool, says study
Curly hair does more than simply look good—it may explain how early humans stayed cool while conserving water, according to researchers who studied the role human hair textures play in...
Ancient genomes suggest farming in Africa was ignited by oversea-migrants from Iberia 7,400 years ago
A genomic analysis of ancient human remains from Morocco in northwest Africa revealed that food production was introduced by Neolithic European and Levantine migrants and then adopted by local groups....
How understanding plant body clocks could help transform how food is grown
Have you ever had a bad case of jet lag? That horrible feeling when you get off a long haul flight and your body is telling you it's time to...
Watch: Escaped pigs rounded up at Washington apartment complex
Animal control officers in Washington were dispatched to an apartment complex to wrangle a pair of escaped pigs seen checking out the local real estate.
Wildlife tracker powers itself as animals roam
Replacing worn-out batteries in animal tracking devices can be a time-consuming, expensive duty for wildlife scientists. It’s stressful for the animals, too. Now, inspired by the technology behind a self-charging smartwatch, researchers have...
Scientists made new discoveries in the field of distribution of bioactive substances and antioxidant activity of meadowsweet
Scientists showed that chemical compounds of perennial plant meadowsweet are distributed unevenly. They found out that in new leaves chemically active compounds are stored, and in the old ones -...
eDNA could help protect insect pollinators of avocado flowers
New Curtin University-led research has found that using environmental DNA (eDNA), in conjunction with conventional methods, to monitor how insects interact with flowers could potentially improve conservation rates.
Pre-basophils: Cell differentiation study tells a basophil origin story
Big changes often happen in small steps, and it's not always easy to see how we get from point A to point B. Now, researchers from Japan have found a...
Study identifies potential protein target for a vaccine against spotted fever
A protein found in cells of the hard tick Amblyomma sculptum, the main vector of the bacterium that causes Brazilian spotted fever (also known as Rocky Mountain spotted fever), is...
Granulated gels: The best of both worlds for bioprinted cells
Printing living cells into functional tissues is highly complex, and with every technological innovation more challenges are presented.
How did cholesterol evolve? Oil trapped in ancient rocks hides clues
Ancient life forms may have left traces of oily molecules in rocks more than 1 billion years ago, providing new insights into the evolution of cholesterol. The molecular fossils, described today in Nature...
Scientists use sound waves to test how well synthetic antibodies bind to their antigen targets
We rely on temporary protein-protein bonds for essential processes including enzymatic reactions, antibody binding, and response to medication. Being able to accurately characterize these bonds is important for testing the...
Remains of an extinct world of organisms discovered
Newly discovered biomarker signatures point to a whole range of previously unknown organisms that dominated complex life on Earth about a billion years ago. They differed from complex eukaryotic life...
Researchers harness phosphorus fluoride exchange to 'click' together new molecules
For chemists like Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Professor John Moses, diversity is a gateway to discovery. The more molecules scientists have to explore, the more likely it is they...
Pablo Escobar's 'cocaine hippos' top 200, twice as many as we thought
A new census of the world’s largest invasive species reveals the population is roughly double the size scientists previously estimated.