Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Poultry pests nipping at farmers' bottom line
A research team has taken a dive deep into the biology and integrated pest management of lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus), a species of darkling beetle that wreaks havoc on poultry...
Look: 'Skunk' reported stuck in Kentucky mud was a 'stinky' groundhog
Animal care and control officials in Kentucky said officers responding to a report of a skunk stuck in mud arrived to find the animal in distress was a "stinky" groundhog.
Watch: California zoo announces birth of white-handed gibbon baby
The Oakland Zoo in California announced the birth of a baby white-handed gibbon, which was hailed as a milestone for the zoo's conservation efforts.
Machine learning-based protein annotation tool predicts protein function
Microbes drive key processes of life on Earth. They affect global elemental cycles—the movement of carbon, nitrogen, and other elements. They also promote plant growth and affect the development of...
Symbiotic and pathogenic fungi may use similar molecular tools to manipulate plants
Symbiotic and pathogenic fungi that interact with plants are distantly related and don't share many genetic similarities. Comparing plant pathogenic fungi and plant symbiotic fungi, scientists at the Sainsbury Laboratory...
Smallest agri-SMEs in Africa owner-managed by women bore the brunt of COVID-19, new study reveals
The smallest agri-SMEs in Africa owner-managed by women bore the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research led by a team of CABI scientists and published in the...
Customs agents find invasive fungi on flower stem imports
Customs and Border Protection agents discovered invasive fungi on flower stems that were shipped through the George Bush International Airport in Houston.
New study shows how adaptations to living in a cold climate promoted social evolution
For the first time ever, scientists have uncovered evidence that a species' long-term adaptation to living in an extremely cold climate has led to the evolution of social behaviours including...
How a fungus sidesteps a plant's defense mechanism
RIKEN scientists have discovered how a parasitic fungus renders harmless a powerful anti-fungal compound produced by some plants. As well as providing a fascinating glimpse into the ongoing arms race...
The Primate Genome Project unlocks hidden secrets of primate evolution
Researchers from Zhejiang University, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Northwest University, and Yunnan University, Aarhus University, and BGI-Research have jointly led a series of significant new studies are published in a...
Primates' DNA highlights applications for human health
A new investigation led by Tomàs Marquès-Bonet, an ICREA researcher at the IBE (CSIC-UPF) and a professor of Genetics at the Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS) at Pompeu...
Hundreds of new primate genomes offer window into human health—and our past
Humans have long seen themselves mirrored in other primates, with apes’ social behavior and cognitive abilities shedding light on our own. Now, two international teams have stared deeper into the mirror. By sequencing...
Ancient viruses discovered in coral symbionts' DNA
An international team of marine biologists has discovered the remnants of ancient RNA viruses embedded in the DNA of symbiotic organisms living inside reef-building corals.
What is SPF? A guide to understanding sunscreen labels
Confused by sunscreen terminology? Here is everything you need to know to understand sunscreen labels.
Honey bee colony aggression linked to gene regulatory networks
Collective behaviors are present across many different animal groups: schools of fish swimming in a swirling pattern together, large flocks of birds migrating through the night, groups of bees coordinating...
Wildlife officials: Reported alligator in Arizona was likely a beaver
Wildlife officials said reports of alligator sightings in an Arizona channel likely stemmed from a presence of a far more mundane animal: a beaver.
Repurposing Australian tobacco plants as 'biofactories' for medicines
University of Queensland researchers have shown Australian tobacco plants could be used as 'biofactories' to manufacture medicines on a large scale.
'An exciting possibility': Scientists discover markedly different kangaroos on either side of Australia's dingo fence
Australia's dingo fence is an internationally renowned mega-structure. Stretching more than 5,600 kilometers, it was completed in the 1950s to keep sheep safe from dingoes. But it also inadvertently protects...
Study finds weedy seadragons genetically connected across the Great Southern Reef
Common, or weedy, seadragons (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) are iconic fish in their native waters of the Great Southern Reef, the southern coastline of Australia.
Integrating robotics into wildlife conservation: Enhancing predator deterrents through innovative movement strategies
The coexistence of wildlife and agricultural practices has long posed challenges for wildlife conservation, especially when conflicts arise. Livestock predation is a prime example of such conflicts, requiring effective management...
Ticks prove resilient to extreme temperatures
Tick season is here, along with the increased danger of Lyme disease, and it turns out the tiny arachnids are even tougher than scientists previously thought.
Integrating robotics into wildlife conservation: enhancing predator deterrents through innovative movement strategies
The coexistence of wildlife and agricultural practices has long posed challenges for wildlife conservation, especially when conflicts arise.
'Hamilton' director Thomas Kail to helm live-action 'Moana'
Tony-winning "Hamilton" director Thomas Kail is set to direct the live-action remake of the beloved animated movie "Moana."
Coral reefs host millions of bacteria, revealing Earth’s hidden biodiversity
Coral reefs are hot spots for more than fish. Fish and corals in reefs across the Pacific Ocean may harbor nearly 3 million varieties of bacteria, researchers report June 1 in Nature Communications....
A not-so-selfish 'genetic parasite' helps to preserve fertility
Ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences are essential parts of many species' genomes. The highly repetitive nature of these DNA sequences makes them susceptible to shrinkage over time—and if they shrink too...
Researchers cultivate archaea that break down crude oil in novel ways
The seafloor is home to around one-third of all the microorganisms on the Earth and is inhabited even at a depth of several kilometers. Only when it becomes too hot...
Machine Learning-Based Protein Annotation Tool Predicts Protein Function
Microbes drive key processes of life on Earth. Research constantly expands the database of microbial DNA sequences but does not provide full biological information about proteins. To engineer microbes, scientists...
Ticks prove resilient to extreme temperatures
Tick season is here, along with the increased danger of Lyme disease, and it turns out the tiny arachnids are even tougher than scientists previously thought.