Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Why are cave-dwelling eels growing skin over their left eyes? It may be evolution in action.
These "greedy" eels likely retreated into the gloomy depths of underwater caves in search of tasty crustaceans and are adapting to the darkness by going blind, one eye at a...
Researchers discover Chinmo, 'the youth gene'
A new study published on eLife and led by the Institute for Evolutionary Biology (IBE, CSIC-UPF) and the IRB Barcelona, has revealed that the Chinmo gene is responsible for establishing...
Study links SIDS with faulty chemical receptor in brainstem
Researchers have found another clue as to why some infants die suddenly in their sleep, and it's related to a faulty chemical receptor in the brainstem.
Theoretical biologists uncover novel mechanism for flight control in fruit flies
Researchers at the Institute for Theoretical Biology at Humboldt Universität have solved a long-standing mathematical puzzle about the emergence of electrical activity patterns during insect flight. Together with colleagues at...
Japanese researchers successfully induce primate oocytes in the lab
The many types of cells in the human body are produced through the process of differentiation, in which stem cells are converted to more specialized types. Currently, it is challenging...
Can sugar and fat influence immune cell responses?
In a new study, published in Nature Cell Biology, scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) explored the location, function, gene expression, and metabolism of MAIT cells in the...
5,000 deep-sea animals new to science turned up in ocean records
More than 5,000 animal species previously unknown to science live in a pristine part of the deep sea. Their home — called the Clarion-Clipperton Zone — sits in the central and eastern...
Scientists may be able to put Mars-bound astronauts into 'suspended animation' using sound waves, mouse study suggests
Firing ultrasound signals into rodent brains puts them in a torpor-like state. Scientists are wondering if it could be used on humans.
New study shows the superior reactive oxygen species removal ability of copper coupled to lysozyme
In aerobic organisms, reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydroxide (OH), singlet oxygen (1O2), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and superoxide (O2–) ions are produced during aerobic respiration, which causes serious oxidative...
The outlook for animal populations on this planet is dire
A new study is sounding the alarm over global wildlife loss, painting what the authors call "a considerably more alarming picture" of worldwide species population declines than previously thought.
IG Report: U.S. Park Police used excessive force against Australian journalists
The Department of Interior Inspector General has found that U.S. Park Police used excessive force against two Australian journalists as protesters were dispersed in Washington D.C.'s Lafayette Park on June...
Look: Pet squirrel rescued from tree in Ohio
Firefighters in Ohio came to the rescue of a domesticated squirrel that found itself stranded 60 feet up in a tree -- and stuck to a branch.
Chromatin remodeling complexes 'bookmark' cell identity during division
When a cell divides, it retains information about how to grow and instructions about what type of cell to become. Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have gained a...
Weevils, long-nosed beetles, are unsung heroes of pollination
Butterflies, bees, and even bats are celebrated as pollinators: creatures that travel from flower to flower to feed, and in the process, help fertilize the plants by spreading pollen. But...
Six to receive honorary degrees from Harvard
Harvard will present six honorary degrees during today’s Commencement ceremony in Tercentenary Theatre. Jennifer A. Doudna Doctor of Science Jennifer Doudna has dedicated her career to understanding the molecular structure of RNA and...
New study raises alarm over rapid global wildlife loss
A new study is sounding the alarm over global wildlife loss, painting what the authors call "a considerably more alarming picture" of worldwide species population declines than previously thought.
Yellowstone baby bison put to death after visitor picks it up, leading herd to reject it
A man who picked up a bison calf in Yellowstone National Park caused it to be shunned by its herd, prompting park officials to kill the animal rather than allow...
Norway issues warning to avoid 'spy' whale spotted near Oslo
Norway is urging people and boaters to "avoid contact" with a harness-wearing beluga, dubbed the "spy" whale. The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries issued the directive Wednesday to protect the whale...
Most effective ways of foraging can attract predators, scientists find
Animals using the most of efficient methods of searching for resources may well pay with their lives, scientists at the University of Bristol have discovered.
Watch tiny newborn meerkats explore zoo enclosure
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo is celebrating the birth of meerkat pups for the first time in 16 years.
The most effective ways of foraging can attract predators, scientists find
Animals using the most of efficient methods of searching for resources may well pay with their lives, scientists at the University of Bristol have discovered.
Capitol rioter Richard Barnett, pictured in Pelosi's office, sentenced to 4.5 years
Richard Barnett, photographed with his foot propped on a desk in Nancy Pelosi's office during the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in...
Scientists discover possible antidote for death caps, the world's deadliest mushroom
A potential antidote for death cap mushrooms has been discovered and tested in lab dish studies and in mice.
Look: Seal wanders into California hotel, climbs stairs
Police responded to a hotel in California to eject an unusual trespasser -- a wayward seal.
White-bellied pangolins have second-highest number of chromosomes among mammals
There's a lot scientists don't know about the pangolin—a peculiar, scaly mammal that looks like a cross between an aardvark and an armadillo. Now, a new paper published in the...
Phytophthora 'the plant destroyer' meets its match with a new identification tool
Known as the "plant destroyer," the genus Phytophthora is considered one of the most important groups of plant pathogens—causing significant economic and environmental losses throughout history and into today. There...
Increasing heat likely a major factor in human migration
Rising temperatures due to climate change are likely influencing human migration patterns, according to a new study by Rita Issa of University College London and colleagues, published May 24 in...
Watch: California couple rescue kitten from sewer
A California couple came to the rescue of a kitten they heard crying for help from a sewer and nursed the abandoned animal back to health.