Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Trace DNA samples in the water, sand and air are enough to identify who you are, raising ethical questions about privacy
Human DNA can be sequenced from small amounts of water, sand and air in the environment to potentially extract identifiable information like genetic lineage, gender, and health risks, according to...
How butterflies conquered the world: A new 'family tree' traces their 100-million-year journey across the globe
How old are butterflies, and where did they evolve? And perhaps more importantly, how and when did they reach the isolated continent of Australia?
In some genetic cases of microcephaly, stem cells fail to launch
In a very severe, genetic form of microcephaly, stem cells in the brain fail to divide, according to a new Columbia University Medical Center study that may provide important clues...
In some genetic cases of microcephaly, stem cells fail to launch
In a very severe, genetic form of microcephaly, stem cells in the brain fail to divide, according to a new Columbia University Medical Center study that may provide important clues...
Purest yet liver-like cells generated from induced pluripotent stem cells
This image shows induced pluripotent stem cells expressing a characteristic cell surface protein called SSEA4 (green). A research team including developmental biologist Stephen A. Duncan, D. Phil., SmartStateTM Chair...
Study finds shark fins & meat contain high levels of neurotoxins linked to Alzheimer's disease
Cyanobacterial neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) and Mercury are detected in sharks from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In a new study, University of Miami (UM) scientists found high concentrations of...
Study finds shark fins & meat contain high levels of neurotoxins linked to Alzheimer's disease
Cyanobacterial neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) and Mercury are detected in sharks from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In a new study, University of Miami (UM) scientists found high concentrations of...
More tomatoes, faster: Accelerating tomato engineering
A researcher transfers tomato plantlets from a plate of regeneration medium. Tomatoes are already an ideal model species for plant research, but scientists at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI)...
New genus of bacteria found living inside hydraulic fracturing wells
Ohio State University researchers and their colleagues have identified a new genus of bacteria living inside hydraulic fracturing wells. Researchers analyzing the genomes of microorganisms living in shale oil...
Brain circuit that drives sleep-wake states, sleep-preparation behavior is identified
Stanford University School of Medicine scientists have identified a brain circuit that's indispensable to the sleep-wake cycle. This same circuit is also a key component of the reward system, an...
Giraffes more speciose than expected
Scientists from the Senckenberg and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation have analysed the genetic relationships of all major populations of giraffe in the wild. The large study on the genetic makeup...
Study reveals how ionising radiation damages DNA and causes cancer
For the first time, researchers from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their collaborators have been able to identify in human cancers two characteristic patterns of DNA damage caused by...
The proteins that domesticated our genomes
EPFL scientists have carried out a genomic and evolutionary study of a large and enigmatic family of human proteins, to demonstrate that it is responsible for harnessing the millions of...
Birth of wild red wolf pups brings hope to species on brink of extinction
Five red wolf pups were born in a wildlife refuge in North Carolina and later gained an adopted sibling that was born in a zoo.
Why are insects attracted to artificial lights?
Artificial lights can be deadly to the insects that fly around them, so why do these critters do it?
Why are insects attracted to artificial lights?
Artificial lights can be deadly to the insects that fly around them, so why do these critters do it?
Newly Elected Division Councilors Named for CUR's 2023-2024 General Council
In addition to the 18-member Executive Board, the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) has a General Council that serves to further the mission of the organization. These individuals are highly...
Chlamydia-like bacteria discovered in Great Barrier Reef
New research, published in Sciences Advances, has discovered a Chlamydia-like bacteria in corals of the Great Barrier Reef that could help scientists understand the coral microbiome and its potential impact...
Chlamydia-like bacteria discovered in Great Barrier Reef
New research, published in Sciences Advances, has discovered a Chlamydia-like bacteria in corals of the Great Barrier Reef that could help scientists understand the coral microbiome and its potential impact...
Call for Canada, US to braid Indigenous rights, endangered species laws
Climbing caribou numbers in northeastern British Columbia prove that collaborations between Indigenous and colonial governments can reverse decades-long declines, but focus needs to shift to culturally meaningful recovery targets, a...
Out of the frying pan: Coyotes, bobcats move into human-inhabited areas to avoid apex predators -- only to be killed by people
In Washington state, the presence of two apex predators -- wolves and cougars -- drives two mesopredator species -- bobcats and coyotes -- into areas with higher levels of human...
Artificial Intelligence Catalyzes Gene Activation Research and Uncovers Rare DNA Sequences
Biologists have used machine learning, a type of AI, to identify "synthetic extreme" DNA sequences with specifically designed functions in gene activation. They tested 50 million DNA sequences and found...
Puppeteer fungus' targeted takeover of zombie flies
In a new study published in eLife, lead author Carolyn Elya, postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard, reveals the molecular and cellular underpinnings behind...
A ‘butterfly tree of life’ reveals the origins of these beautiful insects
Butterflies first evolved 100 million years ago. Deposit Photos Up until 100 million years ago, butterflies were night creatures. Only nocturnal moths were living on Earth until some rogue moths began to fly...
A ‘butterfly tree of life’ reveals the origins of these beautiful insects
Butterflies first evolved 100 million years ago. Deposit Photos Up until 100 million years ago, butterflies were night creatures. Only nocturnal moths were living on Earth until some rogue moths began to fly...
This spider pretends to be an ant, but not well enough to avoid being eaten
Siler collingwoodi is a colorful, ant-mimicking spider found in China and Japan. Hua Zeng If Spiderman and Antman took their DNA and mixed it together in a petri dish, the result might...
Thriving baby California condor is a ray of hope for the unique species
A California condor hatchling at Liberty Wildlife in Arizona. Condors are among the largest birds in North America, are a crucial part of the ecosystem, and are sacred to many indigenous peoples. Barb...
These Sharks Hold Their 'Breath' to Stay Warm
Scalloped hammerhead sharks take dramatic dives to hunt for food in cold, deep waters—and new evidence suggests they hold their breath to keep warm while they do so