Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Anaplasmosis bacterium tinkers with tick's gene expression to spread to new hosts
For the first time, scientists have shown that the bacterium that causes the tick-borne disease anaplasmosis interferes with tick gene expression for its survival inside cells and to spread to...
Does DNA in the water tell us how many fish are there?
Researchers have developed a new non-invasive method to count individual fish by measuring the concentration of environmental DNA in the water, which could be applied for quantitative monitoring of aquatic...
Why are the offspring of older mothers less fit to live long and prosper?
In a new study in rotifers (microscopic invertebrates), scientists tested the evolutionary fitness of older-mother offspring in several real and simulated environments, including laboratory culture, under threat of predation in...
Scientists reveal why tummy bugs are so good at swimming through your gut
Researchers have solved the mystery of why a species of bacteria that causes food poisoning can swim faster in stickier liquids, such as within guts.
White-throated sparrows change their tune from 3 notes to 2
Most bird species are slow to change their songs, preferring to stick with tried-and-true tunes to defend territories and attract females — but this shift went viral across Canada.
Understanding the circadian clocks of individual cells
Scientists outline how individual cells maintain their internal clocks, driven both through heritable and random means. These findings help explain how organisms' circadian clocks maintain flexibility and could offer insights...
New candidate for raw material synthesis through gene transfer
Cyanobacteria hardly need any nutrients and use the energy of sunlight. Bathers are familiar with these microorganisms as they often occur in waters. A group of researchers has discovered that...
Moss protein corrects genetic defects of other plants
Almost all land plants employ an army of molecular editors who correct errors in their genetic information. Researchers have now transferred one of these proofreaders from the moss Physcomitrium patens...
Bizarre caecilians may be the only amphibians with venomous bites
Caecilians are amphibians like salamanders and frogs, but they’re often mistaken for snakes because of their long, legless bodies. Now, scientists think that the similarities between the two are more than skin deep....
'Fang'tastic: Biologists report snake-like dental glands in amphibians
Utah State University biologist Edmund 'Butch' Brodie, Jr. and colleagues from São Paulo's Butantan Institute report the first known evidence of oral venom glands in amphibians. Their research, supported by...
'Shark Week' to start on Discovery Channel Aug. 9
Discovery Channel has announced its traditional Shark Week programming block will kick off on Aug. 9.
COVID-19 silenced this singing activist, but not her spirit
Albia Miller, 71, is the singing gadfly of Riverside County. The dreaded coronavirus pulled the curtain down on most of her stages
White-tailed deer 'invasion' threatens food chain balance in Alberta's boreal forest: study
Herds of invasive white-tailed deer continue to migrate north in Alberta's boreal forest — bolstered by milder winters and human development that cuts through the vast wilderness, a new study...
New species of Ichthyosaur discovered in museum collection
Hauffiopteryx altera (Latin for different from) has been identified as a new species of Ichthyosaurs by researchers from McGill University and the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart in Germany.
Comment: COVID-19 compounded the English pub industry's problems
Coronavirus has had an unprecedented impact on pubs in Britain. The British Beer and Pub Association estimates that the industry lost over £100m each month of lockdown.
Using DNA in the water tell us how many fish are there
River water, lake water, and seawater contain DNA belonging to organisms such as animals and plants. Ecologists have begun to actively analyze such DNA molecules, called environmental DNA, to assess...
Let me flow: Bosnians wage war on mini hydro plants
Looking out over the clear cascades of the Neretvica river in the heart of Bosnia, Safet Sarajlic says he is ready to spill his blood to defend the waterway from...
Sea turtles find protection from Senegal fishermen
In a classic case of "poacher turning gamekeeper", the fishermen of Senegal have joined forces to protect one of the ocean's most endangered species—the sea turtle.
CBP officers seize 13-tons of human hair products imported from China
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol seized a 13-ton shipment of products made from human hair under potential prison labor from China's Xinjiang region.
To listen is to survive: Unravelling how plants process information
Researchers mapped the signaling network in plants and discovered novel insights about how plants process information about their environment. This gives new potential to strategies to protect crops and help...
Stadium sponsor FedEx requests Washington Redskins change team name
FedEx, which holds the naming rights to the Washington Redskins' stadium, has asked the NFL franchise to change its team name.
Smart structures: Structural cells of the body control immune function
Researchers analyzed the epigenetic and transcriptional regulation in structural cells. They found widespread activity of immune genes, suggesting that structural cells are deeply involved in the body's response to pathogens....
Grassroots dog vaccinations can help stop rabies, but not alone
While scientists are trying to find a vaccine for COVID-19, the rabies virus continues to kill 59,000 people every year. But unlike COVID, a vaccine has existed for more than...
Newer variant of COVID-19-causing virus dominates global infections
New research shows that a specific change in the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus virus genome, previously associated with increased viral transmission and the spread of COVID-19, is more infectious in cell culture.
How the brain organizes information about odors
Neuroscientists describe for the first time how relationships between different odors are encoded in the brain. The findings suggest a mechanism that may explain why individuals have common but highly...
Rising water temperatures could endanger the mating of many fish species
In a new meta-study, experts have published ground-breaking findings on the effects of climate change for fish stock around the globe.
The coronavirus has changed since it left Wuhan. Is it more infectious?
A newer strain of the coronavirus has a mutation that might make it more infectious, a team of scientists says. Other researchers disagree.
The coronavirus has changed since it left Wuhan. Is it more infectious?
A newer strain of the coronavirus has a mutation that might make it more infectious, a team of scientists says. Other researchers disagree.