Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Australian outback station turned into national park
A slice of the Australian outback almost the size of greater London will be turned into a national park to help protect threatened species, authorities said Saturday, in a move...
Sticky bomb kills two human rights workers in Kabul, Afghanistan
A homemade sticky bomb attached to a vehicle killed two human rights workers Saturday in Kabul, Afghanistan, the organization they worked for said.
These muscle cells are guideposts to help regenerative flatworms grow back their eyes
If anything happens to the eyes of the tiny, freshwater-dwelling planarian Schmidtea mediterranea, they can grow them back within just a few days. New research provides insight about how the...
Maryland offshore wind farm could become stop-over for migrating sturgeon, striped bass
For the endangered Atlantic sturgeon and the commercially important striped bass, the Delaware-Maryland-Virginia coastal shelf serves as an important spring and fall migratory route. Researchers suggest that the development of...
International team of scientists warns of increasing threats posed by invasive species
A new study describes the proliferation of alien invasive species and the dangers they pose.
Sweden tests new ground-to-air defense missile
Sweden's ground-launched short-range air defense missile, the RBS 98, was successfully tested this week, the Swedish armed forces announced on Friday.
Tracking the spread of mosquito insecticide resistance across Africa
In a step toward better control of the mosquitoes that transmit malaria, researchers have mapped the patterns of insecticide resistance in Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes across Africa. The new study found...
Tiny brains, big surprise: Eavesdropping wasps gain insights about fighting abilities of potential rivals
Paper wasps eavesdrop on fighting rivals to rapidly assess potential opponents without personal risk. This new finding adds to mounting evidence that even mini-brained insects have an impressive capacity to...
Pattern analysis of phylogenetic trees could reveal connections between evolution, ecology
In biology, phylogenetic trees represent the evolutionary history and diversification of species—the "family tree" of Life. Phylogenetic trees not only describe the evolution of a group of organisms but can...
X-rays size up protein structure at the 'heart' of COVID-19 virus
Researchers have performed the first room temperature X-ray measurements on the SARS-CoV-2 main protease -- the enzyme that enables the virus to reproduce. It marks an important first step in...
Templating S100A9 amyloids on Aβ fibrillar surfaces revealed
A research team lead by Ludmilla Morozova Roche at Umeå University, Sweden, has provided the mechanistic insight into protein co-aggregation in Alzheimer's disease. The templating mechanism of S100A9 amyloids on...
Designer peptides show potential for blocking viruses, encourage future study
Chemically engineered peptides, designed and developed by a team of researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, could prove valuable in the battle against some of the most persistent human health challenges.
Watch live: White House coronavirus task force holds first briefing in nearly 2 months
The White House coronavirus task force will hold a news briefing Friday -- its first in nearly two months -- after the United States set a new record for new...
Endangered monkey found in center console of truck entering U.S.
Customs officers in Texas made an unusual discovery in a pickup truck attempting to cross the border from Mexico -- an endangered spider monkey.
Function-based sequencing technique permits analysis of just a single bacteria cell
A new function-based sequencing technique using optical tweezers and taking advantage of the properties of gravity is letting researchers analyze bacteria cells one by one. The study, conducted by researchers from...
How conspiracy theories emerge—and how their storylines fall apart
A new study by UCLA professors offers a new way to understand how unfounded conspiracy theories emerge online. The research, which combines sophisticated artificial intelligence and a deep knowledge of...
A focused approach to imaging neural activity in the brain
When neurons fire an electrical impulse, they also experience a surge of calcium ions. By measuring those surges, researchers can indirectly monitor neuron activity, helping them to study the role of individual neurons...
The Malay Peninsula is a dispersal barrier to certain mangrove species
NUS ecologists showed that mangrove tree species with seeds/seedlings that float and survive shorter periods at sea have limited ability to disperse across the Malay Peninsula.
Wave of coronavirus threatens to swamp hospitals in Texas, Florida and other states
Skyrocketing coronavirus case levels threaten to overload medical systems in Texas, Florida and other states seeing new infection waves.
What is an ecocultural identity?
At the core of the most pressing global issues of our time is a crisis of identity, where culture meets ecology.
Comparing 13 different CRISPR-Cas9 DNA scissors
CRISPR-Cas9 has become one of the most convenient and effective biotechnology tools used to cut specific DNA sequences. Starting from Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9), a multitude of variants have been...
Software package helps make sense of complex tree data
Most plant features arise from complex interactions of genes, proteins and metabolites. The identification and analysis of these genetic traits is very challenging, especially when the sequenced genomes are fragmented....
Our drinking water was always full of microbes, but the wrong ones might be thriving in the pandemic
It's been months. And from rats turning hangry because of coronavirus shutdowns in the U.S. to sea turtles reclaiming tourist beaches in Thailand, life has changed dramatically across the planet.
Researchers examine how some bacteria find ways around plant immune defenses
As the world wrestles with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which arose after the virus jumped from an animal species to the human species, University of Delaware researchers are learning about...
Sled dogs are closely related to 9,500-year-old 'ancient dog'
Modern sled dogs are part of an ancient lineage, according to a new study. Genetic analysis suggests sled dogs emerged much earlier than previously thought.
White live: White House coronavirus task force holds first briefing in nearly 2 months
The White House coronavirus task force will hold a news briefing Friday -- its first in nearly two months -- after the United States set a new record for new...
U of O scientist seeking edible vaccine for COVID-19
University of Ottawa professor and plant biologist Allyson MacLean has been busy during the pandemic creating a unique vaccine for COVID-19 — one you can eat.
4 North Atlantic right whale deaths investigated last year were caused by ship strikes
An incident report looking into North Atlantic right whale deaths in Canadian waters in 2019 shows vessel strikes continue to be a big threat to the endangered species.