Dead whale likely the same animal stranded in Alaska river

A whale found dead in Alaska's Cook Inlet is likely the same animal that was stranded in a river for several days, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.

Maryland offshore wind farm could become stop-over region for migrating striped bass and Atlantic sturgeon

For the endangered Atlantic sturgeon and the commercially and recreationally important striped bass, the Delaware-Maryland-Virginia coastal shelf serves as an important spring and fall "flyway." Typically thought of as an...

UPI News Quiz: trade wars, herd immunity, black holes, 'Hamilton'

Trade wars, herd immunity, black holes, 'Hamilton' -- how well did you follow the headlines this week? Take the UPI News Quiz for June 26, 2020.

U.S. coronavirus cases hits new single-day record

The United States registered more than 40,000 infections of COVID-19 in the previous 24 hours, setting a new record for cases recorded in a single day.

CBP chief Mark Morgan defends expulsion of migrants at border during pandemic

Acting U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan on Thursday defended an emergency order to quickly expel migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border during the coronavirus pandemic.

Disney to re-theme Splash Mountain after 'The Princess and the Frog'

Disney said Thursday it will alter the theme of its Splash Mountain rides in California and Florida to feature "The Princess and the Frog."

Effects from low-level concentrations of harmful chemicals preserved in three generations of fish

Fish exposed to very low levels of chemicals commonly found in waterways can pass the impacts on to future generations that were never directly exposed to the chemicals, according to...

Genes affecting brains and brawn?

Genes located in 'copy number variants' (CNVs) -- parts of chromosomes that are missing in some individuals and duplicated in others -- that are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders affect more...

Resident parasites influence appearance, evolution of barn swallows

Researchers think that local parasites are influencing why barn swallows in Europe, the Middle East and Colorado are choosing their mates differently. Their new research finds that these parasites could...

WHO: Ebola outbreak that killed more than 2,000 in Congo is over

The World Health Organization said Thursday that the Ebola outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, which killed 2,280 people over nearly two years, is over.

Habitat for Rattlesnakes: Sunnier but Riskier

Conservation efforts that open up the canopy of overgrown habitat for threatened timber rattlesnakes are beneficial to snakes but could come at a cost, according to a new study.

Receptor makes mice strong and slim

Increasing abdominal girth and shrinking muscles are two common side effects of aging. Researchers have discovered a receptor in mice that regulates both effects. Experiments with human cell cultures suggest...

Mountain meadow restoration can bring birds back

In a new study led by scientists at Point Blue Conservation Science and in collaboration with The Institute for Bird Populations, authors evaluated the successes of mountain meadow restorations by...

Mysterious orange dust from Ohio pear trees identified as fungus

A mysterious orange dust coating yards and sidewalks in an Ohio town has been identified by experts as a fungus falling from local pear trees.

New approach drives bacteria to produce potential antibiotic, antiparasitic compounds

Researchers have developed a method to spur the production of new antibiotic or antiparasitic compounds hiding in the genomes of actinobacteria, which are the source of drugs such as actinomycin...

When two are better than one: Why some gene duplicates are retained while others perish

Whole genome duplication followed by massive gene loss has shaped many genomes, including the human genome. Why some gene duplicates are retained while most perish has puzzled scientists for decades.

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, published...

Exploring whole-genome duplicate gene retention with complex genetic interaction analysis

Whole-genome duplication has played a central role in the genome evolution of many organisms, including the human genome. Most duplicated genes are eliminated, and factors that influence the retention of...

Erratum for the Report "Forest microclimate dynamics drive plant responses to warming" by F. Zellweger, P. De Frenne, J. Lenoir, P. Vangansbeke, K. Verheyen, M. Bernhardt-Römermann, L. Baeten, R. Hedl, I. Berki, J. Brunet, H. Van Calster, M. Chudomelova,

Muscle and neuronal guidepost-like cells facilitate planarian visual system regeneration

Neuronal circuits damaged or lost after injury can be regenerated in some adult organisms, but the mechanisms enabling this process are largely unknown. We used the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea to...

Structural basis for inhibition of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase from SARS-CoV-2 by remdesivir

The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a global crisis. Replication of SARS-CoV-2 requires the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase...

Mechanisms of OCT4-SOX2 motif readout on nucleosomes

Transcription factors (TFs) regulate gene expression through chromatin where nucleosomes restrict DNA access. To study how TFs bind nucleosome-occupied motifs, we focused on the reprogramming factors OCT4 and SOX2 in...

Cryo-EM structure of the human cohesin-NIPBL-DNA complex

As a ring-shaped adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) machine, cohesin organizes the eukaryotic genome by extruding DNA loops and mediates sister chromatid cohesion by topologically entrapping DNA. How cohesin executes these fundamental...

Single-molecule regulatory architectures captured by chromatin fiber sequencing

Gene regulation is chiefly determined at the level of individual linear chromatin molecules, yet our current understanding of cis-regulatory architectures derives from fragmented sampling of large numbers of disparate molecules....

Dolphins can learn from peers how to use shells as tools

For some bottlenose dolphins, finding a meal may be about who you know. Dolphins often learn how to hunt from their mothers. But when it comes to at least one foraging trick,...

Video: You're using disinfectants wrong. Here's what you actually need to do

Sure, you've got a product that says "kills germs" under your sink, but will it really destroy the new coronavirus on surfaces?

One-Time Treatment Generates New Neurons, Eliminates Parkinson’s Disease in Mice

Xiang-Dong Fu, PhD, has never been more excited about something in his entire career. He has long studied the basic biology of RNA, a genetic cousin of DNA, and the...

FISHTREAT: A novel, sustainable medicinal dosing system for fish farms

One of the main challenges for salmonid aquaculture is the threat of parasitic infestations from sea lice such as Lepeophtheirus salmonis. These parasites have been shown to survive for more...