Latest science news in Biology & Nature
First all-human mouse model of inherited prion disease
Human prion diseases include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease (GSS). A new study reports a significant advance in the development of mouse models of human prion diseases. The study...
Re-trafficking proteins to fight Salmonella infections
New study demonstrates how monitoring all cellular proteins over time and space can improve our understanding of host-pathogen interactions.
Twitter fight: Birds use social networks to pick opponents wisely
Researchers say animals such as monk parakeets seem to understand where they fit in a dominance hierarchy and pick their fights accordingly. This high-level social information helps animals improve or...
Bees? Please. These plants are putting ants to work
This is the first plant species in the world found to have adapted traits that enables a mutually beneficial relationship with ants.
National survey shows different bacteria on cell phones and shoes
The largest study of its kind in the US shows thousands of different types of bacteria living on cell phones and shoes, including groups that have barely been studied by...
Scientists lament 'Humpty Dumpty' effect on world's spectacular, rare wildlife
A new study reveals how runaway human population growth collapses the role of wildlife in the world's ecosystems.
Scientists create embryo-like research model from human stem cells
Scientists have used human embryonic stem cells to create an embryo-like research model to help them study some of the earliest stages of human development.
Cellular stress causes cancer cell chemoresistance
There is a broad range of mechanisms associated with chemoresistance, many of which to date are only poorly understood. The so-called cellular stress response—a set of genetic programs that enable...
Team develops online atlas of human immunome for precision medicine
Scientists from the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre (AMC) have developed an interactive web-based atlas of the human immunome, or genes and proteins that make up the immune system. Known...
Surprising features of mitochondrial protein synthesis uncovered
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have uncovered surprising features of mitochondrial protein synthesis. The study, published in Nature Communications, sheds light on the fundamental mechanisms used by the cell's power plant.
Team solves old mystery, paving way toward advances in medicine, industry, environmental science
An Oregon State University environmental engineering professor has solved a decades-old mystery regarding the behavior of fluids, a field of study with widespread medical, industrial and environmental applications.
What a bike moving at near the speed of light might look like to a human observer
A pair of researchers at Surrey University has attempted to show what a bicycle moving at near the speed of light might look like to a human observer. In their...
Feeding habits differ by age and sex in Asian black bears
A 10-year study shows that the diets of Asian black bears vary greatly depending on sex, stage of life, and resource availability, providing important information on foraging strategy according to...
Ancient enzymes can contribute to greener chemistry
A research team at Uppsala University has resurrected several-billion-year-old enzymes and reprogrammed them to catalyze completely different chemical reactions than their modern versions can manage. The method can be used...
Sweden closes inquiry on PM Olof Palme's 1986 assassination
Swedish authorities said Wednesday they're closing an investigation into the unsolved assassination more than 30 years ago of Prime Minister Olof Palme because the main suspect is dead.
Chimpanzees have a rare bone in their hearts
Scientists have discovered a rare heart bone, known as an os cordis bone, in chimpanzees.
Discovery of a malaria parasite's internal clock could lead to new treatment strategies
The parasites responsible for malaria seem to march to their own beat.
Researchers must 'bee' sweep netting to learn more about native bees
Novel research into native bee populations by Curtin University provides a best practice recommendation on how to accurately monitor these important insects, with the aim of monitoring and saving bee...
Moose fencing doesn't mean you don't need to watch for moose, biologist warns
Drivers, don't let wildlife fencing fool you. You could hit a moose any time, anywhere in New Brunswick — even within sections protected by fences designed to keep large animals off the...
Aussie scientists turn to drones to protect sea turtles
Australian researchers have discovered they were underestimating numbers at the world's largest sea turtle nesting site after turning to drone technology for the first time.
A rare heart bone is discovered in chimpanzees
Experts from the University of Nottingham have discovered that some chimpanzees have a bone in their heart, which could be vital in managing their health and conservation.
Human rights activist Nabeel Rajab released from Bahrain prison
Bahrain has released human rights activist Nabeel Rajab after nearly four years in prison on charges of criticizing the government online, his organization confirmed.
World's largest green turtle colony nearly twice as big as thought
The world's largest population of nesting green turtles is nearly twice as big as previously thought, scientists said on Wednesday, after drones enabled better surveys of the animals.
Wayward whale that swam 400km upriver to Montreal found dead
A young humpback whale that swam up one of Canada's major rivers, delighting Montrealers who packed the shores for a glimpse of the first of the species in local waters,...
Chemists #ShutDownSTEM to reflect on diversity in science
Researchers and scientific societies are taking off June 10 to address racism and representation
Scientists and Others Stage a #Strike4BlackLives
June 10 is a day off from “business as usual” for non-Black academics and a day of rest for Black students, staff and faculty -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Parasitic fungi keep harmful blue-green algae in check
When a lake is covered with green scums during a warm summer, cyanobacteria -- often called blue-green algae -- are usually involved. Mass development of cyanobacteria is bad for water...
Human eggs prefer some men's sperm over others, research shows
Human eggs use chemical signals to attract sperm. New research from Stockholm University and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust shows that eggs use these chemical signals to choose sperm. Different...