Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Industry knew about risks of PFAS 'forever chemicals' for decades before push to restrict them, study says
Makers of PFAS, a class of chemicals used in everything from cookware to food containers and makeup, knew the substances were toxic as early as the 1970s and obscured the...
Discovery of neurons that recognize others
Researchers from the Center for Cognition and Sociality (CCS) within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) recently announced the discovery of neurons that allow us to recognize others. The research...
Major primate genome sequencing studies reveal new insight into evolution, biodiversity and key applications for human health
A new investigation led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine's Human Genome Sequencing Center, the Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, Spain, and Illumina, Inc....
Why we need to fall out of love with flaky white fish
The UK's growing mismatch between the fish we catch and the fish we want to eat has clear implications for our future food security, according to new research.
Tiny sensor could guide needles through the body, monitor health from afar
Go for a biopsy these days and chances are your doctor will have to knock you out, slice part of you open, and fish around for the needed tissue. But what if...
Poultry pests nipping at farmers' bottom line
A research team has taken a dive deep into the biology and integrated pest management of lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus), a species of darkling beetle that wreaks havoc on poultry...
Look: 'Skunk' reported stuck in Kentucky mud was a 'stinky' groundhog
Animal care and control officials in Kentucky said officers responding to a report of a skunk stuck in mud arrived to find the animal in distress was a "stinky" groundhog.
Watch: California zoo announces birth of white-handed gibbon baby
The Oakland Zoo in California announced the birth of a baby white-handed gibbon, which was hailed as a milestone for the zoo's conservation efforts.
Machine learning-based protein annotation tool predicts protein function
Microbes drive key processes of life on Earth. They affect global elemental cycles—the movement of carbon, nitrogen, and other elements. They also promote plant growth and affect the development of...
Symbiotic and pathogenic fungi may use similar molecular tools to manipulate plants
Symbiotic and pathogenic fungi that interact with plants are distantly related and don't share many genetic similarities. Comparing plant pathogenic fungi and plant symbiotic fungi, scientists at the Sainsbury Laboratory...
Smallest agri-SMEs in Africa owner-managed by women bore the brunt of COVID-19, new study reveals
The smallest agri-SMEs in Africa owner-managed by women bore the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new research led by a team of CABI scientists and published in the...
Customs agents find invasive fungi on flower stem imports
Customs and Border Protection agents discovered invasive fungi on flower stems that were shipped through the George Bush International Airport in Houston.
New study shows how adaptations to living in a cold climate promoted social evolution
For the first time ever, scientists have uncovered evidence that a species' long-term adaptation to living in an extremely cold climate has led to the evolution of social behaviours including...
How a fungus sidesteps a plant's defense mechanism
RIKEN scientists have discovered how a parasitic fungus renders harmless a powerful anti-fungal compound produced by some plants. As well as providing a fascinating glimpse into the ongoing arms race...
The Primate Genome Project unlocks hidden secrets of primate evolution
Researchers from Zhejiang University, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Northwest University, and Yunnan University, Aarhus University, and BGI-Research have jointly led a series of significant new studies are published in a...
Primates' DNA highlights applications for human health
A new investigation led by Tomàs Marquès-Bonet, an ICREA researcher at the IBE (CSIC-UPF) and a professor of Genetics at the Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS) at Pompeu...
Hundreds of new primate genomes offer window into human health—and our past
Humans have long seen themselves mirrored in other primates, with apes’ social behavior and cognitive abilities shedding light on our own. Now, two international teams have stared deeper into the mirror. By sequencing...
Ancient viruses discovered in coral symbionts' DNA
An international team of marine biologists has discovered the remnants of ancient RNA viruses embedded in the DNA of symbiotic organisms living inside reef-building corals.
What is SPF? A guide to understanding sunscreen labels
Confused by sunscreen terminology? Here is everything you need to know to understand sunscreen labels.
Honey bee colony aggression linked to gene regulatory networks
Collective behaviors are present across many different animal groups: schools of fish swimming in a swirling pattern together, large flocks of birds migrating through the night, groups of bees coordinating...
Wildlife officials: Reported alligator in Arizona was likely a beaver
Wildlife officials said reports of alligator sightings in an Arizona channel likely stemmed from a presence of a far more mundane animal: a beaver.
Repurposing Australian tobacco plants as 'biofactories' for medicines
University of Queensland researchers have shown Australian tobacco plants could be used as 'biofactories' to manufacture medicines on a large scale.
'An exciting possibility': Scientists discover markedly different kangaroos on either side of Australia's dingo fence
Australia's dingo fence is an internationally renowned mega-structure. Stretching more than 5,600 kilometers, it was completed in the 1950s to keep sheep safe from dingoes. But it also inadvertently protects...
Study finds weedy seadragons genetically connected across the Great Southern Reef
Common, or weedy, seadragons (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) are iconic fish in their native waters of the Great Southern Reef, the southern coastline of Australia.
Integrating robotics into wildlife conservation: Enhancing predator deterrents through innovative movement strategies
The coexistence of wildlife and agricultural practices has long posed challenges for wildlife conservation, especially when conflicts arise. Livestock predation is a prime example of such conflicts, requiring effective management...
Ticks prove resilient to extreme temperatures
Tick season is here, along with the increased danger of Lyme disease, and it turns out the tiny arachnids are even tougher than scientists previously thought.
Integrating robotics into wildlife conservation: enhancing predator deterrents through innovative movement strategies
The coexistence of wildlife and agricultural practices has long posed challenges for wildlife conservation, especially when conflicts arise.
'Hamilton' director Thomas Kail to helm live-action 'Moana'
Tony-winning "Hamilton" director Thomas Kail is set to direct the live-action remake of the beloved animated movie "Moana."