Latest science news in Biology & Nature
More tomatoes, faster: Accelerating tomato engineering
A researcher transfers tomato plantlets from a plate of regeneration medium. Tomatoes are already an ideal model species for plant research, but scientists at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI)...
New genus of bacteria found living inside hydraulic fracturing wells
Ohio State University researchers and their colleagues have identified a new genus of bacteria living inside hydraulic fracturing wells. Researchers analyzing the genomes of microorganisms living in shale oil...
Brain circuit that drives sleep-wake states, sleep-preparation behavior is identified
Stanford University School of Medicine scientists have identified a brain circuit that's indispensable to the sleep-wake cycle. This same circuit is also a key component of the reward system, an...
Giraffes more speciose than expected
Scientists from the Senckenberg and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation have analysed the genetic relationships of all major populations of giraffe in the wild. The large study on the genetic makeup...
Study reveals how ionising radiation damages DNA and causes cancer
For the first time, researchers from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their collaborators have been able to identify in human cancers two characteristic patterns of DNA damage caused by...
The proteins that domesticated our genomes
EPFL scientists have carried out a genomic and evolutionary study of a large and enigmatic family of human proteins, to demonstrate that it is responsible for harnessing the millions of...
Are salmon sperm facials really good for your skin?
Med spas all over Los Angeles now offer what they call salmon DNA facials. Does the trendy social media-approved treatment actually work?
Called to the threshold, a death doula learns from the dying
Transitions and transformations can be fraught, even torturous. As a death doula, a big part of the work is sitting in that liminal space.
Inside Nike's all-women half-marathon in L.A.: the good, the bad and the surprising
From long lines to a delayed start time and a finale concert with Doechii, here's everything that happened at the Nike After Dark tour at SoFi Stadium.
What is a mushroom really? Two titans of the wellness world duke it out
Paul Stamets and Jeff Chilton began as friends, their collaboration leading to the rise of medicinal mushroom supplements. Until they disagreed on one important thing: the definition of mushroom.
Measles on the rise in California: More cases so far this year than all of 2024
California has already reported more measles cases this year than in all of 2024, a worrisome development that comes as the nation is suffering its largest outbreak of the super-infectious...
WCS to Push for Protections for the Okapi, African Hornbills, Galapagos Iguanas, and Other Threatened and Endangered Species at CITES CoP20
WCS to Push for Protections for the Okapi, African Hornbills, Galapagos Iguanas, and Other Threatened and Endangered Species at CITES CoP20
Theory for Aerosol Droplets From Contaminated Bubbles Bursting Gives Insight Into Spread of Pollution, Microplastics, Infectious Disease
A systematic study of aerosol jets from contaminated bubbles bursting has resulted in a theoretical model predicting the influence of contaminants on spray size, illustrating an important mechanism for airborne...
A Molecule that Seeks Out Forever Chemicals in Water
PFAS are ubiquitous substances with an insidious name: forever chemicals. Recently, numerous variants of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been detected throughout the environment, including in the blood of...
Unlocking Garlic's Secret to Long-Term Freshness
Garlic, a globally significant food and medicinal crop, suffers major quality loss during storage due to sprouting and decay. In a comprehensive study, researchers evaluated the bulb storability of 501...
Why Tomato and Pepper Can't Get Along: New Study Reveals Immune Battle at Graft Site
Grafting between different plant species can offer advantages like disease resistance and structural resilience. However, graft incompatibility remains a biological mystery. This study uncovers the molecular basis behind the long-standing...
Unlocking Safflower's Secrets: Scientists Identify Key Gene in Flavonoid Glycoside Biosynthesis
Safflower is widely valued for its flavonoid glycosides, particularly for cardiovascular therapeutics and natural dyes. However, the biosynthetic mechanism of these bioactive compounds has long remained elusive.
Mapping the Future of Ginseng: New SNP Chip Speeds Up Breeding
A team of researchers has developed the first high-resolution genetic map and a versatile SNP chip for Panax ginseng, a tetraploid medicinal plant with complex genomic architecture. These tools are...
Scutellarin From Tomatoes? Vacuum Method Powers Synthetic Biology in Fruit
Researchers have developed an improved vacuum-infiltration system that overcomes long-standing barriers in tomato genetic engineering. This innovative system enables high-efficiency Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression in both tomato leaves and, for the...
One Gene, Two Gains: New Discovery Increases Sterols and Oils in Rapeseed
Sterols are beneficial plant metabolites with proven human health effects. In rapeseed (Brassica napus), enhancing sterol content could add significant nutritional value to edible oils. This study integrated quantitative trait...
How Apple Roots Fight Chloride Overload: ABA's Hidden Molecular Pathway Revealed
Chloride toxicity is a growing threat to salt-sensitive crops, causing oxidative stress, membrane damage, and cell death. A recent study reveals that abscisic acid (ABA), a well-known stress hormone, enhances...
Planes are having their GPS hacked. Could new clocks keep them safe?
How a new atomic clock might be the way to tackle attacks on plane GPS systems
Kew Gardens' Palm House will close for five years for major makeover
The 175-year-old glass house will begin a £50m renovation in 2027.
Tiny creatures gorge, get fat, and help fight global warming
Scientists find out how the epic deep sea migration of a tiny animal is storing planet-warming carbon.
Work begins to create artificial human DNA from scratch
Scientists start a controversial project to create the building blocks of human life, in what is thought to be a world first.
Tiny creatures gorge, get fat, and help fight global warming
Scientists find out how the epic deep sea migration of a tiny animal is storing planet-warming carbon.
Kew Gardens' Palm House will close for five years for major makeover
The 175-year-old glass house will begin a £50m renovation in 2027.
Watch this cute robot elephant go bowling — it's the first 3D-printed robot of its kind
Researchers have unveiled a miniature robot elephant with special 3D-printed "tissues" that allow for more complex and natural movements. A video shows the elephant grasp a flower with its trunk...