Latest science news in Biology & Nature
How do viruses leap from animals to people and spark pandemics?
Scientists want to understand how viruses like SARS-CoV-2 make these so-called zoonotic jumps to help spot the next big outbreak
Why are there differing preferences for suffixes and prefixes across languages?
While speakers of English and other Western languages prefer using suffixes more than prefixes, a new study reveals that this preference is not as universal as once thought.
Bacteria send signals from beyond the grave
Dead cells release protein that turns on resistance pathways in live bacteria
Breakthrough in using stem cells to treat enteric nervous system disorders
Scientists have made a breakthrough in understanding how the enteric nervous system forms, which could pave the way for new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's.
Mosquito immune system mapped to help fight malaria
Scientists have created the first cell atlas of mosquito immune cells, to understand how mosquitoes fight malaria and other infections. Researchers discovered new types of mosquito immune cells, including a...
How bacteria adhere to fiber in the gut
Researchers have revealed a new molecular mechanism by which bacteria adhere to cellulose fibers in the human gut. Thanks to two different binding modes, they can withstand the shear forces...
The rotten-smelling corpse flower is about to bloom. Here's how to watch it live.
The corpse flower blooms rarely and briefly at the Huntington. Watch it unfurl live on YouTube.
'Jumping' DNA regulates human neurons
'Jumping' sequences of DNA, known as transposable elements, partner up with evolutionarily recent proteins to influence the differentiation and physiological functioning of human neurons.
Plant scientists study the interaction of heat stress responses in corn
A new study shows how two responses in separate locations inside plant cells work in concert to help corn plants respond to heat stress. The research was made possible by...
Aggressive beefalo on the loose in Connecticut
Police in Connecticut are warning residents to keep a distance from an "aggressive" escaped beefalo -- a hybrid of a domestic cow and a bison.
Swiss to ban foreign trophy hunters from killing Alpine ibex
A Swiss region that has faced heavy criticism for allowing wealthy foreigners to pay large sums to shoot protected Alpine ibexes, a species of wild goat, for trophies decided Friday...
Cellular energy audit reveals energy producers and consumers
Adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, is the cellular energy currency that is as valuable to the human body as the dollar is to the US economy. Too high or too low...
Giant nanomachine aids the immune system
In order to kill diseased cells, our immune system must first identify them. The so-called peptide-loading complex plays a key role in this process. A research team has analyzed this...
What did the katydids do when picking up bat sounds?
Ecosystems can be incredibly complex, with many interacting species. In many habitats, predators shape they behavior of prey and prey shape the behavior of predators. This paper provides a detailed...
Listen: Halsey releases live album 'Badlands (Live from Webster Hall)'
Halsey performs "New Americana," "Castle" and more on "Badlands (Live from Webster Hall)," a live album recorded in New York in 2019.
Lab finds new levels of detail about key membrane proteins
Portland State University researchers used advanced electron microscopy to create a 3-D reconstruction of a membrane protein at an unprecedented level of resolution, setting the stage for the development of...
Lock of Lincoln's hair and bloodied telegram up for auction
This is one macabre auction: A lock of Abraham Lincoln's hair, wrapped in a bloodstained telegram about his 1865 assassination, is up for sale.
New malaria transmission patterns emerge in Africa
An international study reveals how future climate change could affect malaria transmission in Africa over the next century.
Cells Solve an English Hedge Maze with the Same Skills They Use to Traverse the Body
A study reveals the Pac-Man-like strategies adopted by different cell types when making long journeys through an organism -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
How bacteria adhere to fiber in the gut
Researchers have revealed a new molecular mechanism by which bacteria adhere to cellulose fibers in the human gut. Thanks to two different binding modes, they can withstand the shear forces...
How cells can find their way through the human body
A team of researchers affiliated with multiple institutions in the U.K. has discovered how cells are able to travel so accurately through the human body. In their paper published in...
Brain circuit activated by hunger makes starved fish fight for longer
Depriving a zebrafish of food for six days boosts its chances of winning a fight against a well-fed fish because starvation activates a certain pathway in its brain, neuroscientists at...
Mount Rainier’s first wolverine mama in a century is a sign of the species’ comeback
A mother wolverine and her kits ascend a tree. (NPS/Cascades Carnivore Project/)Wolverines hadn’t been spotted in the forests of Mount Rainier National Park in over 100 years. These animals are so rare, wildlife...
The northern quoll: An amazingly versatile survivor?
The northern quoll, one of Australia's most adorable and endangered native carnivores, appears to be adapted to dramatically different landscapes—which may be key to the species' survival.
Giant nanomachine aids the immune system
Cells that are infected by a virus or carry a carcinogenic mutation, for example, produce proteins foreign to the body. Antigenic peptides resulting from the degradation of these exogenous proteins...
Seaweed: The food and fuel of the future?
The farming of seaweed is accelerating as firms exploit its fast growth and green credentials.
UPI News Quiz: ice age, coronavirus, big bank error
Scientists figure out how cold the last ice age was; an athlete gets coronavirus for his birthday; and a man finds an extra $150,000 in his account. How well did...
After 8 workers die of COVID-19, officials want Merced County Foster Farms plant closed
After 8 workers die of coronavirus, officials want Foster Farms plant closed