Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Daylight study reveals how animals adapt between seasons
Scientists have discovered how a biological switch helps animals make the seasonal changes crucial for survival, such as growing a warm winter coat and adjusting body temperatures.
Fossil evidence of 'hibernation-like' state in 250-million-year-old Antarctic animal
Hibernation is a familiar feature on Earth today. Many animals—especially those that live close to or within polar regions—hibernate to get through the tough winter months when food is scarce,...
Reduce insecticide spraying by using ant pheromones to catch crop pests
Scientists at the Universities of Bath and Sussex have developed a new system that slowly releases ant pheromones to attract pests to an insecticide bait. This means that instead of...
Dying people may still be able to hear, brain wave study shows
Even if they appear unresponsive, dying people may still be able to hear.
Overfishing erased sharks from many of the world's reefs, researchers say
Teams of researchers around the world recently confirmed what many of them suspected -- that overfishing wiped out sharks on up to 20 percent of the world's reefs.
Overlooked 'housekeeping' gene plays unexpected role in seizures
Molecules known as tRNAs are often overlooked in studies of disease processes. Researchers have found that a mutation in a tRNA gene called n-Tr20 -- expressed only in the brain...
What's open and closed for Labor Day at local beaches, parks, zoos and trails
The L.A. Zoo opens today and part of SeaWorld San Diego opens Friday, but coronavirus restrictions and fire-related park closures continue around California
Imaging chromatin architecture at the genome scale
Fluorescence method visualizes spatial arrangement of more than 1,000 DNA loci across the genome
Native desert bighorn sheep in ecologically intact areas are less vulnerable to climate change
In the American Southwest, native desert bighorn sheep populations found in landscapes with minimal human disturbance, including several national parks, are less likely to be vulnerable to climate change, according...
Overlooked ‘Housekeeping’ Gene Plays Unexpected Role in Seizures
Within cells, molecules known as transfer RNAs, or “tRNAs,” play an important but unglamorous workhorse role in keeping the genetic translation process moving along from codes of DNA to functional...
Native desert bighorn sheep in ecologically intact areas are less vulnerable to climate change
In the American Southwest, native desert bighorn sheep populations found in landscapes with minimal human disturbance, including several national parks, are less likely to be vulnerable to climate change.
Native desert bighorn sheep in ecologically intact areas are less vulnerable to climate change
In the American Southwest, native desert bighorn sheep populations found in landscapes with minimal human disturbance, including several national parks, are less likely to be vulnerable to climate change, according...
Key immune system protein discovered in plants
A new study has discovered the key calcium channel responsible for closing plant pores as an immune response to pathogen exposure. The findings are a major step toward understanding the...
Wolf recaptured after escape from Belgian zoo
A zoo in Belgium said a 3-year-old wolf was safely recaptured after escaping from its enclosure and spending a night on the loose.
Study of Asia's hillstream loaches reveals keys to fish family's land-walking abilities
In a study published in the Journal of Morphology, a team of researchers from New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), Florida Museum of Natural History, Louisiana State University and Thailand's...
Got fatigue? Study further pinpoints brain regions that may control it
Using MRI scans and computer modeling, scientists say they have further pinpointed areas of the human brain that regulate efforts to deal with fatigue.
Can Redwoods Survive the Devastating California Wildfires?
Members of one of the world’s largest and oldest tree species have likely been damaged. But they are incredibly resilient -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Novel PROTAC enhances its intracellular accumulation and protein knockdown
Researchers have developed an improved type of PROTAC that has enhanced intracellular accumulation and functions, not only as a degrader, but also as an inhibitor of the target protein.
New research shows NOAA scientist built a better lionfish trap
A new trap for invasive lionfish works so well that scientists believe it might help control the intruder that eats native fish and shrimp in Florida and the Gulf of...
Catching genes from chlamydiae allowed complex life to live without oxygen
An international team of researchers has discovered a new group of Chlamydiae—Anoxychlamydiales—living under the ocean floor without oxygen. These Chlamydiae have genes that allow them to survive without oxygen while...
Marijuana test for stressed-out Warsaw Zoo elephants
The Warsaw zoo said Wednesday it will start giving its elephants medical marijuana as part of a ground-breaking pilot project to test how it reduces their stress levels.
Barcoding long DNA quantifies CRISPR effects
Current sequencing techniques lack the sensitivity to detect rare gene mutations in a pool of cells, which is particularly important, for example, in early cancer detection. Now, scientists at KAUST...
SARS-CoV-2 RNA detected in untreated wastewater from Louisiana
Scientists have detected genetic material from SARS-CoV-2 in untreated wastewater samples collected in April 2020 from two wastewater treatment plants in Louisiana.
Sleep duration, efficiency and structure change in space
It's hard to get a good night's sleep in space. An evaluation of astronauts serving on the Mir space station found that they experienced shorter sleep durations, more wakefulness, and...
A key molecular switch for controlling seed size
NUS biologists discovered the mobile TERMINAL FLOWER1 (TFL1) protein as an essential molecular switch for regulating endosperm development and seed size.
A ribosome odyssey in mitochondria
Proteins make life and are made by ribosomes. In mitochondria, the repertoire of the mitoribosomal architectures turns out to be much more diverse than previously thought.
Researchers help inform cassava breeding worldwide
Scientists in Cornell University's NextGen Cassava project have uncovered new details regarding cassava's genetic architecture that may help breeders more easily pinpoint traits for one of Africa's most vital crops.
Invasive South American fish known as the 'vegetarian piranha' found in Tennessee
A Tennessee fisherman's suspicions that he caught something extraordinary were confirmed over the weekend when state officials determined the fish was a South American pacu, a species related to the...