Biology
Scottish 'pregnant grandmother' microbe bursts open after growing offspring within
Scientists have revealed a bizarre microscopic creature that reproduces in a way reminiscent of the horror film" Alien." The microbe grows one or more new cells inside its own bod…
Rising species numbers on Europe's mountaintops may mask increasing losses of high-elevation plant specialists
Decades of warming have relaxed cold-temperature constraints on mountain plant distribution and increased species numbers on mountaintops. An international research team led by sc…
Pigment found in beets linked to plants' adaptation to harsh environments
The pigments that give beets their red color may have helped a major group of flowering plants repeatedly adapt to dry environments, setting the stage for the evolution of traits …
Metabolic networks provide clues about the earliest stages of enzyme evolution
The enzymes found in modern organisms are complex proteins, often with multiple folded substructures and specialized catalytic sites. Proteins are encoded by genes. Tracing the hi…
Neutron bone imaging brings T. rex to life
A broken rib from Scotty, the largest T. rex skeleton discovered, is helping scientists uncover new information about life on Earth 66 million years ago. Scotty's rib preserves so…
Rich people more likely to steal children’s sweets, finds Ig Nobel prize-winning study
We round up this year’s winners at awards for achievements that ‘first make people laugh and then make them think’It’s that time of year again: a select group of scientists have b…
Researchers develop precise new method to analyze secretions from individual salmon lice
A University of Stirling study could pave the way for more efficient study of the secretions that salmon lice use to avoid fish defenses, potentially enabling the development of n…
How stressed cells put the brakes on protein 'shipping'
Cells synthesize proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and these proteins are transported to the Golgi apparatus for distribution to their ultimate destinations inside and o…
Microbial 'dark matter' yields 173 potential carbon dioxide-fixing strains
There are millions of species of bacteria and archaea on Earth, remarkably little is known about most of them. Now, researchers have mined the genomes of thousands of microorganis…
Gharial pop patterns and gecko calls uncover reptiles' overlooked social communication
Along the sandy banks of northern India's Chambal River, crocodile-like gharials glide silently through the water—but if a gharial spots a stranger, the quiet may be punctuated by…
There’s a quick way to slow climate change. Why isn’t everyone doing it? - video
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that traps more than 80 times as much heat than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period and causes 25% of global heating today. We definitely don’t…
Probiotic and postbiotic treatments revive heat-stressed corals in field experiment
Climate change continues to threaten the world's coral reefs, which support at least a quarter of all marine life. Though probiotics have been shown to rehabilitate corals in aqua…
Completing the connectome: How pursuing a map of the fly brain rewired neuroscience
When researchers at HHMI's Janelia Research Campus set out to create a map of all the neurons in the fruit fly brain in 2008, many in the scientific community thought they were ou…
Tiny crustacean helps scientists understand genes regulating circatidal rhythms
Scientists at UMass Chan Medical School and the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole have shown that the four core clock genes responsible for maintaining circadian rhythms …
First DDT, now the flu: Peregrine falcons in San Francisco Bay Area hit hard by H5N1 variant
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) featured prominently in the news during 2020 as it took the lives of millions of birds across the globe. While the worst seems to be behin…
Farewell black spruce? How climate change and pests are reshaping North America's forests
More than 80% of North American forests could face greater threats from pests and diseases by midcentury, a University of British Columbia-led study finds. If global emissions con…
Invasive tropical mosquito found breeding in east London
Climate crisis could increase incursions of Aedes aegypti, which can transmit Zika virus and dengue, experts sayAn invasive mosquito capable of transmitting tropical diseases has …
Australian science prize awarded to researcher studying memory accuracy of domestic violence survivors
Helen Paterson’s work on advancing how police and courts understand memory is recognised in prestigious Eureka prizesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMem…
Looking back to forecast the future of lobster
For generations, the lobster fishery has been central to the cultural and economic identity of Maine and Atlantic Canada. Predicting what the future holds for the species—and the …
Farming experts tout 'conscious' food systems to fix agriculture woes
Farmers around the world are struggling with the impact of climate change, financial pressures and depleted soil—and industry experts say bringing consumers closer to the people w…
In Chile, injured penguins sport copper vests to help them heal
Researchers in Chile have designed an unlikely new garment for injured penguins—snug red vests threaded with copper and zinc that they hope will help the aquatic birds heal faster.
There’s a quick way to slow climate change. Why isn’t everyone doing it? – podcast
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that traps more than 80 times as much heat than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period and causes 25% of global heating today. We definitely don’t…
Crash in dugong population estimates, a warning sign governments can't ignore
A 50% decline in the Gulf of Carpentaria dugong population estimate is a wake-up call for urgent action to protect dugongs in the Gulf, based on surveys undertaken by researchers …
Cellular maintenance crew may miss as much as half of certain misfolded proteins
As proteins are made in a cell, they are folded into the 3D structure that allows them to work, but sometimes this process can go wrong. When it does, the misfolded proteins lose …