Biology
Single synthetic peptide forms electrically polarized, self-healing hydrogel
Researchers from the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) and RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute (PRI) in Japan, together with collaborators from the University o…
Microbes turn CO₂ into protein and vitamin B9 at commercially viable prices
Researchers are developing biotechnological processes that enable microbes to produce proteins and vitamins for human consumption using basic chemical ingredients, such as carbon …
AI tool could help veterinarians track heart disease more precisely
For dogs with heart disease, a fraction of a centimeter can make a life-changing difference. Veterinarians often rely on chest radiographs to monitor subtle changes in heart size …
History, not age, determines the genomic importance of ancient trees
Ancient trees—those that are remarkably old for their species—are declining worldwide, raising concerns about the loss of the ecological and evolutionary history they represent. T…
New frog species discovered in the Amazon's flooded forests
Scientists from Brazil and other countries have discovered a new species of frog in the flooded forests of the western Amazon. They named it Adenomera varcena. This finding signif…
New evidence helps solve how earliest birds took flight
The first bird to inhabit Earth used its robust hind legs to make two or three powerful leaps while flapping its way to flight, according to a study by the University of Southampt…
Rangers and scientists map vulnerable reefs in the remote Groote Archipelago
For thousands of years, the Anindilyakwa people have lived in deep connection with the waters surrounding Groote Eylandt, a remote island in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Hybrid bioprinter creates capillary networks narrower than 10 micrometers
More than 100,000 people are awaiting an organ transplant in the United States, with a new candidate added to the list every 10 minutes. Even if the transplant is carried out succ…
Q&A: Deploying AI to create proteins never before seen in nature
The decades-old scientific quest to create brand-new proteins has been turbocharged in the era of artificial intelligence.
New software tool Pixasonics turns biomedical images into sound
Modern biomedicine increasingly relies on enormous amounts of image data. Although computers can do part of the analysis work, biologists often still need to look through the imag…
Human clinicians outperform AI stethoscope in diagnosing pet heart problems
Fourth-year veterinary students matched—and experienced clinicians outperformed—an AI-enabled digital stethoscope in diagnosing heart murmurs and arrhythmias in cats and dogs, acc…
Immune 'reprogramming' could protect poultry from deadly diseases without antibiotics
University of Bristol–led researchers have identified a naturally occurring gut molecule that could strengthen chickens' immune response against a wide range of bacterial infectio…
WhatsApp ‘drops’, price hikes and queues: scramble for solar eclipse specs
Amid doubling prices and fraying tempers, shoppers hunt for elusive eyewear to prepare for rare eclipse of sun • Europe solar eclipse – latest updatesA secretive WhatsApp group wa…
Astronomers discover a new kind of cosmic object – a black hole ‘star’
The body is the size of the entire solar system and glows with a brilliant red light about 30bn light years from EarthAstronomers claim to have discovered a new kind of cosmic obj…
How drought is reshaping the spread of infectious diseases
From the American West to Europe, droughts are drying up rivers, fueling destructive fires and reshaping ecosystems. They are also changing the spread of infectious diseases, lead…
Tropical trees show unexpected drought adaptability across Puerto Rico's rainfall extremes
Tropical forests store enormous amounts of carbon and harbor most of the world's terrestrial biodiversity, but scientists fear that increasingly severe droughts threaten their abi…
When male suitors abound, female treefrogs have trouble picking mates
Much like an indecisive single person on a dating app, female treefrogs struggle to pick the most desirable mates when they have too many options to choose from. According to a ne…
Unfamiliar with rattlesnakes, blackbirds still avoid striking them while defending nests
In a rare study of snakes as nest predators, scientists found nesting birds were loath to strike rattlesnakes even though they likely had no previous experience with vipers.
Agricultural data helping develop tools for crop disease management
The North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network—known as NDAWN—isn't just measuring precipitation amounts and temperatures across the state. It's also playing a role in developing t…
The internet can't get enough of cats, but cats might have had enough of the internet
According to new research, viewers often dismiss, trivialize or even romanticize signs of cat distress during "play" interactions, raising concerns for cat welfare.
Quality control of proteins in the cellular membrane starts at the ribosome
Scientists at the Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC) and the CECAD Cluster of Excellence on Aging Research have demonstrated in a biomedical study that ribosomes, the pr…
Bumblebees can learn to associate new smells with their queen
Bumblebees are able to learn to associate new odors with their colony's queen, instead of being preprogrammed to recognize the queen's pheromones from birth, according to a new st…
Q&A: Flesh-eating screwworms have returned. Which new technologies could stop them?
They may look like any ordinary species of flies buzzing around on any given day, but the New World screwworm is quite extraordinary. Screwworm flies are highly destructive parasi…
The way trees sway may communicate water stress
The Western U.S. is experiencing periods of increasingly intense drought, and higher temperatures are exacerbating the issue by drawing even more moisture from plants and soils in…