Biology
Gut bacteria-derived metabolite extends the lifespan of fruit flies
Gut microbiota influence multiple aspects of host physiology, including metabolic and immune functions. Many metabolites produced by gut bacteria can cross the intestinal epitheli…
A treasure map to search for past marine life
Fossils offer a glimpse into Earth's distant past. They provide insights into extinct animals and plants, as well as past ecosystems. However, the fossil record is incomplete: Fos…
Dog brains track consonant patterns in speech, a first outside humans
Dog brains segment speech into words in a way previously seen only in humans, a new study from Hungary finds. This suggests that efficient speech processing is not necessarily a c…
Learning style predicts survival skills in young orangutans
Orangutan infants spend their first eight years with their mothers, and throughout this time, they can draw on their knowledge. After that, however, orangutans are entirely on the…
A new venomous British snake? Why there's no need to panic
Great Britain has long been thought to be home to a single venomous snake species, the adder. Although its bites are rarely life-threatening, they require a trip to the emergency …
New AlphaFold Database release adds viral protein complexes to support pandemic preparedness
AI-predicted protein complex structures for more than 2,800 viruses are now openly available in the AlphaFold Database. To better understand and protect against emerging pathogens…
Sharks can hear sounds nearly 250 feet away and find the source
Sound travels through the ocean carrying clues about potential prey, predators and other animals, giving sharks an important way to detect what they cannot yet see. But exactly ho…
Montreal's squirrels provide insight into evolutionary change in urban species
By comparing variations in the coat colors of eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) in Montreal city parks, researchers found that hyperlocal conditions appear to play a b…
New ways to protect crops by targeting pathogen weaknesses
Scientists from the Biosciences Department at Durham University have outlined possible new approaches to protecting crops from devastating diseases by finding common weaknesses in…
Major survey reveals public support for UK nature recovery
A new survey from the University of Exeter and the University of Surrey reveals broad public support for policies to protect and restore nature in the U.K. Researchers surveyed al…
'Jumping genes' helped ants in their evolutionary triumph after the extinction of the dinosaurs
About 66 million years ago, the asteroid that ended the age of the dinosaurs paved the way for a spectacular expansion of new animal species. During this period, ants rose to ecol…
New species of proto-amphibian described by students, named in honor of their mothers
Around 309 million years ago, long before the dinosaurs, the area around Chicago was a swampy river delta swarming with early land-dwelling animals, giant insects and strange swim…
Aardwolves and cats share surprising chromosome similarities
In the first detailed chromosome map of the aardwolf, Texas A&M University researchers have discovered that, despite millions of years of separate evolution, the chromosomes of aa…
Nine lives and counting: Feline aging study marks nine years with new clinical trial
The University of Liverpool's Cat Prospective Aging and Welfare Study (CatPAWS), which follows a group of pet cats from middle age into later life, is celebrating more than nine y…
Frog's coat of bacterial armor helps protect it from fungal disease
The bacteria living on frogs' skin could play a vital role in protecting the animals from a deadly fungal disease. A team of researchers led by Penn State scientists found that fr…
Hungary detects invasive spotted lanternfly for the first time in the EU
An invasive insect linked to major agricultural losses in the U.S. has been detected in the European Union for the first time, Hungary's food safety agency said Thursday.
Researchers build microscopic DNA 'sails' to pull molecules apart
Across every cell in the body, molecules are constantly pulling, gripping and releasing under mechanical strain. That force often decides whether a drug sticks to its target, whet…
How calcium channels in muscle cells open together
Every step we take begins with a burst of calcium inside our muscle cells, causing them to contract. To prepare for action, the cells keep calcium locked in an internal compartmen…
Anthropic touts AI-led biology discovery
U.S. artificial intelligence startup Anthropic on Wednesday unveiled the first discovery from its molecular biology lab, a previously unknown enzyme system spotted by its Claude m…
Are baby girls more sociable? Super El Niño, meningitis outbreak explained – podcast
Madeleine Finlay sits down with her co-host and Guardian science editor, Ian Sample, to discuss three science stories from the week, including a study that offers a clue in the ag…
Aerial maps reveal successful woodland expansion in Scotland's Cairngorms
A University of Cambridge–led team has used aerial surveys across a huge swath of the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland to create detailed 3D maps that show the beginnings of l…
Across southwest China and Thailand, plant turnover and nematode body width help explain soil diversity
Soils harbor some of the most diverse life on Earth. Soil nematodes play crucial roles in maintaining ecosystem functions. Yet how their diversity changes across large landscapes,…
Delaying cherry blossom to reduce frost damage
Climate change is causing many fruit trees to flower earlier, increasing their exposure to damaging late spring frosts. A study led by the University of Göttingen shows that the p…
Crown-of-thorns starfish can help reefs thrive
Crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) are infamous in the marine world. Their toxin-loaded thorns give them a menacing appearance, and they have a reputation as destroyers of coral reef…