Biology
Seabed surveys around the Isles of Scilly find more than 90 species across habitats poorly captured by classifications
Scientists have conducted an unprecedented assessment of the seabed around the Isles of Scilly, revealing complex mosaics of sediment that support a wide range of habitat-building…
Ancient wall found beneath Paris could confirm site of first settlement
Discovery of Gallo-Roman period structure hailed as ‘major breakthrough’ by French culture ministryAn ancient wall discovered beneath Paris has been described as a “major breakthr…
Blood test falls short in quest to detect gastric ulcer pain in horses
A new study led by Australian veterinarians has exposed the challenge of identifying pain in horses with gastric ulcers and highlights an urgent need to better detect when horses …
Reading the leaves: Decoding the secret cellular language of plants
There's more to growing a plant than just adding enough water and providing adequate sunlight.
Zika virus assembles without protein segment long deemed essential
For years, scientists were certain that two factors were involved in the assembly of active, highly infectious Zika viruses in human cells: a specific viral protein in its entiret…
Snapshots reveal key molecular machine in tropical parasites at near-atomic resolution
A study conducted by the University of Liège and Rockefeller University reveals, with near-atomic precision, the three-dimensional structure and function of a gigantic molecular m…
Agency says sea turtle eggs laid on California beaches are a first for the US West Coast
A reptile believed to be struggling in sand at a Southern California beach was simply making history: a sea turtle laying eggs on the U.S. West Coast.
UK to launch military squadron to protect satellites in space
New RAF unit will warn of incoming missile attacks, and support offensive and defensive operationsA new military unit dedicated to defending satellites, protecting services people…
Sensors and drones can help farmers improve crop quality while saving water
New research in Plants, People, Planet demonstrates how precision agriculture techniques involving drones and sensor-based irrigation can save water needed to produce tomatoes and…
Glimpses into lives of Roman surburbanites in Bath revealed in rare finds
Exclusive: Restoration work at Bath Assembly Rooms unearths Roman ditches containing pottery, coins and fragments of a military helmetThe restoration of a Georgian building in Bat…
Queasy plesiosaurs swam to shore to vomit, Jurassic fossils reveal
Plesiosaurs swam into river deltas to vomit up shells and other indigestible elements of their marine meals, suggests new research published by Cambridge University Press. The beh…
Corals show 'vaccine-like' responses after pathogen exposure
To boost corals' resilience amid rising sea temperatures and the spread of disease, KAUST researchers have found that controlled, low-level exposure to dead pathogenic cells can h…
Tech solution that makes drone operations much more wildlife friendly
This summer, Norwegian news has reported (in Norwegian) multiple stories about Lofoten residents who shot at drones out of sheer frustration. But not everyone exposed to approachi…
What is your dog really saying? AI is helping researchers decode animal communication
Is a dog's bark simply an expression of emotion, or does it contain specific information that humans cannot understand? Artificial intelligence (AI) can already analyze thousands …
Two native turtles are vying to survive in a coastal Australian river. One doesn't belong there
The Manning River helmeted turtle (Myuchelys purvisi) might just be Australia's most beautiful freshwater turtle.
The mosquito's transition from vegan to bloodsucker explained
Scents govern most key events in the lives of mosquitoes, and there is extensive research on their sense of smell. A new study reveals how a young female mosquito shifts from focu…
Sheep grazing may pose greater threat to Scotland's wild pollinators than honey bees
Sheep grazing, rather than honey bees, could be the bigger threat to wild pollinators on Scotland's moorlands, according to a new University of Bristol-led study. The research, pu…
A single temporary stimulus may redirect cell fate without permanently altering genes
Which genes need to be controlled to guide a stem cell toward a desired cell type or modulate an immune cell's inflammatory response? A Korean research team has developed a genera…
AI model predicts peptide bitterness and enables novel flavor design
During the production of fermented products such as kefir, Parmesan, or mountain cheese, as well as in the production of protein powders, bitter-tasting peptides can form, which i…
How amateur naturalists are helping scientists track what everything eats
An interdisciplinary team of researchers has created an open-source website for learning what different organisms eat and what eats them. The site—called Who Eats Whom—draws on da…
Antibiotic resistance research calls for tests that reflect bacteria's changing environments
The World Health Organization (WHO) regards antimicrobial resistance, including antibiotic resistance, as one of the world's major health challenges. A new fundamental understandi…
From paleo to intermittent fasting: are any diets actually good for us?
As diet trends proliferate on social media, it can be hard to work out which are backed by science and which should be ignored. From paleo to keto, raw food to intermittent fastin…
Methane beneath the Greenland ice sheet shapes microbial life and influences the carbon cycle
A new study involving researchers from the Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, shows that methane concentration is among the key factors determining the composition of…
Can a long-lived seabird evolve fast enough to avoid extinction under a changing climate?
As the climate changes, species face a critical question: Can they evolve quickly enough to keep pace with their changing environment?