Biology
Why high levels of the amino acid cysteine are toxic to cells
Cysteine is one of the main building blocks that cells use to make proteins. But this amino acid is a double-edged sword—too much cysteine is toxic to the cell. Cells therefore ke…
Small gardens are a big barrier to supporting nature—but better planning could protect UK wildlife
A new study by Chester Zoo and Nottingham Trent University scientists revealed that just over a third (38%) of more than 230 householders in Cheshire and North Wales were willing …
From war to weather, Australian farmers are planting spring crops in an uncertain world
Australian farmers are heading into spring with an unusual mix of optimism and uncertainty.
Early heat waves hit wheat yields hardest but boost resilience to subsequent heat waves
New research published in the Journal of Experimental Botany reveals that wheat crops are more sensitive to grain yield losses from heat waves that occur before reaching their flo…
Baby orangutans in India expose 'frightening' scale of trafficking
Five baby orangutans abandoned in an Indian forest have exposed a "massive" exotic wildlife trade, with traffickers smuggling increasingly rare species into the country, experts s…
Bolivia's tilcayo tiger cat becomes first new wildcat species in 100 years
Scientists have discovered a new species of wild cat for the first time in more than a century, a Bolivian researcher told AFP on Thursday.
Improved air quality linked to better mental development in toddlers, study finds
Long-term research in New York shows efforts to reduce air pollution associated with higher cognitive test scoresImprovements in air pollution are leading to brighter, smarter tod…
Grass and clover can provide more than animal feed
Growing leys—grass and clover—is nothing new in Swedish agriculture. But in the arable farming regions dominated by cereal production, leys are less common. One reason is that the…
Robots grow and package lettuce year-round in Norway's fully automated farm
Norway's first fully automated facility for vegetable production was put into operation last fall. This spring, the first products hit store shelves.
Toxic algae can pose a hidden danger to dogs swimming in freshwater
Diving into cool water can be a quick way to escape the summer heat, but during certain times of year, freshwater can pose hidden dangers to people and pets.
Ubiquitin marks abnormal glycogen for destruction to protect the brain, study finds
Researchers at the University of Cambridge and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology have discovered a previously unknown cellular defense system that protects the brain from ab…
Scaling up the detection of genome-edited rice lines
A new open-access study introduces RiSpy, a data-driven fingerprinting framework that makes the identification of genome-edited (GE) rice lines more robust, scalable and broadly a…
Newfound fungal nutrient-sensing mechanism could advance biofuels and disease control
Scientists have taken a step toward a better understanding of how fungi sense and respond to nutrients in the environment, which is critical for engineering fungi for green techno…
Trump administration overhauls key protection for endangered species
President Donald Trump's administration will no longer treat the unintentional killing of protected wildlife as unlawful, officials confirmed Thursday, in a shift conservationists…
Microfluidic device simulates human tissue and offers an alternative to animal testing
Researchers at the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) have developed microfluidic technology that can grow cells in three dimensions (3D). The goal is t…
New bioinformatics tools help identify pathogenic variants in the genome
Structural variants and so-called tandem repeats are individual differences in the human genome. They are increasingly linked to diseases, but analyzing and interpreting them pose…
Identifying old-growth forests in Northern Europe requires common scientific criteria
Old-growth forests are some of Europe's most valuable natural ecosystems, but they are also among the most threatened. Their role in conserving biodiversity, regulating the climat…
Moles' wide-armed posture reshapes how their shoulder bones carry loads
While the scapula is the primary bone supporting the body in terrestrial quadrupedal mammals, an analysis of internal bone structure in underground moles (family Talpidae) showed …
Decoding the DNA switches behind gene regulation
Understanding gene regulation may be key to interpreting human disease genetics. Genes are regulated in part by stretches of DNA called enhancers, which define when, where and how…
New study explores US consumers' willingness to pay for fresh-market grape attributes
A recent study examined U.S. consumers' preferences and willingness to pay for different attributes of fresh-market grapes, providing insights for growers, retailers and the fresh…
Two spike 'keys' work together to let SARS-CoV-2 enter cells, study reveals
To enter cells, the COVID-19 virus fuses its surrounding membrane with the membrane of the target cell. This is where the fusion peptides of the spike protein come into play. Thes…
What Wendell Berry meant to Christian farmers going green
In the late evening of Aug. 31, 2026, I missed a call from Jennifer, a seventh-generation cattle rancher in Georgia. She was one of more than 70 family farmers and ranchers across…
Threatened bumblebee populations in England and Wales face severe genetic declines
A new study reveals that an important pollinator is rapidly losing genetic diversity in Britain. Moss carder bumblebees were once widespread across the UK, living in flower-rich m…
Virtual biotech company puts thousands of AI scientist agents to work on drug discovery
The latest company to spin out of a Stanford Medicine lab is a biotech undertaking with 37,000 employees—and none of them are human. There's no lab space, no lunch breaks and no p…