Biology
New peanut genome map uncovers hidden gene, boosts dense-planting yields 20%
An international team that includes researchers from Murdoch University's Centre for Crop and Food Innovation (CCFI) has built the most comprehensive genetic map of the peanut yet…
Mitotic chromosomes may assemble from pre-existing chromatin 'building blocks' during cell division
Inside each human cell, about 2 meters (6.6 feet) of genomic DNA must be accurately copied and equally transmitted to two daughter cells during cell division. To achieve this, the…
3D food printing of balanced vegetarian dishes from rice and lentil flours
Rice and lentils are a pairing that goes a long way back, whether as khichdi in India or mujaddara in the Middle East. On its own, each is a source of incomplete protein, short on…
Heat-stable enzyme from deep-sea microbe turns nitrogen gas into ammonia
Microorganisms can do remarkable things—for example, nitrogen fixation, the conversion of nitrogen gas (N₂) into a form that organisms can use. Although nitrogen gas makes up arou…
Wild dogs make the longest recorded journey of any terrestrial mammal in Africa
African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) travel incredibly long distances to search for a mate and new places to breed. They typically embark on these mammoth treks as young adults and o…
Avoiding a sticky situation: How cells stop messenger RNAs from clumping together
Messenger RNA, or mRNA, is best known for carrying genetic instructions from DNA to the cellular machinery that makes proteins. But all RNA molecules have another, less appreciate…
How individual cells 'surf' chemical waves to form a collective
Researchers have developed an innovative imaging technique to visualize the transition of single cells into multicellular organisms in new detail.
Biophysical model suggests how cells optimize information gathering without using too much energy
In both biological and engineered systems, cells and sensors must make sense of noisy, changing signals to function. However, collecting and using this information consumes valuab…
Fertilizer study reveals where the world can boost food production and cut pollution
Global consumption of fertilizer has doubled since 1980, but some regions that have historically overused fertilizer, including China and parts of Europe, have taken steps to redu…
AI models chatting in ‘surreal’ dialect mixing poetic language and tech bro jargon
Experts air concern over AI lingo redolent of James Joyce’s prose that is creating headaches for monitoring and oversightAI models have begun communicating in a strange new versio…
Planting trees in the wrong places is not a climate solution
A recent United Nations report has stated that the world will likely overshoot the 1.5°C target set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement by 2030.
Marine bacteria team up to break down one of the ocean's toughest carbon-storing molecules
Deep in the ocean, brown algae and diatoms produce a complex carbohydrate molecule called fucoidan, which helps form their protective outer layers. The fucoidan molecule is very d…
Advanced X-ray crystallography determines structure of macromolecule at unprecedented resolution
Proteins are high-performance molecular machines that carry out nearly every biochemical function inside living cells. To understand how they achieve this, scientists often examin…
Our new research shows humans have maligned bandicoots for decades, making them more vulnerable to extinction
Have you ever found your lawn riddled with holes or heard a little sneeze from your backyard bushes? Those are signs you might have a resident bandicoot. Bandicoots are nocturnal,…
Bubbles the food-stealing dolphin finds shortcut to easy meal
A dolphin that harasses fish until they regurgitate their food—then swoops in to steal it—has astonished University of the Sunshine Coast researchers who have documented this nove…
Invasive little fire ants prefer cooked beef, seeds over tuna
If you are trying to detect or bait little fire ants in your backyard, scientists at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa suggest swapping tuna for cooked beef and sunflower seeds. …
Young European shags reveal how first winter experiences may guide migration
Should I stay or should I go? What determines whether birds migrate for the winter? This is one of the questions explored in a new doctoral thesis by Cassandra Ugland from NTNU's …
'HyperBird' imaging platform spots grape diseases before they're visible
HyperBird, a cutting-edge imaging platform for observing microscopic traits in plants, can detect grape diseases—such as powdery and downy mildews, which cost vineyard owners bill…
Small farming management changes could help protect birds under threat
New research from the University of Aberdeen and Edinburgh Napier University has found that simple changes to the timing of conservation measures on farmland could significantly i…
For many group-living females, breeding and raising young are shared endeavors
Some female animals living in groups raise offspring that are not their own, sometimes without reproducing themselves. While the behavior of cooperatively breeding species is well…
Is collagen a lie? - video
Collagen powders, gummies and pills have boomed in popularity in recent years boosted by claims that they smooth wrinkles, promote glossy hair and help with joint pain. Amid the n…
Just add fish: Scientists pursue more rice, less disease in Senegal paddies
Half smiling through crinkled eyes, Moussa Ndiaye, in his long tunic and skullcap, watched a combine harvest his northern Senegal rice paddy, where he expects a good haul—not just…
Researchers invent novel eDNA membrane to advance understanding of inshore fish diversity
Monitoring marine life helps scientists track ecosystem health, improve conservation and manage fisheries. A promising approach is environmental DNA (eDNA), which refers to trace …
Parakeets, male or female, love a good fight
In a study of monk parakeets, researchers at the University of Cincinnati and Duke University found that sex has little to no impact on who initiates fights, who is targeted or wh…