Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Scientists identify gene family key to unlocking vertebrate evolution
New University of Colorado Boulder-led research finds that the traits that make vertebrates distinct from invertebrates were made possible by the emergence of a new set of genes 500 million...
COVID-19 virus uses heparan sulfate to get inside cells
Researchers discovered that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can't grab hold of cell receptor ACE2 without a carbohydrate called heparan sulfate, which is also found on lung cell surfaces -- disrupting that...
Replicating a genome starts with a twist, a pinch, and a bit of a dance
The most basic activity of a living thing is to turn one copy of its genome into two copies, crafting one cell into two. That replication event begins with a...
Sharp attention explains why the early bird gets the worm
Many of the characteristics related to auditory attention in birds match those of humans, according to a study from the University at Buffalo.
Research opens the way to new drugs
Research by a team at Te Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington's School of Biological Sciences dispels the belief that on the assembly line of enzymes there is a "proof-reading" mechanism...
Migration shapes patterns of disease transmission
Long-distance animal migrations can trigger relapse of dormant infections, influencing when and where infection risk peaks, according to a new paper in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The findings...
Coconut rhinoceros beetle makes unexpected 'host shift' to Guam's cycad trees
Researchers at the Western Pacific Tropical Research Center at the University of Guam have documented what biologists call a "host shift" of the coconut rhinoceros beetle in Guam. The beetle,...
Anti-reflective coating inspired by fly eyes
The eyes of many insects, including the fruit fly, are covered by a thin, transparent coating made up of tiny protuberances with anti-reflective, anti-adhesive properties. An article published in the...
RNA information transfer could be used in repairing DNA
Genomes are routinely subjected to DNA damage. But most cells have DNA repair systems that enforce genome stability and, ideally, prevent diseases like cancer. The trouble gets serious when these...
Bee brain size found to be related to diet diversity
An international team of researchers has found that the size of a bee's brain appears to be related to what it eats. In their paper published in the journal Proceedings...
The biggest fish in the sea are females, survey shows
Whale sharks are the biggest fish in the sea, and the biggest whale sharks are females, according to a new survey.
Tail regeneration in lungfish provides insight into evolution of limb regrowth
For most vertebrates, losing a limb is permanent, but a lucky few species—such as salamanders and tadpoles—have the ability to completely regrow complex body parts. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying...
Short cut to breed better non-GMO crops
Utrecht scientists have demonstrated a new non-GMO technology to develop new crops at a fraction of the cost of traditional breeding. By engineering the genes of bacteria that surround the...
Biggest fish in the sea are girls
A decade-long study of the iconic fish has found male whale sharks grow quickly, before plateauing at an average adult length of about eight or nine meters.
Experts call for new era for wildlife in UK
Conservation experts urge the prime minister to take a lead on reversing the decline in nature.
An extremely social robotic fish helps unravel the collective patterns of animal groups
The spectacular and complex visual patterns created by animal groups moving together have fascinated humans since the beginning of time. Think of the highly synchronized movements of a flock of...
Machine learning models predict mice lifespan
How old are you for your age? Scientists who study aging have begun to distinguish chronological age: how long it’s been since a person was born, and so-called biological age: how much...
Data integrity specialist worked to keep published images honest at ASBMB
Kaoru Sakabe describes how her former group combs through images for signs of manipulation before publication
Fish oil without the fishy smell or taste
A new study describes the development of a refining process that scientists deem a superior method to help produce better dietary omega-3 health and dietary supplements containing fish oil.
COVID-19 virus uses heparan sulfate to get inside cells
A molecule known as ACE2 sits like a doorknob on the outer surfaces of the cells that line the lungs. Since January 2020, researchers have known that SARS-CoV-2, the novel...
Biodiversity bright spots offer hope despite failure to meet UN goals
All the world's governments have fallen short on pledges made a decade ago to protect wildlife, though cases of conservation show that the destruction of nature can be slowed, and...
Marines test shorter, more realistic advanced rifle qualification
The U.S. Marine Corps is testing a new, shorter, more realistic shooting qualification, the service announced Tuesday.
New dopamine sensors could help unlock the mysteries of brain chemistry
Scientists developed dLight1, a single fluorescent protein-based biosensor. This sensor allows high resolution, real-time imaging of the spatial and temporal release of dopamine in live animals. Now, the team expanded...
Human white blood cells use molecular paddles to swim
Human white blood cells, known as leukocytes, swim using a newly described mechanism called molecular paddling, researchers report. This microswimming mechanism could explain how both immune cells and cancer cells...
Real neurons are noisy: Can neural implants figure that out?
Signals sent from the retina to the brain have a lot of background noise, yet we see the world clearly. Researchers show that to achieve visual clarity the brain must...
Human white blood cells use molecular paddles to swim
Human white blood cells, known as leukocytes, swim using a newly described mechanism called molecular paddling, researchers report in the September 15th issue of Biophysical Journal. This microswimming mechanism could...
Lab discovers small 'Cain-and-Abel' molecule
A new bacterial molecule with the unsavory tendency to track down and kill others of its own kind has been discovered in the human microbiome by researchers at Princeton's Department...
Successful improvement of the catalytic activity of photosynthetic carbon dioxide fixing enzyme Rubisco
A research group consisting of Associate Professor Fukayama Hiroshi (Kobe University, Graduate School of Agricultural Science) and Professor Matsumura Hiroyoshi (Ritsumeikan University) et al. have succeeded in greatly increasing the...