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Amphibian biodiversity is declining worldwide and collecting information about their habitats and populations via monitoring is vital for conservation efforts. However, it is difficult to accurately monitor amphibians using conventional methods. To address these issues, scientists have developed a novel technique to identify the amphibious species that live in an area through environmental DNA analysis. It is hoped that the new method will revolutionize species monitoring, as it will enable anyone to easily survey a habitat by collecting water samples.

Roughly 35 million years ago, Earth cooled rapidly. At roughly the same time, the Drake Passage formed between South America and the Antarctic, paving the way for the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Thanks to these two factors, Antarctica was soon completely covered in ice. This massive glaciation was delayed in at least one region.

Proteins need to interact in a complex manner for a so-called 'messenger RNA' (mRNA) to be created in human cells from a precursor molecule. mRNA provides a blueprint for proteins; the first vaccines against the coronavirus are also based on mRNAs. Scientists have now discovered how an essential final step in the production of mRNA precisely works.

Coordination nanosheets are emerging 2D materials with a wide range of applications. However, highly crystalline nanosheets are difficult to synthesize through solution-based approaches. In a recent study, scientists found a simple strategy to improve the structural order and performance of nanosheet films by using two different metal ions instead of one. Their findings highlight a solution for the development of high-quality coordination nanosheets with superior crystallinity and conductivity.

Researchers report that patients with chronic hepatitis C who are treated with direct-acting antiviral medicines are less likely to be hospitalized or seek emergency care for liver and non-liver related health issues. The study underscores the extraordinary effect of these newer antivirals, which have been shown to cure hepatitis C in 98 percent of patients who take them.

Latest advance in chronopharmacology, based on mouse models, suggests that time-of-day matters when using steroids to treat muscle diseases.