ScienceDaily: Plants & Animals News

Mice with symptoms that mimic Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS) have difficulty with learning and generating new neurons in the hippocampus. However, according to a new study, these mental defects can be successfully treated with lithium.

A new study by historical ecologists finds that Indigenous-managed forests -- cared for as 'forest gardens' -- contain more biologically and functionally diverse species than surrounding conifer-dominated forests and create important habitat for animals and pollinators.

Multi-resistant pathogens are a serious and increasing problem in today's medicine. Where antibiotics are ineffective, these bacteria can cause life-threatening infections. Researchers are currently developing nanoparticles that can be used to detect and kill multi-resistant pathogens that hide inside our body cells. The team published the study in the current issue of the journal Nanoscale.

Researchers have analyzed CALFIRE wildfire statistics from 2000 to 2019, comparing them with data from 1920 to 1999, to learn that the annual burn season has lengthened in the past two decades and that the yearly peak has shifted from August to July.

An antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections in humans is showing promise in treating stony coral, found throughout the tropical western Atlantic, including several areas currently affected by stony coral tissue loss disease. Preserving M. cavernosa colonies is important due to its high abundance and role as a dominant reef builder in the northern section of Florida's Coral Reef. Results show that the Base 2B plus amoxicillin treatment had a 95 percent success rate at healing individual disease lesions.

When it comes to friendships and rivalries, male dolphins know who the good team players are. New findings reveal that male dolphins form a social concept of team membership based on cooperative investment in the team.

Researchers discovered that enriching cell-free vaccine extracts with cellular membranes increased the yields of protein-based vaccines by five-fold, significantly broadening access to potentially lifesaving medicines.

Higher mushroom consumption is associated with a lower risk of cancer, according to a new study. The systematic review and meta-analysis examined 17 cancer studies published from 1966 to 2020. Analyzing data from more than 19,500 cancer patients, researchers explored the relationship between mushroom consumption and cancer risk.

Climate change is driving some fish into cooler, deeper waters. Now they may be faced with another challenge: how to make sense of a world drained of color. Researchers report that even small increases in depth could make it harder for fish to discern the hues they use to find food, friends and family. They are trying to predict which species will be most impacted, and whether they'll be able to adapt.

It's a common sight: pelicans gliding along the waves, right by the shore. These birds make this kind of surfing look effortless, but actually the physics involved that give them a big boost are not simple. Researchers have recently developed a theoretical model that describes how the ocean, the wind and the birds in flight interact.

Scientists have provided the first evidence to show that eradicating rats from tropical islands effects not just the biodiversity on the islands, but also the fragile coral seas that surround them.