ScienceDaily: Plants & Animals News

Global climate dynamics drove the decline of mastodonts and elephants, new study suggests

Posted: 01 Jul 2021 08:26 AM PDT

Elephants and their forebears were pushed into wipeout by waves of extreme global environmental change, rather than overhunting by early humans, according to new research.

Dolichomitus meii wasp discovered in Amazonia is like a flying jewel

Posted: 01 Jul 2021 08:26 AM PDT

Parasitoid wasps are one of the most species rich animal taxa on Earth, but their tropical diversity is still poorly known. Now, scientist have discovered the Dolichomitus meii and Polysphincta parasitoid wasp species previously unknown to science in South America. The new species found in the rainforests entice with their colors and exciting habits.

Protein 'big bang' reveals molecular makeup for medicine and bioengineering

Posted: 30 Jun 2021 01:37 PM PDT

A new study maps the evolutionary history and interrelationships of protein domains, the subunits of protein molecules, over 3.8 billion years.

Astronauts demonstrate CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in space

Posted: 30 Jun 2021 11:16 AM PDT

Researchers have developed and successfully demonstrated a novel method for studying how cells repair damaged DNA in space.

How plants quickly adapt to shifting environmental conditions

Posted: 30 Jun 2021 10:50 AM PDT

Researchers offers a new understanding of how gene activity directs plant growth, and how quickly plants respond to their environment -- with shifting light conditions triggering molecular changes in as little as five minutes. The findings provide insights into how to increase yield and safeguard world food production as climate change shrinks the planet's arable land.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in cattle

Posted: 30 Jun 2021 10:50 AM PDT

New research shows that there may be more antimicrobial-resistant salmonella in our food animals than scientists previously thought.

'Plugging in' to produce environmentally friendly bioplastics

Posted: 30 Jun 2021 09:54 AM PDT

Bioplastics -- biodegradable plastics made from biological substances rather than petroleum -- can be created in a more economical and environmentally friendly way from the byproducts of corn stubble, grasses and mesquite agricultural production, according to a new study.

Digging into the molecules of fossilized dinosaur eggshells

Posted: 30 Jun 2021 09:54 AM PDT

Dinosaurs roamed the Earth more than 65 million years ago, and paleontologists and amateur fossil hunters are still unearthing traces of them today. The minerals in fossilized eggs and shell fragments provide snapshots into these creatures' early lives, as well as their fossilization processes. Now, researchers have analyzed the molecular makeup of fossilized dinosaur eggshells from Mexico, finding nine amino acids and evidence of ancient protein structures.

A future ocean that is too warm for corals might have half as many fish species

Posted: 30 Jun 2021 08:54 AM PDT

Predicting the potential effects of coral loss on fish communities globally is a fundamental task, especially considering that reef fishes provide protein to millions of people. A new study predicts how fish diversity will respond to declines in coral diversity and shows that future coral loss might cause a more than 40% reduction in reef fish diversity globally.

Rattlesnakes may like climate change

Posted: 30 Jun 2021 08:54 AM PDT

When it comes to climate change, not all organisms will lose out. A new study finds that rattlesnakes are likely to benefit from a warming climate. A combination of factors makes a warming climate beneficial to rattlesnakes that are found in almost every part of the continental United States but are especially common in the Southwest.

New beetle species found pristinely preserved in fossilized dropping of dinosaur ancestor

Posted: 30 Jun 2021 08:54 AM PDT

Fossilized feces are common finds at paleontological dig sites and might actually contain hidden treasures. By scanning fossilized dung assigned to a close dinosaur relative from the Triassic period, scientists discovered a 230-million-year-old beetle species, representing a new family of beetles, previously unknown to science. The beetles were preserved in a 3D state with their legs and antennae fully intact.

During epic migrations, great snipes fly at surprising heights by day and lower by night

Posted: 30 Jun 2021 08:54 AM PDT

A stocky marsh bird with a 20-inch wingspan, great snipes are also speedy marathoners that can migrate from Sweden to Central Africa in just three days, without stopping to eat, drink, or sleep. Now, researchers find that snipes also rise nearly 2,500 meters in elevation at dawn and descend again at dusk each day, perhaps to avoid overheating from daytime solar radiation by climbing higher.

Investigational malaria vaccine gives strong, lasting protection

Posted: 30 Jun 2021 08:53 AM PDT

Two U.S. Phase 1 clinical trials of a novel candidate malaria vaccine have found that the regimen conferred unprecedentedly high levels of durable protection when volunteers were later exposed to disease-causing malaria parasites. The vaccine combines live parasites with either of two widely used antimalarial drugs -- an approach termed chemoprophylaxis vaccination. A Phase 2 clinical trial of the vaccine is now underway in Mali, a malaria-endemic country.

The Southern diet - fried foods and sugary drinks - may raise risk of sudden cardiac death

Posted: 30 Jun 2021 06:14 AM PDT

Participants in a large-scale study who more commonly consumed a Southern-style diet - high in added fats, fried foods, processed meats and sugary drinks - had a higher risk of sudden cardiac death than people who had lower adherence to a Southern-style diet.

Slowing down grape ripening can improve fruit quality for winemaking

Posted: 30 Jun 2021 06:14 AM PDT

Wine grapes are particularly finicky when it comes to their environment. For instance, heatwaves and droughts lead to earlier berry ripening and lackluster wine. And these types of episodes are expected to intensify as Earth's climate changes. Now, researchers have tweaked growing conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to slow down their ripening, which increased the levels of compounds associated with wine's characteristic floral and fruity notes.

Wildfire changes songbird plumage and testosterone

Posted: 30 Jun 2021 06:13 AM PDT

Following habitat-destroying wildfires, researchers found many male red-backed fairywrens failed to molt into their ornamental plumage, making them less attractive to potential mates. They also had lowered circulating testosterone, which has been associated with their showy feathers. The birds' fat stores and stress hormone corticosterone remained at normal levels. While the findings are specific to this songbird, they may have implications for other species that don special coloration for mating.

Jackdaws don't console traumatized mates

Posted: 29 Jun 2021 04:17 PM PDT

Male jackdaws don't stick around to console their mate after a traumatic experience, new research shows.

Mouse brain imaged from the microscopic to the macroscopic level

Posted: 28 Jun 2021 02:05 PM PDT

Researchers have leveraged existing advanced X-ray microscopy techniques to bridge the gap between MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and electron microscopy imaging, providing a viable pipeline for multiscale whole brain imaging within the same brain.