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| Birds’ dazzling iridescence tied to nanoscale tweak of feather structure Posted: 21 Dec 2021 10:35 AM PST Researchers found that the iridescent shimmer that makes birds such as peacocks and hummingbirds so striking is rooted in an evolutionary tweak in feather nanostructure that has more than doubled the range of iridescent colors birds can display. This insight could help researchers understand how and when iridescence first evolved in birds, as well as inspire the development of new materials that can capture or manipulate light. |
| Exquisitely preserved embryo found inside fossilized dinosaur egg Posted: 21 Dec 2021 10:35 AM PST A 72 to 66-million-year-old embryo found inside a fossilized dinosaur egg sheds new light on the link between the behavior of modern birds and dinosaurs, according to a new study. |
| Crows keep special tools extra safe Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:27 AM PST Just like humans, New Caledonian crows are particularly careful when handling their most valuable tools, according to a new study. The research reveals that crows are more likely to store relatively complex and efficient foraging tools for future use than more basic tools. |
| Plants as cold specialists from the ice age Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:27 AM PST Plants of the spoonweed group time-and-again quickly adapted to a changing climate during the Ice Ages of the last two million years. Evolutionary biologists and botanists used genomic analyses to study what factors favor adaptation to extreme climatic conditions. The evolutionary history of the Brassicaceae family provides insights into how plants may be able to cope with climate change in the future. |
| Extinct reptile discovery reveals earliest origins of human teeth, study finds Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:27 AM PST A new extinct reptile species has shed light on how our earliest ancestors became top predators by modifying their teeth in response to environmental instability around 300 million years ago. |
| An ancient relative of Velociraptor is unearthed in Great Britain Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:27 AM PST A new bird-like dinosaur that used brute strength to overcome its prey has been found by palaeontologists combing through fossils found on the Isle of Wight, on the South Coast of Great Britain. |
| Looking at factors that accelerate mass extinction in the fossil record as climate changes Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:27 AM PST The Late Devonian mass extinction (roughly 372 million years ago) was one of five mass extinctions in Earth's history, with roughly 75% of all species disappearing over its course. It happened in two 'pulses,' spaced about 800,000 years apart, with most of the extinctions happening in the second pulse. However, for one group of animals living in eastern North America, the first pulse dealt the deadlier blow. |
| Millipedes ‘as big as cars’ once roamed Northern England, fossil find reveals Posted: 20 Dec 2021 04:07 PM PST The largest-ever fossil of a giant millipede -- as big as a car -- has been found on a beach in the north of England. |
| Desert shrubs cranked up water use efficiency to survive a megadrought Posted: 20 Dec 2021 04:07 PM PST Shrubs in the desert Southwest have increased their water use efficiency at some of the highest rates ever observed to cope with a decades-long megadrought. Researchers found that although the shrubs' efficiency increases are unprecedented and heroic, they may not be enough to adapt to the long-term drying trend in the West. |
| Could acid-neutralizing life-forms make habitable pockets in Venus' clouds? Posted: 20 Dec 2021 04:06 PM PST A new study supports the longstanding idea that if life exists, it might make a home in Venus' clouds. The study's authors identified a chemical pathway by which life could neutralize Venus' acidic environment, creating a self-sustaining, habitable pocket in the clouds. |
| 'Photosynthetic' algae can survive the dark Posted: 20 Dec 2021 10:13 AM PST Researchers have discovered how some species of single-celled algae lived through the last mass extinction, a finding that could change how we understand global ocean processes. |
| Understanding human-elephant conflict and vulnerability in the face of climate change Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:07 AM PST Researchers spent years investigating the dynamics between wildlife, people and the environment across the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, the world's largest terrestrial transboundary conservation area, extending across five African countries. |
| Developmental origins of tooth classes in vertebrates: A new simple mechanism identified Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:07 AM PST By taking a closer look at lizards, researchers found the first animal example of apparent changes in tooth type in specific regions of the jaw. The results are relevant to multiple research areas all the way from palaeontology to regenerative medicine. |
| Scientists discover White-handed gibbons that have been evolving in the south of Malaysia Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:07 AM PST Genetic assessment of captive gibbons to identify their species and subspecies is an important step before any conservation actions. A group of wildlife researchers recently discovered a previously unknown population of white-handed gibbons (subspecies lar) from Peninsular Malaysia. |
| Consciousness in humans, animals and artificial intelligence Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:07 AM PST A new theory of consciousness provides experimental access to the study of this phenomenon. Not just in humans. |
| Years later, restored wetlands remain a shadow of former selves Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:07 AM PST A study of restored wetlands on the Danish island of Funen reveals that plant species richness remains extremely poor many years after wetlands restoration. It is widely assumed that restored wetlands will increase local biodiversity and come to resemble natural wetlands over time. However, more must be done to catalyze recovery according to researchers behind the study. |
| Space and time: How to better understand biological processes in plants Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:06 AM PST If the perspective of space and time is not properly applied to plant research, the understanding of biological processes is limited as well as the response to the threats that endanger the life of plants worldwide. |
| Scientists create mind-blowing tool to 'see' millions of brain cell connections in mice Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:06 AM PST To solve the mysteries of how learning and memory occur, scientists have created a system to track millions of connections among brain cells in mice -- all at the same time -- when the animals' whiskers are tweaked, an indicator for learning. |
| Ostrich eggshell beads reveal 50,000-year-old social network across Africa Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:06 AM PST New archeological study shows ancient connection between populations 3,000 km apart, and provides first direct link between climate change and ancient human social behavior. |
| Can a dangerous microbe offer a new way to silence pain? Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:06 AM PST A new study shows that a toxin from the microbe that causes anthrax can silence multiple types of pain in mice. Researchers found the toxin targets pain-sensing cells to alter signaling and block pain. Building on that finding, researchers engineered an anthrax protein vehicle to deliver different types of treatments into pain receptors and modulate nerve-cell function. The findings can inform the design of therapies that selectively target pain-sensing fibers without the widespread systemic effects of opioids and other pain killers. |
| New research moves closer to harnessing viruses to fight bacteria and reduce antibiotic use Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:06 AM PST A new study has cast new light on how to best combine antibiotics and phage therapy. Researchers conducted laboratory experiments on Pseudomonas aeruginosa a bacterium which causes disease in immunocompromised and cystic fibrosis patients. They exposed the bacterium to eight types of antibiotics -- and found differences in the mechanisms by which the bacteria evolve resistance to phages, which affect how harmful they are. |
| Shoots and roots respond differently to climate change Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:06 AM PST A new synthesis reveals mismatches between above- and below-ground plant phenology due to climate change. These findings are important to understand the consequences of climate change on terrestrial biodiversity. |
| Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:00 AM PST Researchers described for the first time the structure of a bifunctional protein, called CcsBA, that transports heme and attaches it to cytochromes. The study captured two conformational states of CcsBA, a bacterial and chloroplast protein, allowing scientists to characterize the enzyme mechanism. |
| Abundance of life discovered beneath an Antarctic ice shelf Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:00 AM PST Far beneath the ice shelves of the Antarctic, there is more marine life than expected. |
| Deadliest period in Earth’s history was also the stinkiest Posted: 20 Dec 2021 05:30 AM PST Tiny microbes belching toxic gas helped cause -- and prolong -- the biggest mass extinction in Earth's history, a new study suggests. |
| California spotted owls benefit from forest restoration Posted: 17 Dec 2021 12:19 PM PST Forest restoration treatments can reduce future fire severity and benefit populations of California spotted owls, even with temporary disruptions within owl habitats in the Sierra Nevada, CA. |
| Sauropod dinosaurs were restricted to warmer regions of Earth Posted: 17 Dec 2021 09:38 AM PST A study investigated the enigma of why sauropod fossils are only found at lower latitudes, while fossils of other main dinosaur types seem ubiquitously present, with many located in the polar regions. |
| In last 15 years, deforestation made outdoor work unsafe for millions Posted: 17 Dec 2021 08:32 AM PST The tropics is becoming hotter due to a combination of warming associated with deforestation and climate change -- and that can reduce the ability of outdoor workers to perform their jobs safely. Researchers estimated how many safe working hours people living in the tropics have lost due to local temperature change associated with loss of trees during the past 15 years. |
| Shark antibody-like proteins neutralize COVID-19 virus, help prepare for future coronaviruses Posted: 17 Dec 2021 07:29 AM PST Small, unique antibody-like proteins known as VNARs -- derived from the immune systems of sharks -- can prevent the virus that causes COVID-19, its variants, and related coronaviruses from infecting human cells, according to a new study. |
| New major discovery in the animal kingdom: 14 new species of shrews Posted: 17 Dec 2021 07:29 AM PST Researchers recently made a major discovery -- 14 new species of shrews, which is the largest number of new mammals described in a scientific paper since 1931. After a decade-long journey taking inventory of Indonesian shrews living on the island of Sulawesi, a group of scientists has identified 14 new endemic species. |
| Mitigating environmental impact of herbicides Posted: 17 Dec 2021 07:29 AM PST Research looks at the interactions of different herbicides and what they mean for herbicide drift. |
| Ocean acidification and warming disrupts fish shoals Posted: 17 Dec 2021 07:28 AM PST Researchers have found that the way fish interact in groups is being upset by ocean acidification and global warming. |
| After thousands of years, an iconic whale confronts a new enemy Posted: 17 Dec 2021 07:27 AM PST The iconic tusked whale of the Arctic has a new enemy -- noise. A unique study shows that narwhals are highly affected by noise from ships and seismic airgun pulses -- even at 20-30 kilometers away. As ice melts, noise levels in the Arctic are rising, worrying scientists about the future of narwhals. |
| One algorithm to rule decision-making Posted: 17 Dec 2021 07:27 AM PST Researchers uncover a single rule for how animals make spatial decisions while on the move. |
| Pioneering new technique to barcode cells Posted: 17 Dec 2021 07:27 AM PST Scientists have developed a pioneering new technique to barcode individual cells more accurately and efficiently - which could help pave the way for quicker disease diagnosis. |
| New hiding place for antibiotic resistance Posted: 16 Dec 2021 12:02 PM PST Genes that make bacteria resistant to antibiotics can persist longer than it was previously believed. This was recently shown in a new study that reports a previously unknown hiding place for these genes. The finding represents a new and important piece in the puzzle to understand how bacterial antibiotic resistance works. |
| Insects: How farmers can be better engaged in species conservation Posted: 16 Dec 2021 12:01 PM PST While farmers have the capacity to drive species conservation worldwide, their true potential is yet to be fully realized. An international team of researchers shows how this can change. The researchers interviewed 560 farmers around the world to find out what they know about their local pollinator diversity and their engagement in the issue. The results offer important insights for politics and science. |
| NIH scientists urge pursuit of universal coronavirus vaccine Posted: 16 Dec 2021 12:00 PM PST To counter future coronavirus outbreaks, the global scientific and medical research community should focus a major effort now on three goals: characterize the range of coronavirus genetic diversity in multiple animal species; better understand coronavirus disease pathogenesis in laboratory animal models and people; and apply this knowledge to the development of long-lasting, broadly protective coronavirus vaccines, experts argue in a new commentary. |
| Exploring genetics of SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses in animals around the world Posted: 16 Dec 2021 11:59 AM PST A genetic and geographic analysis of variants of SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus that causes COVID-19 -- and related viruses in humans and animals may provide evidence of interspecies transmission worldwide. |
| Marine life can cling together to buy time in the face of climate warming Posted: 16 Dec 2021 11:58 AM PST Some marine species can help protect others from climate change by shielding them from heat, according to a new study. |
| California Academy of Sciences researchers describe 70 new species in 2021 Posted: 16 Dec 2021 11:58 AM PST Researchers describe 70 new species in 2021 from the lowland forests of Madagascar to Easter Island's coral reefs. |
| Choline transporter in the brain is necessary for tuning out unneeded information Posted: 16 Dec 2021 11:50 AM PST In habituation, an organism gets so used to a ubiquitous sight, smell, sensation or sound that it virtually disappears. Researchers have identified a transporter protein in the brain that plays a vital role in habituation. |
| Diverse plant water-use strategies make forests more resilient to extreme drought Posted: 16 Dec 2021 11:46 AM PST An unprecedented drought experiment at Biosphere 2 highlights nature's surprising resilience. |
| Maples in the mountains provide clues to past distribution Posted: 16 Dec 2021 11:45 AM PST Researchers have investigated the genetic structure of the relic species, Acer miyabei, from three regions in Japan: Hokkaido Island and two southern groups in Northern and Central Honshu. There was significant genetic differentiation among the regions, with the northern group separated from the southern groups. Populations in the mountains of Central Honshu showed a high proportion of distinct alleles and the mountainous terrain in this area likely contributed to this genetic differentiation. |
| For IBS, specific diets are less important than expected Posted: 16 Dec 2021 06:27 AM PST Many IBS sufferers avoid certain types of food and often exclude gluten. However, a large new study does not show a relationship between high intake of gluten and increased IBS symptoms. The researchers did find that a certain type of carbohydrate called 'fodmaps' can aggravate intestinal problems, however, the overall results indicate that they also have less influence than previously thought. |
| Sugar-coated COVID-19 test strip takes advantage of coronavirus' sweet tooth Posted: 15 Dec 2021 10:27 AM PST A sugar-coated COVID-19 test strip is effective at detecting all known coronaviruses, including variants, according to a new study. |
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