ScienceDaily: Plants & Animals News |
| Posted: 02 Jun 2022 11:22 AM PDT New research reveals that 44 percent of Earth's land area -- some 64 million square kilometers (24.7 million square miles) requires conservation to safeguard biodiversity. |
| Posted: 02 Jun 2022 10:23 AM PDT Medical researchers have found that Fecal Microbiota Transplantation, or FMT, is an optimal cost-effective treatment for first recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection. |
| Posted: 02 Jun 2022 10:23 AM PDT They click. They whistle. They love seafood. They are New York City's nearshore bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that return to feed in local waters from spring to fall each year, and a team of scientists is tracking them. |
| Benefit of supplements for slowing age-related macular degeneration Posted: 02 Jun 2022 09:14 AM PDT The AREDS2 dietary supplement formula not only reduces risk of lung cancer due to beta-carotene, but is also more effective at reducing risk of AMD progression, compared to the original AREDS formula. |
| Neuroscientists demonstrate flexibility of innate behavior Posted: 02 Jun 2022 08:42 AM PDT Some behaviours that are crucial to survival appear to be hard-wired, meaning that they occur without previous experience. For example, many prey organisms naturally know how to escape to safety from perceived threats. However, it is also important for an organism to learn about the world and adapt to its ever-changing circumstances. How does the nervous system enact such flexible decisions over a lifetime? |
| Coffee consumption link to reduced risk of acute kidney injury, study finds Posted: 02 Jun 2022 08:42 AM PDT If you need another reason to start the day drinking a cup of joe, a recent study has revealed that consuming at least one cup of coffee a day may reduce the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) when compared to those who do not drink coffee. |
| Patagonia's coast offers cool refuge for giant kelp Posted: 02 Jun 2022 08:42 AM PDT Giant kelp forests around the world have struggled to stay healthy in recent decades, with some vanishing altogether. But along Patagonia's rugged southwestern coast, giant kelp are thriving, showing remarkable stability for almost 200 years. New research suggests frequent marine cold spells could help keep kelp happy. |
| What oxytocin can tell us about the evolution of human prosociality Posted: 02 Jun 2022 06:51 AM PDT Modern humans are characterized by their prosociality, a broad term that encompasses intraspecies empathy, social tolerance, cooperation and altruism. These facets of social cognition have been associated with variations in the oxytocin and vasotocin genes (OT and VT) and their receptors (OTR and VTR).To shed light on the genetic basis of this behavior, scientists carried out a new study comparing the available genomic sequences of these genes between modern humans, non-human primate species (e.g., chimpanzees, bonobos, and macaques) and archaic humans, using all the available genomes of Neanderthals and Denisovans. |
| Tobacco hawkmoths always find the right odor Posted: 02 Jun 2022 06:50 AM PDT Tobacco hawkmoths can distinguish crucial from irrelevant odors in a complex odorous mixture to locate food sources and host plants for laying their eggs. |
| Researchers show dynamic soaring isn't just for albatrosses Posted: 01 Jun 2022 02:02 PM PDT A new study shows how small seabirds have mastered the art of working smarter not harder when soaring at sea. |
| Scientists developing the axolotl as a model for regeneration Posted: 01 Jun 2022 02:02 PM PDT Scientists are working toward establishing the Mexican salamander, or axolotl, as a laboratory model for the study of regeneration. With the ability to regenerate almost any body part, the axolotl is nature's champion of regeneration. The development of new tools to work with the axolotl is elevating it to the level of established research models and positioning the community of scientists who work with it for exponential growth. |
| Less air pollution leads to higher crop yields Posted: 01 Jun 2022 11:28 AM PDT New analysis shows crop yields could increase by about 25% in China and up to 10% in other parts of the world if emissions of a common air pollutant decreased by about half. |
| Consumers embrace milk carton QR codes, may cut food waste Posted: 01 Jun 2022 11:28 AM PDT The 'use-by' and 'best-by' dates printed on milk cartons and gallon jugs may soon become a thing of the past, giving way to more accurate and informative QR codes. A new study finds that consumers will use the QR codes -- to better depict how long the milk is drinkable and create substantially less agricultural and food waste. |
| Visible light triggers molecular machines to treat infections Posted: 01 Jun 2022 11:28 AM PDT Chemists have created light-activated molecular machines and shown they can drill holes through the membranes of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, killing them in as little as two minutes. Their study offers a potential new strategy for fighting antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which have no natural defenses against the mechanical invaders. |
| How electric fish were able to evolve electric organs Posted: 01 Jun 2022 11:28 AM PDT A new study explains how small genetic changes enabled electric fish to evolve electric organs. The finding might also help scientists pinpoint the genetic mutations behind some human diseases. |
| Research shows how Gulf of Mexico escaped ancient mass extinction Posted: 01 Jun 2022 10:30 AM PDT An ancient bout of global warming 56 million years ago that acidified oceans and wiped-out marine life had a milder effect in the Gulf of Mexico, where life was sheltered by the basin's unique geology. The findings could help scientists determine how current climate change will affect marine life and aid in efforts to find deposits of oil and gas. |
| The persistent effects of colonialism in Caribbean science Posted: 01 Jun 2022 10:30 AM PDT A new study shows how the legacy of colonialism is still deeply entrenched within scientific practice across the Caribbean archipelago. Rather than solely critiquing these practices, however, the authors hope the study serves as a map to help researchers avoid the pitfalls of extractive science. |
| Combination anti-HIV antibody infusions suppress virus for prolonged period Posted: 01 Jun 2022 08:18 AM PDT Individuals with HIV who began taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the early stages of infection achieved a lengthy period of HIV suppression without ART after receiving two broadly neutralizing anti-HIV antibodies (bNAbs), according to a small study. The findings suggest that combination bNAb therapy might offer a future alternative to daily ART for people living with HIV. |
| Forests: Spatial aspects of biodiversity, homogenization threat to forest ecosystems Posted: 01 Jun 2022 08:18 AM PDT A study highlights the importance of spatial aspects of biodiversity for healthy functioning of naturally occurring forests. Biologists determined that tree beta diversity -- a measure of site-to-site variation in the composition of species present within a given area -- matters more for ecosystem functioning than other components of biodiversity at larger scales. The research also shows that the relationship between beta diversity and tree biomass strengthens with increasing spatial scale (the size of an area) a finding that has implications for conservation planning. |
| New virus variant threatens the health of bees worldwide Posted: 01 Jun 2022 08:18 AM PDT A dangerous variant of the deformed wing virus is on the rise worldwide. The virus infects honeybees, causing their wings to atrophy and the animals to die. The new variant, which has already replaced the original strain of the virus in Europe, is spreading to other regions of the world and causing entire bee colonies to collapse. |
| Tired mosquitoes would rather catch up on sleep than bite you Posted: 01 Jun 2022 08:18 AM PDT Turns out you're not the only one who needs a good night's rest to function well the next day. Researchers found that mosquitoes whose slumber is disrupted are more interested in catching up on their sleep than looking for food the next day. The research demonstrates how vital this biological function is even among insects. |
| Engineers uncover secret 'thinking' behind dandelions' seed dispersal Posted: 01 Jun 2022 08:17 AM PDT High on sunshine, humans often decide when dandelions get to spread their species -- but the puffballs have their own ideas on how best to proliferate. |
| Study suggests that most of our evolutionary trees could be wrong Posted: 01 Jun 2022 08:17 AM PDT New research suggests that determining evolutionary trees of organisms by comparing anatomy rather than gene sequences is misleading. The study shows that we often need to overturn centuries of scholarly work that classified living things according to how they look. |
| Widespread futile care could contribute to veterinary burnout Posted: 01 Jun 2022 08:17 AM PDT More than 99% of veterinarians surveyed said they'd encountered useless or non-beneficial veterinary care in their careers, according to a new Cornell-led study that documents the prevalence of futile care for the first time. The authors use a working definition of futile care as continuing treatment when relevant goals can no longer be reached. |
| Researchers design a method to pinpoint the origin of illegally traded chimpanzees Posted: 01 Jun 2022 08:17 AM PDT Researchers have produced the first catalog of genomic diversity for endangered chimpanzees in the wild. The catalog, which includes 828 chimp samples from across their range, offers a detailed reconstruction of chimp population structure and fine-scale patterns of isolation, migration, and connection. The researchers use this information to design a method to link confiscated chimpanzees to their place of origin within about 100 kilometers, with the goal to support efforts to combat the illegal trade of chimpanzees and related products. |
| Scaling new heights with new research showing how plants can grow at altitude Posted: 01 Jun 2022 08:17 AM PDT A new study has found that plant species are adapted to the altitude where they grow by 'sensing' the oxygen levels that surround them. |
| New type of triterpenes discovered Posted: 01 Jun 2022 08:17 AM PDT A remarkable discovery and collaborative effort have revealed a new type of triterpenes, a group of organic compounds which are an important source of many medicines. Until now, all triterpenes were believed to be derived from squalene, itself a type of triterpene. However, for the very first time, researchers witnessed biosynthesis, the formation of complex compounds from simple ones in living organisms, of triterpenes in fungi without the use of squalene. This important discovery opens up a whole new world of possibilities for pharmaceutical science. |
| Antibiotics wreak havoc on athletic performance Posted: 01 Jun 2022 06:22 AM PDT New research demonstrates that by killing essential gut bacteria, antibiotics ravage athletes' motivation and endurance. The mouse study suggests the microbiome is a big factor separating athletes from 'couch potatoes'. |
| Posted: 01 Jun 2022 06:22 AM PDT Protected and rare bats regularly die at wind turbines (WT). This is why the operation of new wind turbines is temporarily curtailed during periods of high bat activity. Old wind turbines run without curtailment, however. A scientific team has now produced an exemplary estimate of bat fatality rates at such old turbines by systematically recording bat carcasses in the vicinity of the turbines. During two months, 70 bats died on average per wind turbine. Even if these figures cannot be extrapolated one-to-one to all 20,000 old turbines in Germany, there is a considerable need for action. The operation of old turbines should be adjusted to the current regulations for new turbines, the authors argue. |
| About 3 grams a day of omega-3 fatty acids may lower blood pressure, more research needed Posted: 01 Jun 2022 06:21 AM PDT While there is some evidence that consuming omega-3 fatty acids in food or dietary supplements may reduce the risk of high blood pressure, the optimal amount to consume for this benefit is unclear. A review of dozens of studies suggests that the optimal amount of omega-3 fatty acids to consume to lower blood pressure is likely about 3 grams daily. Consuming higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids may be beneficial for people at high risk for developing cardiovascular disease, though more research is needed researchers said. |
| Automated drones could scare birds off agricultural fields Posted: 01 Jun 2022 06:21 AM PDT A research team has developed a system where cameras could spot pest birds in vineyards or orchards and launch drones to drive off the avian irritants, then return to watch for the next invading flock. All without a human nearby. |
| Zapping orange peel oil into new, pleasant aroma compounds Posted: 01 Jun 2022 06:21 AM PDT As oranges are peeled, they spray a tangy, citrus scented oil into the air. The main compound in the fragrant mist is limonene, which can be collected from discarded peels and used in flavorings, perfumes and all-purpose cleaners. Now, researchers have treated limonene with electricity and ethanol, transforming it into a mixture of pleasant-smelling aroma compounds, some of which haven't been identified before. |
| How moonlight fine-tunes animal reproduction Posted: 31 May 2022 06:15 AM PDT Animals possess circadian clocks, or 24 h oscillators, to regulate daily behavior. These typically take their cues from the periodic change of sunlight and darkness. However, many animals are also exposed to moon-light, which recurs with about 25h periodicity. Scientists have now discovered that moonlight adjusts the daily clock of marine bristle worms, which helps them to fine-tune their reproductive cycle to certain hours during the night. The study provides an explanation for the phenomenon that daily clocks from flies to humans can exhibit plastic run-times. |
| A cushy lab life has its evolutionary costs -- when it comes to fish, that is Posted: 27 May 2022 09:14 AM PDT An animal's ability to adapt to its environment is clearly key to its survival, but does that ability come at a physiological cost? A clever experiment comparing laboratory zebrafish with their wild relatives suggests it does. |
| Easy, flexible access to produce, resources boosts healthy eating for kids Posted: 27 May 2022 09:13 AM PDT What children eat affects their lifelong health, but changing their habits can be difficult. However, a new study found that providing easy access to produce and resources can lead to big improvements in kids' diets. |
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