ScienceDaily: Plants & Animals News

The crystal structure of a human endogenous reverse transcriptase has similarities to HIV reverse transcriptase, a well-known tractable drug target, which will help design drugs to treat cancer and other diseases, according to a study co-authored by a Rutgers researcher.

Biofuel scientists used an oddball molecule made by bacteria to develop a new class of sustainable biofuels powerful enough to launch rockets. The candidate molecules have greater projected energy density than any petroleum product, including the leading aviation and rocket fuels, JetA and RP-1.

New research using computer simulations and Hollywood-style motion capture shows how birds optimize their landing maneuvers for an accurate descent.

Researchers have discovered that a signaling molecule called SCUBE3 potently stimulates hair growth and may offer a therapeutic treatment for androgenetic alopecia, a common form of hair loss in both women and men.

Researchers have created artificial Hox genes -- which plan and direct where cells go to develop tissues or organs -- using new synthetic DNA technology and genomic engineering in stem cells. Their findings confirm how clusters of Hox genes help cells to learn and remember where they are in the body.

Researchers have unraveled how bacteria adhere to host cells and thus taken the first step towards developing a new class of antibiotics.

While there are many studies that discuss antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) in soil and water environments, there is currently very little research that focuses on ARG in aerial environments. In a recent review, researchers have analyzed current research trends regarding ARG in bioaerosols, including their sources, methods of detection, and implications for the future.

Changes in the way that humans live and eat have resulted in tremendous alterations in the gut microbiome, especially over the past few decades. These changes have been linked to increased rates of asthma, allergies, diseases of the digestive system, type 2 diabetes, and other conditions. Scientists propose that we can combat these trends by having individuals bank samples of their own gut microbiota when they are young and healthy for potential use later in life in an autologous fecal microbiota transplant (FMT).

Zika and dengue fever viruses alter the scent of mice and humans they infect, a team of researchers report. The altered scent attracts mosquitoes, which bite the host, drink their infected blood and then carry the virus to its next victim.

Zebra finches communicate via eye contact and calls to coordinate their spatial positions during flocking flight

Computer scientists develop Emu, an algorithm that uses long reads of genomes to identify the species of bacteria in a community. The program could simplify sorting harmful from helpful bacteria in microbiomes like those in the gut or in agriculture and the environment.

Researchers examined 21st century changes in ocean-surface temperature, salinity, and density, across mangrove forests worldwide. Their study suggests that changes in surface-ocean density may impact the dispersal patterns of widely distributed mangroves species, and more likely so in the Indo-West Pacific region, the primary hotspot of mangrove diversity.

New research highlights how the risk of wildfire is rising globally due to climate change -- but also, how human actions and policies can play a critical role in regulating regional impacts. The study shows that anthropogenic climate change is a 'push' factor that enhances the risk of wildfires globally.