Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General
Published

Myelination in the brain may be key to 'learning' opioid addiction      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have found that the process of adaptive myelination, which helps the brain learn new skills, can also promote addiction to opioids.

Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: Sea Life Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

'Missing' early sea sponges discovered      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Geobiologists reported a 550 million-year-old sea sponge that had been missing from the fossil record. The discovery sheds new light on a conundrum that has stumped zoologists and paleontologists for years.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

New technique reveals how gene transcription is coordinated in cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers invented a technique that allows them to observe which genes and enhancers are active in a cell at the same time. This could help them determine which enhancers control which genes and may reveal potential new drug targets for genetic disorders.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular
Published

Father's diet before conception influences children's health      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A recent study provides new insights into how fathers' diets and overweight can affect their children's health even before conception. The findings of the study can help develop preventive health measures for men wishing to become fathers: The healthier the father's diet, the lower the risk for their children to develop obesity or diseases such as diabetes later in life.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Biology: Zoology
Published

Exercising during pregnancy normalizes eating behaviors in offspring from obese mice      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Maternal obesity impacts the eating behaviors of offspring via long-term overexpression of the microRNA miR-505-5p, according to a new study.

Biology: General Ecology: Animals Ecology: Invasive Species
Published

Combining pest treatments may be key to helping honey bees survive the winter      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Winters can be tough on managed honey bee colonies, with beekeepers in the United States reporting that one-third of their colonies die each winter. A new study has found that using not one but multiple pest treatments may help bees make it to spring.

Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Rocky shores of Pacific Northwest show low resilience to changes in climate      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A 15-year period ending in 2020 that included a marine heat wave and a sea star wasting disease epidemic saw major changes in the groups of organisms that live along the rocky shores of the Pacific Northwest.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Paleontology: Climate
Published

Human activity contributed to woolly rhinoceros' extinction      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered sustained hunting by humans prevented the woolly rhinoceros from accessing favourable habitats as Earth warmed following the Last Ice Age.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Microbiology Ecology: Sea Life Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography
Published

Small, but smart: How symbiotic bacteria adapt to big environmental changes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Lucinid clams, inconspicuous inhabitants of the seafloor and one of the most diverse group of animals in the ocean, rely on symbiotic bacteria for their survival. Researchers now reveal the evolutionary journey of these tiny tenants. Faced with a drastically changing environment following the closure of the Isthmus of Panama, they acquired new metabolic skills to enable their own survival. Understanding the adaptive strategies of bacteria provides insight into their potential responses to challenging environmental changes, such as those caused by human activities.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General
Published

Age and sex-related changes leave female flies vulnerable to delayed harm from head injury      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team using a fruit fly model has discovered that even very mild, non-lethal head injuries early in life can lead to neurodegenerative conditions later in life upon aging.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology
Published

New light shed on circadian rhythms      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Circadian clocks, which drive circadian rhythms, are entwined with many essential systems in living things including plants, fungi, insects, and even humans. Because of this, disruptions to our circadian clocks are linked to higher disease rates in humans, including certain cancers and autoimmune diseases.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Invasive Species
Published

Frequent mowing puts poisonous weed into survival mode      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A study has found that frequent mowing of Solanum elaeagnifolium, also known as silverleaf nightshade, may help create a 'superweed.' A professor of entomology and plant pathology has been studying silverleaf nightshade for more than a decade. New findings have shown that the more silverleaf nightshade was mowed, the more it developed ways to avoid destruction. The taproot went down further, nearly 5 feet deep, in the first generation of mowed plants. More spikes popped out on the stem as a defense against caterpillars feeding on the flowers. The flowers became more toxic to caterpillars, leading to less pressure from natural predators.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Microbiology
Published

Oral nucleoside antiviral is progressing toward future pandemic preparedness      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Obeldesivir (GS-5245), a novel investigational small molecule oral antiviral, represents a new tool in the ongoing effort to prepare for future pandemics.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Zoology Mathematics: General Mathematics: Modeling
Published

The embryo assembles itself      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Biological processes depend on puzzle pieces coming together and interacting. Under specific conditions, these interactions can create something new without external input. This is called self-organization, as seen in a school of fish or a flock of birds. Interestingly, the mammalian embryo develops similarly. Scientists now introduce a mathematical framework that analyzes self-organization from a single cell to a multicellular organism.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Urgent need for action now for increasing threat from invasive alien species      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Urgent action now is needed to tackle the major and growing global issue of invasive alien species, says a team of 88 experts from 47 countries. The paper follows the (IPBES) thematic assessment report on invasive alien species and their control. The experts say co-developing management actions with multiple stakeholders including government and private sector stakeholders, and Indigenous Peoples and local communities will be critical to achieving success in addressing biological invasions.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Captivating blue-colored ant discovered in India's remote Siang Valley      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new species of blue ant was discovered in Yingku village in Arunachal Pradesh, Northeastern India. It was named Paraparatrechina neela, after the word 'neela' which means blue in various Indian languages. Its unique blue coloration makes it stand out among other ant species.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Animals Ecology: Nature Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Food drove the evolution of giraffes' long neck      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A study explores body proportions of Masai giraffes, lending insight into why giraffes have such long necks and how this trait might have evolved.