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

New research approach: Exploring the mouthfeel of food with a microscope      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new perspectives article focuses on different ways to study the mouthfeel of food using atomic force microscopy to better understand the biophysical mechanisms that contribute to taste sensations in a broader sense. New findings in this area could drive the development of health-promoting products that contain less salt, fat, sugar and calories but still have a convincing mouthfeel.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

What makes some plant groups so successful?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers involved in cataloguing the world's plant species are hunting for answers as to what makes some groups of plants so successful. One of their major goals is to predict more accurately which lineages of flowering plants -- some of which are of huge importance to people and to ecosystems -- are at a greater risk from global climate change.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity Geoscience: Geography
Published

Fatal attraction: When endangered species try to mate with domestic relatives, both wildlife and people lose      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Sticks and stones aren't enough to thwart biological attraction, but sometimes those are the only tools available to pastoralists trying to prevent wildlife from eloping with their livestock. A new study brings awareness to both the human impacts of these encounters -- ranging from economic loss to death -- and conservation concerns for the wild animals that are often endangered.

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

Heart healthy behaviors may help reverse rapid cell aging      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The benefits gained with higher lifestyle scores may be associated with the positive influence of heart disease risk factors on the aging of the body and its cells, finds a new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Ecology: Animals Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity
Published

Wild megalopolis: Study shows unexpected pockets of biodiversity pepper Los Angeles      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers, in partnership with the city of Los Angeles, have developed the urban association index to help identify how well or poorly individual wildlife species are doing in the city. The researchers found unexpected pockets of biodiversity deep in the city, but they say it will still be a challenge to elevate Los Angeles' overall level of biodiversity.

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

Bird flu: Diverse range of vaccines platforms 'crucial' for enhancing human pandemic preparedness      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Review of research to-date suggests vaccination remains the most effective strategy for avian influenza prevention and control in humans, despite varying vaccine efficacy across strains.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Ecology: Endangered Species
Published

Scientists identify gene that could lead to resilient 'pixie' corn      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A widely found gene in plants has been newly identified as a key transporter of a hormone that influences the size of corn. The discovery offers plant breeders a new tool to develop desirable dwarf varieties that could enhance the crop's resilience and profitability.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Developmental Biology: General
Published

New deep learning model is 'game changer' for measuring embryo development      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new deep learning model performs a task that biologists have struggled with for centuries -- how to measure the incredibly complex process of embryonic development. Scientists have shown that the AI model, known as Dev-ResNet, can identify what happens and when during embryonic development, from video. While used in pond snail embryos for this study, in future the technique could be used to help accelerate understanding on how climate change, and other external factors, affect humans and animals in the earliest stages of life.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Animals Ecology: Nature Ecology: Trees Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: General
Published

Smarter foragers do not forage smarter      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Why do primates have big brains? In the Panamanian rainforest, scientists pitted large-brained primates against smaller-brained mammals to find out who was the smartest forager.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General
Published

A unified account of Darwinism's varieties      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new article examines the question of what Darwinism is and how its nonscientific uses relate to the scientific theory of evolution. The authors observe that while some people claim Darwinism's meaning should be limited to scientific content, others call for its abolition altogether. The authors propose a unified account of these varieties of Darwinism.

Anthropology: Early Humans Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Zoology Ecology: Extinction Paleontology: Early Mammals and Birds Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Bringing back an ancient bird      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Using ancient DNA extracted from the toe bone of a museum specimen, biologists have sequenced the genome of an extinct, flightless bird called the little bush moa, shedding light into an unknown corner of avian genetic history. The work is the first complete genetic map of the turkey-sized bird whose distant living cousins include the ostrich, emu, and kiwi.

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

Mechanisms for selective multiple sclerosis treatment strategy      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have demonstrated how B cells infected with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can contribute to a pathogenic, inflammatory phenotype that contributes to multiple sclerosis (MS); the group has also shown how these problematic B cells can be selectively targeted in a way that reduces the damaging autoimmune response of multiple sclerosis.

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

'Cloaked' proteins deliver cancer-killing therapeutics into cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have designed a way to 'cloak' proteins in a generalized technique that could lead to repurposing things like antibodies for biological research and therapeutic applications.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Why do Dyeing poison frogs tap dance?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The toe tapping behavior of various amphibians has long attracted attention from researchers and pet owners. Despite being widely documented, the underlying functional role is poorly understood. In a new paper, researchers demonstrate that Dyeing poison frogs modulate their taps based on specific stimuli.

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

Scientists uncover a multibillion-year epic written into the chemistry of life      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Life evolved from simple geochemical processes present on the early Earth. However, the details of this transformation remain a mystery. In this study, researchers modeled the emergence of metabolic pathways from simple geochemical precursors and concluded that surprisingly few reactions in the history of metabolism may have been lost to time.

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

Genetic mosaicism more common than thought      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers found that approximately one in 40 human bone marrow cells carry massive chromosomal alterations without causing any apparent disease or abnormality. Even so-called normal cells carry all sorts of genetic mutations, meaning there are more genetic differences between individual cells in our bodies than between different human beings. The discovery was enabled by a single-cell sequencing technology called Strand-seq, a unique DNA sequencing technique that can reveal subtle details of genomes in single cells that are too difficult to detect with other methods.

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

Researchers have unveiled a new method to manipulate cell movement in embryos      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have developed a new method that can manipulate the movement of embryonic cells using short-time attractors.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

How killifish embryos use suspended animation to survive over 8 months of drought      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The African turquoise killifish lives in ephemeral ponds in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. To survive the annual dry season, the fish's embryos enter a state of extreme suspended animation or 'diapause' for approximately 8 months. Now, researchers have uncovered the mechanisms that enabled the killifish to evolve this extreme survival state.

Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature
Published

Transgenic expression of rubisco factors increases photosynthesis and chilling tolerance in maize      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Maize is one of the world's most widely grown crops and is essential to global food security. But like other plants, its growth and productivity can be limited by the slow activity of Rubisco, the enzyme responsible for carbon assimilation during photosynthesis. Scientists have now demonstrated a promising approach to enhancing Rubisco production, thus improving photosynthesis and overall plant growth.