Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature
Published

Caribbean parrots thought to be endemic are actually relicts of millennial-scale extinction      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

For the first time, researchers have extracted ancient DNA from Caribbean parrot fossils and archaeological specimens, showing that species thought to be endemic to particular islands were historically more widespread and diverse.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Space: Exploration Space: General Space: The Solar System
Published

Did life exist on Mars? Other planets? With AI's help, we may know soon      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have discovered a simple and reliable test for signs of past or present life on other planets -- 'the holy grail of astrobiology.' Researchers report that, with 90% accuracy, their artificial intelligence-based method distinguished modern and ancient biological samples from those of abiotic origin.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water
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Theories about the natural world may need to change to reflect human impact      (via sciencedaily.com) 

New research has validated at scale, one of the theories that has underpinned ecology for over half a century. In doing so, the findings raise further questions about whether models should be revised to capture human impacts on natural systems.

Biology: Biochemistry Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Waterfleas hold key to cleaner environment and better human health      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Tiny waterfleas could play a pivotal role in removing persistent chemical pollutants from wastewater -- making it safe to use in factories, farms and homes, a new study reveals.

Offbeat: General Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Cosmology Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

Hidden supermassive black holes reveal their secrets through radio signals      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Astronomers have found a striking link between the amount of dust surrounding a supermassive black hole and the strength of the radio emission produced in extremely bright galaxies.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology
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Discovery in mosquitoes could lead to new strategy against dengue fever and other mosquito-borne vectors      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have made an important finding about Aedes aegypti mosquitoes -- one that could one day lead to better methods for reducing the mosquito-to-human transmission of dengue, yellow fever, Zika, and other harmful and sometimes deadly viruses.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General
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New research adds evidence to the benefits of ginger supplements for treating autoimmune diseases      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research has revealed a potentially important role ginger supplements can play in controlling inflammation for people living with autoimmune diseases. The research focused on studying the impact of ginger supplementation on a type of white blood cell called the neutrophil. The study was especially interested in neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation, also known as NETosis, and what it may mean for controlling inflammation. The study found ginger consumption by healthy individuals makes their neutrophils more resistant to NETosis. This is important because NETs are microscopic spider web-like structures that propel inflammation and clotting, which contribute to many autoimmune diseases, including lupus, antiphospholipid syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Developmental Biology: Zoology Ecology: Sea Life Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
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Jellyfish, with no central brain, shown to learn from past experience      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Even without a central brain, jellyfish can learn from past experiences like humans, mice, and flies, scientists report for the first time. They trained Caribbean box jellyfish (Tripedalia cystophora) to learn to spot and dodge obstacles. The study challenges previous notions that advanced learning requires a centralized brain and sheds light on the evolutionary roots of learning and memory.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals
Published

Colorful primates don't have better color vision, study finds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Primate species with better color vision are not more likely to have red skin or fur coloration, as previously thought.

Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

Astronomers discover newborn galaxies with the James Webb Space Telescope      (via sciencedaily.com) 

With the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers are now able to peer so far back in time that we are approaching the epoch where we think that the first galaxies were created. Throughout most of the history of the Universe, galaxies seemingly tend to follow a tight relation between how many stars they have formed, and how many heavy elements they have formed. But for the first time we now see signs that this relation between the amount of stars and elements does not hold for the earliest galaxies. The reason is likely that these galaxies simply are in the process of being created, and have not yet had the time to create the heavy elements.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Zoology
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Migratory birds can be taught to adjust to climate change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

One result of climate change is that spring is arriving earlier. However, migratory birds are not keeping up with these developments and arrive too late for the peak in food availability when it is time for breeding. By getting the birds to fly a little further north, researchers have observed that these birds can give their chicks a better start in life.

Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features
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Astronomers find abundance of Milky Way-like Galaxies in early Universe, rewriting cosmic evolution theories      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Galaxies from the early Universe are more like our own Milky Way than previously thought, flipping the entire narrative of how scientists think about structure formation in the Universe, according to new research.

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

Same genes behind heart muscle disorders in humans and Dobermanns      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have made a significant finding in determining the genetic background of dilated cardiomyopathy in Dobermanns. This research helps us understand the genetic risk factors related to fatal diseases of the heart muscle and the mechanisms underlying the disease, and offers new tools for their prevention.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
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Conversations with plants: Can we provide plants with advance warning of impending dangers?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Plant scientists have engineered a light-controlled gene expression system (optogenetics system) from a prokaryotic system into a eukaryotic system that is tailored for plants.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Microbiology
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New strategies reduce treatment failure in malaria by up to 81%      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

To slow artemisinin resistance and reduce treatment failures, an international research team investigated various drug policy interventions in Rwanda, where artemisinin resistance was first reported in 2020. Among other strategies, the team found that next-generation interventions such as triple ACTs (TACTs) -- which combine an artemisinin derivative with two partner drugs or which use a sequential course of one ACT formulation, followed by a different ACT formulation -- resulted in treatment failure counts that were at least 81% lower.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

This parasitic plant convinces hosts to grow into its own flesh--it's also an extreme example of genome shrinkage      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Balanophora shed one third of its genes as it evolved into a streamlined parasitic plant -- an extreme degree of genome shrinkage even among parasites. Along the way this subtropical plant developed the ability to induce the host plant to grow into the parasite's own flesh -- forming chimeric organs that mix host and parasite tissues.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry
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Researchers develop first method to study microRNA activity in single cells      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have developed the first method to uncover the tasks that microRNAs perform in single cells. This is a huge improvement over existing state-of-the-art methods that require millions of cells and will for the first time allow researchers to study microRNAs in complex tissues such as brains.