Showing 20 articles starting at article 701

< Previous 20 articles        Next 20 articles >

Categories: Biology: Cell Biology, Ecology: Extinction

Return to the site home page

Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Marine Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Ecology: Sea Life Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Rays were more diverse 150 million years ago than previously thought      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have explored the puzzling world of rays that lived 150 million years ago and discovered a previously hidden diversity -- including a new ray species. This study significantly expands the understanding of these ancient cartilaginous fish and provides further insights into a past marine ecosystem.

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

As we age, our cells are less likely to express longer genes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Aging may be less about specific 'aging genes' and more about how long a gene is. Many of the changes associated with aging could be occurring due to decreased expression of long genes, say researchers. A decline in the expression of long genes with age has been observed in a wide range of animals, from worms to humans, in various human cell and tissue types, and also in individuals with neurodegenerative disease. Mouse experiments show that the phenomenon can be mitigated via known anti-aging factors, including dietary restriction.

Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Extinction Ecology: General Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Environmental: Biodiversity Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Earth Science
Published

Species diversity promotes ecosystem stability      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

What maintains stability within an ecosystem and prevents a single best competitor from displacing other species from a community? Does ecosystem stability depend upon the presence of a wide variety of species, as early ecologists believed, or does diversity do the exact opposite, and lead to instability, as modern theory predicts? A new study suggests an answer to this question that has been a subject of debate among ecologists for half a century.

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

Research finds a direct communication path between the lungs and the brain      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research finds a direct communication path between the lungs and the brain which may change the way we treat respiratory infections and chronic conditions. The lungs are using the same sensors and neurons in the pain pathway to let the brain know there's an infection. The brain then prompts the symptoms associated with sickness. Findings indicate we may have to treat the nervous system as well as the infection.

Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Molecular
Published

Natural molecule found in coffee and human body increases NAD+ levels, improves muscle function during aging      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research consortium made a recent discovery that the natural molecule trigonelline present in coffee, fenugreek, and also in the human body, can help to improve muscle health and function.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Ecology: Endangered Species Geoscience: Geochemistry Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Decoding the plant world's complex biochemical communication networks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team has begun translating the complex molecular language of petunias. Their grammar and vocabulary are well hidden, however, within the countless proteins and other compounds that fill floral cells. Being rooted to the ground, plants can't run away from insects, pathogens or other threats to their survival. But plant scientists have long known that they do send warnings to each other via scent chemicals called volatile organic compounds.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Ecology: Sea Life
Published

Scientists weigh up current status of blue whale populations around the world      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The largest living animal, the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) which averages about 27 meters in length, has slowly recovered from whaling only to face the rising challenges of global warming, pollution, disrupted food sources, shipping, and other human threats. In a major new study, biologists have taken a stock of the number, distribution and genetic characteristics of blue whale populations around the world and found the greatest differences among the eastern Pacific, Antarctic subspecies and pygmy subspecies of the eastern Indian and western Pacific.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Microbiology Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Deep Earth electrical grid mystery solved      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

To 'breathe' in an environment without oxygen, bacteria in the ground beneath our feet depend upon a single family of proteins to transfer excess electrons, produced during the 'burning' of nutrients, to electric hairs called nanowires projecting from their surface.

Biology: Marine Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Ecology: Sea Life Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Ancient giant dolphin discovered in the Amazon      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Measuring between 3 to 3.5 meters, 16 million years old: Paleontologists have announced the discovery of a new species of freshwater dolphin in the Peruvian Amazon region. Surprisingly, its closest living relatives can be found in the river dolphins of South Asia.

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

Bacteria subtype linked to growth in up to 50% of human colorectal cancers      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have found that a specific subtype of a microbe commonly found in the mouth is able to travel to the gut and grow within colorectal cancer tumors. This microbe is also a culprit for driving cancer progression and leads to poorer patient outcomes after cancer treatment. The findings could help improve therapeutic approaches and early screening methods for colorectal cancer, which is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in adults in the U.S. according to the American Cancer Society.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Ecology: Animals Energy: Batteries Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Crawfish could transfer ionic lithium from their environment into food chain      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries are showing up in ever more devices, and the increasing use of this technology means more lithium is expected to find its way into the environment as a contaminant. In new research, a team has explored how this ion accumulates in a common Southern crustacean, the crawfish, with implications for the environment and public health.

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

Craving snacks after a meal? It might be food-seeking neurons, not an overactive appetite      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Psychologists have discovered a circuit in the brain of mice that makes them crave food and seek it out, even when they are not hungry. When stimulated, this cluster of cells propels mice to forage vigorously and to prefer fatty and pleasurable foods like chocolate over healthier foods like carrots.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General
Published

Keto diet prevents early memory decline in mice      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study shows the keto diet prevents early memory decline in mice. A molecule in the diet plays a key role in slowing Alzheimer's disease.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Ecology: Invasive Species
Published

Decoding the Easter Bunny -- an eastern Finnish brown hare to represent the standard for the species' genome      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Biologists have published a chromosomally assembled reference genome for the European brown hare. The genome consists of 2.9 billion base pairs, which form 23 autosomal chromosomes, and X and Y sex chromosomes. The timing of the genome release is very appropriate as the brown hare also represents the original Easter Bunny familiar from European folklore.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Is food waste the key to sustainable, plastic-free diapers and sanitary pads?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Once thrown away, disposable diapers and sanitary pads can take hundreds of years to decompose, because they contain plastics and other synthetic polymers. But now, researchers are replacing these materials with components made from protein biomass that is often discarded. They are sustainable and biodegradable, and they could potentially allow future diapers and pads to be flushed down a toilet or used as fertilizer.

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

Empty 'backpacks' activate the immune system against cancer      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered that the mere act of attaching their microparticle 'backpacks' to neutrophils is enough to activate them against cancer -- no drugs needed. In experiments, backpack-bearing neutrophils shrank tumors and extended the survival of mice with cancer, and treated animals retained an immune memory of the disease. This approach opens the door to a new class of drug-free immunotherapy for cancer.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General
Published

Cranberries provide runners with an all-natural boost, according to new research      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a series of trials involving trained distance runners, researchers found that ingesting a cranberry supplement for 28 consecutive days led to noticeable improvements in both performance and muscle fatigue following 1,500-metre time trials. Reoxygenation rates were faster and running speeds improved by 1.5 per cent. The researchers found that 28 days of cranberry extract consumption by elite level endurance runners demonstrated a trend toward increased speed in 1,500-metre time trials but not in 400-metre ones. However, they did notice that lactate buildup was reduced following the 400-metre but not the 1,500-metre compared to baseline. The data also indicated that the cranberry extract promoted better oxygen extraction by the muscle, improved lactate clearance and slower muscle deoxygenation.

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

A protein found in human sweat may protect against Lyme disease      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Human sweat contains a protein that may protect against Lyme disease. About one-third of the population carries a genetic variant of this protein that is associated with Lyme disease in genome-wide association studies.

Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Extinction Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

Tanks of the Triassic: New crocodile ancestor identified      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Dinosaurs get all the glory. But aetosaurs, a heavily armored cousin of modern crocodiles, ruled the world before dinosaurs did. These tanks of the Triassic came in a variety of shapes and sizes before going extinct around 200 million years ago. Today, their fossils are found on every continent except Antarctica and Australia.