Showing 20 articles starting at article 1
Categories: Biology: Genetics, Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published Innovative field experiments shed light on biological clocks in nature
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has used a series of innovative field experiments to show how plants combine circadian clock signals with environmental cues under naturally fluctuating conditions.
Published Colorful traits in primates ease tensions between groups
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Primate ornamentation plays a crucial role in communication not only within social groups but also between them, according to a new study. The research reveals that the males of species with overlapping home ranges often display vibrant colors or elaborate features, traits that may help reduce intergroup aggression by enabling quick assessments of potential rivals.
Published Life after (feigned) death
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study has revealed what animals do after they have feigned death in order to avoid being killed by a predator and what the context of this behavior is.
Published Revealing DNA behavior in record time
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Studying how single DNA molecules behave helps us to better understand genetic disorders and design better drugs. Until now however, examining DNA molecules one-by-one was a slow process. Biophysicists have developed a technique that speeds up screening of individual DNA molecules at least a thousand times. With this technology, they can measure millions of DNA molecules within a week instead of years to decades.
Published Creature the size of a dust grain found hiding in California's Mono Lake
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Mono Lake is a beautiful but harsh environment, its salty and arsenic-laced water home to brine shrimp, alkali flies and little else. Scientists recently discovered an unsuspected resident, however, a microscopic creature -- a choanoflagelatte -- that forms colonies that harbor their own unique bacterial microbiomes. The creature, part of the sister group to all animals, could shed light on the evolution of animals' intimate interactions with bacteria and the rise of multicellular life.
Published Tarantulas have surprising partnerships with other species and their hairiness may be a defense mechanism
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study reveals that tarantulas are often on friendly terms with amphibians, reptiles, and even army ants, which are known to feed on spiders. The researchers suggest that the dense hair covering tarantulas may have in fact evolved as a defense mechanism against these predatory ants.
Published Gut molecule slows fat burning during fasting
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a struggle that probably sounds familiar to dieters everywhere, the less a Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) worm eats, the more slowly it loses fat. Now, scientists have discovered why: a small molecule produced by the worms' intestines during fasting travels to the brain to block a fat-burning signal during this time.
Published Next time you beat a virus, thank your microbial ancestors
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When you get infected with a virus, some of the first weapons your body deploys to fight it were passed down to us from our microbial ancestors billions of years ago. According to new research, two key elements of our innate immune system came from a group of microbes called Asgard archaea.
Published Life from a drop of rain: New research suggests rainwater helped form the first protocell walls
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research shows that rainwater could have helped create a meshy wall around protocells 3.8 billion years ago, a critical step in the transition from tiny beads of RNA to every bacterium, plant, animal, and human that ever lived.
Published To kill mammoths in the Ice Age, people used planted pikes, not throwing spears, researchers say
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Archeologists say new findings might help resolve the debate about Clovis points and reshape how we think about what life was like roughly 13,000 years ago. After an extensive review of writings and artwork -- and an experiment with replica Clovis point spears -- a team of archaeologists says humans may have braced the butt of their weapons against the ground in a way that would impale a charging animal. The force would have driven the spear deeper into the predator's body, unleashing a more damaging blow than even the strongest prehistoric hunters would have been capable of by throwing or jabbing megafauna.
Published Pilot study uses recycled glass to grow plants for salsa ingredients
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Tortilla chips and fresh salsa are tasty, but they could be even more appealing if you grow the ingredients yourself. Now, researchers report that some salsa ingredients -- cilantro, bell pepper and jalapeno -- can be more sustainably cultivated with recycled glass. Their pilot study found that partially substituting soil in a planter with recycled glass fragments speeds up plant development and reduces unwanted fungal growth.
Published Survival tactics: AI-driven insights into chromatin changes for winter dormancy in axillary buds
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Epigenetics confers a survival advantage in plants to endure harsh weather by inducing bud dormancy. Environmental factors or intrinsic signals trigger the transition between growth and dormancy. Researchers explore the role of chromatin and transcriptional changes in the bud and further analyze data using artificial intelligence models. The findings of this study highlight epigenetic strategies to overcome the effects of short winters during global warming for plant survival.
Published Beetle that pushes dung with the help of 100 billion stars unlocks the key to better navigation systems in drones and satellites
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An insect species that evolved 130 million years ago is the inspiration for a new research study to improve navigation systems in drones, robots, and orbiting satellites.
Published The power of face time: Insights from zebra finch courtship
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study on songbirds sheds light on the power of social interaction to facilitate learning, insights that potentially apply to human development. Researchers discovered that zebra finches deprived of early social experiences could still form strong bonds with a partner later in life. Once placed into cohabitation with a male, females that had never heard a mating song before could quickly develop a preference for his melody.
Published 'DNA scavengers' can stop some antibiotic resistance from spreading
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For nearly a century, scientists have waged war on antibiotic-resistant microbes. Researchers say they've found a new way to prevent it -- by unleashing 'DNA scavengers' in wastewater treatment plants.
Published Benefits and downside of fasting
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers identified a signaling pathway in mice that boosts intestinal stem cells' regeneration abilities after fasting. When cancerous mutations occurred during this regenerative period, mice were more likely to develop early-stage intestinal tumors.
Published Self-repairing mitochondria use novel recycling system
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A newly identified identified cellular mechanism allows mitochondria to recycle localized damage and maintain healthy function.
Published Surprising mechanism for removing dead cells identified
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A tandem signaling process turns ordinary cells into an efficient cleanup crew.
Published Compound in rosemary extract can reduce cocaine sensitivity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A team of researchers has discovered that an antioxidant found in rosemary extract can reduce volitional intakes of cocaine by moderating the brain's reward response, offering a new therapeutic target for treating addiction.
Published Humpbacks are among animals who manufacture and wield tools
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers suggest a new designation of the humpback whales they study: tool wielders. Researchers have known that humpback whales create "bubble-nets" to hunt, but they have learned that the animals don't just create the bubble-nets; they manipulate this unique tool in a variety of ways to maximize their food intake in Alaskan feeding grounds.