Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology
Published

Shining a light on the effects of habituation and neural adaptation on the evolution of animal signals      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new paper examines the possible effects of two properties of receiver playing fields documented in studies of animal psychology -- habituation and neural adaptation -- on the efficacy of mate choice signals.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research
Published

Genetic research revealed several new fern species in tropical America      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have clarified the evolutionary history of a previously poorly known group of ferns from the tropical rainforests of America using DNA methods. The study discovered many new fern species, 18 of which have now been given official names and species descriptions.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Molecular Biology: Zoology Ecology: Sea Life
Published

The Golgi organelle's ribbon structure is not exclusive to vertebrates, contrary to previous consensus      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers report that the Golgi ribbon, an organelle structure previously thought to be exclusive to vertebrates, is also present in animal taxa, including mollusks, earthworms, and sea urchins. The function of the Golgi ribbon is still enigmatic, but its presence in diverse animal lineages indicates that its function is not vertebrate specific, as previously thought. The team also showed Golgi ribbons form at a specific timepoint during embryogenesis, which suggests that they might play a role in cell differentiation.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity
Published

Bottlenecks and beehives: How an invasive bee colony defied genetic expectations      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An invasive Asian honeybee colony in northern Australia has defied expectations, displaying emergent genetic variation in a short period of time. While bad news for biosecurity agencies, it could be a sign that species under pressure from climate change can be resilient.

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

The veil varies more than the threat: Predator selection on variability in camouflage and warning signals      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers leveraged open-access digital collections to validate an age-old hypothesis in evolutionary ecology. The classic hypothesis proposes that predators select for a great variety of camouflage and a limited variety of warning signals, but the idea has never been tested on natural prey.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

New AI model could streamline operations in a robotic warehouse      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers applied deep-learning approaches from vehicle routing to streamline planning trajectories for robots in an e-commerce warehouse. Their method breaks the problem down into smaller chunks and then predicts the best chunks to solve with traditional algorithms.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Animals Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Butterflies mimic each other's flight behavior to avoid predators      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have shown that inedible species of butterfly that mimic each others' color patterns have also evolved similar flight behaviors to warn predators and avoid being eaten.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

A novel method for easy and quick fabrication of biomimetic robots with life-like movement      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Ultraviolet-laser processing is a promising technique for developing intricate microstructures, enabling complex alignment of muscle cells, required for building life-like biohybrid actuators. Compared to traditional complex methods, this innovative technique enables easy and quick fabrication of microstructures with intricate patterns for achieving different muscle cell arrangements, paving the way for biohybrid actuators capable of complex, flexible movements.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Nature
Published

Snakes do it faster, better: How a group of scaly, legless lizards hit the evolutionary jackpot      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

More than 100 million years ago, the ancestors of the first snakes were small lizards that lived alongside other small, nondescript lizards in the shadow of the dinosaurs.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Microbiology
Published

Copies of antibiotic resistance genes greatly elevated in humans and livestock      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have uncovered a key link between the spread of antibiotic resistance genes and the evolution of resistance to new drugs in certain pathogens. Bacteria exposed to higher levels of antibiotics often harbor multiple identical copies of protective antibiotic resistance genes which are linked to 'jumping genes' that can move from strain to strain. Duplicate genes provide a mechanism for resistance to spread and enable evolving resistance to new drugs.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Energy: Technology Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Method identified to double computer processing speeds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists introduce what they call 'simultaneous and heterogeneous multithreading' or SHMT. This system doubles computer processing speeds with existing hardware by simultaneously using graphics processing units (GPUs), hardware accelerators for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), or digital signal processing units to process information.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Animals Geoscience: Geography
Published

Weedy rice gets competitive boost from its wild neighbors      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Weedy rice is an agricultural pest with a global economic impact. It is an aggressive weed that outcompetes cultivated rice and causes billions of dollars in yield losses worldwide. A study offers new insights into genetic changes that give weedy rice its edge over cultivated rice in tropical regions of the world.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Zoology Ecology: Nature Ecology: Research Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Butterfly and moth genomes mostly unchanged despite 250 million years of evolution      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Comparison of over 200 high-quality butterfly and moth genomes reveals key insights into their biology, evolution and diversification over the last 250 million years, as well as clues for conservation.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Marine Ecology: Sea Life Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

An awkward family reunion: Sea monsters are our cousins      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The sea lamprey, a 500-million-year-old animal with a sharp-toothed suction cup for a mouth, is the thing of nightmares. A new study discovered that the hindbrain -- the part of the brain controlling vital functions like blood pressure and heart rate -- of both sea lampreys and humans is built using an extraordinarily similar molecular and genetic toolkit.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Nature Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

The cultural evolution of collective property rights      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Common pool resources comprise around 65 percent of Earth's surface and vast tracts of the ocean. While examples of successful governance of these resources exist, the circumstances and mechanisms behind their development have remained unclear. Researchers have developed a simulation model to examine the emergence, stability and temporal dynamics of collective property rights.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Environmental: Biodiversity
Published

Scientists may have cracked the 'aging process' in species      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Research shows the relationship between a species' age and its risk of going extinct could be accurately predicted by an ecological model called the 'neutral theory of biodiversity.'