A new mechanism for shaping animal tissues
A key question that remains in biology and biophysics is how three-dimensional tissue shapes emerge during animal development. Research teams from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) in Dresden, Germany, the Exce.....»»
Researchers: Australians would rather save a single human life than prevent an entire species from becoming extinct
Australia is in the grip of an escalating extinction crisis. Since colonization, 100 native plant and animal species have become formally listed as extinct due to human activities. The actual number is undoubtedly far higher......»»
Nutrients direct intestinal stem cell function and affect aging, finds study
Researchers at the University of Helsinki have discovered a new mechanism of action between the nutrient adaptation of intestinal stem cells and aging. The finding may make a difference when seeking ways to maintain the functional capacity of the agi.....»»
New study on decomposing microbes could help transform forensic science
For the first time, researchers have identified what appears to be a network of approximately 20 microbes that universally drive the decomposition of animal flesh. The findings have significant implications for the future of forensic science, includi.....»»
Q&A: Research visualizes a precise mechanism for how cells sort their trash
For decades it has been an open question in the ubiquitin research field how proteins are labeled as being defective or unneeded. In a recent study Brenda Schulman, Director at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) of Biochemistry, and Gary Kleiger, Chair o.....»»
Replacing animal-based foods with alternative proteins would unlock land for carbon removal, say researchers
Researchers report that replacing 50% of animal products with alternative proteins by 2050 could free up enough agricultural land to generate renewable energy equivalent in volume to today's coal-generated power while simultaneously removing substant.....»»
Opinion: Peer review isn"t perfect—I teach others how to do it and I"ve seen firsthand how it comes up short
When I teach research methods, a major focus is peer review. As a process, peer review evaluates academic papers for their quality, integrity and impact on a field, largely shaping what scientists accept as "knowledge." By instinct, any academic foll.....»»
Researchers describe a novel species of jellyfish discovered in a remote location in Japan
A research team has published a description of a rare medusa found at a depth of 812 meters. The animal has been sighted only twice in a deep-sea volcanic structure called Sumisu Caldera, in the Ogasawara Islands. The gelatinous animal with a diamete.....»»
Preclinical study uncovers two proteins" crucial role in causing cancer cell growth
Scientists at City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, have discovered a new cellular mechanism that plays an important role in cancer cells' ability to cause disease. The study is published i.....»»
Training an animal? An ethicist explains how and why your dog, but not your frog, can be punished
People talk to their pets every day: offering praise when they're good, reassurance when they're confused and affection when they're cuddling. We also speak to animals when they misbehave. "Why did you do that?" someone might ask their dog. Or we mig.....»»
Team discovers mechanism that protects tissue after faulty gene expression
A study at the University of Cologne's CECAD Cluster of Excellence in Aging Research has identified a protein complex that is activated by defects in the spliceosome, the molecular scissors that process genetic information. Future research could lead.....»»
Mathematical model reveals how a pit viper is able to find its dinner in the dead of night
In the animal kingdom, there are many grand examples of species that make sense of their world by expertly deciphering even weak signals from their surroundings......»»
Permafrost alone holds back Arctic rivers—and a lot of carbon
New research from Dartmouth College provides the first evidence that the Arctic's frozen soil is the dominant force shaping Earth's northernmost rivers. Permafrost, the thick layer of soil that stays frozen for two or more years at a time, is the rea.....»»
European immigrants introduced farming to prehistoric North Africa, new research shows
The Neolithic age—when agriculture and animal farming were adopted—has become one of the most widely studied periods of social and economic transition in recent years. It was a period that drove great change in the evolution of human society......»»
Research shows goats can tell if you are happy or angry by your voice alone
Goats can tell the difference between a happy-sounding human voice and an angry-sounding one, according to research co-led by Professor Alan McElligott, an expert in animal behavior and welfare at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK)......»»
Zebrafish usp3 loss found to promote hypoxic tolerance
Oxygen is an essential element for survival. Ocean warming, circadian rhythm, eutrophication, high-density aquaculture, power failures and long-distance live animal transportation can all lead to low oxygen levels in water. This reduction in oxygen c.....»»
Team develops a non-allergenic wheat protein for growing better cultivated meat
As the world's population increases, cultivated or lab-grown meat—animal muscle and fat cells grown in laboratory conditions—has emerged as a potential way to satisfy future protein needs. And edible, inexpensive plant proteins could be used to g.....»»
Researchers discover molecular mechanism that influences the symmetrical shape of the style
Humans are attracted to symmetry: in our buildings, our gardens, in our potential partners. For plants, the symmetrical shapes of organs are a matter of survival because the form directly impacts the function......»»
To stick or not to stick? Mixed sand columns illuminate design of better materials
Scientists from Tokyo Metropolitan University have been studying the strength and toughness of sand columns made of a mixture of sticky and non-sticky grains. They have uncovered the mechanism behind how the strength changes as grains are mixed in di.....»»
Animals see the world in different colors than humans: New camera reveals what this looks like
If you've ever wished you could see the world though the eyes of another animal, we have good news for you. We also wondered about that and, being scientists who specialize in color vision, have created a solution: a camera system and software packag.....»»
Scientists Just Discovered a New Type of Magnetism
In an atomically thin stack of semiconductors, a mechanism unseen in any natural substance causes electrons’ spins to align......»»