Ancient genes pinpoint when humans and Neanderthals mixed and mingled
Neanderthals and humans likely mixed and mingled during a narrow time frame 45,000 years ago, scientists reported Thursday......»»
Seemingly "broken" genes in coronaviruses may be essential for viral survival
Viruses are lean, mean, infection machines. Their genomes are tiny, limited to a handful of absolutely essential genes, and they shed extra genomic deadweight extremely fast... usually......»»
The hidden disease risks of modern housing developments in rural Africa
Tamika Lunn went to Kenya looking for bats. Her task, as a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of U of A biologist Kristian Forbes, was to catch bats to understand if, when and why they carried viruses. A spillover of a bat virus to humans could lead.....»»
How humans evolved to be "energetically unique"
Humans, it turns out, possess much higher metabolic rates than other mammals, including our close relatives, apes and chimpanzees, finds a Harvard study. Having both high resting and active metabolism, researchers say, enabled our hunter-gatherer anc.....»»
Windows 11 is finally coming to the Quest 3 and Quest 3S
At Ignite 2024, Microsoft has announced that Windows 11 is finally coming to the Quest 3 and Quest 3S headsets in mixed reality......»»
By exerting "crowd control" over mouse cells, scientists make progress towards engineering tissues
Genes aren't the sole driver instructing cells to build multicellular structures, tissues, and organs. In a paper published in Nature Communications, USC Stem Cell scientist Leonardo Morsut and Caltech computational biologist Matt Thomson characteriz.....»»
Flies carry bacteria, and some are resistant to antibiotics—evidence from three South African hospices
Houseflies live close to humans and domesticated animals and because they are so mobile they can easily spread bacteria that make people sick......»»
iOS 18.2 makes Camera Control the killer feature it was always meant to be
The iPhone 16’s Camera Control feature arrived to mixed reviews, including from me. But iOS 18.2 upgrades the feature in several key ways, making it what it was always meant to be. more….....»»
A single cell"s siesta: How non-moving single-celled organisms manage to avoid bright light
Too much of a good thing is no good at all. Living organisms enjoy sunlight—in fact, they need it to stay alive—but they tend to avoid light that is too bright. Animals go to their shelter, humans have a siesta, even plants have mechanisms to avo.....»»
Volcanic caves research advances the search for life on Mars
Through the intricate study of lava tubes—caves formed following volcanic eruptions when lava cools down—an international team of researchers has uncovered clues about Earth's ancient environments that could be significant in the search for life.....»»
Ancient Aztec "skull whistles" found to instill fear in modern people
A team of cognitive neuroscientists at the University of Zurich, has found that ancient Aztec "skull whistles" found in gravesites are able to instill fear in modern people. In their study, published in the journal Communications Psychology, the grou.....»»
Genes of ancient animal relatives used to grow a mouse: Study reveals hidden history of stem cells
An international team of researchers has achieved an unprecedented milestone: the creation of mouse stem cells capable of generating a fully developed mouse using genetic tools from a unicellular organism, with which we share a common ancestor that p.....»»
Ancient climate study links past ocean acidification to current trends
A research team led by Prof. Li Mingsong at Peking University has provided new insights into the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) and its effects on ocean chemistry......»»
Study uncovers earliest evidence of humans using fire to shape the landscape of Tasmania
Some of the first human beings to arrive in Tasmania, over 41,000 years ago, used fire to shape and manage the landscape, about 2,000 years earlier than previously thought......»»
Troubled waters: How to stop Australia"s freshwater fish species from going extinct
Three-quarters of Australia's freshwater fish species are found nowhere else on the planet. This makes us the sole custodians of remarkable creatures such as the ornate rainbowfish, the ancient Australian lungfish and the magnificently named longnose.....»»
Study confirms Egyptians drank hallucinogenic cocktails in ancient rituals
A University of South Florida professor found the first-ever physical evidence of hallucinogens in an Egyptian mug, validating written records and centuries-old myths of ancient Egyptian rituals and practices. Through advanced chemical analyses, Davi.....»»
Rainforest protection reduces the number of respiratory diseases, research suggests
Rainforest protection is not only good for biodiversity and the climate—it also noticeably improves the health of humans who live in the corresponding regions. This is the conclusion drawn by a current study by the University of Bonn and the Univer.....»»
Biodiversity in the city: Designing urban spaces for humans and animals
Animals and plants also live and thrive on public squares. This creates opportunities for greater biodiversity and well-being for the human population. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have studied at 103 locations in Munich ho.....»»
Discovery of 2,586 orphan genes in Rosa chinensis reveals stress adaptation and flower development
Orphan genes, found only in specific lineages, are key drivers of new functions and phenotypic traits. This discovery lays a foundation for understanding how roses thrive under environmental challenges......»»
What Bird Flu in Wastewater Means for California and Beyond
Wastewater in several Californian cities, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, recently tested positive for bird flu. But understanding disease risk and exposure to humans isn’t so straightforward.....»»
Fossil teeth suggest a long childhood is the prelude to the evolution of a large brain
Compared to the great apes, humans have an exceptionally long childhood, during which parents, grandparents and other adults contribute to their physical and cognitive development. This is a key developmental period for acquiring all the cognitive sk.....»»