How Viruses Hop from Wild Animals to Humans
A virologist explains what it takes for a virus to leap from an animal host into humans.....»»
Picky protection rules hamper Swiss mushrooming craze
After suffocating COVID-19 restrictions, many embraced the call of the wild and the joys of foraging, but tightening Swiss biodiversity protection measures are infuriating growing hordes of mushroom-picking enthusiasts......»»
This might be the secret that unlocks real-life human hibernation
One way that animals like bears deal with food scarcity, especially during winter, is to hibernate. This allows them to conserve their energy by slowing … The post This might be the secret that unlocks real-life human hibernation appeared first.....»»
Dolphins sense military sonar at much lower levels than regulators predict, study shows
For the first time ever, a team including several UC Santa Cruz scientists have directly measured the behavioral responses of some of the most common marine mammals to military sonar. And the finding that surprised them most was that these animals we.....»»
Researchers" unique 3D maps might help solve the mysteries of octopus arms
Octopuses are fascinating. Their eight arms gracefully whip through water and can accomplish extraordinary tasks like using tools and opening jars. While humans have one spinal cord attached to their brain, in octopuses, it's almost like each arm has.....»»
"Paleo-robots" provide an experimental approach for understanding how fish started to walk on land
The transition from water to land is one of the most significant events in the history of life on Earth. Now, a team of roboticists, paleontologists and biologists is using robots to study how the ancestors of modern land animals transitioned from sw.....»»
Drug delivery system overcomes circulatory roadblock that prevents gene therapies from reaching their targets
Exploiting the remarkable capability of viruses to transport gene therapies past what until now has been a circulatory roadblock is at the heart of a University of Alberta-led discovery that promises to re-energize the field of genetic medicine......»»
The M4 Mac launch is incoming, but not how you might expect
The past few months have been full of speculation, anticipation, and pretty wild rumors concerning the upcoming M4 Macs — and now the predicted release date of November 1 is just a week or so away. Despite the lack of an event announcement, sti.....»»
Biodegradable microplastics study helps quantify their climate change and ecotoxicity impacts
Over 20 million tons of plastic are estimated to end up in the environment every year, with much of it breaking down into microplastics that are harmful to the health of humans and wildlife. Biodegradable and bio-based plastics made from organic mate.....»»
AI, as it stands today, is a valuable tool for the auto industry but a poor substitute for humans
As the industry experiments with artificial intelligence, business owners need to be aware of the technology's promise and its limitations......»»
Structural biology analysis of a Pseudomonas bacterial virus reveals a genome ejection motor
The viruses that infect bacteria are the most abundant biological entities on the planet. For example, a recent simple study of 92 showerheads and 36 toothbrushes from American bathrooms found more than 600 types of bacterial viruses, commonly called.....»»
Right whale population grows 4% but extinction remains a threat
One of the rarest species of whale in the world has increased slightly in population, encouraging conservationists to call on the federal government and the shipping and fishing industries to do more to bring the giant animals back from the brink of.....»»
Unexpected beauty and major antimicrobial power boost as phages form into surprising flower shapes
A group of McMaster researchers who routinely work with bacteriophages—viruses that eat bacteria—had a pleasant and potentially very important surprise while preparing slides to view under a powerful microscope......»»
Wild animals can also experience trauma and adversity: Ecologists create an index to track the effects
Psychologists know that childhood trauma, or the experience of harmful or adverse events, can have lasting repercussions on the health and well-being of people well into adulthood. But while the consequences of early adversity have been well research.....»»
Owners" belief in horse emotion is linked to healthier animals, new study shows
Researchers have shown that owners who believe in their horses' emotions and treat them with care, have animals that are significantly healthier and better looked after. In many low and middle-income countries (LMICs), working horses are essential to.....»»
Saturday Citations: Brown dwarf actually brown dwarfs; the adaptability of ice-age humans; archaeologists excited
This week, researchers discovered a near-Earth microquasar that sheds new light on sources of relativistic outflows. Doctors reported finding a triphallic gentleman. And neuroscientists reported on modest cognitive boosts from short (or "acute," in c.....»»
Controlling sound waves with Klein tunneling improves acoustic signal filtration
In the context of sensory modalities, eyes work like tiny antennae, picking up light, electromagnetic waves traveling at blistering speeds. When humans look at the world, their eyes catch these waves and convert them into signals the brain reads as c.....»»
A method to switch between optical pulling and pushing forces by altering the shape of Fermi arcs in Weyl systems
Optical forces, which act like an invisible "hand," are capable of precisely controlling tiny particles. Optical tweezers, a well-known tool, use this force to capture and manipulate small objects such as cells, bacteria, and viruses. This effect is.....»»
Study of wild type mosquitoes in Burkina Faso discovers new signs of insecticide resistance
One of the main discoveries of a new study is the identification of new variants in genes associated with insecticide resistance in Anopheles mosquitoes, the primary vectors of malaria in West Africa, and potential novel resistance mechanisms, emphas.....»»
It’s increasingly unlikely that humans will fly around the Moon next year
It's not just Orion's heat shield; the mission's ground systems are running out of time. Don't book your tickets for the launch of NASA's Artemis II mission next year just yet. W.....»»
Microbiome studies in humans and zoo animals pave the way for new drug development
Microorganisms do not just colonize the body of mammals during infections. Billions of microbes can be found on and in healthy humans and animals at any given time, communicating with each other via chemical signals and thus influencing their health......»»