Jellyfish and flies use the same hormone when they’ve had enough to eat
The regulation of hunger may go back to the base of the animal family tree. Enlarge / A Moon jellyfish. (credit: Dan Kitwood / Getty Images) The sensation of hunger seems pretty simple on the surface, but behind the sce.....»»
Defect in fruit fly respiratory system may provide insights into human aortic aneurysms
A team of researchers led by Leipzig University has gained new insights into the respiratory system of fruit flies—the so-called tracheal system—which could be important for future research into aneurysms. Dr. Matthias Behr from the Institute of.....»»
Agronomists protect plants from heavy metals with hormone therapy and the mineral zeolite
RUDN University agronomists have shown that the hormone melatonin and the mineral zeolite mitigate the dangerous effects of heavy metals on plants. The first protects cells from destruction by cadmium, and the second increases nutrient availability a.....»»
Even with no brains, jellyfish can learn from their mistakes
In a changed environment, jellyfish change their response to potential collisions. Enlarge / No brain, but still some smarts. (credit: Bielecki, et. al.) They don't have a brain or spinal cord. They float around in a way.....»»
Jellyfish: Our complex relationship with the oceans" anti-heroes
Ding! The courier hands me an unassuming brown box with "live animals" plastered on the side. I begin carefully unboxing. The cardboard exterior gives way to a white polystyrene clamshell, cloistering a pearly sphere-shaped, water-filled bag. Lightly.....»»
Genetics of attraction: Mate choice in fruit flies
Genetic quality or genetic compatibility? What do female fruit flies prioritize when mating? Researchers at the University of Zurich show that both factors are important at different stages of the reproductive process and that females use targeted st.....»»
How Insect Brains Melt and Rewire During Metamorphosis
Do fruit flies remember their larval lives? To find out, scientists made the neurons inside larvae glow, then tracked how they reshuffled as they formed adult brains......»»
The chilling tale of snow flies, self-amputation, survival and certain death
Researchers at the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, have discovered something peculiar in the survival strategy of the snow fly (Chionea spp.), a flightless crane fly that lives in boreal and alpine environm.....»»
Wearable aptamer nanobiosensor wirelessly monitors estrogen in sweat
The sex hormone commonly known as estrogen plays an important role in multiple aspects of women's health and fertility. High levels of estrogen in the body are associated with breast and ovarian cancers, while low levels of estradiol can result in os.....»»
Fungus versus flies: Following a scent towards insecticide-free pest management
While a blueberry with a fungal infection might end up in most people's compost bin, for a team of researchers in the US, it has provided a key to tackling the unsustainable use of insecticides......»»
Five jellyfish species you may encounter more often in UK"s warming seas
While scuba diving off the south-west coast of England this summer, I was lucky to encounter several different species of jellyfish in just a matter of weeks. Many of these, including the compass jellyfish (Chrysaora hysoscella), are already common t.....»»
Jellyfish shown to learn from past experience for the first time
Jellyfish are more advanced than once thought. A new study from the University of Copenhagen has demonstrated that Caribbean box jellyfish can learn at a much more complex level than ever imagined—despite only having one thousand nerve cells and no.....»»
Rocket Report: Two small launchers fail in flight; Soyuz crew flies to ISS
This wasn't a great week for small launch vehicles. Enlarge / NASA Astronaut Loral O'Hara, Russian commander Oleg Kononenko, and cosmonaut Nikolai Chub prepare for launch September 15 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. (cr.....»»
Unveiling the aquatic marvel: The rock-climbing fish and its adhesion-sliding feat
Underwater "traffic" encompasses a fascinating variety of creatures, from fish with their graceful swimming postures to jet-propelled jellyfish and remoras hitching rides on other organisms. Among these, a remarkable species known as the "underwater.....»»
Sometimes beneficial, sometimes damaging: The double role of the enzyme chameau
Biologists have discovered why an enzyme is important for the survival of fruit flies, even though it can shorten their lives under certain conditions......»»
Contaminants of emerging concern impact fish health in Minnesota waters
Researchers from the University of Minnesota and the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa discovered fish from 18 out of 19 testing sites in northern Minnesota contained contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) such as pharmaceuticals, hormone.....»»
Nutrients drive cellular reprogramming in the intestines of fruit flies
Researchers have unveiled an intriguing phenomenon of cellular reprogramming in mature adult organs, shedding light on a novel mechanism of adaptive growth. The study, which was conducted on fruit flies (Drosophila), provides further insights into de.....»»
Study reveals molecular mechanism underlying cross-membrane transport of plant hormone abscisic acid
Abscisic acid (ABA) is a key plant hormone produced in response to abiotic stress such as drought and salt. It is mainly synthesized in roots and vascular tissues and transported to specific sites to exert physiological functions. Several ABA transpo.....»»
New research on fruit flies provides key insights into the nutrients essential for embryo development
It is well known in development biology that a mother's egg provides abundant nutrients that are essential for an embryo to develop. But does it matter where in the developing embryo the nutrients are stored?.....»»
Novel chemosensor-based method for rapid detection of bacterial toxin
The COVID-19 pandemic made it very clear that we need better methods to quickly screen for dangerous pathogens and substances. One such compound that regularly flies under the radar is lipopolysaccharide (LPS), largely known as "endotoxins.".....»»
The surprising behavior of male fruit flies under intense light conditions
A recent study published in Open Biology reports that exposure to intense light almost instantly provokes courtship behavior in male fruit flies (Drosophila). Surprisingly, the researchers observed both male-male and male-female courtship behavior un.....»»