Monarchs evolved mutations to withstand milkweed toxins; so did their predators
Monarch butterflies and their close relatives thrive on poisonous milkweed, thanks to genetic mutations that block the effects of the plant's toxins while allowing the poisons to accumulate in the caterpillar or adult insects as deterrents to hungry.....»»
Fruit, nectar, bugs and blood: How bat teeth and jaws evolved for a diverse dinnertime
They don't know it, but Darwin's finches changed the world. These closely related species—native to the Galapagos Islands—each sport a uniquely shaped beak that matches their preferred diet. Studying these birds helped Charles Darwin develop the.....»»
Discovery of three novel Minorisa species, the smallest predatory marine picoplankton
Minorisa, a group of unicellular eukaryotes (protists), is renowned as one of the smallest predators in the world. These microorganisms are widely distributed in oceans, with a particular abundance in coastal regions, where they are believed to play.....»»
Apple Watch Ultra’s durability put to the test as user recovers it from a lake after months
Apple Watch has been certified waterproof to depths of up to 50 meters since Series 2. With , which has a more rugged design to withstand the most challenging scenarios you can imagine, water resistance has been increased to a depth of up to 100 mete.....»»
How do kingfishers avoid concussions when diving? It might be in their genes
Mutations in the MAPT gene associated with tau proteins seem to play a significant role. Enlarge / Fish-eating kingfishers execute plunging dives into the water to capture prey, yet never seem to get concussed. (credit: Richard T.....»»
Climate change is increasing risk of high toxin concentrations in northern US lakes, study finds
As climate change warms the Earth, higher-latitude regions will be at greater risk for toxins produced by algal blooms, according to new research led by Carnegie's Anna Michalak, Julian Merder, and Gang Zhao. Their findings, published in Nature Water.....»»
Scientists close the cycle on recycling mixed plastics
Little of the mixed consumer plastics thrown away or placed in recycle bins actually ends up being recycled. Nearly 90% is buried in landfills or incinerated at commercial facilities that generate greenhouse gases and airborne toxins. Neither outcome.....»»
Genome editing vs natural mutation for variations in tomato size
For tens of thousands of years, evolution shaped tomatoes through natural mutations. Then, humans came along......»»
Structure-destabilizing mutations transform Bcl-2 from an antiapoptotic protein into a proapoptotic protein
Bcl-2 family proteins are highly conserved molecules that play a crucial role in regulating the release of apoptotic proteins from mitochondria. They possess Bcl-2 homology (BH) domains, which are characterized by both sequence and structural similar.....»»
New look at a Lorrainosaurus in a museum finds plesiosaurs evolved earlier than thought
A team of paleontologists from Naturkunde-Museum Bielefeld, Adenauerplatz, the Polish Academy of Sciences, Natural History Museum Luxembourg and The Museum of Evolution at Uppsala University has found through study of a Lorrainosaurus fossil residing.....»»
Revealing structural secrets of a key cancer protein
Scientists have breathed new life into the study of a protein with an outsized link to human cancers because of its dangerous mutations, using advanced research techniques to detect its hidden regions......»»
Ancient diamonds shine light on the evolution of Earth
The analysis of ancient, superdeep diamonds dug up from mines in Brazil and Western Africa, has exposed new processes of how continents evolved and moved during the early evolution of complex life on Earth......»»
Reef-devouring predator survives coral bleaching and feasts on the survivors
Research conducted by marine biologists from the University of Sydney has found juvenile crown-of-thorns starfish can withstand tremendous heat waves well above levels that kill coral. These starfish then develop into carnivorous predators that devou.....»»
Scientists explain unique formation of ancient algae that evolved photosynthesis and oxygenated the planet
Scientists have for the first time revealed how blue-green algae—visible as the slippery green slime in stagnant water, riverbeds, and seashores—weaves itself into large weblike structures......»»
Peregrine falcons set off false alarms to make prey easier to catch, study finds
Predators must eat to survive—and to survive, prey must avoid being eaten. One theory, the Wolf-Mangel model, suggests predators could use false attacks to tire prey out or force them to take bigger risks, but this has been hard to show in practice.....»»
Evolutionary history of three-finger snake toxins decoded
Snakebites cause around 100,000 deaths worldwide every year. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have investigated how the toxin emerged between 50 and 120 million years ago through the modification of a gene that also occurs in m.....»»
AI of the tiger: Tiny camera "protects" predator—and people
Tiger populations are on the rise in the jungles of India and Nepal and the predators are roaming ever closer to villages, sparking a race among conservationists to find ways of avoiding conflict......»»
Examining the toxins in the common tomato
Regardless of how one says "tomato," they all contain tomatine, a toxin in the plant's green fruit, leaves, and roots. Tomatoes produce the bitter-tasting compound—a major plant-specialized metabolite secreted from the roots—to defend against pat.....»»
Research team creates wearable sensor to monitor "last line of defense" antibiotic
Since the discovery of penicillin in 1928, bacteria have evolved numerous ways to evade or outright ignore the effects of antibiotics. Thankfully, health care providers have an arsenal of infrequently used antibiotics that are still effective against.....»»
Dangerous chemicals found in South Carolina"s fish, crabs and oysters. Here"s what we know
Chemicals that can make people sick have recently been found in fish, crabs and oysters in South Carolina as concerns grow about the threat the toxins pose to food and water across the Palmetto State......»»
Did animal evolution begin with a predatory lifestyle?
Were the first animals predators or filter feeders like the sponges living in today's oceans? And what role did symbiosis with algae play, as with reef-building corals? Surprising findings by a research group led by Prof. Dr. Thomas W. Holstein of He.....»»