New technique better assesses exposure of a population to a virus
Accurately assessing the exposure of a population to a particular virus is difficult because the tools for doing so do not account for the fact that many viruses comprise multiple circulating strains, or the fact that people can be vaccinated or natu.....»»
Genetic tracing at the Huanan Seafood market further supports COVID animal origins
A new international collaborative study provides a list of the wildlife species present at the market from which SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, most likely arose in late 2019. The study is based on a new analysis of meta.....»»
First-of-its kind tool allows scientists to manipulate cells without touching them
When studying the spread of cancer or the behavior of a virus like the one that causes COVID-19, the irony is that working with these harmful pathogens requires gentleness. Especially in the case of COVID, the particles do not survive well when makin.....»»
Researchers improve tunability in optical differentiation
A new technique may make it easier for researchers to create real-time images of microscopic samples by considering the waves that propagate through sample surfaces as light interacts with them......»»
Norway reports first cases of bluetongue disease in livestock since 2009
Norway reported Thursday dozens of confirmed and suspected cases of bluetongue, an insect-borne virus that is harmless to humans but can be fatal to sheep and other livestock, for the first time in the country since 2009......»»
New technique zeros in on the genes that snakes use to produce venom
Only about 10% of the world's roughly 4,000 snake species have venom strong enough to seriously hurt a human, but that's enough for snake bites to be an important public health concern. To help better understand how snakes make their venom and how ve.....»»
Unraveling the conservation conundrum of China"s native Jacktree
The Jacktree (Sinojackia xylocarpa), native to China, is renowned for its unique spindle-shaped fruits and ornamental appeal. However, its survival is threatened by factors such as limited population size, fragmented habitats, and low germination rat.....»»
If you build it, will they come? Wildlife corridors need smarter design
As human population and development continue to expand, it's more important than ever to set aside corridors of undeveloped land where wildlife can travel safely, helping to ensure their long-term survival. However, a recent study by the University o.....»»
DNA origami and fluorescent probes can precisely release molecular cargo
In the world of nanotechnology, the development of dynamic systems that respond to molecular signals is becoming increasingly important. The DNA origami technique, whereby DNA is programmed so as to produce functional nanostructures, plays a key role.....»»
Scientists Will Engineer the Ocean to Absorb More Carbon Dioxide
A research consortium plans to revive geoengineering trials of the controversial iron fertilization technique to pull carbon dioxide from the air, despite public backlash.....»»
Book Review: How One Weird Rodent Ecologist Tried to Change the Fate of Humanity
A biography of the scientist whose work led to fears of a ‘population bomb’.....»»
A 30-year-old man built muscle and burned fat in 4 months with a time-saving workout technique
A 30-year-old man built muscle and burned fat in 4 months with a time-saving workout technique.....»»
Why rules don"t work for some of the population
Excessive regulatory burden causes economic harm and can undermine trust in government. Policymakers wishing to ease this should be more mindful of people's differing responses to rules, says Ph.D. candidate Ritsart Plantenga in his dissertation......»»
Bridging large riverine ecosystems for inter-basin exchanges
Many of the world's large rivers have been modified to support food security, hydropower production, navigation and trade. While these developments are necessary to support a growing human population, they also pose substantial risks to the structure.....»»
Urgent conservation efforts needed: Possible extirpation of the threatened Malagasy poison frog Mantella cowanii
New research highlights the precarious status of one of Madagascar's most threatened amphibians, the harlequin mantella (Mantella cowanii), revealing small population sizes and the possible extirpation of the species from several of its historic habi.....»»
Technique to study how proteins bind to DNA is easily misused: Researchers offer a solution
Researchers at University of California San Diego have published new guidelines that could help scientists significantly improve their results when quantifying the interactions between DNA and proteins. Understanding these interactions is critical to.....»»
Study shows urbanization has impacted the population genetic structure of the Eurasian red squirrel in Japan
Since many kinds of wildlife have started living in urban environments, urban environments have been recognized as places of biodiversity conservation. What kind of factors facilitate or prohibit wildlife from living in urban environments?.....»»
Edible insects show promise as sustainable nutritional source
As the global population grows and traditional livestock production increasingly strains environmental resources, there is a rising interest in alternative protein sources. Edible insects, particularly grasshoppers, are abundant in regions like Camer.....»»
New infosec products of the week: September 13, 2024
Here’s a look at the most interesting products from the past week, featuring releases from Druva, Huntress, Ketch, LOKKER, Tenable, Trellix, and Wing Security. Tenable AI Aware provides exposure insight into AI applications, libraries and plugins T.....»»
Scientists discover crude oil decimates sea otter buoyancy
Sea otters are famed for their luscious pelts, but the fur almost led to their extinction. By 1938, only a tiny population of ~50 remained clinging to the central California coast. Since then, the mammals have battled back. However, the charismatic c.....»»
New technique boosts mutation rates in fruit flies for genetics research
A new technique, TF-High-Evolutionary (TF-HighEvo), allows large-scale assessment of de-novo mutations in multicellular organisms. Developed in collaboration with researchers from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the Friedrich Mie.....»»