Simplified screening of individual bacterial species in biosamples
In medical research and diagnostics, the microbiome, i.e. the microbial colonization of the intestine, is increasingly gaining attention. A stool sample can be used to precisely analyze the complex microbial ecosystem of the gut. There are basically.....»»
"True hybrid" mice might reveal how new species emerge
Forty years ago, a postdoctoral researcher named James McGrath who would go on to spend more than three decades as a clinical geneticist and research scientist at Yale, made a discovery that advanced scientists' understanding of gene control and the.....»»
Marri trees are a lifeline for many native bee species in a biodiversity hotspot
New Curtin University-led research has revealed that Marri trees are critical to the survival of more than 80 species of native bee in Western Australia's South West region, which is one of the world's most biologically rich but threatened biodiversi.....»»
Broadcasting sounds of healthy coral reefs encourages coral larvae growth, study shows
Coral reefs worldwide are in trouble. These ecosystems support a billion people and more than a quarter of marine species. Still, many have been damaged by unsustainable fishing and tourism, coastal construction, nutrient runoff, and climate change......»»
New technology illustrates bacterial "hibernation states"
Like hibernating bears, certain bacterial cells have the ability to shift into a "low-power" metabolic state in which they can stably survive without growing. This state is often seen in the context of antibiotic-resistant infections as bacteria form.....»»
Family as wealth factor: Study reveals how generational change and family events are associated with a person"s wealth
A new study conducted by the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR), the University of Cologne, GESIS and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health explores how an individual's financial wealth changes in relation to generational transi.....»»
Ground nesting birds declining faster than any other bird species in Europe
Ground-nesting bird populations are more likely to be in decline than any other European bird species, warns new report......»»
Simplified menus could reduce food waste and save cafes thousands
A new Australian study of small- to medium-sized cafes has found making small changes could prevent hundreds of tons of food waste while saving struggling businesses thousands of dollars......»»
Reducing moose numbers could help protect Canadian caribou populations from wolf predation
Woodland caribou populations in Canada are declining because of habitat changes that benefit common prey species of wolves (such as moose and deer), leading to increasing numbers of wolves that kill caribou. To protect caribou, wildlife managers have.....»»
Massive biodiversity data collection improves ecosystem predictions
A team at the University of Córdoba verifies that large biodiversity databases, in which citizens record observations of flora, are capable of calibrating joint species distribution models, even when conducted individually, provided that more than 5.....»»
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.....»»
Discovery of new bacterial toxins could be key to fighting infections
Researchers have discovered a new group of bacterial toxins that can kill harmful bacteria and fungi, opening the door to potential new treatments for infections. These toxins, found in over 100,000 microbial genomes, can destroy the cells of bacteri.....»»
Genomic study offers hope for endangered Oriental stork
A new genomic study of the endangered Oriental stork reveals that the population's genetic health is still surprisingly strong, with high genetic diversity and low levels of inbreeding. This is an uncommon finding in most endangered species populatio.....»»
Accurately weighing costs and benefits of different methods for controlling invasive species
Invasive insect species bring a host of health, social, ecological and economic consequences, including crop damage, food insecurity, biodiversity loss, ecosystem disruption, human disease transmission and rising allergy rates......»»
Creating a simplified form of life: Scientists build modules for a synthetic cell
It is one of the most fundamental questions in science: how can lifeless molecules come together to form a living cell? Bert Poolman, Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Groningen, has been working on this problem for over 20 years. He aim.....»»
Invasive flathead catfish impacting Susquehanna"s food chain, researchers find
Flathead catfish—native to the Mississippi River basin—were first detected in the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania in 2002, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In the two decades since then, the invasive species has spread throughout the ri.....»»
Fungi finding: mushroom hunters seek new species and recognition
You can't walk very far through a forest in this part of the United States without stumbling upon a mushroom, an eruption from a vast fungal kingdom that all life depends on, but about which we know very little......»»
Dolphins Are Exhaling Microplastics
New research highlights how extensive plastic pollution is—and how nonhuman species, including dolphins, are exposed......»»
Bizarre fish has sensory “legs” it uses for walking and tasting
Some sea robin species can use their legs to sense prey. Evolution has turned out bizarre and baffling creatures, such as walking fish. It only gets weirder from there. Some of th.....»»
Butterfly brains reveal the tweaks required for cognitive innovation
A species of tropical butterfly with unusually expanded brain structures displays a fascinating mosaic pattern of neural expansion linked to a cognitive innovation......»»