Snake sex chromosomes say less about sex and more about survival
Sex-specific chromosomes are a dangerous place to be, if you're a gene. Because these chromosomes—Y chromosomes, in humans—do not have a matching chromosome with which to exchange genetic information, they are prone to losing non-essential genes.....»»
Long-term lizard study challenges the rules of evolutionary biology
Charles Darwin said that evolution was constantly happening, causing animals to adapt for survival. But many of his contemporaries disagreed. If evolution is always causing things to change, they asked, then how is it that two fossils from the same s.....»»
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.....»»
Fossil snake traces: Another world-first find on South Africa"s Cape south coast
Snakes are familiar, distinctive—and often feared—reptiles. And they've been around for a long time: body fossils found in the UK, Portugal and the US stretch all the way back to the late Jurassic period, about 150 million years ago......»»
Survival of the newest: The mammals that survive mass extinctions aren"t as "boring" as scientists thought
When an asteroid hit the Earth 66 million years ago, it set off a devastating mass extinction. The dinosaurs (except for a few birds) all died out, along with lots of the mammals. But some small mammals survived, laying the groundwork for all the mam.....»»
Netflix has a popular new thriller, Nowhere. Here’s why you should watch it
Nowhere is Netflix's new survival thriller that is climbing up the movie charts, and we're sharing three reasons why you should watch it......»»
New species of cobra-like snake discovered, but it may already be extinct
Around the world, natural history museums hold a treasure trove of knowledge about Earth's animals. But much of the precious information is sealed off to genetic scientists because formalin, the chemical often used to preserve specimens, damages DNA.....»»
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.....»»
Chromosomal instability in cancer cells causes DNA damage and promotes invasiveness: Study
Chromosomal instability is a phenomenon characterized by rapid changes in the number and structure of chromosomes during cell division. It is very common in solid tumors and it is linked to the aggressive spread of cancer, that is to say, metastasis......»»
Tröger"s base derived 3D-porous aromatic frameworks for near-unity selectivity of CO2 photoconversion
The global energy crisis is exacerbated by the continuous consumption of fossil fuels during the rapid development of modern industries. In addition, the survival and development of human beings is also being seriously affected by the emission of gre.....»»
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......»»
Spotlight on mud snakes: Study unveils evolutionary secrets of enigmatic snake family from Southeastern Asia
A new University of Kansas genomic investigation of a group of unheralded but unique "mud snakes" from Southeast Asia is rewriting the evolutionary history of this family, named the Homalopsidae. The results just were published in the Bulletin of the.....»»
Unlocking the secrets of tuatara sperm in an effort to improve the survival chances of this at-risk reptile
The study, published in Conservation Physiology, found tuatara sperm are fast moving and a whopping three times longer than human sperm......»»
Study finds iron oxide nanoparticles are useful for medicinal plant sustainability under toxic metal conditions
Metal(loid) toxicity severely inhibits plant growth and development, thereby affecting yield and quality. It is crucial to seek favorable measures to improve plant survival under toxic metal(loid) conditions......»»
Researchers reveal the venomous secrets of European snakes
Not only in the tropics do snake bites lead to dangerous envenoming—bites from European venomous snakes can also cause severe physical damage. But their venom also contains active substances that could be used against bacterial pathogens in the fut.....»»
Dual Trojan Horse strategy to combat superbugs
In the relentless battle against antibiotic-resistant superbugs, science continues to unveil ingenious strategies to address their vulnerability. Like other bacteria, superbugs have a unique weakness—their dependence on iron for growth and survival.....»»
Researchers sequence genomes of rare parrot to help it thrive
Variations linked to fertility, survival still present in a small population. Enlarge (credit: Liu Yang) On an island off the coast of New Zealand, in the shadows of a primeval forest, an eerie sound resonates through th.....»»
Genomes could help enigmatic, endangered nocturnal parrot make a comeback
Variations linked to fertility, survival still present in a small population. Enlarge (credit: Liu Yang) On an island off the coast of New Zealand, in the shadows of a primeval forest, an eerie sound resonates through th.....»»
How to make color-changing "Transformers" with polymers
Shape and color changing are key survival traits for many animals. Chameleons can change their body to hide from predators, to reflect their moods, or even to defend their territory, while some soft-bodied animal-like octopuses, squids, and cuttlefis.....»»
New research sheds light on how harmful fungi could become helpful and reduce food waste
Mold and diseases caused by fungi can greatly impact the shelf life of fruit and vegetables. However, some fungi benefit their hosts by aiding plant survival. Colletotrichum tofieldiae (Ct) is a root mold that typically supports continued plant devel.....»»
Apple & ARM have been crucial to each other"s survival for three decades
Apple investing in ARM shares is a good buy for the company, but it's bought before. When it did so in the 1980s, ARM proved to be Apple's life saver.Steve Jobs unveils the original iPhone which had an ARM processorARM has now filed for its initial p.....»»