Unearthing how a carnivorous fungus traps and digests worms
A new analysis sheds light on the molecular processes involved when a carnivorous species of fungus known as Arthrobotrys oligospora senses, traps and consumes a worm. Hung-Che Lin of Academia Sinica in Taipei, Taiwan, and colleagues present these fi.....»»
A crown rust fungus could help manage two highly invasive plants in Minnesota
Though some crown rust fungi are known to cause widespread damage to oat and barley crops, new research from the University of Minnesota suggests a close relative of these major pathogens could actually be a valuable asset in managing two highly inva.....»»
Dune: Awakening will change its map every week thanks to rogue sandstorms
We learned a ton of new details on Dune: Awakening, an upcoming MMO that'll feature a whole lot of sand worms......»»
Researchers create AI worms that can spread from one system to another
Worms could potentially steal data and deploy malware. Enlarge (credit: Jacqui VanLiew; Getty Images) As generative AI systems like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini become more advanced, they are increasingly being p.....»»
Norway salmon farms turn to veggie menu
Norway's fish farms are feeding their salmon an increasingly vegetarian diet in order to make their businesses more sustainable, but for these carnivorous pink-fleshed fish, all is not rosy......»»
French fungus as a biocontrol agent against sea spurge in Australia
Field trials have confirmed the successful establishment of Venturia paralias, a biocontrol agent for sea spurge. This line in the sand marks the first time the fungus has established at release sites. It has now begun to spread......»»
Bizarre snake-like worm"s secrets revealed in CT scans
Amphisbaenians are strange creatures. Like worms with vertebrae, scales, a large central tooth and sometimes small forearms, these reptiles live underground, burrowing tunnels and preying on just about anything they encounter, not unlike a miniature.....»»
A long, long time ago in a galaxy not so far away: Research unearths clues to conditions of the early universe
Employing massive data sets collected through NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, a research team led by a Rutgers University–New Brunswick astronomer is unearthing clues to conditions existing in the early universe......»»
Protecting crops through nanotechnology in Southeast Asia
In a recent breakthrough, DNA sequencing technology has uncovered the culprit behind cassava witches' broom disease: the fungus genus Ceratobasidium. The cutting-edge nanopore technology used for this discovery was first developed to track the COVID-.....»»
New findings explain how soil traps plant-based carbon
When carbon molecules from plants enter the soil, they hit a definitive fork in the road. Either the carbon gets trapped in the soil for days or even years, where it is effectively sequestered from immediately entering the atmosphere. Or it feeds mic.....»»
Nature"s DNA traps: Spider webs put new spin on wildlife research
Spiders might be silent heroes in helping us understand and keep track of animals, with new Curtin research revealing their webs act like natural traps for tiny bits of environmental DNA (eDNA) from vertebrates, which could change how we learn about.....»»
How "True Detective: Night Country" pulled off its most WTF moment
"True Detective: Nightmare Country" traps a living man in a "corpsicle." Here's how they pulled it off. My biggest fears used to be pretty basic: sharks, heights, failure — the classics. Then I watched episode 2 of True Detective: Night C.....»»
Nine new snail species discovered in Papua New Guinea, a biodiversity hot spot at risk
Nine new species of carnivorous land snails have been found in the remote forests of Papua New Guinea, a biodiversity hot spot. A new study describes the species, which are so small that all nine could fit together on a U.S. nickel......»»
Invasive, carnivorous frogs are now breeding in Georgia, biologists say
An invasive species of carnivorous tree frogs that feed on native wildlife are now breeding in Georgia, a sign that the amphibians have gained a stronger foothold in the state, biologists say......»»
Carnivorous plant traps help scientists explain the evolution of complex "composite" traits
An international team of researchers led by Dr. Ulrike Bauer from the University of Bristol investigated two tropical pitcher plant species separated by 4,000 km of open ocean: The Slender Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes gracilis) found in Borneo, and Nepen.....»»
Unlocking the secrets of disease-causing fungus Aspergillus fumigatus
An international team of researchers, led by Professor Gustavo Goldman of the University of São Paulo and Maynooth University's Dr. Özgür Bayram, has unveiled ground-breaking findings on Aspergillus fumigatus, which can cause deadly disease in hum.....»»
"Giant" predator worms more than half a billion years old discovered in North Greenland
Fossils of a new group of animal predators have been located in the Early Cambrian Sirius Passet fossil locality in North Greenland. These large worms may be some of the earliest carnivorous animals to have colonized the water column more than 518 mi.....»»
What turns a fungal scavenger into a killer?
Beware the sticky, tricky genetic weapons of a fungal carnivore. Enlarge / The fungus' favorite food. (credit: Bishwo Adhikari, Brigham Young University) Some of the scariest monsters are microscopic. The carnivorous fun.....»»
Drug-resistant fungus is on the rise worldwide, says molecular biologist
The Candida auris fungus is spreading across the globe at an "alarming" speed. This species of fungus, which can cause fatal infections in risk groups and was first discovered only 10 years ago, can now be found all over the world. In nearly all case.....»»
Novel early-detection method aims to stem disease spread in animal trade
A new article published in the journal Methods in Ecology and Evolution by researchers describes a simplified method to detect a deadly fungus killing European salamanders. The ability to rapidly find the fungus is significant as the disease, althoug.....»»
New fungus is the oldest disease-causing species found to date
The earliest disease-causing fungus has been discovered within the Natural History Museum's fossil collections. The new fungal plant pathogen, Potteromyces asteroxylicola, which is 407-million-years-old, has been named in honor of celebrated Tales of.....»»