Study of Koala Virus Epidemic Uncovers “Innate” Genome Immune System
In animals, infections are fought by the immune system. Studies on an unusual virus infecting wild koalas, by a team of researchers from the University…
Biology News
Key Found to Origin of Life on Earth? Deliquescent Salts and Hot, Humid Summers
Uncovering how the first biological molecules (like proteins and DNA) arose is a major goal for researchers attempting to solve the origins of life. SLU…
“Magnetic” Memory Discovered in European Glass Eels
Researchers find first evidence of a fish capable of forming and retaining a magnetic memory of water currents. A new study led by researchers at…
Bald Eagles Across America Infected by Newly Discovered Virus
Researchers have discovered a previously unknown virus infecting nearly a third of America’s bald eagle population. Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the U.S. Geological…
Advancing Biomanufacturing by Uncovering the Mechanisms Behind Magnetogenetics
Greater understanding of phenomena could enable unprecedented control over gene expression. Magnetogenetics — the idea that you can use magnetic fields to control cells and…
Widespread Chytrid Fungus Infections Found in 80 Species of Frogs in Peruvian Amazon Rain Forests
University of Michigan biologists have documented, for the first time, the widespread presence of the notorious chytrid fungus in 80 species of frogs from lowland…
Cornell Scientists Unravel Mystery Behind DNA Replication
The molecules of life are twisted. But how those familiar strands in DNA’s double helix manage to replicate without being tangled up has been hard…
Why Food Tastes Better When We’re Hungry – Researchers Find Neural Circuit in the Hypothalamus
How Hunger Makes Food Tastier: A Neural Circuit in the Hypothalamus Researchers at the National Institute for Physiological Sciences in Okazaki identify the neural pathways…
Study Reveals How Mucus Tames Microbes – “Therapeutic Gold Mine”
Specialized sugar molecules called glycans can disarm opportunistic pathogens and prevent infection. More than 200 square meters of our bodies — including the digestive tract,…
Recording Breaking Speed: World’s Fastest Ant Clocked at 855mm/s, an Incredible 47 Strides/s
Saharan Silver Ants Are World’s Fastest Ants According to Noël Coward, mad dogs and Englishmen are the only creatures that go out in the midday…
Ants Fight Plant Diseases by Secreting Antibiotics – Potential for Use in Agriculture
New research from Aarhus University shows that ants inhibit at least 14 different plant diseases. The small insects secrete antibiotics from glands in the body….
“Nanoscale CAT Scan” – Liquid-Cell Technology Offers First 3D View of Life’s Processes
A new liquid-cell technology allows scientists to see living biological materials and systems in three dimensions under an electron microscope, according to researchers at Penn…
New Study on Human-Clam Relationships Over the Last 11,500 Years
A new study on the long-term relationship between humans and clams in B.C.’s Salish Sea is helping to inform modern marine resource management. Researchers from…
“Artisanal Cheese” Possible – Taming the Wild Cheese Fungus
The flavors of fermented foods are heavily shaped by the fungi that grow on them, but the evolutionary origins of those fungi aren’t well understood….
Novel Virus Type Uncovered – Researchers Believe It Holds Secrets of Viral Evolution
Viruses are non-living creatures, consisting of genetic material encased in a protein coat. Once the virus infects a living organism, it can replicate itself and…
Old Theory on How Piranhas Keep Their Teeth Sharp Finally Proven With New Technology
Piranha fish swap old teeth for new simultaneously. Piranha fish have a powerful bite. Their teeth help them shred through the flesh of their prey…
New Genetic Engineering Tool Unlocks Biochemical Treasure Chest Within Microbes
A new genetic engineering tool will help open the floodgates of microbial metabolite applications. Secondary metabolites – the compounds produced by microbes to mediate internal…
Scientists Assumptions Were Wrong About Cell Mitochondria – They Work More Like Tesla Battery Packs
For years, scientists assumed that mitochondria — the energy-generating centers of living cells — worked much like household batteries, generating energy from a chemical reaction…