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Fossil Phytoliths Reveal That Early Birds Were Leaf Eaters

A new type of analysis of a spectacular 120-million-year-old fossil skeleton of the extinct early bird Jeholornis from northeastern China has revealed the oldest evidence for birds eating leaves, marking the earliest known evolution of arboreal plant-eating among birds.

2 Aug 2023

Whitespotted Eagle Rays Have a Broader Diet Than Previously Thought

With mighty jaws and plate-like teeth, the whitespotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) can pretty much crunch on anything.

2 Aug 2023

Caecilians Pass Microbes to Their Young Through Skin-Feeding

Caecilians are an elusive type of amphibian that primarily live underground and look like a cross between a worm and a snake. One of the few things that is known about caecilians is their unique method for feeding their young.

25 Jul 2023

New Protein Found to be Key to Proper Functioning of Acinar Cells

The energy supply in the body has been regulated by the pancreas, located behind the stomach. This mechanism happens by secreting proteins (enzymes) accountable for glucose–the body’s primary fuel–reaching other organs when needed and in the exact amount.

24 Jul 2023

Novel Insights Into Multimodal Communication Development in Young Chimpanzees

Young chimpanzees combine different gestures, vocalizations and facial expressions in a way which echoes the development of communication in human infants, according to new research.

7 Jun 2023

X-Ray Imaging Enables the Classification of Previously-Unidentified Marine Reptile Fossil From Svalbard

X-ray examination has enabled the classification of a previously-unidentified marine reptile fossil from Edgeøya, Svalbard, and the technique could provide future unique insights into ancient life here, according to a study published May 31, 2023 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Victoria S. Engelschiøn of the University of Oslo and colleagues.

1 Jun 2023

Several Distinct Spinosaur Groups Inhabited Cretaceous Britain, Analysis Shows

Analysis of a British spinosaur tooth by palaeontologists at the EvoPalaeoLab of the University of Southampton shows that several distinct spinosaur groups inhabited Cretaceous Britain.

1 Jun 2023

Paleontologists Unearth the Largest-Ever Gomphothere in Florida

About five and a half million years ago, several gomphotheres -; extinct relatives of elephants -; died in or near a river in North Florida.

1 Jun 2023

Ancient DNA Reveals Earliest Evidence of Plague Cases in Britain

The Francis Crick Institute has discovered three 4,000-year-old British cases of Yersinia pestis, the bacteria that causes the plague—the oldest evidence of the plague in Britain to date. The study was published in Nature Communications.

31 May 2023

African Spiny Mice Produce the Same Structures as Armadillos Beneath Their Tail Skin

Mammals are a bit odd when it comes to bones. Rather than the bony plates and scales of crocodiles, turtles, lizards, dinosaurs and fish, mammals long ago traded in their ancestral suit of armor for a layer of insulating hair.

25 May 2023

Mathematical Mechanism Behind the Rugged Structures at Cell Boundaries

The mathematical and biological mechanisms underlying the rugged structures at cell boundaries present in tissues like the kidneys and nasal glands have been discovered.

26 Apr 2023

Genetic sequencing reveals clues to the sea dragons’ distinctive features

Even with plenty of fish in the sea, sea dragons stand out from the crowd. The funky, fabulous fish are bedecked with ruffly leaf-like adornments. Their spines are kinked.

29 Jun 2022

Vienna researchers aim to solve a great mystery of human evolution

Using the latest scientific methods, Tom Higham and Katerina Douka from the University of Vienna want to solve a great mystery of human evolution: Why are we the only humans left? Higham and Douka were the first ones to find a first-generation offspring of two different types of human. They continuously publish new results in high impact journals, most recently in Science Advances.

3 Jun 2022

New sensor to detect early-stage lymphedema could spare thousands of patients a year

A sensor created by Johns Hopkins University graduate students to detect very early-stage lymphedema could spare thousands of patients a year, many women with breast cancer, from the painful, debilitating condition.

3 May 2022

Little-known protein may play a role in frontotemporal lobar degeneration

Scientists have known for years that amyloid fibrils -; fibrous, ropelike structures formed by closely linked protein molecules -; are present in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and likely play a role in the progression of these disorders.

21 Apr 2022

Double-stranded RNA provoke bone loss during periodontitis

Researchers from Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology have made a novel revelation about the processes of bone loss in gum disease (periodontitis).

19 Apr 2022

Scientists discover a special cell in salivary glands that is likely crucial for oral health

Scientists at Scripps Research and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research have discovered a special type of cell that resides in salivary glands and is likely crucial for oral health.

13 Apr 2022

Study shows how the commensal oral microbiome can regulate alveolar bone health

It is becoming increasingly clear that the human microbiome – the collection of bacteria, viruses and fungi that live on and within us – significantly contributes to our health.

17 Feb 2022

Model system for biofilms studied at the BESSY II

Bacterial biofilms can thrive on almost all types of surfaces: We find them on rocks and plants, on teeth and mucous membranes, but also on contact lenses, medical implants or catheters, in the hoses of the dairy industry or drinking water pipes, where they can pose a serious threat to human health.

1 Feb 2022