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Ancient Feathers Had a Similar Protein Composition to Modern Feathers

Paleontologists from the University College Cork (UCC) in Ireland have made a remarkable discovery using X-Ray technology that offers fresh insights into the evolution of feathers.

22 Sep 2023

New Bacteriophage Found in Mariana Trench

The Mariana Trench, the deepest location on Earth, descends over 11,000 meters to the Pacific Ocean’s seafloor at its shallowest point. Even in the utterly desolate darkness, life exists.

22 Sep 2023

Insights into How the Unique Body Plans of Scaphopods and Bivalves Evolved

Creating precise phylogenetic trees is crucial in the fields of evolutionary and comparative biology.

19 Sep 2023

Key Proteins in Human Breast Milk Crucial for Baby’s Healthy Gut

The abundance of two species of bacteria known to be good for human health and used as probiotics, Clostridium butyricum and Parabacteroides distasonis, has been linked to high concentrations of key proteins in human breast milk, particularly osteopontin and κ-casein.

13 Sep 2023

Scientists Deepen Understanding of Pepper Genetics

Peppers are known for their versatility, rich flavor, and broad popularity, serving not only as a nutritious food source but also for their medicinal attributes. An interdisciplinary team of researchers, including experts from the Boyce Thompson Institute, has successfully decoded the genomes of pivotal cultivated and wild pepper species.

13 Sep 2023

Tomatoes’ Distinctive Flavor Is the Result of Evolutionary Syndromes

Biologists from the University of Massachusetts Amherst have uncovered evidence of evolutionary “syndromes”—a set of traits that co-occur.

12 Sep 2023

Canine DNA Database Provides Unprecedented Look at Dog Evolution

A global collaboration of scientists is leveraging an exceptionally extensive canine DNA database to conduct an impartial exploration into the evolutionary processes that have given rise to the diverse breeds of our canine companions.

8 Sep 2023

Biodiversity Observations Unveil Universal Pattern of Species Abundances

A consistent pattern of species abundance has been seen in nature during the past 100 years: Only a few species are extremely frequent, while the majority of species are unusual but not exceedingly rare. Some closely watched species groups, like birds, have seen the full extent of these so-called global species abundance distributions.

5 Sep 2023

Plesiosaurs Lengthened Their Necks by Incorporating More Vertebrae

The research, conducted by experts in China and the UK and published on September 4th, 2023 in BMC Ecology and Evolution, reveals that the pachypleurosaur species elongated their necks mostly by adding additional vertebrae.

5 Sep 2023

The Evolution of Epilepsy and Potential Cure: A New Study

Specific alterations in human DNA have been shown to raise the likelihood of getting epilepsy, according to the biggest genetic study of its type, which was managed by the International League Against Epilepsy and involved researchers from FutureNeuro at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences.

1 Sep 2023

Artificial Roosts for Bats May Be Harmful, Researchers Warn

Artificial roosts for bats come in many forms—bat boxes, condos, bark mimics, clay roosts, and cinder block structures, to name a few—but a new conservation practice and policy article from researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign suggests the structures haven't been studied rigorously enough and may harm bats in some scenarios.

1 Sep 2023

Fish Communities Can Adapt to Marine Heat Waves, Study Suggests

Rutgers-led research found that marine heat waves -- prolonged periods of unusually warm ocean temperatures -- haven't had a lasting effect on the fish communities that feed most of the world.

1 Sep 2023

The Last Piece of Our Genome: Sequencing the Y Chromosome

A full sequence of the Y chromosome, a feat that has challenged scientists for years, has been accomplished for the first time. In this interview, we speak to Dylan Taylor about this impactful research and how it may shape our understanding of human genetics.

1 Sep 2023

Algae Reveals Plant Development Across 600 Million Years

Large-scale gene expression data were generated by an international team of researchers, led by a team from the University of Göttingen, to examine the molecular networks that function in Mesotaenium endlicherianum, a common single-celled alga that is among the closest living relatives of land plants. Nature Plants reported their findings.

31 Aug 2023

Gene Expression Analysis of Algae Sheds Light on Plant Terrestrialization

The Earth's surface is covered by plants. They make up the majority of biomass on land and exhibit a wide range of diversity, from mosses to trees.

31 Aug 2023

Study Shows How Genomic Topography Influences Where Cancer Mutations Arise

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have uncovered a connection between the topography of the human genome and the presence of mutations in human cancer. They found that certain regions of the genome, which exhibit unique features, act as hotspots for the accumulation of mutations.

25 Aug 2023

First Complete View of Y Chromosome's Code Sequenced

More than 100 experts from across the world, including those from Johns Hopkins University, have worked together to completely sequence the chromosome linked to male development, the final unsolved component of the human genome.

24 Aug 2023

The BioICEP Project Turns Non-Biodegradable Plastics into New Biobased Materials for the Packaging and Pharmaceutical Industries

AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, forms part of the BioICEP project (Bio Innovation of a Circular Economy for Plastics), which started in February 2020 and is funded by the Horizon 2020 program.

23 Aug 2023

Viral Proteins Promote the Spread of Protein Aggregates in the Brain

Viral genetic remnants found naturally in the human genome may influence the development of neurodegenerative diseases.

22 Aug 2023

Examining the Biology of Microbes and Their Response to Global Changes

Around the world, organisms are experiencing unprecedented levels of stress from habitat destruction, climate change, and several other human-driven changes to the surrounding.

21 Aug 2023