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The Impact of Taurine-Degrading Bacteria on Intestinal Microbiome

An international team of scientists led by University of Vienna microbiologist Alexander Loy identified a novel intestinal microbe that feeds only on taurine and creates the foul-smelling gas hydrogen sulfide.

19 Sep 2023

Increasing Milk Yield in Cattle with Low-Protein Diet

Histidine is crucial to maintaining milk production and milk protein content when cows are fed diets with low protein concentrations, according to an array of research that was published in the Journal of Dairy Science

8 Sep 2023

Processed Foods May Lead to Obesity by Diluting Protein

Humans, like so many other species, control protein intake more strictly than any other dietary component, so if protein intake is reduced, food intake increases to make up for it.

4 Sep 2023

Red Blood Cells May Hold the Key to Preventing Heart Diseases

An innovative KI study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigations found that red blood cells exposed to oxygen deficiency safeguard against myocardial infarction. The research also showed that a nitrate-rich vegetable diet boosts the protective effect.

4 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

Whale Shark Health Relies on Habitat, Diet – and the Right Mix of Microbes

Loss of habitat and human activities such as fishing and shipping pose a grave threat to wildlife but diseases driven by the smallest organisms in the ocean are a less understood side of marine conservation.

31 Aug 2023

New Plant-Animal Relationship Hints at an Evolutionary Transition Towards Mutualistic Symbiosis

Fungi-eating orchids were found for the first time to offer their flowers to fungi-eating fruit flies in exchange for pollination, which is the first evidence for nursery pollination in orchids. This unique new plant-animal relationship hints at an evolutionary transition towards mutualistic symbiosis.

25 Aug 2023

Direct-to-Consumer Blood Test for Assessing User’s Alzheimer’s Disease Risk

In July, the first direct-to-consumer blood test designed to assess a user’s risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease hit the market. The test, which has not undergone Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review, measures the level of a protein called beta amyloid, a key component of plaques that form in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients, disrupting brain function.

23 Aug 2023

A Colonizing Strategy of Salmonella Gut Bacteria

According to researchers at ETH Zurich, when the gut is already populated by a closely similar strain of Salmonella bacteria, it only requires the capacity to use a single other food source for the bacteria to flourish.

22 Aug 2023

SARS-CoV-2 Infection is Significantly Linked With the Development of High Blood Pressure

An analysis of electronic medical records for more than 45,000 people found that COVID-19 infection was significantly associated with the development of high blood pressure, according to new research published today in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal.

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

Study Highlights Critical Development Window During Which Racial Differences in Gut Microbiome Emerge

Early social and environmental exposures can have large and lasting effects on child development and adult health.

18 Aug 2023

Insect Farming, the New Approach to Agritech Sustainability

We speak to Larry Kotch from Flybox about how their insect farming-fueled products hope to create a sustainable solution to agricultural waste.

17 Aug 2023

Study Shows How Sensory Neurons Control Gastrointestinal Tracts

Gastrointestinal and digestive issues impact roughly 3 million people across the United States alone, and that number is growing.

4 Aug 2023

Mothers Who Eat Herbs in Early Pregnancy Can Protect Their Grandchildren’s Brains, Finds Study

Mothers who eat apples and herbs in early pregnancy could be protecting the brain health of their children and grandchildren, a Monash University study using genetic models has found.

4 Aug 2023

Maintaining Regular Sleep Patterns May Improve Gut Health

New research has found irregular sleep patterns are associated with harmful bacteria in your gut.

3 Aug 2023

Silver Rice Rats Moving to Higher Ground to Escape Rising Sea Levels

The silver rice rat, an endangered species endemic to the Florida Keys, makes its home as close to the shoreline as possible for easy access to its low-tide marine species diet.

2 Aug 2023

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

Alternate Fuel ‘Cells’ Redefines Function of Nutrition in the Immune System

A metabolic by-product that is more prominent during fasting can improve immune cells’ ability to fight off infection and disease, according to a preliminary study conducted by researchers at the Van Andel Institute and its partners.

31 Jul 2023