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Animals think probabilistically to distinguish contexts, research suggests

Among the many things rodents have taught neuroscientists is that in a region called the hippocampus, the brain creates a new map for every unique spatial context - for instance, a different room or maze.

3 Aug 2020

Ecologists propose plan to advance parasite biodiversity conservation

Parasites have a public relations problem. Unlike the many charismatic mammals, fishes and birds that receive our attention (and our conservation dollars), parasites are thought of as something to eradicate -- and certainly not something to protect.

3 Aug 2020

Light pollution from coastal cities likely to have harmful impacts on seafloor ecosystems

The global expansion of coastal cities could leave more than three-quarters of their neighboring seafloor exposed to potentially harmful levels of light pollution.

31 Jul 2020

Coastal flooding events could threaten 20% of global GDP, study suggests

Coastal flooding events could threaten assets worth up to 20% of the global GDP by 2100, a study in Scientific Reports suggests.

31 Jul 2020

How economic fallout due to COVID-19 puts global food security at risk

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced nations worldwide to implement unprecedented social measures to stem the rapid spread of the virus.

31 Jul 2020

Detailed 3D structure provides a roadmap for tweaking CRISPR-Cas9–guided base editors

Within a mere eight years, CRISPR-Cas9 has become the go-to genome editor for both basic research and gene therapy.

31 Jul 2020

Re-engineering antibodies to fight SARS-CoV-2 infection

With millions of COVID-19 cases reported across the globe, people are turning to antibody tests to find out whether they have been exposed to the coronavirus that causes the disease.

31 Jul 2020

Do allelopathic cover crops negatively impact row crops?

Winter cover crops benefit soil health and can suppress weeds in subsequent row crops but may also lead to lower yields.

31 Jul 2020

High-resolution imaging reveals how phages can attack and kill bacterial superbugs

A research collaboration involving Monash University has made an exciting discovery that may eventually lead to targeted treatments to combat drug-resistant bacterial infections, one of the greatest threats to global health.

31 Jul 2020

Researchers show efficacy of phage cocktail therapy on wound infections

Australian researchers have shown how viruses can be used to save lives, developing the potential use of bacteriophages in bandages to treat life-threatening golden staph infections which may not respond to traditional antibiotics.

31 Jul 2020

Study reveals new strategy to reduce tumor growth

According to a new study, tumors can escape the immune system by instructing immune cells to create immunosuppressive steroids.

31 Jul 2020

Novel therapeutics targeting primary cilia may reverse neurodevelopmental disorders

Primary cilia are structures that act like antennas for cells to identify signals and occur less in mice affected by Fragile X syndrome since birth.

31 Jul 2020

Study shows how psychological stress leads to debilitating vessel-clogging episodes

Researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine have demonstrated that chronic psychological stress can result in painful vessel-clogging episodes—a frequent cause of hospitalizations and the most typical complication of sickle-cell disease or SCD.

31 Jul 2020

New and unique class of carbohydrate receptors discovered

Exopolysaccharides (EPS) are surface-exposed carbohydrates that surround and protect bacteria and are involved in biofilm formation, cell-to-cell interactions, immune evasion, and pathogenesis.

31 Jul 2020

Understanding the structure of SARS-CoV-2 proteins may lead to novel drugs

COVID-19 is a disease caused by an RNA virus called SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), that is, a virus that employs RNA to preserve its genetic data.

31 Jul 2020

Coastal urbanization increases contamination in seafood

The first landmark study using next-generation technology to comprehensively examine contaminants in oysters in Myanmar reveals alarming findings: the widespread presence of human bacterial pathogens and human-derived microdebris materials, including plastics, kerosene, paint, talc and milk supplement powders.

31 Jul 2020