Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Genetic mutation in a quarter of all Labradors hard-wires them for obesity      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research finds around a quarter of Labrador retriever dogs face a double-whammy of feeling hungry all the time and burning fewer calories due to a genetic mutation.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Biology: Zoology Ecology: Sea Life Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Do some electric fish sense the world through comrades' auras?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

It would be a game-changer if all members of a basketball team could see out of each other's eyes in addition to their own. Biologists have found evidence that this kind of collective sensing occurs in close-knit groups of African weakly electric fish, also known as elephantnose fish. This instantaneous sharing of sensory intelligence could help the fish locate food, friends and foes.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: General Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Research explores the cooling effects of 'scuba-diving' in lizards      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Anoles are the scuba-diving champions of the lizard world, able to stay underwater for more than 16 minutes. For animals whose body temperature depends on the environment, time spent in a cool running stream can have some tradeoffs, according to new research.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

Short-term exposure to high levels of air pollution kills 1 million globally every year      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Every year, more than one million deaths globally occur because of exposure to short-term (hours to days) fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in air pollution, according to a new report, with Eastern Asia reporting more than 50% of deaths attributable to short-term PM2.5 globally.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Offbeat: Earth and Climate Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Tiny worms tolerate Chornobyl radiation      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study finds that exposure to chronic radiation from Chornobyl has not damaged the genomes of microscopic worms living there today -- which doesn't mean that the region is safe, the scientists caution, but suggests that these worms are exceptionally resilient.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Harmful 'forever chemicals' removed from water with new electrocatalysis method      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have developed new electrochemical approaches to clean up pollution from 'forever chemicals' found in clothing, food packaging, firefighting foams, and a wide array of other products. A new study describes nanocatalysts developed to remediate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General
Published

Researchers explore non-invasive method for sampling drug response      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Harnessing a pervasive type of cellular messenger shows early experimental promise as a routine way of sampling and monitoring the body's response to prescription drug exposure. Experiments have successfully isolated drug-metabolizing enzymes from extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are widely secreted throughout the body for cellular communication.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Zoology
Published

Lab-grown liver organoid to speed up turtle research, making useful traits easier to harness      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers developed protocols for growing organoids that mimic a turtle liver, the first organoids developed for a turtle and only the second for any reptile. The discovery will aid deeper study of turtle genetics, including the cause of traits with potential medical applications for humans such as the ability to survive weeks without oxygen.

Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Gen Z's climate anxiety is real and needs action -- for everyone's wellbeing      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Young people have major concerns about climate change, which is having a significant impact on their lives and could have broader consequences decades into the future.

Biology: Biochemistry
Published

Sweetened drinks linked to atrial fibrillation risk      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An analysis of health data in the UK Biobank found a 20% higher risk of irregular heart rhythm, known as atrial fibrillation, among people who said they drank two liters or more per week (about 67 ounces) of artificially sweetened drinks. The risk was 10% higher among people who said they drank similar amounts of sugar-sweetened beverages.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology
Published

Possible 'Trojan Horse' found for treating stubborn bacterial infections      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Bacteria can be tricked into sending death signals to stop the growth of their slimy, protective homes that lead to deadly infections, a new study demonstrates. The discovery could someday be harnessed as an alternative to antibiotics for treating difficult infections. The researchers used the messengers, which they named death extracellular vesicles (D-EVs), to reduce growth of the bacterial communities by up to 99.99% in laboratory experiments.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Zoology Ecology: Sea Life
Published

Conservation actions for SA's white shark population now a matter of urgency      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A group of marine biologists specializing in shark ecology, genetics and fisheries have challenged the findings from a recent study suggesting that South Africa's white shark population has not decreased, but simply redistributed eastwards to flee predation from orcas.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: General Environmental: Water
Published

Microalgae with unusual cell biology      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A globally distributed single-celled organism that occurs in harmful algal blooms has been found to exhibit an unusual organisation of photosynthesis. Researchers have taken a closer look at the unusual cell biology of the species Prorocentrum cordatum from the group of dinoflagellates. The results of their study could help to better understand the role of the species in the environment and the increased occurrence of algal blooms at higher water temperatures.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

After decades of Arctic sea ice getting faster and more hazardous for transport, models suggest a dramatic reversal is coming      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Will ice floating in the Arctic Ocean move faster or slower over the coming decades? The answer to this question will tell us whether marine transportation can be expected to get more or less hazardous. It might also have important implications for the rate of ice cover loss, which is hugely consequential for Northern Indigenous communities, ecosystems, and the global climate system. While observational data suggest the trend has been towards faster sea ice speeds, climate models project that those speeds will slow down during the summer season. This contrast has led to some questions around the plausibility of the model projections.

Ecology: Nature Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

We know the Arctic is warming -- What will changing river flows do to its environment?      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists recently combined satellite data, field observations and sophisticated numerical modeling to paint a picture of how 22.45 million square kilometers of the Arctic will change over the next 80 years. As expected, the overall region will be warmer and wetter, but the details -- up to 25% more runoff, 30% more subsurface runoff and a progressively drier southern Arctic, provides one of the clearest views yet of how the landscape will respond to climate change.

Ecology: Animals Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Nature Ecology: Trees Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography
Published

8 in 10 lizards could be at risk due to deforestation      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

These reptiles move around tree trunks to seek warmth or shade. With trees disappearing, they would have trouble controlling their body temperature, a new study shows.

Biology: Botany Biology: General Ecology: Endangered Species Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

Plant Lavender, Marjoram and Ivy on your green wall to clean up the air      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Green walls can strip pollution from the air -- and some plants do it better than others, according to new research. Researchers planted 10 species on a custom-built 1.4m green wall.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography
Published

Less ice in the Arctic Ocean has complex effects on marine ecosystems and ocean productivity      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Most of the sunlight reaching the Arctic Ocean is reflected to space by sea ice, effectively shielding ocean ecosystems from sunlight. As the Arctic sea ice continues its downward trend, larger areas of the ocean become exposed to sunlight for longer periods, potentially allowing more primary production on the seafloor. However, according to a new study, this anticipated increase in primary production does not seem to be occurring uniformly across the Arctic Ocean.