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Read the latest science news from Phys.org on biology, evolution, microbiology, biotechnology
How agroecology can be part of a 'just transition' for Canada's food system
Problems in Canada's food system are being felt from field to fork--and they are increasingly hard to swallow.
How plants heal wounds: Mechanical forces guide direction of cell division
Plants are made up of very rigid cells. Much like bricks in a wall, this feature gives them the structural support to maintain their shape and to stand upright against gravity. However, just like any living organism, plants can be injured, for instance, by wind or animal grazing. While humans and animals have cells that move with the blood to detect and heal wounds, plants have to evolve a very different mechanism due to their rigidity and immobility.
Salmon populations are struggling, bringing economic woes for California's fishing fleet
On the docks at Pillar Point Harbor, fishing crews have been arriving with loads of freshly caught Dungeness crab.
Attack and defense in the microverse: How small RNA molecules regulate viral infections of bacteria
Viruses need hosts. Whether it's measles, the flu or coronavirus, viral pathogens cannot multiply or infect other organisms without the assistance of their hosts' cellular infrastructure. However, humans are not the only ones affected by viruses: animals, plants and even microorganisms can all serve as hosts.
Chinese scientists reveal the spinning mechanism of the silkworm
Mulberry silk is a natural protein fiber that is light, soft and fine in nature, known as the "second skin of the human body" and "Queen of fibers." China is the origin of the world's sericulture industry.
New study paves the way for precision drugs to treat blood cancers
The Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) protein mediates signaling from several cytokine receptors in the regulation of hematopoiesis and immune responses. Somatic mutations in human JAK2 lead to constitutive activation and cytokine-independent signaling and underlie several hematological malignancies from myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) to acute leukemia and lymphomas. JAK2 contains an active kinase domain and an inactive pseudokinase domain. Interestingly, pathogenic mutations mainly occur in the regulato...
Hummingbirds are 'on the go' in California: What you'll see and how to attract them
Whether sipping nectar from flowers and zipping through the air, hummingbirds are a sure sign of spring in California.
Turning microalgae into light-controlled, soft bio-microrobots
Micro/nanorobots, due to their small size, high controllability and precise navigation capabilities have emerged as an important tool to execute biomedical tasks in microenvironments. However, it is still a big challenge to maneuver rigid microrobots in complicated and sinuous narrow spaces (such as blood vessels and intestines) due to their inability to deform.
Scientists propose AI framework for mass-manufacturing of stem cells for regenerative medicine
Some stem cells have a natural ability to divide into more cells and develop into various specialized blood, bone or muscle cells. These pluripotent stem cells offer great promise for new cell treatments and regenerative medicine, researchers say.
Shrinking birds change their tune: Birdsong may sound different in a warmer future
Birds' bodies are changing and so are their songs. Over the last 70 years, birds worldwide have been noticeably shrinking in mass or expanding in wing length.
Study shows impacts of invasive species transcend ecosystem boundaries
Invasive species influence biodiversity across larger spatial extents than previously thought. In a recently published study, researchers from Eawag and the University of Zurich show that the impacts of invasive species extend far beyond the ecosystems they invade and that three mechanisms are primarily responsible for this. These findings are of great importance for the management of ecosystems.
Lab experiments show material flowing through cracks can isolate molecules that may reveal early life on Earth
A team of biophysicists at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen, in Germany, has found via lab experiments that heated material seeping through tiny cracks in hardened material can result in isolation of molecules that could have served as the building blocks for life on Earth.
Study finds shy sea anemones are more likely to survive heat waves
A study by researchers from the University of Gothenburg shows that sea anemones that react more slowly to change can survive a heat wave better than individuals that change their behavior quickly.
Researchers reveal assembly of critical molecular machine that removes non-coding information from genes
One of the most striking features of human genes is that genetic information required to produce proteins is stored in a discontinuous form, wherein the coding information (exons) is punctuated with non-coding segments known as introns.
'Force-sensing' protein could better treat diseases that cause seizures
Researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) have made a discovery about a little understood protein in the human body that could help treat diseases that cause seizures, including epilepsy. The study is published in Nature.
Some snakes show signs of self-recognition in olfactory tests
A trio of psychologists at Wilfrid Laurier University, in Canada, has found evidence that at least one type of snake may have self-recognition. In their study, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Troy Freiburger, Noam Miller and Morgan Skinner used the olfactory sense rather than vision to test for self-recognition in two kinds of snakes.
Adult fish struggle to bounce back in marine protected areas, study finds
Age matters when determining how to protect life in the ocean; every population needs a strong cohort of adults to produce the next generation. But many marine protected areas (MPAs) are falling short of their most basic purpose: to rebuild struggling fish populations.
Tokyo crowds revel as cherry blossoms reach full bloom
Tourists and residents packed Tokyo's top cherry blossom spots on Thursday to enjoy the full bloom that has arrived in the Japanese capital later than usual this year because of cold weather.
Rising temperatures upend migratory bird habitats in Albania
Long considered a Garden of Eden for migratory birds, the Vain Lagoon along the northern Albanian coast has been increasingly abandoned by a range of species as rising temperatures wreak havoc on wetlands across the country.
An orca calf stranded in a Canadian lagoon will be airlifted out to reunite with pod, rescuers say
Plans are underway by to airlift a stranded killer whale calf out of a remote tidal lagoon off northern Vancouver Island in an effort to reunite the young orca with its extended family, Canadian authorities said Wednesday.
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