Chemistry Sections Technology

Biology

Read the latest science news from Phys.org on biology, evolution, microbiology, biotechnology
Factors impacting yield and size of day-neutral strawberries
Strawberries are a vital crop for California, the leading producer of fresh market strawberries in the United States, with a production value of more than $2 billion in 2021. The Central Coast region, encompassing areas like Watsonville and Salinas, plays a pivotal role in strawberry production, contributing significantly to the state's overall production.
New fossil dolphin identified
University of Otago researchers have formally identified and named a fossil dolphin which they discovered has a unique feeding method.
Q&A: How do animals react to a solar eclipse?
On April 8, many of us will be huddling behind protective glasses and feasting our eyes on a rare solar stunner. But the sun's eye-catching performance won't be the only thing on display. You may also notice our animal friends behaving oddly.
Phosphorus fertilization boosts young almond tree growth
Young almond orchards face numerous biotic stressors during their early growth stages, particularly when replanted in areas where old stone fruit orchards once stood. Among these challenges is the almond/stone fruit replant disease (ARD), which can significantly hinder growth and yields and is caused, in part, by a soil microbial complex.
What four decades of canned salmon reveal about marine food webs
Alaskan waters are a critical fishery for salmon. Complex marine food webs underlie and sustain this fishery, and scientists want to know how climate change is reshaping them. But finding samples from the past isn't easy.
Study reports that people and environment both benefit from diversified farming, while bottom lines also thrive
A massive new global study led by the University of Copenhagen and University of Hohenheim has examined the effects of diversified agriculture. The conclusion is abundantly clear--positive effects increase with every measure, while negative effects are hard to find.
Rusty-patched bumblebee's struggle for survival found in its genes
A team of researchers has uncovered alarming trends in the first range-wide genetic study of an endangered bee species. The study, led by Colorado State University and published in the Journal of Insect Science, will inform conservation and recovery efforts for the rusty-patched bumblebee--a species that was once common in the United States but has declined from about 90% of its historic range.
The life aquatic: Why diurnal frog species kept genes adapted to night vision
Frogs display a remarkable diversity of species as a whole, but does the same hold true for their visual abilities? A new study led by York University's Faculty of Science has sought to answer this question by collaborating with researchers in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, French Guiana, Gabon, Seychelles, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States, to get a sample of a diverse array of frogs to study the visual pigments found in their eyes.
Amphibians use scream inaudible to humans for self-defense against predators, study suggests
A study reported in the journal acta ethologica has recorded the use of ultrasound by amphibians for the first time in South America. It also describes the first documented case of the use of ultrasound for defense against predators, in a distress call of ear-piercing intensity to many animals, but inaudible to humans.
New research shows key molecules within nerve cells persist throughout life
After two decades in the United States, Martin Hetzer returned home to Austria in 2023 to become the 2nd President of the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA). A year into his new role, the molecular biologist remains engaged in the realm of aging research.
More than 80% of the EU's farming subsidies support emissions-intensive animal products
The vast majority of the EU's agricultural subsidies are supporting meat and dairy farming rather than sustainable plant alternatives. That's the key finding of our new research, published in Nature Food, in which for the first time we were able to fully account for crops and other plants grown to feed animals.
A natural history of the Red Sea and the uncertain future of its corals
Early in May 2023, a small team of marine biologists arrived in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah. They'd flown into the local airport from Guam, the United States, Portugal, Spain and Japan, and they'd soon rendezvous with colleagues from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), a research university built along the banks of the Red Sea.
Researchers investigate possibility of collecting DNA from air-conditioning units at crime scenes
Scientists may one day be using a new technique to potentially pick up and record key airborne forensic DNA evidence from crime scenes wiped clean of fingerprints and other trace evidence.
Understanding how fire shapes plants can help protect them
Fire is an important part of plant life in Australia, influencing where plants grow and how abundant a species will be.
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.
Chemistry Sections Technology