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The disappearance of sea ice in polar regions due to global warming not only increases the amount of light entering the ocean, but also changes its color. These changes have far-reaching consequences for photosynthetic organisms such as ice algae and phytoplankton.
Antivenom neutralizes the neurotoxins of 19 of the world's deadliest snakes (link is external)
By using antibodies from a human donor with a self-induced hyper-immunity to snake venom, scientists have developed the most broadly effective antivenom to date, which is protective against the likes of the black mamba, king cobra, and tiger snakes in mouse trials. The antivenom combines protective antibodies and a small molecule inhibitor and opens a path toward a universal antiserum.
AI system targets tree pollen behind allergies (link is external)
Imagine trying to tell identical twins apart just by looking at their fingerprints. That's how challenging it can be for scientists to distinguish the tiny powdery pollen grains produced by fir, spruce and pine trees. But a new artificial intelligence system is making that task a lot easier -- and potentially bringing big relief to allergy sufferers.
Electricity-generating bacteria may power future innovations (link is external)
A team has discovered how certain bacteria breathe by generating electricity, using a natural process that pushes electrons into their surroundings instead of breathing on oxygen. The findings could enable new developments in clean energy and industrial biotechnology.
A digestive 'treasure chest' shows promise for targeted drug treatment in the gut (link is external)
A new approach to drug design can deliver medicine directly to the gut in mice at significantly lower doses than current inflammatory bowel disease treatments. The proof-of-concept study introduced a mechanism called 'GlycoCaging' that releases medicine exclusively to the lower gut at doses up to 10 times lower than current therapies.
Study shows how millions of bird sightings unlock precision conservation (link is external)
A groundbreaking study reveals that North American bird populations are declining most severely in areas where they should be thriving. Researchers analyzed 36 million bird observations shared by birdwatchers to the Cornell Lab's eBird program alongside multiple environmental variables derived from high-resolution satellite imagery for 495 bird species across North America from 2007 to 2021.
Exposure to extreme heat and cold temperature is leading to additional preventable deaths, new 19-year study suggests (link is external)
Urgent action must be taken to reduce the ever-rising number of people killed by extreme temperatures in India, say the authors of a new 19-year study which found that 20,000 people died from heatstroke in the last two decades. Cold exposure claimed another 15,000 lives.
Oceans are heating faster in two bands stretching around globe (link is external)
The world's oceans are heating faster in two bands stretching around the globe, one in the southern hemisphere and one in the north, according to climate scientists.
Lava flow jigsaw puzzle reveals the secrets of shifting continents (link is external)
Analysing lava flows that solidified and then broke apart over a massive crack in the Earth's crust in Turkey has brought new insights into how continents move over time, improving our understanding of earthquake risks.
Why did some ancient animals fossilize while others vanished? (link is external)
Why do some ancient animals become fossils while others disappear without a trace? A new study reveals that part of the answer lies in the body itself. The research shows that an animal's size and chemical makeup can play an important role in determining whether it's preserved for millions of years -- or lost to time.
Intensifying farmland can sometimes degrade biodiversity more than expansion (link is external)
The intensification of existing farmland can sometimes be more harmful to local biodiversity than expanding the area covered by agricultural land, finds a new study.
Eruption loading: New approaches to earthquake monitoring at Ontake volcano, Japan (link is external)
A new study has investigated the use of a new monitoring technique for early warning of a volcanic eruption. The research team compared the earthquake signals during two eruptions of Ontake Volcano in Japan, one of which was a small eruption and the other of which was explosive. From this, they were able to identify that shear-wave splitting parameters showed differences depending on the size of the eruption. The study proposes that the monitoring of this signal would provide a useful early warning of dangerous volcanic eruptions.
Invasive rats and rainforest mammals are sharing gut microbes as urban areas grow (link is external)
As urban development continues to creep further into Earth's oldest and most diverse rainforests, a study reveals native and invasive small mammals aren't just adapting to their changing habitats -- they may also be sharing their microbes.
Rhythmically trained sea lion returns for an encore -- and performs as well as humans (link is external)
Animal research on biomusicality, which looks at whether different species are capable of behaving in ways that show they recognize aspects of music, including rhythm and beat, remains a tantalizing field at the intersection of biology and psychology. Now, the highly trained California sea lion who achieved global fame for her ability to bob her head to a beat is finally back: starring in a new study that shows her rhythm is just as precise -- if not better -- than humans.
Study of facial bacteria could lead to probiotics that promote healthy skin (link is external)
A study sheds light on when and how bacterial strains emerge on facial skin. The findings could lead to new treatments for acne and other conditions, and may also help optimize the timing of such treatments.
Designer microbe shows promise for reducing mercury absorption from seafood (link is external)
Scientists inserted DNA-encoding methylmercury detoxification enzymes into the genome of an abundant human gut bacterium. The engineered bacterium detoxified methylmercury in the gut of mice and dramatically reduced the amount that reached other tissues, such as the brain and liver. Mice given an oral probiotic containing the engineered microbe and fed a diet high in bluefin tuna had much lower methylmercury levels than expected, suggesting that a probiotic might eventually make it safer for people to consume fish. Researchers performed the tests using pregnant mice and found lower levels of methylmercury in both maternal and fetal tissues, and lower signs of mercury toxicity in the fetal brain.
Ptero firma: Footprints pinpoint when ancient flying reptiles conquered the ground (link is external)
A new study links fossilized flying reptile tracks to animals that made them. Fossilized footprints reveal a 160-million-year-old invasion as pterosaurs came down from the trees and onto the ground. Tracks of giant ground-stalkers, comb-jawed coastal waders, and specialized shell crushers, shed light on how pterosaurs lived, moved, and evolved.
Broader antibiotic use could change the course of cholera outbreaks, research suggests (link is external)
Recent disease modeling research challenges public health guidelines recommending conservative antibiotic use for cholera, suggesting that for some outbreaks, prescribing antibiotics more aggressively could slow or stop the spread of the disease and even reduce the likelihood of antibiotic resistance.
Seasonal changes affect alcohol tolerance and your waistline (link is external)
Researchers have found that drug effectiveness, alcohol tolerance, and carbohydrate metabolism change with the seasons. Their findings are based on a comprehensive seasonal gene expression map, which investigated over 54,000 genes in 80 tissues in monkeys across one year. The study has implications for drug prescription and precision medicine.
Once bitten, animals develop resistance that shrinks tick population (link is external)
Just in time for tick season, new research is shining a light on how animals develop resistance to tick bites, which points toward the possibility of developing more effective vaccines against the tiny, disease-carrying bloodsuckers.
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