Life Science News. Updated daily with science research articles in all the life sciences.
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How cells recognize and repair DNA damage
Genome instability can cause numerous diseases. Cells have effective DNA repair mechanisms at their disposal. A research team has now gained new insights into the DNA damage response.
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Pterosaurs needed feet on the ground to become giants
A study determines when and how pterosaurs went from tiny tree-climbers to towering terrestrial titans Flying reptiles first came down from the trees in the mid-Jurassic Period, paving the way for giants with 10-meter wingspans. Fingers and toes point to secrets of flying reptile success.
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Scientists uncover auditory 'sixth sense' in geckos
Researchers discover that geckos use a mechanism usually associated with balance to sense vibrations, leading to new insights about how animals hear and feel their surroundings.
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Drier winter habitat impacts songbirds' ability to survive migration
A new study shows environmental conditions in migratory birds' winter homes carry over to affect their ability to survive spring migration and the breeding season.
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Ant agriculture began 66 million years ago in the aftermath of the asteroid that doomed the dinosaurs
According to a new study, colonies of ants began farming fungi when an asteroid struck Earth 66 million years ago. This asteroid impact caused a global mass extinction but also created ideal conditions for fungi to thrive. Innovative ants began cultivating the fungi, creating an evolutionary partnership that became even more tightly intertwined 27 million years ago and continues to this day.
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The true global impact of species-loss caused by humans is far greater than expected
The extinction of hundreds of bird species caused by humans over the last 130,000 years has led to substantial reductions in avian functional diversity -- a measure of the range of different roles and functions that birds undertake within the environment -- and resulted in the loss of approximately 3 billion years of unique evolutionary history, according to a new study.
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Oyster reefs once thrived along Europe's coasts -- now they're gone
Oysters once formed extensive reefs along much of Europe's coastline -- but these complex ecosystems were destroyed over a century ago, new research shows.
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Study identifies potential novel drug to treat tuberculosis
A new study identified that a semi-synthetic compound can be derived from natural compounds and shows potent activity against tuberculosis (TB), including multi-drug resistant TB.
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Plant compound used in traditional medicine may help fight tuberculosis
A compound found in African wormwood -- a plant used medicinally for thousands of years to treat many types of illness -- could be effective against tuberculosis, according to a new study.
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Study of monkey fossils found in cave sheds light on the animals' extinction centuries ago
By studying rare fossils of jaws and other skull parts of a long-extinct Caribbean monkey, a team of researchers says it has uncovered new evidence documenting the anatomy and ecology of an extinct primate once found on Hispaniola -- the Caribbean island on which Haiti and the Dominican Republic are located.
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Scientists create flies that stop when exposed to red light
Ever wish you could stop that fruit fly on your kitchen counter in its tracks? Scientists have created flies that halt under red light. In doing so, they discovered the precise neural mechanisms involved in stopping. Their findings, published this week in Nature, have implications far beyond controlling fly behavior. They demonstrate how the brain engages different neural mechanisms depending on environmental context.
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Scientists decode key mutation in many cancers
Inside every cell, inside every nucleus, your continued existence depends on an incredibly complicated dance. Proteins are constantly wrapping and unwrapping DNA, and even minor missteps can lead to cancer. A new study reveals a previously unknown part of this dance -- one with significant implications for human health.
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A leap in behavioral modelling: Scientists replicate animal movements with unprecedented accuracy
Scientists have developed a new method to simulate the complex movements of animals with exceptional accuracy. The research team set out to solve a long-standing challenge in biology -- how to accurately model the intricate and seemingly unpredictable movements of living organisms. They focused on the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans, a model organism widely used in biological research. The findings help predict and understand animal behavior, with potential applications ranging from robotics to medical research.
