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We collect latest biology news in the world. The news is refreshed every hour.
Therapeutic potential of mitochondrial transfer in reversing mutant-to-wild-type mtDNA ratio and improving mitochondrial dysfunction in 1555A>G mtDNA mutation-associated hearing loss
on May 13, 2026 at 12:00 am
'Mobile' DNA elements may have expanded gene regulatory networks in brain development
on May 12, 2026 at 7:40 pm
Scientists have uncovered evidence supporting a mechanism in which transposable elements (TEs), once considered "non-functional" DNA, may have contributed to the evolution and expansion of gene regulation during neural development. Such insights into the mechanisms regulating the development of neuronal cells in the brain may help inform future strategies for generating specific neural cell types from embryonic stem cells (ESCs).
In an ant colony, the queen isn't in charge. So who is?
on May 12, 2026 at 7:00 pm
Imagine trying to build a house without a blueprint, find a shortcut through an unfamiliar city without a map, or govern a large organization with no leaders and no meetings.
Many of the Caribbean's most important reefs are going unprotected
on May 12, 2026 at 6:40 pm
Living by the sea in the tropics means being exposed to some of nature's most powerful forces. Hurricanes can bring storm surges, flooding and destructive waves that threaten homes, infrastructure and livelihoods.
Gentle, laser-driven flows enable precise 3D imaging of delicate samples
on May 12, 2026 at 6:40 pm
Until now, it has been technically nearly impossible to rotate highly sensitive samples in all directions under a microscope without making contact. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have developed a new laser-based technique that allows microscopic samples such as cells to be rotated contact-free in all three spatial directions. The laser creates tiny temperature differences in the liquid, which trigger gentle fluid flows that move the sample. This protects delicate samples and enables more accurate three-dimensional images—an important step for basic medical research.
Africa has the world's greatest genetic diversity, yet it's missing from research: We're filling the gap
on May 12, 2026 at 6:00 pm
Throughout history, most of the world's genomic research has relied on DNA data from people of European ancestry.
How invading cancer cells grip and rip their way into new tissues
on May 12, 2026 at 6:00 pm
Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered that cancer cells do not simply push through surrounding tissues to spread, but instead actively grip onto protective tissue barriers and pull them apart, revealing a fundamentally new mechanism of cancer invasion that could open fresh avenues for therapeutic intervention.
Cold events rival heat waves in bleaching Indonesia's corals, analysis reveals
on May 12, 2026 at 5:40 pm
The Indonesian seas are a biodiversity hotspot, harboring the highest coral diversity in the tropics and home to an extraordinary variety of marine life. Yet these unique ecosystems have been under growing pressure for years, particularly from increasing heat waves in the ocean. However, heat stress is not the only stressor affecting these sensitive marine creatures.
Roots reveal climate adaptation as 284 plant varieties reshape water barrier
on May 12, 2026 at 5:20 pm
Plant roots are far more than simple absorption organs: they can adjust their structure to better cope with water stress. Scientists at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), in collaboration with the University of Lausanne (UNIL), studied 284 natural varieties of Arabidopsis thaliana and discovered that the amount and distribution of suberin—a protective barrier deposited in roots—vary according to geographic origin and climate. The researchers also identified a new gene regulating suberin that is linked to the water-stress hormone.
Robert Smith obituary
by Robert Smith on May 12, 2026 at 5:09 pm
My father, Robert Smith, who has died aged 92, was a pharmacologist and professor at St Mary’s medical school in London (now part of Imperial College) whose work helped shape thinking on people’s differing responses to drugs – genetically, biochemically and clinically.Bob became well known in particular for his role in the discovery of “debrisoquine polymorphism”. An enthusiastic participant when it came to self-experimentation at St Mary’s, in 1975 he was one of five volunteer researchers who took debrisoquine, a drug developed to manage blood pressure. Bob was the only volunteer to suffer adverse effects (hypotension) and collapsed. Continue reading...
A baby bird's wish list: Mild weather, attentive parents, not being the smallest sibling
on May 12, 2026 at 4:20 pm
Experiences in the first days and weeks of life can have a profound impact on humans—and birds. A new study led by Sage Madden, a graduate student in evolution and ecology at the University of California, Davis, shows how weather conditions and family dynamics affect the growth of barn swallow (Hirundo rustica erythrogaster) chicks.
One drug, two cleanup crews: A built-in backup for targeted protein degradation
on May 12, 2026 at 4:00 pm
Most drugs work by inhibition: they block a protein's activity but leave the protein itself intact. Targeted protein degradation takes a fundamentally different approach, harnessing the cell's own quality-control machinery to remove proteins entirely.
Birds can suffer serious harm from heat waves
on May 12, 2026 at 3:40 pm
Extreme weather poses a big threat to birds. Yet there is a lack of both knowledge and methods for measuring its negative effects. In a new study published in Trends in Ecology & Evolution, researchers from Lund University in Sweden have identified knowledge gaps and propose practical tools for analyzing the risks to birds.
Hidden changes in plant reproduction reveal new clues about evolution of self-fertilization
on May 12, 2026 at 2:40 pm
In flowering plants, the transition from cross-fertilization (outcrossing) to self-fertilization has evolved repeatedly across species. This shift is often accompanied by a well-known set of traits collectively called the "selfing syndrome," including smaller flowers and reduced scent. However, a new study highlights that important but largely overlooked changes also occur at the microscopic level of pollen biology.
Why do brown bats stop feeding during fireworks?
on May 12, 2026 at 2:20 pm
Firework shows are controversial in this day and age. While beautiful, fireworks are loud, bright, and smoky, and they can be dangerous to the surrounding environment, releasing contaminants into the air and frightening both pets and wildlife alike.
'Nature's algorithm' found in Chinese money plants
on May 12, 2026 at 1:40 pm
Look up at the clouds. What do you see? A sailboat? A seahorse? Your great-aunt Rosemary? As humans, we're prone to seeing patterns where they don't actually exist. This behavior is so common there's a name for it: apophenia. But sometimes, those patterns really do exist. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Associate Professor Saket Navlakha specializes in finding them.
Meet the whistling mice that use inflatable air sacs to sing
on May 12, 2026 at 1:30 pm
Mice do more than just squeak when they want to make a noise. They can also sing. And the way they do it is different from most mammals that produce sounds by vibrating their vocal cords. When Alston's singing mouse (Scotinomys teguina) makes its music, it does so by puffing up an air sac in its throat.
Water-based nanocrystal provides a sticky solution to a pesky agricultural problem
on May 12, 2026 at 1:20 pm
A water-based formulation developed at the University of Waterloo using nanotechnology is both greener and more effective than conventional methods for delivering agricultural pesticides.
What Chinook salmon eat depends on where they are in the Salish Sea, study finds
on May 12, 2026 at 1:20 pm
A new study by University of Victoria (UVic) and Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) scientists has uncovered what adult Chinook salmon in the Salish Sea are eating—and revealed diet can differ according to region. The study, led by UVic Ph.D. student Wesley Greentree and published recently in Fisheries Oceanography, analyzed the contents of salmon stomachs to assess salmon diet. Greentree found that year-round, herring are the most important food for adult Chinook salmon throughout the Salish Sea. Anchovy were often found in stomachs collected near Howe Sound and sand lance were important in Victoria and Sidney.
Two proteins, one goal: New findings on stem cell differentiation
on May 12, 2026 at 1:00 pm
Stem cells are the original cell type from which all other cells and tissues in the body develop through a very tightly regulated process. However, how stem cells differentiate in addition to gene-control systems, such as canonical REST repression, which prevents gene expression in inappropriate tissues, has remained unknown.
Blackberries reveal single genetic switch for first-year fruiting, speeding new varieties
on May 12, 2026 at 1:00 pm
Lifting a veil of uncertainty in blackberry genetics, a national team of horticulture scientists have discovered evidence pointing to the single genetic region that controls primocane-fruiting, or the ability to flower and fruit on first-year canes.
Super-resolution microscopy provides real-time picture of bacteria degrading biomass with enzyme complexes
on May 12, 2026 at 12:40 pm
To the untrained eye, they look like blobs blotching the otherwise smooth surface of rod-like bacteria. But if you ask a microbiologist about "cellulosomes," they will likely tell you that those blobs are actually sophisticated cellulolytic machines.
Forest restoration and spotted owl conservation can work together, study finds
on May 12, 2026 at 11:20 am
Restoring dry forests in the Pacific Northwest, shaped by frequent low-intensity fire and widely spaced trees, often means thinning dense stands that accumulated after decades of fire suppression. This can make forests healthier and more resilient to wildfire, but it can raise concerns about protecting wildlife that depend on dense tree cover, including the northern spotted owl.
Emperor penguins in focus as Antarctic talks start in Japan
on May 12, 2026 at 10:50 am
Greater protections for endangered emperor penguins and how to manage growing tourism will top the agenda at talks on Antarctica opening in Japan on Tuesday.
What if we killed all mosquitoes?
on May 12, 2026 at 10:10 am
The deadliest animals are not lions, spiders or snakes, but the tiny mosquitoes that suck our blood, make us itchy and infect us with disease.