Featured News – Science & research news

How light from street lamps and trees influences the activity of urban bats

May 23, 2019

The team found that the response of bats to artificial light was intensified in areas with high tree cover. Credit: Christian Giese. A German study sheds new light on how [...]

How the devil ray got its horns

May 22, 2019

A new study shows that the manta ray’s distinctive hornlike cephalic lobes, rather than being separate appendages, have their origins as the foremost part of the [...]

Cardiorespiratory fitness of farmed Atlantic salmon unaffected by virus

May 21, 2019

The respiratory systems of Atlantic salmon function normally despite them carrying a virus that infects red blood cells; Frontiers in Physiology [...]

Sedimentary, my dear Johnson: is NASA looking at the wrong type of rock for clues to Martian life?

May 20, 2019

Scientists at the Swedish Museum of Natural History have begun compiling an atlas of fossils in volcanic rock, to guide where and what to look for in the search for Martian life; Frontiers in Earth Science [...]

Scientists propose rethinking ‘endangered species’ definition to save slow-breeding giants

May 17, 2019

Researchers at the Smithsonian Institute have proposed a ‘demographic safe space’ for Asian elephants, to improve conservation of these and other large, slow-breeding animals; Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]

Vaccine for African swine fever may save our bacon

May 16, 2019

New study shows wild boar can be immunized against the most significant worldwide threat to the swine industry by a vaccine administered via their food; Frontiers in Veterinary Science [...]

‘Technoference’: We’re more tired and less productive because of our phones

May 15, 2019

A QUT study finds problematic phone use is getting worse in Australia; Frontiers in Psychiatry [...]

Highly-qualified staff at state preschools overcome private sector staffing advantage

May 14, 2019

UK study reveals that staff to child ratios and more importantly, staff qualifications and in-service training, can predict the quality of preschool childcare settings; Frontiers in Education [...]

Can stress in the womb lead to mental resilience later in life?

May 13, 2019

When a mother is exposed to intimate partner violence during pregnancy, her children are less likely to suffer depression and PTSD symptoms if they live in violent communities, than otherwise; Frontiers in Genetics [...]

The unbeatable lightness of being

April 29, 2019

Is fostering our innate capacity for levity the ultimate antidote to stress and unhappiness? Frontiers in Psychology [...]

Gender-biased protein may play role in autism

April 25, 2019

A study suggests that autism-related brain proteins are more tightly regulated in females than in males; Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience [...]

Germ-fighting catheter coating may help prevent infections

April 24, 2019

For the first time researchers have incorporated auranofin -- an antibiotic with low resistance potential -- into a coating for intravascular catheters; Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology [...]

Scientists clarify what probiotics are and what they are not

April 18, 2019

Frontiers in Microbiology: A new scientific paper calls for strict adherence to the scientific definition, ensuring improper use of the term doesn't mislead consumers or limit advancements in the emerging field of microbiome science [...]

Honey, I ate the kids: the sweet side of filial cannibalism

April 16, 2019

Why do some animals eat or abandon their offspring? According to researchers at the University of Tennessee and the University of Oxford, these might actually be forms of parental care; Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]

Urban biodiversity to reduce chronic disease

April 11, 2019

'Rewilding' the urban environment with native microbes could restore the human microbiome and reduce our risk of chronic disease; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]

Underwater forests a treasure trove of new drugs

April 10, 2019

Scientists recover dozens of antimicrobial and anticancer compounds from seaweed; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]

Stressed? Take a 20-minute nature pill

April 9, 2019

Just 20 minutes of contact with nature will lower stress hormone levels, reveals new study; Frontiers in Psychology [...]

Floodplain forests under threat

April 8, 2019

A floodplain forest dominated by oaks. Credit: Albert Reif. — by University of Freiberg, Germany A team from the Institute of Forest Sciences at the University of [...]

Love Island: Flamboyant males get the girls on Madagascar

April 3, 2019

In two new species of rare giant stick insects, males turn livid blue or multicolored at sexual maturity; Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]

Quantum physics and origami for the ultimate get-well card

April 2, 2019

Scientists have combined the simplicity of paper with the complexity of quantum physics for point-of-care testing in low-resource environments; Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology [...]

More scrutiny needed for less-deadly foodborne bacteria

April 1, 2019

Foodborne pathogens in the Bacillus cereus group cause diarrhea and vomiting. Credit: Penn State. — by Penn State University, USA Employing advanced genetic-tracing [...]

New drug resistance process found in bacteria

March 29, 2019

This is the research team in charge of the study. From left to right: Ivan Erill, Pilar Cortés, Jordi Barbé and Miquel Sánchez-Osuna. Credit: UAB. — by Autonomous [...]

Can you ‘catch’ cancer?

March 27, 2019

Parasitic worms cause cancer – and could help cure it; Frontiers in Medicine [...]

Will cyborg circuits be made from melanin?

March 26, 2019

Scientists have achieved a billion-fold increase in the electrical conductivity of melanin, that could unleash its potential in safe, sustainable bioelectronics; Frontiers in Chemistry [...]

Superbugs have colonized the International Space Station – but there’s a silver lining

March 25, 2019

An antimicrobial coating made of precious metals reduced growth of bacteria on contamination-prone surfaces inside the ISS, where extreme conditions can foster antibiotic-resistant superbugs; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]

Slower runners benefit most from high-tech shoes

March 19, 2019

Researchers re-examined treadmill studies of runners dating back decades, recalculating the effect of performance strategies to account for things like air resistance and oxygen uptake velocity; Frontiers in Physiology [...]

Dormant viruses activate during spaceflight – NASA investigates

March 18, 2019

The stress of spaceflight gives viruses a holiday from immune surveillance, putting future deep-space missions in jeopardy; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]

Brain training app improves users’ concentration, study shows

March 15, 2019

Cambridge researchers have developed and tested 'Decoder', a new game that is aimed at helping users improve their attention and concentration; Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience [...]

A lawn is better than fertilizer for growing healthy blueberries

March 14, 2019

Intercropping with grasses is an effective and sustainable alternative to chemical treatments for maximizing blueberry yield and antioxidant content in limey soils; Frontiers in Plant Science [...]

Toward more energy-efficient cruise ships

March 12, 2019

An EPFL researcher has developed a system based on fuel cells to reduce the carbon footprint and energy consumption of cruise ships, which are increasingly popular among vacation goers around the world; Frontiers in Energy Research [...]

Tomato plant aroma to protect crops

March 11, 2019

Spraying crops with the tomato compound hexenyl butyrate could be a cheap, safe and straightforward means to prevent bacterial infection and improve drought tolerance; Frontiers in Plant Science [...]

New method uses AI to screen for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

March 8, 2019

Scientists have developed a new AI tool that can screen children for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder quickly and affordably: Frontiers in Neurology [...]

Bedtime protein for bigger gains? Here’s the scoop

March 7, 2019

Downing a casein shake just before sleep increases muscle mass and strength gains from resistance training, without 'making you fat' -- but is the effect any different to your regular post-workout protein supplement? Frontiers in Nutrition [...]

Researchers discover a flipping crab feeding on methane seeps

March 6, 2019

Researchers have documented a group of tanner crabs vigorously feeding at a methane seep on the seafloor off British Columbia - one of the first times a commercially harvested species has been seen using this energy source; Frontiers in Marine Science [...]

Want to save the planet? Stop trying to be its friend

March 5, 2019

People tend to judge their environmental impact using moral intuition that evolved to handle social exchange -- but these tree huggers may be doing more harm than good, say researchers; Frontiers in Psychology [...]

New target could help protect vision following optic nerve trauma

March 4, 2019

A new study sheds light on the mechanism of prolonged neuronal degeneration following optic nerve injury, which could provide treatment targets for preserving eyesight; Frontiers in Neuroscience [...]

Clues to Martian life found in Chilean desert

March 1, 2019

A trial NASA rover mission in the Mars-like Atacama desert has successfully recovered subterranean organisms -- strange, scattered, salt-resistant bacteria that could lead the search for Martian life deeper underground; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]

UK prejudice against immigrants amongst lowest in Europe

February 26, 2019

New study challenges prevailing attitudes on Brexit, the nature of prejudice, and the social impact of modernization; Frontiers in Sociology [...]

Responsible innovation key to smart farming

February 25, 2019

The so-called 'fourth agricultural revolution' must provide social benefits and address potentially negative side-effects of agri-tech; Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems [...]

Squid could provide an eco-friendly alternative to plastics

February 22, 2019

Self-healing fabric, abrasion-resistant coatings, precision drug delivery and smart textiles are among the potential applications of squid 'ring tooth' protein; Frontiers in Chemistry [...]

Climate-friendly labriculture depends on an energy revolution

February 21, 2019

Comparison of the greenhouse gases produced by lab-grown and farm-raised beef in the current energy system suggests that the benefits of reducing methane could be outweighed by increased CO2; Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems [...]

Blindfolded training could help doctors save young lives

February 20, 2019

Doctors' leadership in pediatric resuscitation improved most when they wore a blindfold during simulation training; Frontiers in Pediatrics [...]

Oral contraceptives could impair women’s recognition of complex emotions

February 19, 2019

Healthy women who use birth control pills are poorer judges of subtle facial expressions than non-users, according to new research; Frontiers in Neuroscience [...]

Tat vaccine could provide a functional cure for HIV

February 18, 2019

Recipients of the vaccine develop characteristics of spontaneous ‘post-treatment controllers’, whose immune system can control the reactivation of HIV after discontinuing therapy; Frontiers in Immunology [...]

Warning over deep-sea ‘gold rush’

February 15, 2019

Harmful deep sea mining could be avoided altogether if humanity moves towards a "circular economy" that focuses on reuse and recycling of metals, reduces overconsumption and limits built-in obsolescence of technology; Frontiers in Marine Science [...]