The vagina monocultures
Johns Hopkins team develops donor screening for vaginal microbiota transplantation; Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology [...]
Featured News
Skin bacteria could save frogs from virus
Ranavirus can wipe out entire common frog populations, but researchers say their latest study could help the species; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]
New insight from Great Barrier Reef coral provides correction factor to climate records
Researchers have fine-tuned the records used to make global climate predictions using high-resolution microscopic techniques and geochemical modeling; Frontiers in Marine Science [...]
Wolf-dog ‘swarms’ threaten Europe’s wolves
A new study reveals that scientists are divided on issues such as how to remove hybrids and free-roaming dogs, and whether they should be kept captive, sterilised and released or killed; Frontiers in Ecology in Evolution [...]
Cometh the hourglass: Why do men prefer a low waist-to-hip ratio?
Waist-to-hip ratio can signal sex, age, pregnancy, parity -- as well as capacity for offspring brain development; Frontiers in Psychology [...]
A new vision for genomics in animal agriculture
The USDA blueprint predicts genomic technologies will play an increasingly central role in global livestock production; Frontiers in Genetics [...]
Exploring the origins of the apple
The wild apples in the Tien Shan Mountains represent the main ancestral population for our modern apple. These trees produce large fruits, which are often red when ripe and [...]
Study documents impacts of selective logging on Congo’s intact forest landscapes
Logging in the timber-rich forests of northern Congo is a major driver of the region's economic development -- and its ecological impoverishment; Frontiers in Forests and Global Change [...]
Marching for climate change may sway people’s beliefs and actions
US climate marches increased optimism about people's ability to work together to address climate change, according to a survey of bystanders; Frontiers in Communication [...]
The fat of the land: estimating the ecological costs of overeating
Overeating is bad for our planet’s health, not just our own. Image: shutterstock. Overeating wastes far more food than we throw away, suggests research — by Matthew [...]
Pores for thought: ion channel study beckons first whole-brain simulation
Blue Brain Project’s ‘Channelpedia’ is open to brain modellers everywhere; Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience [...]
Winter is coming: a stark divide in red-neck phalarope migration
Red-neck phalaropes split between the Pacific Ocean and the Arabian Sea for the colder months, researchers discover; Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]
Growing existing forests essential in mitigating global crises
“Proforestation” has significant potential in the United States; Frontiers in Forests and Global Change [...]
The mind-muscle connection: for aesthetes, not athletes?
Focusing on movement instead of muscle can enhance weightlifting performance, suggests research; Frontiers in Sports and Active Living [...]
Common food additive found to affect gut microbiota
Experts call for better regulation of a common additive in foods and medicine, as research reveals it can impact the gut microbiota and contribute to inflammation in the colon; Frontiers in Nutrition [...]
Online information on how to boost immunity based on commercially biased sources
Just 12% of search engine results for "boost immunity" mentioned vaccines, the most proven and effective method of boosting immunity; Frontiers in Medicine [...]
Artificial intelligence enables recognizing and assessing a violinist’s bow movements
A system developed by David Dalmazzo and Rafael Ramírez, members of the Music Technology Group, allows violin students to benefit from real-time accurate information about their movements when playing the instrument; Frontiers in Psychology [...]
The geoengineering of consent: how conspiracists dominate YouTube climate science content
Most YouTube videos relating to climate change prevention oppose scientific consensus and hijack technical terms to appear credible, says study; Frontiers in Communication [...]
An apple carries about 100 million bacteria. Good luck washing them off.
Most microbes are inside the apple – but the strains depend on which bits you eat, and whether you go organic; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]
Are the ‘viral’ agents of MS, ALS and schizophrenia buried in our genome?
An estimated 8% of our DNA comes from viruses. Image: Shutterstock. Viruses hid themselves in your ancestors’ DNA. Now they’re waking up. — by Matthew Prior, [...]
Red wine’s resveratrol could help Mars explorers stay strong
Nutraceuticals that preserve muscle in reduced gravity will support long-term space missions; Frontiers in Physiology [...]
Altering how cyanobacteria capture light from the Sun can impact their health
Researchers have identified a gene mutation in cyanobacteria that creates resistance to free radicals, and could be used to accelerate cell growth in biotech applications; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]
Meet the six-legged superfoods: grasshoppers top insect antioxidant-rich list
Grasshoppers and silkworms have antioxidant capacity similar to fresh orange juice, says study; Frontiers in Nutrition [...]
How to sell labriculture: less lab, more culture
‘High-tech’ framing may be driving negative attitudes towards cultured meat; Frontiers in Nutrition [...]
Young frogs that were stressed as tadpoles move less on land, putting their survival at risk
New Oregon State University research shows that juvenile northern red-legged frogs that have experienced climate-related stress as tadpoles are less likely to move on land, putting their survival at risk; Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]
Zero-calorie sweeteners on trial again
Exposure to sucralose and acesulfame-K in the womb and via breastmilk leads to altered intestinal flora and liver toxicity in mouse pups; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]
Brain changes linked with Alzheimer’s years before symptoms appear
Brain imaging and spinal fluid analysis could help to guide the use of future preventive treatments for Alzheimer's; Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience [...]
Is one toe really better than three? How horses’ legs evolved for travel rather than speed
The real evolutionary 'step forward' in horse foot anatomy was not the loss of additional toes, but the evolution of the 'spring foot', say researchers; Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]
Research shows cattle ranching could help conserve rare African antelope, lions
Endangered African antelope and the lions that prey on them may benefit from certain cattle ranching practices in Kenya; Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]
US army research supports personalized soldier training
Research suggests that gamification can boost soldier training, but only if we take individual differences into account; Frontiers in Psychology [...]
The app teaching anorexics to eat again
More patients with anorexia go into long-term remission by re-learning how to eat, than through CBT or drugs; Frontiers in Neuroscience [...]
What’s your poison? Scrupulous scorpions tailor venom to target
Scorpions adapt their stinging, stingers and sting contents to minimize the costs of venom use; Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]
The bacteria building your baby
Exposure to influential bacteria begins before we are born, new evidence confirms; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]
Edible insects? Lab-grown meat? The real future food is lab-grown insect meat
Lab-grown insect meat – fed on plants, and genetically modified for maximum growth, nutrition and flavor – could be a superior green alternative for high volume, [...]
Magnets can help AI get closer to the efficiency of the human brain
New brain-like networks could help robots approach human-like efficiency at object recognition tasks; Frontiers in Neuroscience [...]
Changes to immune genes link paternal smoking with childhood asthma
Children exposed to paternal tobacco smoking before birth are more likely to develop asthma – and associated changes to immune genes predict the level of risk [...]
Vitamin D study sheds light on immune system effects
Researchers find vitamin D causes dendritic cells to produce more of a molecule called CD31 on their surface, which hinders activation of T cells; Frontiers in Immunology [...]
Vietnam can reduce emissions, save $2.3 billion by 2030 in agriculture, forestry and land use
Through cost-saving practices for coffee, rice, corn and livestock production, Vietnam can take steps to meet Paris Agreement commitments, says a study that highlights climate action potential for agriculture, forestry and land use in SE Asia; Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems [...]
How light from street lamps and trees influences the activity of urban bats
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
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
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?
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
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
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
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
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?
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
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
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
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 [...]
