Life Science – Science & research news

Grooming behavior between dairy cows reveals complex social network

August 4, 2020

By Peter Rejcek, science writer Like humans, cattle are social creatures with complex relationships that change as group dynamics evolve. New research into social grooming [...]

Studying COVID-19’s envelope protein

July 27, 2020

By Carolyn E. Unck | KAUST Discovery A likeness between genes of the SARS and COVID-19 viruses could inform research into potential treatments Understanding any similarities [...]

Pangolins may possess evolutionary advantage against coronavirus

May 8, 2020

The exotic animal’s genome could point to possible treatment options for COVID-19 in humans: Frontiers in Immunology [...]

An inexpensive and fast clinical test that can save human lives and spares at-risk populations of horseshoe crabs

April 1, 2020

New method could save hundreds of thousands of horseshoe crabs per year and enable life-saving clinical uses for humans: Frontiers in Marine Science [...]

German scientists identify microbe that could help degrade polyurethane-based plastics

March 27, 2020

A group of bacteria is capable of ingesting toxic organic compounds as a source of carbon, nitrogen and energy: Frontiers in Microbiology [...]

Big brains or many babies: how birds can thrive in urban environments

March 25, 2020

Birds can thrive in cities either by having larger brains or breeding more often: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. [...]

Engaging locals could make grizzly conservation policies more bearable

March 11, 2020

Involving locals could reduce frustrations and make such policies more successful: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]

Space lettuce

March 6, 2020

Nutritious and safe crops would be a dietary supplement to assist remote space missions: Frontiers in Plant Science [...]

Taking a bite out of food waste

February 28, 2020

Scientists re-purpose wasted bread as a more sustainable starter for the food industry: Frontiers in Microbiology [...]

Ancient gut microbiomes could shed light on human evolution

February 19, 2020

A new study offers hypotheses about the influence of microbes on our early social and daily lives: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]

Small marsupials in Australia may struggle to adjust to a warming climate

February 12, 2020

Temperature experiments found that a shrew-like species may not be able to respond to prolonged heat waves: Frontiers in Physiology [...]

New image analysis method shows how giant viruses infect amoeba

February 4, 2020

Time-lapse microscopy reveals how amoebae react to infection by giant viruses: Frontiers in Microbiology [...]

Recreational fishers catching more sharks and rays

January 30, 2020

Catches of these fishes have increased over the last six decades around the world: Frontiers in Marine Science [...]

New species of antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in infected wound

January 23, 2020

A hitherto unknown antibiotic-resistant bacteria species, in the same family as E. coli and Salmonella spp., has been found: Frontiers in Microbiology [...]

Lazy moths taste disgusting

December 16, 2019

Scientists find that unappetizing moths make less effort to escape attacking bats: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]

Spot the difference: Two identical-looking bird species with very different genes

November 26, 2019

Similar birds actually diverged 500,000 years ago: Frontiers in Genetics [...]

Iron availability in seawater key to explaining amount and distribution of fish

November 22, 2019

Large areas of the ocean may have insufficient iron for most fish: Frontiers in Marine Science [...]

Video games offer clues to help curb animal disease outbreaks

October 14, 2019

As Asia and Europe battle African swine fever, University of Vermont research shows how farmers' risk attitudes affect the spread of infectious animal diseases and offers a first-of-its kind model for testing disease control and prevention strategies; Frontiers in Veterinary Science [...]

Skin bacteria could save frogs from virus

September 10, 2019

Ranavirus can wipe out entire common frog populations, but researchers say their latest study could help the species; Frontiers in Microbiology [...]

Wolf-dog ‘swarms’ threaten Europe’s wolves

September 5, 2019

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?

September 2, 2019

Waist-to-hip ratio can signal sex, age, pregnancy, parity -- as well as capacity for offspring brain development; Frontiers in Psychology [...]

Exploring the origins of the apple

August 28, 2019

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 [...]

Winter is coming: a stark divide in red-neck phalarope migration

August 15, 2019

Red-neck phalaropes split between the Pacific Ocean and the Arabian Sea for the colder months, researchers discover; Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]

Altering how cyanobacteria capture light from the Sun can impact their health

July 16, 2019

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 [...]

What’s your poison? Scrupulous scorpions tailor venom to target

June 11, 2019

Scorpions adapt their stinging, stingers and sting contents to minimize the costs of venom use; Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

What can worms tell us about human aging?

February 12, 2019

A community-developed blueprint of worm metabolism holds promise for greater understanding of aging; Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences [...]

Muscle memory discovery ends ‘use it or lose it’ dogma

January 28, 2019

New research shows that extra nuclei gained during exercise persist even after a muscle shrinks from disuse, disease or aging -- and can be mobilized rapidly to facilitate bigger gains on retraining; Frontiers in Physiology [...]

Better understanding of dog body language could make interactions safer

January 9, 2019

A new study shows that both children and parents frequently misinterpret canine behavior, but a short training session can bring substantial and lasting improvements; Frontiers in Veterinary Science [...]

It’s not trails that disturb forest birds, but the people on them

January 4, 2019

Image of people walking on a forest trail. Research finds that frequently used forest trails have fewer birds - even when the trails have been used for decades - showing a negative environmental impact of trails: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution

Frequently used forest trails have fewer birds and not as many species - even when the trails have been used for decades: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]

Marine Protected Areas overlook a large fraction of biodiversity hotspots

December 18, 2018

Image of Finland coast. New assessment finds lack of knowledge when designating MPAs lets important species and biodiversity slip through the net- and that small, targeted changes can have big effects on protected area efficiency: Frontiers in Marine Science

Lack of knowledge when designating MPAs lets ecologically important species slip through the net, but small, targeted changes can have big effects on protected area efficiency: Frontiers in Marine Science [...]

10 ways your research shaped the last decade

December 17, 2018

As Frontiers celebrates its 10th anniversary, we look back at 10 ways our authors' research has contributed to, and built on, breakthroughs of the past decade. [...]

What makes a good working dog? Canine ‘aptitude test’ might offer clues

December 11, 2018

Frontiers in Veterinary Science: A new study demonstrates canine intelligence tests can be used to select top performers, which could make training of working dogs cheaper and faster.

New study demonstrates canine intelligence tests can predict top learners, making training of working dogs cheaper and faster; Frontiers in Veterinary Science [...]

Potential markers identified for early detection and prevention of liver cancer

December 5, 2018

Image of a cirrhotic liver. A shift in glucose metabolism hails progression from liver cirrhosis to liver cancer, finds a new study in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

A shift in glucose metabolism hails progression from liver cirrhosis to liver cancer: Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology [...]

Researchers discover deepest known underwater volcanic eruption

October 29, 2018

Frontiers in Earth Science: Scientists used remotely operated vehicles to explore an eruption 4,500 metres below the surface of the Pacific Ocean.

Scientists used remotely operated vehicles to explore an eruption 4,500 metres below the surface of the Pacific Ocean; Frontiers in Earth Science [...]

Army scientists develop computational model to predict human behavior

October 26, 2018

Frontiers in Physics: A new study uses complex math to predict how individuals adapt to group behavior -- a tool which could provide insights into the social dynamics of terrorist organizations, or how individuals become transformed during Army Basic Training.

A new model predicts how individuals adapt to group behavior -- reducing this social influence to a single number; Frontiers in Physics. [...]

Fundamental role of Blastocystis in intestinal diseases questioned in new study

October 22, 2018

Human intestine with intestinal bacteria, 3D illustration

In a new study published in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, the fundamental role of Blastocystis in intestinal diseases is questioned [...]

Cancer-fighting drugs also help plants fight disease

October 17, 2018

Image of plant leaf with fungus infection: The finding that anti-cancer drugs help plants fight disease could lead to new treatments for fungal and other plant pathogens: Frontiers in Plant ScienceThe finding that anti-cancer drugs help plants fight disease could lead to new treatments for fungal and other plant pathogens: Frontiers in Plant Science

The finding could help with efforts to develop disease resistance against fungal infections and other plant pathogens: Frontiers in Plant Science [...]

Mesosaurus, the oldest-known aquatic reptile, probably spent time on land

October 8, 2018

Image of Mesosaurus: A comprehensive analysis of fossilized Mesosaurus bones reveals adult specimens have similar anatomical features to terrestrial animals: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution

A comprehensive analysis fossilized mesosaurus bones suggests juveniles spent most of their time in water but adults were only semi-aquatic: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]

In the battle of cats vs. rats, the rats are winning

October 1, 2018

Image of a cat and a rat. Study shows any benefit of using cats to control city rats is outweighed by the threat they pose to birds and other urban wildlife: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution

Any benefit of using cats to control city rats is outweighed by the threat they pose to birds and other urban wildlife: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution [...]

Algal partner responds to climate-change stresses more strongly than coral host

September 5, 2018

The surprise discovery has implications for monitoring and protecting coral reefs threatened by bleaching: Frontiers in Marine Science [...]

New invention safely transports unknown, deep-dwelling fishes to the ocean’s surface

August 30, 2018

Scientific divers and biologists engineer a portable chamber to study new reef species living 60-150 m under the ocean surface: Frontiers in Marine Science [...]

The freediving champions of the dolphin world

August 16, 2018

Physiological differences within the same species of dolphin explain huge variations in usual diving depths: Frontiers in Physiology [...]

Invaluable to the medical industry, the horseshoe crab is under threat

August 15, 2018

Horseshoe crab blood is invaluable for drug and safety testing, but unsustainable commercial demand threatens these 'living fossils': Frontiers in Marine Science

Horseshoe crab blood is invaluable for drug and safety testing, but this commercial demand threatens these 'living fossils': Frontiers in Marine Science [...]