News
Scientists warn of a new biological risk and call for an international summit
21+ hour, 12+ min ago (838+ words) Thirty-eight researchers from around the world are urging caution over mirror life " a hypothetical form of biology built from mirror-image molecules that could behave unpredictably in natural systems. In response, a major biomedical research institute in Paris is convening an…...
Gene-edited fungus could transform sustainable protein production
1+ mon, 2+ week ago (882+ words) Scientists have engineered a fungus that turns the same amount of feedstock into significantly more edible protein " and does so with far fewer emissions. In new research from Jiangnan University in Wuxi, China, a gene-edited strain of Fusarium venenatum produced…...
Scientists recover the world's oldest RNA in a well-preserved woolly mammoth
1+ mon, 3+ week ago (755+ words) For years, the story of the woolly mammoth has felt fixed in the past. Ancient bones, frozen tissue, and fragments of DNA help scientists stitch together how these giants lived and died. A new study pushes that story even farther....
Which animal really came first? The debate may finally be settled
1+ mon, 3+ week ago (881+ words) A question has stirred up arguments in biology for years: which creature sits at the very base of the animal family tree? The choice seems simple. It is either the sponge, which has no muscles and no neurons, or the…...
How scientists are turning invasive crazy ants against themselves
1+ mon, 3+ week ago (954+ words) Tawny crazy ants have been causing major problems in the southern U.S. for years. From Florida to Texas, these invasive pests have overrun yards, homes, and ecosystems. The ants aren't just annoying " they push out native species and throw entire environments…...
Tiny bats hunt like lions, striking with patience and precision
2+ mon, 1+ week ago (810+ words) The forests of Panama come alive after sunset. Somewhere above the ground, a tiny bat hangs upside down, silent and alert. In that quiet, the bat waits for a sound " a frog's croak, a faint rustle, a signal of movement....
New life forms found in the human body described by scientists as 'insane"
2+ mon, 2+ week ago (985+ words) Humans carry around a busy community of microbes that help run daily life. This microbiome breaks down food, trains the immune system, and competes with germs. Scientists just spotted something unexpected inside those communities: tiny circular RNAs that don't match…...
Scientists 'reanimate' a worm that was frozen in Siberian permafrost for over 46,000 years
2+ mon, 3+ week ago (755+ words) In Siberian permafrost, scientists thawed ancient soil and saw tiny nematodes move. These animals "woke up" after an extremely long freeze and resumed life functions in the lab. Their revival raises clear scientific questions and practical ones. How long were…...
Deep-sea voyage uncovers a glowing shark and a ghostly porcelain crab
2+ mon, 4+ week ago (727+ words) In 2022, scientists involved in a deep-sea voyage on CSIRO's research vessel'RV Investigator explored the waters off Western Australia. What they found is a reminder that the ocean floor still holds countless secrets waiting to be uncovered. The team discovered fascinating…...
Hippos in the Ice Age? DNA reveals a survival story
2+ mon, 4+ week ago (746+ words) Europe during the Ice Age wasn't always the frozen wasteland we imagine. Between glaciers and tundra, rivers still flowed, and the land breathed in warm intervals. In those moments, something remarkable happened " hippos lived there. A new study published in…...