Lead scientist Stephanie Fraley works with one of the possibly infected blood samples used in the studyDavid Baillot/UC San Diego Jacobs School of EngineeringA new technique that melts bacterial DNA in blood samples could diagnose life-threatening infections faster than before.Typically, to detect harmful bacteria in a person's bloodstream, a blood sample is cultured in...
Brachycephalus pulex. Credit: Dias, I/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SAA group of biologists from Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz in Brazil has confirmed that the Brachycephalus pulex, commonly known as the Brazilian flea toad, found exclusively in southern Brazil, holds the title of the world's smallest amphibian and vertebrate. Their findings are published in the journal Zoologica Scripta.In...
Fungal friend or foe? We may never knowLohit Y.T./WWF-IndiaResearchers were astonished to observe a healthy frog with a small mushroom growing from its body, marking the first known instance of such an occurrence in live animal tissue.While fungal infections are relatively common in small animals, this growth seemed distinct from the parasitic types that...
Stanford scientists have discovered a completely new type of microbe in the human microbiome, which they call ObelisksDepositphotosTrillions of microbes, spanning bacteria, viruses, fungi, and more, inhabit our bodies. Recently, Stanford researchers unearthed a fresh category of biological entities within us, dubbing them "Obelisks" with an air of mystery.The expansive microbiome we harbor continues...
A new molecule called A485 has been found to boost levels of white blood cells, which can help clear out infectionsDepositphotosWhite blood cells play a crucial role as immune system defenders, but their levels can be diminished by health conditions or treatments such as chemotherapy. Researchers at Yale have identified a molecule that, when...
Plant biology professor James Dalling and colleagues discovered that some tree ferns recycle their dead fronds into rootsFred ZwickyTypically, when a fern's leaf fronds die, the plant no longer benefits from them. However, the Cyathea rojasiana fern is an exception. A scientist has identified that its expired fronds transform into "zombie leaves" that absorb...
Now you see it: Like most animals, owl vision has evolved for survival and they perceive the world around them very differently to how humans do. Credit: PixaobayIt's simple to overlook that the majority of animals perceive the world differently from humans. In reality, due to their ability to see infrared and ultraviolet light,...
Credit: SechatAccording to Greek mythology, the titan Prometheus faced Zeus's wrath for bestowing fire upon humanity. Chained and tormented by an eagle devouring his liver daily, the myth raises questions about the liver's regenerative abilities. Delving into reality, this article examines the liver, its susceptibility to alcohol, and its capacity for self-repair.The Liver: Vital...
Humans interbred with Neanderthals and spread DNA across the world. Credit: DepositphotosNeanderthal DNA offered evolutionary advantages during environmental adaptation, yet it also introduced drawbacks, with nicotine addiction being one of the adverse effects associated with certain genesGenetic experts assert that six key indicators can reveal the presence of Neanderthal DNA.Approximately two percent of our...
Lord Howe Island Stick Insect (Dryococelus australis) (Zoos Victoria)Just 20 to 30 'tree lobsters' are left in their natural habitat, and this vulnerable group was found again in 2001, 80 years after being thought extinct.The wild Lord Howe Island stick insects (Dryococelus australis) currently cling to survival on Ball's Pyramid, a nearly vertical volcanic outcrop.San...
