Biology

Scientists Show How Sperm and Egg Unite Like a Key in a Lock

This microscope image provided by Osaka University and the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology in October 2024, shows the fertilization of a mouse egg marked in red and green. DNA is marked in blue, showing in the egg at the top and in a sperm cell at the bottom left. Credit: Yonggang Lu/Osaka University/IMP...

Rats May Use Ultrasound to Enhance their Sense of Smell, a Study Suggests

Mice and rats could use ultrasonic pulses to boost their sense of smell. Credit: PixabayRodents communicate in sounds too high-pitched for human hearing, but scientists have discovered these vocalizations may serve another function—enhancing their sense of smell.The high-pitched squeaks of cartoon mice aren't too far from reality. For decades, scientists have documented rodents using...

Scientists Uncover How Plants Generate a Unique Molecule that Combats Stress

Credit: PixabayA groundbreaking study has identified, for the first time, the genes that enable plants to thrive in stressful conditions, offering potential solutions for creating more sustainable food crops amid global climate change.A study led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) has uncovered the genes that allow plants to produce a novel anti-stress...

Innovative Nanopillars Pierce The Nuclei Of Human Cells

A scanning electron microscope image of a cell sitting atop the nanopillarsAli SarikhaniResearchers have discovered a way to pierce the nucleus of a cell without damaging the rest of its structure, similar to puncturing the yolk of an egg without breaking the white or the shell. This breakthrough could have significant implications for medical...

Can music Promote Plant Growth? A Study Suggests Sound may Boost Beneficial Fungi Activity

Credit: PixabayA study released on Wednesday found that playing a monotonous sound enhances the activity of a fungus that supports plant growth, suggesting that music could potentially benefit crops and gardens.The question of whether playing Mozart could enhance plant growth has been debated for a long time. The US TV show "MythBusters" even tested...

Closer to a Live Mammoth by 2028

This achievement marks a world first and is crucial for the development of a mammoth outside the womb.Image courtesy of Colossal BiosciencesColossal Biosciences has announced a world-first achievement: their goal is to create a woolly mammoth by 2028. Their approach involves reprogramming elephant cells into stem cell-like cells capable of differentiating into all necessary...

A Mysterious Group of Orcas Near Chile has Been Found, Revealing New Hunting Techniques

Off the coast of Chile, in the krill- and anchovy-rich waters influenced by the Humboldt Current, resides a rarely seen population of orcas. Through citizen science and years of diligent monitoring, a research team led by Dr. Ana García Cegarra from the Universidad de Antofagasta is beginning to uncover their mysteries—starting with their feeding...

Scientists Reconstruct Africa’s Oldest Human Genomes

Credit: DepositphotosReconstructing Ancient GenomesResearchers reconstructed the oldest human genomes from South Africa, based on the remains of two individuals who lived about 10,000 years ago, providing a deeper understanding of how the region was populated, explained one of the authors of the study on Sunday.A man and a woman whose remains researchers found in...

Medicinal Tree Grown From a 1,000-Year-Old Cave Seed

Morphological features of "Sheba" at different ages. Credit: Communications Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06721-5An international team of botanists, agriculturists, and historians has successfully cultivated a mature tree from an ancient seed discovered in an Israeli cave.In fact, in their study published in Communications Biology, the researchers detail the seed’s origin, the process of tracing its history,...

Mirrors on the Forest Floor Increase the Growth of Shaded Seedlings by 175%

A Serianthes seedling that was part of the study, surrounded by a 7.5-cm (3-inch)-wide ring of mirrorsThomas MarlerIndoor plant enthusiasts are familiar with using mirrors to direct sunlight onto plants. Now, scientists have adapted this idea to help endangered tree seedlings struggling to grow in shaded forests. The Serianthes nelsonii, a large tree native...