Credit: PixabayTwo new hallucinogenic fungi species have been discovered and formally classified, adding to the approximately 140 known varieties of psychoactive gilled mushrooms.Researchers from Stellenbosch University, along with citizen mycologists, used phylogenetic and morphological analysis to confirm that the two mushrooms, Psilocybe ingeli and Psilocybe maluti, are novel species. These were found in southern...
Credit: BETH ZAIKENFour thousand years ago, the last woolly mammoth on an island off the coast of modern-day Siberia died. This isolation could have led to fatal inbreeding and population declines, contributing to the species' extinction.However, a new study reveals that while the Wrangel Island mammoths were indeed inbred, this alone did not...
As we age, the protective caps at the end of our chromosomes called telomeres get shorter and shorterDepositphotosIn pre-clinical studies, a small molecule successfully stimulated neuron regeneration, decreased inflammation, and enhanced memory, speed, coordination, grip strength, and other factors. These findings hold significant promise for aging and associated diseases.Researchers at the University of Texas...
Lokiceratops rangiformis is a distant cousin of the TriceratopsFabrizio Lavezza/The Museum of Evolution, Knuthenborg CC BY-NC-NDThe Natural History Museum of Utah has unveiled a previously undiscovered species of horned, herbivorous dinosaur, an ancestor of the Triceratops. Its distinctive and impressive headgear has led to it being named after a deity.Paleontologists discovered fragments of the dinosaur's...
Credit: PixabayRecent research reveals that goldenrod plants exhibit a form of intelligence by adjusting their responses to herbivores based on neighboring plants and environmental cues, challenging conventional notions of intelligence.Goldenrod can sense the presence of nearby plants without physical contact, using cues like far-red light ratios reflected from leaves. When grazed upon by herbivores,...
Researchers have found that a father's diet before conception greatly affects his children's health. The artwork shows an allegorical fertilization scene where a fat sperm (colored yellow to symbolize fat) meets the egg (represented as the moon in a starry sky) and lights it up by passing on diet-induced genetic information.Recent research has highlighted...
A small fern, found only on a few Pacific islands, contains over 100 meters of DNA in each cell, more than any known organism. "The fern, known as Tmesipteris oblanceolata, has round structures that produce spores", says Oriane Hidalgo.A printed version of the entire human genome would fill 220 large books. However, printing the...
Credit: CanvasBats are incredible creatures with unique biological traits that enable them to survive and thrive in ways that seem almost impossible. From their rapid heart rates during flight to their remarkable longevity, bats defy many expectations of mammalian biology. Understanding these traits could offer insights into extending human health and lifespan.Bats in FlightWhen...
Credit: PixabayCrows, in a behavioral study, demonstrated the ability to generate a specific number of calls, indicating their capacity for advance planning. The sequential nature of their calls allows for prediction of the total count from the initial call.However, this discovery was made by a research team led by Professor Andreas Nieder from...
Credit: CanvasToday, let's talk about a part of the body that doesn't get much attention but is incredibly important: the anus. This little opening at the end of our digestive tract is essential for our survival and the survival of many animals on Earth.The Journey of DigestionInside your body, the digestive system is a...
