A protein identified nearly 40 years ago for its ability to stimulate the production of red blood cells plays a surprising, critical role in dampening the immune system’s response to cancer.
Blocking the activity of the protein turns formerly…
Category: 5. Biology
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‘Bone collector’ caterpillar wears the body parts of dead bugs
Imagine you’re a spider nestled comfortably in your messy cobweb built into the dark nook of a rotted log. You live in a humid forest on a mountainside…
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This caterpillar wears the body parts of insect prey
Dubbed the “bone collector,” this caterpillar found on a Hawaiian island disguises itself while stalking spider webs for trapped insects to eat.
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Invasive weed threatens Southern California’s deserts
Once thought resistant to invasion, regional deserts are losing native plants to aggressive weedy species like Saharan mustard. New research shows its spread is disrupting biodiversity and reducing the desert’s ability to recover from extreme…
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One gene defines the many patterns of snake skin
In many animals, skin colouration and its patterns play a crucial role in camouflage, communication, or thermoregulation. In the corn snake, some morphs display red, yellow, or pink blotches, and their dorsal spots can merge or turn into stripes….
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Keeping tabs on native woodlands in times of flood and drought
Like farmland in Australia, native forests struggle with drought and flooding, so future management decisions need more sophisticated systems to monitor and manage their water needs.
A new study led by Flinders University aims to provide a good…
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No more copy-pasting: DNA base editing for better Lactobacillus strains
A Kobe University team was able to edit the DNA of Lactobacillus strains directly without a template from other organisms. This technique is indistinguishable from natural variation and enabled the researchers to create a strain that doesn’t…
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Controlling starch levels in algae could have biotechnology and sustainability benefits
High-starch algae are important in biofuel production, as a feed supplement in agriculture and as an efficient way to bind carbon dioxide. Researchers have now found a new method to control starch storage in algae — a finding with potential…
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Monkey database reveals shift towards open science
A database about monkey behaviour reveals how science is evolving towards a more open, collaborative approach.
MacaqueNet contains social behavioural data from 14 of the world’s 24 species of macaque.
Established in 2017, MacaqueNet has grown…
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New approach makes AI adaptable for computer vision in crop breeding
Scientists developed a machine-learning tool that can teach itself, with minimal external guidance, to differentiate between aerial images of flowering and nonflowering grasses — an advance that will greatly increase the pace of agricultural…
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