Editor’s Note: Spoilers ahead for Project Hail Mary.
Two science journalists walked into a movie theater. That’s us: molecular biology reporter Tina Hesman Saey and Carolyn Gramling, who writes about climate and earth…
Category: 5. Biology
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Replicating bacterial DNA relies on accordion-like folds to separate, researchers discover
When bacteria cells replicate, they do so a little differently than human cells do. They don’t undergo mitosis, a splitting that involves construction of spindles to carefully separate the DNA after replication. Instead, they use a process called…
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New 'atlas' for dendritic cells creates order in international nomenclature
For her Ph.D. at VUB and KULeuven, Aarushi Caro created a kind of systematics for dendritic cells, a special group of immune cells in the fight against cancer. Until now, there was a lot of confusion about the different types of dendritic cells….
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Check out 6 ways orchids use tricks to reproduce
Orchids don’t always reward their pollinators — sometimes they mislead them. From flowers that mimic insect mates to blooms that smell like rotting fish, orchids have evolved remarkable strategies to ensure their reproductive success. Experts…
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Wheat's immune system uses novel protein complex, study finds
Plant immunity is largely initiated at the cellular level, with each cell capable of autonomous detection and response, while also coordinating systemic signaling across the organism—unlike the centralized, cell-based immune system of animals….
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Two new fungi species uncovered in Australian herbarium using DNA sequencing
Scientists at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Australia have described two new species of fungi, Peziza austroechinospora and Peziza meridionalis with the assistance of DNA sequencing, highlighting how modern science is revealing vast, hidden…
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Sea creatures reveal the physics behind animal body shape diversity
Animals come in an extraordinary range of body shapes. A starfish looks nothing like an earthworm, a mouse, or a human. Yet even closely related species can appear radically different: corals, jellyfish, and sea anemones all belong to the same…
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How clonal raider ants update their friend-or-foe recognition
For ants, the ability to instantly distinguish nestmates from outsiders who might hijack the colony is crucial. Now, a new study shows that the system that ants use to determine who belongs in the colony is far more flexible than once thought….
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Cells in the mosquito's gut drive its appetite, research shows
Researchers have known for decades that female mosquitoes—the ones responsible for the itchy and irritating bites that can also transmit disease—lose their desire to bite humans for several days after feeding, as they digest blood and convert…
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Mosquitoes get the ‘I’m full’ signal from their butts, not their brains
Mosquitoes have an appetite dampener in their derrières.
When mosquitoes’ bellies are full, special cells in their rectums block their bloodthirst, researchers report March 20 in Current Biology. The finding may unlock a way to…
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