Biology
How new RNA genes are born
The study of gene birth and evolution focuses on the identification of ancestral genetic sequences, highly conserved during evolution, that can serve as a foundation for gene development. Nicholas Delihas, Professor Emeritus at the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, New York, has identified one such ancestral element and presented data and a model to show how new […]
Strength in difference: Genetic distance and heterosis in China
Cross-breeding between different species or populations can cause “hybrid vigour”, or heterosis, resulting in offspring who are genetically fitter than their parents. While this phenomenon is widely recognised in some plants and animals, it is poorly understood in humans. In recent work, Dr Chen Zhu of China Agricultural University, along with her colleagues Dr Xiaohui Zhang, Dr Qiran Zhao and […]
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Genuinely theoretical: The case for Philosophical Biology
Though his background is in biomedicine, Dr Sepehr Ehsani is currently completing his PhD in philosophy at University College London. In his time working in the lab, Dr Ehsani became more aware of the often-neglected importance of theory. What is sometimes called theoretical biology is not usually ‘theory’ for the most part, in the sense that it is not truly […]
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More than a just a simple powerhouse: Structure and function of mitochondria
Mitochondria are well-known as the “powerhouse” of the cell – but these organelles have many other vital functions. Mitochondria are also heterogeneous, differing in structure and function. Dr Kasturi Mitra of the University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, USA, leads a research team focused on understanding the relationship between structure and function of mitochondria, in both health and disease. Dr Mitra’s […]
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Investigating the healing arts of Ancient Mesopotamia
Barbara Boeck, of the Institute for Mediterranean and Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, CSIC Madrid, has studied the cuneiform records of Ancient Mesopotamia to explore their healing methods. With a particular focus on medicinal plants and the practice of divination, she set out to discover how Babylonian practitioners treated their patients, what medicinal plants they recommended for which illnesses, and […]
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Birds prefer sound texture over sound order
How exactly do birds ‘talk’ to one another? And might research into how birds listen to birdsong help us understand communication both in humans and birds? Dr Robert Dooling and his team, based at the University of Maryland, USA, showed that – for zebra finches at least – the subtle nuances in sound texture or timbre are more important than […]
That’s disgusting! How primates decide what not to eat
All animals need to find a way to avoid contact with pathogens when they are eating. For primates, Dr Cécile Sarabian, based at Kyoto University Primate Research Institute in Japan, shows that many species either avoid food contaminated with faeces or thoroughly handle the food, trying to clean it before eating. For the researcher, this is proof that this behaviour […]
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Shaping the harvest: What determines crop shape?
There is a huge amount of diversity in the shape of different crops, be it a fruit such as tomato or a vegetable such as carrot. Ultimately, the appearance of a plant organ is determined by different cellular control mechanisms. However, it is not known whether these mechanisms are similar across various species in the Plant Kingdom. Dr Esther van […]
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A new biological approach to control harmful algal blooms
Harmful algal blooms can be extremely destructive for local marine life. The acceleration of geographic expansion and intensity of these blooms on a global scale associated with climate change have recently been reported. September 2019, the first report published from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel (IPCC) linked climate change to harmful algal blooms. Existing methods to control them are often […]
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Mosquito control: The INZECTO solution
Mosquitoes are vectors for diseases, such as yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya and Zika, which pose a threat to human health on a global scale. Mosquito control is therefore an urgent consideration for public health. Dr Philip Koehler and Dr Roberto M Pereira of the University of Florida have pioneered two innovative methods of mosquito control, INZECTO mosquito chips and INZECTO […]