From the smallest microbe to the largest dinosaurs and from the tiniest spore to the biggest giant sequoia, biological research continues to uncover weird and wonderful secrets of the creatures with whom we share the planet with – and could soon extend to the study of life on bodies in the solar system beyond our home.
This year’s ESF list of the top new species discovered over the past 12 months features a bizarre beetle that lives undercover among ants, a fish living deeper in the ocean than ever thought possible, and a previously undiscovered single-celled organism found in an aquarium in California.
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There's a relatively new way of determining what types of animals are present in an area – check the environment for their cast-off DNA, known as environmental DNA (eDNA). Next month, scientists will be using the technique in an effort to prove or disprove the existence of the Loch Ness monster.
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Scientists studying tough microbes called archaea may have uncovered the key to an anti-aging drug. By manipulating a “super hero” protein, the researchers found a way to “trick” cells into acting younger by keeping the DNA repairing process running much longer than usual.
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Biologists at UCLA have effectively transferred a memory from a trained snail into the mind of an untrained one. The experiment could eventually lead to new treatments for restoring memory in Alzheimer’s patients or to reduce traumatic memories.
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Researchers from MIT have found that fasting for just 24 hours is enough to improve the regeneration of a person’s intestinal stem cells, which naturally declines with age. Better yet, with the metabolic switch identified, in the future the effect could be mimicked with a drug.
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In response to exercise, scientists have now observed a big spike in levels of a fat hormone previously thought to be unrelated to physical exertion. The discovery sheds new light on the metabolic process and raises new targets for tackling weight loss.
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Food poisoning is no fun, and usually all you can do is just ride out the storm. But soon you might be able to chase a bad burger with a "virus cocktail" loaded with bacteria-hunting viruses (bacteriophages) that will kill off the invading E. coli without harming the beneficial bugs.
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Researchers from the Netherlands have managed to grow model mouse embryos by combining stem cells. The technique can help us better understand the early days of life, and may lead to more effective ways to treat infertility or genetic diseases.
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From the time we choose whether to hit the snooze button or get up, we make countless decisions every day, but just how the brain manages this mundane task is still shrouded in mystery. Now, researchers at Oxford University have observed in detail the mechanism that lets fruit flies make decisions.
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As if it’s not bad enough that bacteria are increasingly becoming resistant to our best antibiotics, some bugs are even eating the drugs. Scientists have now examined just how the bacteria disarm and consume the antibiotics as food, uncovering new potential ways to fight back against resistance.
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