One of the difficulties of studying rare and endangered species is that they are, by definition, hard to find. Scientists attempting to understand their distributions and the threats to their survival can spend hundreds of hours in the field while collecting little data, simply because sightings are so few and far between.
News
Genome of sesame sheds new light on oil biosynthesis
Researchers have successfully cracked the genome of high oil content crop sesame, providing new lights on the important stages of seed development and oil accumulation, and potential key genes for sesamin production.
Epigenetic changes could explain type 2 diabetes
People with type 2 diabetes have epigenetic changes on their DNA that healthy individuals do not have. This has been shown in a major study by researchers who also found epigenetic changes in a large number of genes that contribute to reduced insulin production. “This shows that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is […]
UV light accelerates cancer cells that creep along outside of blood vessels
Deadly skin cancer (melanoma) cells spread by creeping along the outside of blood vessels: extravascular metastatic migration (EVMM). Ultraviolet light exposure accelerates EVMM in a mouse model, new research has found. Now researchers are targeting new drugs that slow or stop EVMM, potentially reducing the death rate from melanoma.
Arctic sea ice melting one warm river at a time
A new NASA study finds that warmer than normal waters from rivers draining into the Arctic Ocean each summer are eating away at the sea ice in the Arctic Ocean. Led by Son Nghiem of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., the research team used satellite data to measure the surface temperature of the […]
Next big idea in forest conservation? Privatizing conservation management
Is it possible to equitably divide the planet’s resources between human and non-human societies? Can we ensure prosperity and rights both to people and to the ecosystems on which they rely? In the island archipelago of Indonesia, these questions become more pressing as the unique ecosystems of this global biodiversity hotspot continue to rapidly vanish […]
Teen elephant mothers die younger but have bigger families
Asian elephants that give birth as teenagers die younger than older mothers but raise bigger families during their lifetime, according to new research.
Europe’s largest badger study finds rare long-distance movements
European badgers can make journeys of more than 20km — distances longer than previously thought –- researchers have found. The study could help design more effective interventions to reduce the spread of bovine tuberculosis between badger populations, something that is essential if transmission to cattle is to be controlled.
Effective thermal insulation with wood foam
Insulation materials of tomorrow must be both efficient and environmentally friendly. Scientists are developing insulation foam made from wood that could re- place petrochemical plastics in the long term.
Quicker and cheaper toxicity checking of mussels
A new discovery can make it far easier to check whether mussels have gone bad. Poisonous mussels contain the extremely dangerous and paralyzing neurotoxin saxitoxin. This neurotoxin is the cause of paralytic shellfish poisoning. The first symptoms include numbness in the mouth and lips, spreading to the face and neck. Then, the discomforts come in […]