Parallel evolution is common, but do different animal populations evolve in similar ways and alter the same genes to adapt to similar environmental conditions? Researchers tested this in two U.S. populations of house mice. They found independent evolution of a heavier body and larger nests as Eastern and Western populations invaded northern habitats after introduction from Europe. Many of the same...

An experimental treatment produced improvements in cognitive function and language in patients with fragile X syndrome, according to new study results.

A new genetic database for autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases will allow experts to more deeply understand how immune disorders develop and plan future drug discovery projects. Scientists also hope this atlas of immune-related genome data may eventually be applied to investigations of infectious diseases like COVID-19.

Research has shed new light on the impact of humans on Earth's biodiversity. The findings suggest that the rate of change in an ecosystem's plant-life increases significantly during the years following human settlement, with the most dramatic changes occurring in locations settled in the last 1500 years.

Particularly sensitive to chemical modifications, mRNAs are molecules responsible for transmitting the information encoded in our genome, allowing for the synthesis of proteins. Two teams have focused on a specific type of chemical modification - called methylation - of mRNA molecules in the small worm Caenorhabditis elegans. They found that methylation on a particular sequence of an mRNA leads to...

Researchers have discovered a mechanism through which meningitis-causing bacteria can evade our immune system. In laboratory tests, they found that Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae respond to increasing temperatures by producing safeguards that keep them from getting killed. This may prime their defenses against our immune system and increase their chances of survival, the...

Scientists have been able to track how a multi-drug resistant organism is able to evolve and spread widely among cystic fibrosis patients - showing that it can evolve rapidly within an individual during chronic infection. The researchers say their findings highlight the need to treat patients with Mycobacterium abscessus infection immediately, counter to current medical practice.

A third of children and adolescents develop a mental health problem after a concussion, which could persist for several years post-injury, according to a new literature review.

Lightning bolts break apart nitrogen and oxygen molecules in the atmosphere and create reactive chemicals that affect greenhouse gases. Now, a team of atmospheric chemists and lightning scientists have found that lightning bolts and, surprisingly, subvisible discharges that cannot be seen by cameras or the naked eye produce extreme amounts of the hydroxyl radical -- OH -- and hydroperoxyl radical...

Plant scientists say circadian clock genes, which enable plants to measure daily and seasonal rhythms, should be targeted in agriculture and crop breeding for higher yields and more sustainable farming.

Researchers examined the guts of freshwater fish preserved in museum collections; they found that fish have been swallowing microplastics since the 1950s and that the concentration of microplastics in their guts has increased over time.

A new study documents an inexpensive, spark-free, optical-based hydrogen sensor that is more sensitive -- and faster -- than previous models.

Researchers have shown wearable devices that continuously monitor blood sugar provide new insights into the progression of Type 2 diabetes among at-risk Hispanic/Latino adults.

Land productivity could be greatly increased by combining sheep grazing and solar energy production on the same land, according to new research.

Data scientists who developed highly accurate computer modeling to predict trends for COVID-19 cases nationwide have new research that shows how important a high rate of vaccination is to reducing case numbers and controlling the pandemic.

Although robotic devices are used in everything from assembly lines to medicine, engineers have a hard time accounting for the friction that occurs when those robots grip objects - particularly in wet environments. Researchers have now discovered a new law of physics that accounts for this type of friction, which should advance a wide range of robotic technologies.

Though legislative reform is necessary to combat the growing burden of student loan debt in the U.S. on a grand scale, individual borrowers can take steps to repay their loans with as low long-term costs as possible. A new mathematical model develops a strategy for minimizing the overall cost of repaying student loans.

Researchers have developed CRISPR-sciATAC, a novel integrative genetic screening platform that jointly captures CRISPR gene perturbations and single-cell chromatin accessibility genome-wide. The new method harnesses the programmability of the gene editing system CRISPR to knock-out nearly all chromatin-related genes in parallel, offering researchers deeper insights into the role of DNA...

For the first time researchers demonstrate that intermittent fasting can reduce hypertension by reshaping the gut microbiota in an animal model.

Microalgae of the dinoflagellate group have engaged in intracellular symbioses with corals since primeval times. Researchers recently discovered that such symbioses depend on the ability of the algae to suppress the immune system of their host cell and thereby avoid being 'spit out' again. The researchers also found indications that this cellular immune response is an evolutionarily ancient...

A new study may answer 'one of the greatest mysteries of our time . . . when humans made the first bold journey to the Americas.'

Scientists have developed an algorithm that provides valuable insights into the physics underlying quantum systems - paving the way for significant advances in quantum computation and sensing, and potentially turning a new page in scientific investigation.

Researchers have shown that the composition of a baby's first feces -- a thick, dark green substance known as meconium -- is associated with whether or not a child will develop allergies within their first year of life. By analyzing meconium samples from 100 infants, they show that the development of a healthy immune system and microbiota may start well before a child is born.

'Superhighways' used by a population of up to 6.5 million Indigenous Australians to navigate the continent tens of thousands of years ago have been revealed by new research using sophisticated modelling of past people and landscapes.