A hidden threat facing one of Australia's most iconic birds has been uncovered in a new study. The critically endangered regent honeyeater once numbered in the hundreds of thousands, but their population has dwindled to fewer than 300. By analysing the DNA of museum specimens more than 100 years old...
Novel genomic screening tool enables precision reverse-engineering of genetic programming in cells
Collaborative research defines a novel approach to understanding how certain proteins called transcription factors determine which genetic programs will drive cell growth and maturation. The method, called 'Perturb-multiome,' uses CRISPR to knock out the function of individual transcription factors across many blood cells at once. The researchers then perform single-cell...
Research uncovers hidden spread of one of the most common hospital-associated infections
C. difficile (C. diff) is one of the most common and contagious hospital-acquired infections. Research has found that C. diff spreads more than three times more than previously thought. C. diff can spread covertly from surface to surface and remain undetected for weeks until it infects a patient. The results...
Exposure to wildfire smoke linked with worsening mental health conditions
Exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke was associated with increased visits to emergency departments (ED) for mental health conditions, according to a new study.
Picky eaters by day, buffet by night: Butterfly, moth diets sync to plant aromas
The scent of blooming flowers and fresh plant life is not just a perk of springtime; it is a key driver in the survival and evolution of butterflies and moths. New research reveals how the daily cycles of plant aromas are linked to the dietary habits and evolution of the...
3-D Printed skin to replace animal testing
A research team is developing a 3D-printed skin imitation equipped with living cells in order to test nanoparticles from cosmetics without animal testing.
New vaccine concept tackles harmful bacteria in the intestine
In the fight against bacterial pathogens, researchers are combining vaccination with targeted colonization of the intestine by harmless microorganisms. This approach could potentially mark a turning point in the antibiotics crisis.
Researchers find intestinal immune cell prevents food allergies
Researchers found that a small population of immune cells in the mouse intestine prevents allergic responses to food, suggesting that targeting such cells therapeutically could potentially lead to a new treatment for allergies.
Climate change and prehistoric human populations: Eastward shift of settlement areas at the end of the last ice age
An archaeological study of human settlement during the Final Palaeolithic revealed that populations in Europe did not decrease homogenously during the last cold phase of the Ice Age. Significant variation in regional population sizes indicate differentiated reactions nested in an overall shift of settlement areas towards the east.
Bees actively adjust flower choice based on color and distance: Updating ‘flower constancy’ beyond Darwin’s theory
Since Darwin's time, the phenomenon known as flower constancy -- i.e., where insects consistently visit the same flower type even when many others are also present -- has been understood as a passive behavior to reduce the effort of remembering different flower types. However, researchers have now shown via experimentation...