Long considered a disease brought to the Americas by European colonizers, leprosy may actually have a much older history on the American continent. Scientists reveal that a recently identified second species of bacteria responsible for leprosy, Mycobacterium lepromatosis, has been infecting humans in the Americas for at least 1,000 years,...
Birds nested in Arctic alongside dinosaurs
Spring in the Arctic brings forth a plethora of peeps and downy hatchlings as millions of birds gather to raise their young. The same was true 73 million years ago, according to a new article. The paper documents the earliest-known example of birds nesting in the polar regions.
Save twice the ice by limiting global warming
A new study finds that if global warming exceeds the Paris Climate Agreement targets, the non-polar glacier mass will diminish significantly. However, if warming is limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius, at least 54 per cent could be preserved -- more than twice as much ice as in a 2.7 C...
Kinetic coupling — breakthrough in understanding biochemical networks
A new concept of kinetic modules in biochemical networks could revolutionize the understanding of how these networks function. Scientists succeeded in linking the structure and dynamics of biochemical networks via kinetic modules, thus clarifying a systems biology question that has been open for longtime.
Bed bugs are most likely the first human pest, new research shows
Researchers compared the whole genome sequence of two genetically distinct lineages of bed bug, and their findings indicate bed bugs may well be the first true urban pest.
Huge sea-urchin populations are overwhelming Hawaii’s coral reefs
This study measured the growth rate of coral reefs in Honaunau Bay, Hawaii, using on-site data gathering and aerial imagery. Researchers found that the reefs are being eroded by sea urchin populations which have exploded due to overfishing in the area. The reefs are also threatened by climate change and...
A sweeping study of 7,000 years of monuments in South Arabia
New research brings together 7,000 years of history in South Arabia to show how ancient pastoralists changed placement and construction of monuments over time in the face of environmental and cultural forces.
Home water-use app improves water conservation
A new study has found that a smartphone app that tracks household water use and alerts users to leaks or excessive consumption offers a promising tool for helping California water agencies meet state-mandated conservation goals. The study found that use of the app -- called Dropcountr -- reduced average household...
Rapid simulations of toxic particles could aid air pollution fight
A pioneering method to simulate how microscopic particles move through the air could boost efforts to combat air pollution, a study suggests.
Zika virus uses cells’ ‘self-care’ system to turn against host
A new study reveals the biological secret to the Zika virus's infectious success: Zika uses host cells' own 'self-care' system of clearing away useless molecules to suppress the host proteins that the virus has employed to get into those cells in the first place.