https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/prions/ Learn all about prions and prion disease. How are prions linked to mad cow disease, TSE, Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease and chronic wasting disease? en-us Sun, 19 Apr 2026 09:41:46 EDT Sun, 19 Apr 2026 09:41:46 EDT 60 https://www.sciencedaily.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/prions/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260326075611.htm A cow named Veronika has stunned scientists by using tools in a flexible and purposeful way. She chooses different ends of a brush depending on the part of her body and adjusts her movements accordingly. This level of tool use is incredibly rare and was previously seen mainly in primates. The finding hints that cows may be much smarter than we assume. Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:28:40 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260326075611.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260303050628.htm In Yellowstone’s wild chess match between wolves and cougars, it turns out the real power play is theft. After tracking nearly a decade of GPS data and thousands of kill sites, researchers found that wolves often muscle in on cougar kills—sometimes even killing the cats—but cougars never return the favor. Instead of fighting back, cougars adapt. As elk numbers dropped, they shifted toward hunting more deer, which they can eat quickly and in safer terrain, helping them dodge wolf encounters. Tue, 03 Mar 2026 13:10:50 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260303050628.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251212022244.htm Fossils from Qatar have revealed a small, newly identified sea cow species that lived in the Arabian Gulf more than 20 million years ago. The site contains the densest known collection of fossil sea cow bones, showing that these animals once thrived in rich seagrass meadows. Their ecological role mirrors that of modern dugongs, which still reshape the Gulf’s seafloor as they graze. The findings may help researchers understand how seagrass ecosystems respond to long-term environmental change. Fri, 12 Dec 2025 02:58:26 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251212022244.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250711224330.htm A cat named Pepper has once again helped scientists discover a new virus—this time a mysterious orthoreovirus found in a shrew. Researchers from the University of Florida, including virologist John Lednicky, identified this strain during unrelated testing and published its genome. Although once thought to be harmless, these viruses are increasingly linked to serious diseases in humans and animals. With previous discoveries also pointing to a pattern of viral emergence in wildlife, scientists stress the need for more surveillance—and Pepper remains an unlikely but reliable viral scout. Sat, 12 Jul 2025 10:58:37 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250711224330.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250507130753.htm A new technique to extract tiny cellulose strands from cow dung and turn them into manufacturing-grade cellulose, currently used to make everything from surgical masks to food packaging, has been developed. Wed, 07 May 2025 13:07:53 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250507130753.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250318140844.htm Livestock agriculture is bearing the cost of extreme weather events. A new study explores how heat stress affects U.S. dairy production, finding that high heat and humidity lead to a 1% decline in annual milk yield. Small farms are hit harder than large farms, which may be able to mitigate some of the effects through management strategies. Tue, 18 Mar 2025 14:08:44 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250318140844.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250220000950.htm International researchers warn that the ongoing mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has the potential to spread across borders more rapidly. The mpox virus has mutated, and the new variant, clade 1b, has become more infectious. Thu, 20 Feb 2025 00:09:50 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250220000950.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250217133603.htm Reintroducing wolves to the Scottish Highlands could lead to an expansion of native woodland which could take in and store one million tons of CO2 annually, according to a new study. Mon, 17 Feb 2025 13:36:03 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250217133603.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250130135836.htm High-quality milk remains in high demand, but managing the health of dairy cows is becoming increasingly challenging. To tackle this, researchers have developed an innovative location information-based technique that uses multi-camera systems to track individual cows across an entire barn. This method enables health monitoring, early disease detection, and gestation management, making it ideal for large-scale implementation to ensure dairy farm health and ensure consistent, high-quality milk production. Thu, 30 Jan 2025 13:58:36 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250130135836.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250123002104.htm In addition to being hypoallergenic, camel milk could potentially protect the gut from harmful enzymes and create healthier digestion. Thu, 23 Jan 2025 00:21:04 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250123002104.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250114181702.htm Researchers have developed a gene-editing treatment for prion disease that extends lifespan by about 50 percent in a mouse model of the fatal neurodegenerative condition. The treatment, which uses base editing to make a single-letter change in DNA, reduced levels of the disease-causing prion protein in the brain by as much as 60 percent. The work demonstrates that lowering levels of the prion protein improves lifespan in animals that have been infected with a human version of the protein. Tue, 14 Jan 2025 18:17:02 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250114181702.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250108143615.htm A new study reveals that generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help expedite the search for solutions to reduce enteric methane emissions caused by cows in animal agriculture, which accounts for about 33 percent of U.S. agriculture and 3 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Wed, 08 Jan 2025 14:36:15 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250108143615.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250101132043.htm Researchers have come up with a new way to identify more infectious variants of viruses or bacteria that start spreading in humans -- including those causing flu, COVID, whooping cough and tuberculosis. Wed, 01 Jan 2025 13:20:43 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250101132043.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241213125148.htm A new study of plant-based drinks reveals a common issue: they are lacking in proteins and essential amino acids compared to cow's milk. The explanation lies in their extensive processing, causing chemical reactions that degrade protein quality in the product and, in some cases, produce new substances of concern. Fri, 13 Dec 2024 12:51:48 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241213125148.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241210115917.htm Snow cover in the Sierra Nevada is expected to shrink overall as the climate warms, but avalanche frequency could remain the same or even increase at high elevations. That's bad news for bighorn sheep that live there, according to new research. Tue, 10 Dec 2024 11:59:17 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241210115917.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241206162110.htm A single modification in the protein found on the surface of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 influenza virus currently circulating in U.S. dairy cows could allow for easier transmission among humans, according to new research. The study results reinforce the need for continued, vigilant surveillance and monitoring of HPAI H5N1 for potential genetic changes that could make the virus more transmissible in humans. Fri, 06 Dec 2024 16:21:10 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241206162110.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241121141215.htm Biologists have determined that Florida panthers are likely not at increased risk for contracting chronic wasting disease from eating infected deer. Thu, 21 Nov 2024 14:12:15 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241121141215.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241120121943.htm Dairy cows typically rest for 10 or more hours a day, so a dry, clean, and comfortable place -- such as a freestall -- to lie down and rest is essential for their health, well-being, and production performance. One key factor in whether stalls are comfortable for cows is the ease with which they can get up and down, so it is common on farms for staff to watch for abnormal rising behaviors as part of standard welfare management. Wed, 20 Nov 2024 12:19:43 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241120121943.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241108211122.htm Highland deer mice and their lowland cousins ventured on a simulated seven-week ascent to 6,000 meters. By tracking how the mice responded to cold stress and progressively lower oxygen levels, the study tested whether deer mice have a generalized ability to acclimatize or whether some mice have evolved adaptations to local conditions. The highland mice were better able to regulate their body temperature, an indication that mice living at higher altitudes have evolved distinct ways to acclimatize to low oxygen conditions. Fri, 08 Nov 2024 21:11:22 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241108211122.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241030150330.htm The cervid livestock business is one of the fastest-growing industries in rural America. In Missouri alone, more than 250 farms are dedicated to raising deer. To improve overall herd health and support the state's economy, researchers are working to determine how best to manage white-tailed deer on these farms. A study shows that infections, such as pneumonia, are a major cause of death in Midwestern white-tailed deer. Wed, 30 Oct 2024 15:03:30 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241030150330.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241028131408.htm Burmese pythons can consume prey even larger than scientists realized, according to a new study. That means more animals are on the menu across southern Florida, where the nonnative, invasive snakes have decimated populations of foxes, bobcats, raccoons and other animals. Mon, 28 Oct 2024 13:14:08 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241028131408.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241023141826.htm Fossils from more than 600,000 years ago reveal how Southern Europe's animal community shifted between warm and cold climate fluctuations, according to a new study. Wed, 23 Oct 2024 14:18:26 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241023141826.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241016120014.htm Nager syndrome (NS) is an extremely rare disease that causes developmental problems and anomalies in facial bone structures and limbs. While the causative gene is known, its underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Researchers from Japan employed genetically engineered zebrafish and found that the mutation in the gene that causes NS, suppresses the Fgf8 levels. This, in turn, affects the expression pattern of a critical cell population called neural crest cells in facial development. Wed, 16 Oct 2024 12:00:14 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241016120014.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240919174828.htm Ecologists have long sought clarity on the dietary habits of different animal species. For scientists, it wasn't obvious how herbivores in Yellowstone National Park, who subsist on grasses, wildflowers and trees, could compete for enough of those foods to survive the winter. Over two years, with the aid of cutting-edge molecular biology tools and GPS tracking data, the researchers were able to determine not only what herbivores in Yellowstone eat, but also what strategies the animals use to find food throughout the year. Thu, 19 Sep 2024 17:48:28 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240919174828.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/08/240829132517.htm A new study showing how a prehistoric sea cow was preyed upon by not one, but two different carnivores -- a crocodilian and a shark -- is revealing clues into both the predation tactics of ancient creatures and the wider food chain millions of years ago. Thu, 29 Aug 2024 13:25:17 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/08/240829132517.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/08/240827171824.htm A team of researchers has discovered that aoudad -- an animal in the sheep and goat family -- can catch and spread many of the same respiratory pathogens that can impact desert bighorn sheep, a native species in Texas that often shares its habitat with aoudad. Tue, 27 Aug 2024 17:18:24 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/08/240827171824.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240729104219.htm SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, is widespread among wildlife species, according to new research. The virus was detected in six common backyard species, and antibodies indicating prior exposure to the virus were found in five species, with rates of exposure ranging from 40 to 60 percent depending on the species. Mon, 29 Jul 2024 10:42:19 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240729104219.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722154956.htm New research has implications for addressing a leading contributor to climate warming, methane. Mon, 22 Jul 2024 15:49:56 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240722154956.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240712124124.htm RNA drugs are the next frontier of medicine, but manufacturing them requires an expensive and labor-intensive process that limits production and produces metric tons of toxic chemical waste. Researchers report a new, enzyme-based RNA synthesis method that can produce strands of RNA with both natural and modified nucleotides without the environmental hazards. Fri, 12 Jul 2024 12:41:24 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240712124124.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240711111501.htm A study has revealed that the earliest Neolithic groups to settle some 7,000 years ago in the Pyrenean site of Coro Trasito (Tella, Huesca) used species selection strategies to manufacture their tools made out of bone and chose deer for the projectile tips. The study applied for the first time in a Neolithic site an innovative combination of methods to obtain these results. Thu, 11 Jul 2024 11:15:01 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240711111501.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240710130910.htm Wolves returned to Washington state in 2008. A new study shows that, despite their rising numbers, wolves are not having much of an impact on white-tailed deer, one of their primary prey. Scientists report that the biggest factor shaping white-tailed deer populations in northeast Washington is the quality of habitat available, which is largely determined by human activity. Cougars were second in their impact. Wolves were a distant third. Wed, 10 Jul 2024 13:09:10 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240710130910.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240708221415.htm Researchers have developed a bioelectric device that can detect and classify new variants of coronavirus to identify those that are most harmful. It has the potential to do the same with other viruses, as well. Mon, 08 Jul 2024 22:14:15 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240708221415.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627171943.htm Scientists have developed a gene-silencing tool that shows promise as a therapy against fatal prion diseases. The tool, a streamlined epigenetic editor, paves the way for a new class of genetic approaches to treat certain diseases. Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:19:43 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240627171943.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626151940.htm A new study identified biting flies as reservoirs of bacteria that cause bovine mastitis on dairy farms. Wed, 26 Jun 2024 15:19:40 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240626151940.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240517164131.htm A new study of prion diseases, using a human cerebral organoid model, suggests there is a substantial species barrier preventing transmission of chronic wasting disease (CWD) from cervids -- deer, elk and moose -- to people. The findings are consistent with decades of similar research in animal models. Fri, 17 May 2024 16:41:31 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240517164131.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240515122801.htm A parasitic worm that can infest the brains of moose appears to be playing a role in the decline of the iconic animal in some regions of North America. Moose populations have been dwindling for years across the country due to many contributing factors, but new research has found the impact of Eleaophora schneideri, also known as the arterial worm, has likely been underestimated. Wed, 15 May 2024 12:28:01 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240515122801.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240515122734.htm Prions are the abnormal, pathogenic agents that are transmissible and are able to induce abnormal folding of specific normal cellular proteins. Prion disease is an umbrella term for a group of fatal and currently untreatable neurodegenerative diseases that not only affect humans, but also wild and captive animals. These diseases include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or 'mad cow disease'), and chronic wasting disease (CWD) affecting deer, elk and moose. Wed, 15 May 2024 12:27:34 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240515122734.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240425131434.htm In the boreal forest of Western Canada, researchers have considered that both changing climate and increased habitat alteration have enabled deer to push farther north. Thu, 25 Apr 2024 13:14:34 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240425131434.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326170114.htm Researchers have come up with a new, more accurate method for detecting in ticks the emerging Powassan virus, which can cause life-threatening neuroinvasive disease, including encephalitis and meningitis. Tue, 26 Mar 2024 17:01:14 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326170114.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240321001148.htm High temperatures during critical periods of the reproductive cycle of sheep result in 2.1 million fewer lambs produced in Australia each year, costing sheep farmers an estimated $97 million annually. Thu, 21 Mar 2024 00:11:48 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240321001148.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240319122943.htm Human sweat contains a protein that may protect against Lyme disease. About one-third of the population carries a genetic variant of this protein that is associated with Lyme disease in genome-wide association studies. Tue, 19 Mar 2024 12:29:43 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240319122943.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240314122138.htm Researchers have discovered a link between gut bacteria and the success of milk-allergy oral immunotherapy. The study found that Bifidobacterium -- a genus of beneficial bacteria in the gut -- was associated with a higher chance of successful treatment. The finding may help in the development of more effective oral immunotherapies, perhaps by combining them with probiotic supplements. Thu, 14 Mar 2024 12:21:38 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240314122138.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240313135347.htm An unassuming brown bovine from the south of Brazil has made history as the first transgenic cow capable of producing human insulin in her milk. The advancement could herald a new era in insulin production, one day eliminating drug scarcity and high costs for people living with diabetes. Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:53:47 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240313135347.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240220143538.htm In Nara, Japan, the revered sika deer faces a dilemma as their escalating population damages local farmlands. A new study has revealed a complex situation: while the sanctuary's deer upholds a distinct genetic identity, the surrounding areas display a blend of genetic lineages. This exposes a pressing predicament: whether to cull the 'pest' deer around sanctuary or risk losing a sacred genetic legacy. Tue, 20 Feb 2024 14:35:38 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240220143538.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240212133131.htm A new collaborative study analyzed fecal samples to shed light on how the fatal disease impacts the gut microbiome in deer, providing a promising tool for disease surveillance. Mon, 12 Feb 2024 13:31:31 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240212133131.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240118122104.htm What did people eat on the west coast of Scandinavia 10,000 years ago? A new study of the DNA in a chewing gum shows that deer, trout and hazelnuts were on the diet. It also shows that one of the individuals had severe problems with her teeth. Thu, 18 Jan 2024 12:21:04 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240118122104.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240110120300.htm A new study shows that human hunting and land use have a decisive influence on red deer density in Europe. Red deer density is only reduced when wolves, lynx and bears co-occur at the same site. Wed, 10 Jan 2024 12:03:00 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240110120300.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231218125928.htm A new method could be used to estimate the prevalence of disease in free-ranging wildlife and help determine how many samples are needed to detect a disease. Mon, 18 Dec 2023 12:59:28 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231218125928.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231018194601.htm The explosive rise in tick-borne diseases in many parts of the United States over the last five decades represents a major public health threat that demands innovative solutions, warns a group of scientists. They outline why the stakes are so high and describe some potential solutions. Possible solutions include a new class of vaccines for humans and even for the animals that carry the ticks. Wed, 18 Oct 2023 19:46:01 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231018194601.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/09/230917181545.htm It takes over the brains of ants, causing them to cling to blades of grass against their will. The lancet liver fluke has an exceptional lifecycle strategy, in which snails, ants and grazing animals are unwitting actors. Researchers now reveal more about the mind-bending workings of this tiny parasite. Sun, 17 Sep 2023 18:15:45 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/09/230917181545.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230830131130.htm While the contamination of deer and roe deer decreased over time as expected, the measured levels of radioactivity in the meat of wild boar remained surprisingly high -- higher than the half-life of cesium would suggest. For many years, this 'wild boar paradox' was considered unsolved. Now an explanation has been found: It is a late aftermath of the nuclear weapons tests from the 1960s. Wed, 30 Aug 2023 13:11:30 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230830131130.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230818135141.htm Archaeologists have long been drawing conclusions about how ancient tools were used by the people who crafted them based on written records and context clues. But with dietary practices, they have had to make assumptions about what was eaten and how it was prepared. A new study analyzed protein residues from ancient cooking cauldrons and found that the people of Caucasus ate deer, sheep, goats, and members of the cow family during the Maykop period (3700--2900 BCE). Fri, 18 Aug 2023 13:51:41 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230818135141.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230728170622.htm Scientists showed that fixed mutations within a viral population most likely stem from how easy it is to acquire that mutation (i.e., mutation accessibility) rather than just its benefit. Fri, 28 Jul 2023 17:06:22 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230728170622.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230727144204.htm Over 60 animal species in three days. That is how many mammals, birds and amphibians researchers found DNA traces from in the air in a Danish forest. The results can pave the way for a new and innovative way of mapping biodiversity. Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:42:04 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230727144204.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230707153844.htm A new study finds that ticks can harbor transmissible amounts of the protein particle that causes Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), implicating the parasites as possible agents in the disease's spread between deer in Wisconsin. Fri, 07 Jul 2023 15:38:44 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230707153844.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230703133012.htm Bluetongue virus, an incurable cattle and sheep-killing disease, is spread by tiny flies once thought to disappear in winter. New research demonstrates that though they are harder to find when it's cold, they remain active. Mon, 03 Jul 2023 13:30:12 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230703133012.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230627224821.htm The specialization in sheep in the early Neolithic populations of Dalmatia, Croatia, may have been related to the rapid expansion of these communities and the spread of agriculture throughout the central and western Mediterranean. Tue, 27 Jun 2023 22:48:21 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230627224821.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230607123521.htm Researchers have developed a method for cheaply producing heart valves in the span of minutes that are functional immediately after being implanted into sheep. The scientists call their method 'Focused Rotary Jet Spinning,' which they describe as 'a cotton-candy machine with a hair dryer behind it.' Though long-term in vivo studies are needed to test the valves' endurance, they effectively controlled blood flow for an hour in sheep. Wed, 07 Jun 2023 12:35:21 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/06/230607123521.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230420141756.htm Evolution of two contagious cancers affecting Tasmanian devils underlines unpredictability of disease threat. Scientists have traced the family trees of two transmissible cancers that affect Tasmanian devils and have pinpointed mutations which may drive growth of deadly diseases. Thu, 20 Apr 2023 14:17:56 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230420141756.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230330172106.htm As tick season kicks in across the country, scientists have completed research that offers a promising lead in the fight against Lyme disease. Thu, 30 Mar 2023 17:21:06 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230330172106.htm